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“Okay.”

I leaned back against the seat.

Behind us, Michael and Amari were already arguing about something.

“Stop touching me!”

“I’m not touching you!”

“Yes, you are!”

“Xay.”

“I got it.” He looked in the rearview mirror. “Yo. Both of y’all chill the fuck out.”

Silence.

I smiled.

See.

Sometimes Daddy was useful.

I reached over and turned the music up while Xay drove.

Nesha pulled out behind us.

Heather’s gifts were packed in the back.

All four of my babies were buckled in.

My husband was beside me.

My best friend was following behind us.

Regular Sunday family shit.

And I didn’t have a fucking clue that the phone call Xay had rushed to end before I got in the truck was only one more piece of a life he had been keeping completely separate from mine.

By the time we got to the baby shower, we were already an hour and a half late.

Of course.

Heather was having it at a small event space in Union, across town from us, and between getting four fucking kids dressed, Serenity needing to eat again right before we left, Michael suddenly having to shit when everybody had their coats on, and Xay not helping me do a motherfucking thing, I was surprised we made it at all.

Nesha helped with what she could, but she had her own child to get together too.

Soon as we walked through the doors, “One Thing” by Amerie was playing loud enough that I could feel the bass through my boots.

“Oh, this cute!” Nesha yelled beside me.

“Right!”

Heather’s people had done their shit.

Brown, cream and gold decorations. Big balloon setup behind her chair. BABY COLLIN spelled across the backdrop. Tables full of people. Kids running around. Food lined up along one wall. Gifts damn near taking over another corner.

Everybody was there celebrating my cousin.