Page 74
“Auntie Rah!” She hollered when she spotted me.
“Hey, pretty girl,” I greeted, hugging her before going over to Tori.
Mase spoke to everybody while I sat beside my sister-in-law and checked on the boys. I’d kept my left hand out of plain sight, wanting to see how long it would take somebody to notice.
AJ came into the living room a few minutes later and leaned down to kiss my cheek.
“Wassup, Ma?” he greeted.
“Hey, baby,” I replied.
He was about to walk away when he spotted my ring.
“Aye, hold up!” he exclaimed, grabbing my hand. “Ma, what the hell is this?”
“It looks like I’m about to pop you in the mouth,” I fussed.
AJ looked toward Mase before turning back to me.
“Wait, y’all getting married?” He asked.
“Yes!” I announced, finally holding my hand up. “Mase proposed last night!”
Tori screamed while Mama and GiGi immediately started congratulating us, and Tae walked over to dap Mase up.
“Man, you really finna marry into this crazy-ass family?” Tae questioned.
“Hell yeah,” Mase replied, laughing.
“Congratulations, Granny baby,” GiGi told me, smiling as she admired my ring. “I’m happy for y’all.”
“Thank you, GiGi,” I replied.
Once everybody settled down, I noticed AJ standing beside Mase with a smile on his face.
“Come here, baby,” I called.
He walked over and hugged me.
“I’m happy for you, Ma,” he told me. “You deserve it.”
“Thank you, baby,” I replied, kissing his cheek.
When he stepped back, Mase reached out and dapped him up.
“I appreciate you being good with this, youngin’,” he told him.
AJ nodded. “You’ve been making my mama happy. That’s all I care about.”
“And I want you to know something. I’ain marrying your mama tryna replace your pops,” he told him. “You already got a father who loves you and handles his business when it comes to you. But I’m standing ten toes behind you too, just like him and your mama. Whatever you need… you can come to me.”
AJ looked at him for a moment before nodding.
“I appreciate that, Mase. For real,” he replied.
Mase pulled him into a hug, and I had to blink back tears. Seeing the two of them together meant everything to me.
“Just don’t start thinking you can boss me around and shit,” AJ added when they separated.
