by J Peach
I tried hard not to laugh because I never saw him this nervous before. It was a new look on him as well as a cute one.
“Hey, I’m Blaze. That sound pretty good to me or a simple hey would do. You’ll be fine.” Glancing behind himself again, he handed me his keys.
“Climb in the driver’s seat and drive off.” He tried to push me over into the next seat.
“What?” Blaze kept trying to push me over, which only had me laughing.
“Hurry up. Let’s pull off before they reach us.”
I fell back laughing hard before I shook my head at him. He looked halfway serious and I honestly couldn’t tell if he was for real or not.
“Blaze, stop, you ass.” Letting out a heavy breath, he stopped pushing me.
“Yo ass ain’t no help, just throw me to the wolves, Peaches.”
My eyes rolled before they focused on those light brown eyes of his. My thumb soon found its way to the crease in his forehead, rubbing across it trying to smooth it out. As my other hand gripped the side of his neck, my thumb slowly moved along his jawline.
“Bae, he’s not a wolf, he’s just a kid. B, you can do this. We gon’ do it and if he just so happens to turn into a wolf, then you’re right. I’m going to throw you to him and run.” My face was straight and serious as I continued to stare in those beautiful light brown orbs I’d come to love so much. Showing a little dimpled smile, Blaze laughed. His thick pink tongue swiped across his full bottom lip, catching my attention. Unbeknownst to me at the time, the nerves in my hand and thumb grew a mind of their own as they moved from his neck and jaw to his cheek and lower lip, my thumb then traced the outline of his full bottom lip.
My mistake.
Moving my hands from him face, I looked to the side trying to hide my embarrassment from my lack of self-control when it came to him. Clearing my throat, I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear before grabbing my purse.
“We shouldn’t keep them waiting. You ready?” I asked, looking back at him only to roll my eyes at his knowing smile. “You a bitch.” That only made him laugh.
“Yeah you saying that now. What dude gon’ think when he find out you still wanna fuck with a nigga?” He cockily asked.
Smacking my lips, I pushed Blaze away. I wasn’t even about to reply to his stupidity. I refused to boost his ego.
“You ready?” I asked instead.
“Yeah, let’s do this.” Helping me out the truck, Blaze closed and locked the door before looking around. “She’s right over there.” He pointed to a picnic table. Blaze placed his hand on my lower back, leading us over to the table.
Just like Blaze, I was nervous about meeting his kid because I didn’t know what to expect.
Would he be a cool kid or would he start yelling and throwing shit? Would he not like us? Hell, would he even talk to us?
I didn’t know and not knowing scared the shit out of me. This kid had Blaze’s hot blood running through him, which meant he could flip the fuck out for no reason then turn around and be cool a second later.
Bianca’s kids wasn’t wrapped tight. Look at Britt’s ass. Damn, this kid was probably all messed up.
Then again, he probably wasn’t.
I didn’t know.
God I hoped this baby didn’t start screaming and trying to attack us.
Grabbing Blaze’s hand that rested on my back, I brought it to my right side uncomfortably linking our fingers together with our right hands.
I felt like a damn adoptive parent about to meet her kid for the first time. I guess I wasn’t all that off.
Peaches, breathe. Damn, why did I agree to come? Why the hell didn’t I make an attempt to be around kids more?
Peaches, breathe deep breaths— smile, not that wide, closed mouth smile.
God, I hope I don’t look creepy or constipated.
“What’s up, Roz,” Blaze greeted a woman who looked to be in her early maybe middle forties. “This is my lady, Peaches. Peach, Rozlyn.” Blaze introduced us.
“Hey,” I responded and shook her hand then wiped them on my jeans because of my sweaty palms. I looked around her to the table expecting to see a little boy but he wasn’t there. The table was empty besides a laptop and a manila envelope.
“Are you nervous?” She asked, drawing my attention back to her as she looked at me with a friendly smile.
Was I nervous?
“A little bit.” An uneasy laugh left my mouth as I resisted the urge to finger comb my hair.
“Don’t be, sweetie. Blaze, you have the paper?” Reaching in his pocket, he gave her the DNA test results. Opening it, she looked over them nodding. “Had to make sure, you understand.” Blaze nodded his response. Motioning him to the table, she did some typing on her laptop for a few a minutes then handed Blaze the folder. “Blake was never in the system. In the folder you’ll find his birth certificate, social security card, it should be two of each in there just in case. Those are the main things you’ll need. The changes were already made to the birth certificate. So, that’s it, you’re done, I still can’t believe it, though, Lil’ Blaze done had a baby. You should bring him by the house sometimes to play with Corey. Those two clicked so fast its crazy. “ She told him but I still failed to see the kid.
“Who’s Corey?” Blaze questioned, handing her another envelope but this one was a lot thicker.
“Keisha’s baby. He just turned three the week before last. Let me go get little man, I’ll be right back.” She packed up her stuff then walked to a van a few spaces from where we were.
“She left him in a van by himself? Why the hell—” I was about to go off until I saw an older boy get out the front, going to the back door.
“Look at you about to start some shit.” Blaze started laughing, making me hit him in the stomach.
“Shut up. I wasn’t about to start nothing. I saw that boy, I was just testing you and of course you failed.” Lie. Looking up at him, I laughed. “Nigga, whatever,” I mumbled as the older boy started walking our way with a red toddler seat and a small little boy trailing behind him. “He’s so small.” The little dude was short for a two year old or how tall I imagined one to be. A laugh left my mouth as I stared at him. I was literally staring at a mini Blaze and it was crazy. There was no denying this baby. My God.
When they finally reached us, Blaze took the car seat and we all just stood there. It seemed so awkward and I was starting to wonder myself.
What do I say to him?
How do you introduce yourself to a two year old?
Would he even understand us?
Hell, could he talk clear enough so we can understand him?
Peaches say something.
I squatted down to his level and smiled at him. “Hey, I’m Peaches. What’s your name, cutie?” God, I hoped he understood me. Looking away from me, he looked at the older boy who nodded.
“Blake,” he said in this cute tiny voice and my heart just melted.
“Awe, you’re so cute and you talked to me.” I cooed before hearing a laugh coming from above and in front of me, but I ignored them. To anyone staring they would’ve thought I never saw a kid before. Or course, I had. I’d just never been around any or talked to none of them. So seeing Blaze’s little twin had me amazed. And then he talked to me sounding so cute. I couldn’t help myself. “Do you hug?”
Roz spoke as she laughed. “I can tell you don’t have kids. I’ve never seen anyone react like this. Blake, are you going to hug her?” Again Roz laughed as Blake shook his head no as he tried hiding behind the stuffed orange basketball.
“If I give you ice cream, will you hug me?” He moved the ball from in front his face and slowly he nodded his head.
“Yeah, you gotda give me ice cream first.”
My mouth dropped and I was cooing once again.
“Awe, you are so cute.” Looking up at Blaze, I let out a squeaky noise. “He just spoke a whole sentence.” I whispered. I was literally amazed by this kid.
“Peaches, chill man. Damn. Yo
u probably scaring his ass,” Blaze stated loudly making me hit him.
“Watch your mouth and I’m not scaring him. Am I scaring you?” I asked Blake who shook his head no. “See?”
“Can we get ice cream?” he asked.
Laughing, I stood up. “Yeah we about to get ice cream, but first I want to talk to Ms. Rozlyn, then we’re going to go, okay?”
Nodding, he just stood there looking away from me to Blaze.
“Stand right here with Blaze and I’ll be right back.” My heart was just melting the more I stared at those light brown eyes of his. A photo did him no justice. “Ms. Rozlyn, can we talk?” Before I could even finish my sentence Blaze had pulled me to him.
“You gon’ leave me with him?” Blaze whispered in my ear.
“Yes, now let me go.” Mumbling back, I pulled away from him.
“What if he talks to me? What I’m supposed to say?” Blaze asked me.
I found myself shaking my head. “Answer whatever he asks, but talk to him first.” Pulling away from Blaze again, he pulled me back. “Dude—”
“What I’m ‘pose to say?”
And this man had the nerve to say twice he wanted to have kids with me, once upon time.
“Tell him your name, bae. We talked about this. Breath and talk.” Moving away from Blaze, Rozlyn and I walked down to her van where the older boy stood.
“What’s up?” she asked.
“Nothing. I just wanted to give those two some time alone. Hopefully Blaze will talk to him.” I told her, staring at Blaze.
When his eyes caught mine, my head did a slight jerk forward, basically telling him to say something.
Blaze squatted down saying something to Blake before holding his fist out. Blake responded by bumping his little fist with Blaze’s. That action made me smile before a laugh left my mouth as Blaze sat on the ground with little Blake doing the same. Instead of taking him to the picnic table, he chose to sit his overgrown ass on the concrete.
“With everything that has happened, is he okay?” I asked her, nodding toward Blake.
“He’s a strong kid and surprisingly he’s very friendly considering losing both his mom and grandmother not that far apart then being thrown in the system. The first month and a half was hard but he gradually came through. Some kids usually adapt to tragedies faster than most. Especially the younger children because they really don’t understand. They just know mommy or daddy isn’t around anymore. It was hard but at the same time it wasn’t for Blake because he was always with someone else. His mother worked a lot to make a decent living for them, same with the grandmother. She worked so he was always at daycare from six in the morning until later that evening around his bedtime, you know. With the grandmother it was the same but she sometimes left him with the sitter overnight.
“He’s a really lovable kid. I took to him pretty quickly with my own grandbaby being his age. So, I made sure to check on him every day. He’s a little trouble maker so don’t be fool by that cute face of his. Blake is real sneaky.” She finished with a laugh, one that I returned.
What she said was understandable, especially with him always being in daycare and not truly understanding the situation. It was easy for him to come to terms with the changes in his life.
I guess.
We’ll just have to make what he once had better. Given neither of us knew the first thing about parenting, it should be a fun learning process.
“If you can, will you try to find out the sitter who kept him. I wouldn’t want him to lose all the normalcy he once had and with him already used to that sitter, it’ll make it easier than having to find a new one he’ll have to get us to.” I asked her.
Roz nodded, pulling out her Blackberry. “Give me your number and I’ll find that out for you. That’ll be good.” She handed me her phone and I stored my number in it. “I’ll try to get back with you as soon as I have it and don’t keep him away for too long. I’ll love to know how he’s adapting to you guys so keep me informed. If it’s fine with you both, I want him and my grandbaby to get together sometimes. Like I said, they clicked. Had me on my feet before you pulled up,” my brows furrowed at that because I didn’t see another kid. “Oh, he’s in the van knocked out. Okay, so I’m about to head out. Tell Blaze I said good luck.” Roz was about to walk to her car until I stopped her.
“Hey, about Blaze having a kid—”
Shaking her head, she waved me off. “He already told me this morning. My mouth is sealed and from my understanding, we’re the only people that know. Don’t worry no one will find out from me.”
It was a relief to hear her say that because I would hate for people to find out.
“Thanks, it was nice meeting you.” Waving at her, she did the same with a friendly smile plastered across her lips.
“You too and keep that boy out of trouble. Blake still has a chance so don’t leave him with Blaze for too long.”
That had me laughing because I couldn’t agree more. Turning away from the van, I slowly made my way back to the twins sitting on the ground.
Chapter 7
Peaches
“So, you got a girlfriend?” My hand flew to my mouth as I caught Blaze’s question.
“Blaze? He’s two. What kind of question is that?” I asked, making Blaze laugh.
“Told you, now you owe me a dollar. Gon’ dig in yo pockets and give me my dollar.” Blaze told Blake who felt his pockets.
“I don’t have a dollar.” He spoke so clearly to only be two. I’d expected him to know some words but not to be able to speak whole sentences. He surely proved me wrong.
“Then how you betting with no money, man? You got a quarter?” Blaze asked and Blake shook his head no.
“Why does he owe you a dollar?” Blaze shrugged and I kicked him. “Don’t lie to me, Blaze.”
“Damn, I told him you was gon’ be mad at my next question. We betted a dollar and he lost. You know what, here.” Reaching in his pocket, Blaze pulled out a wad of money, flipping through it until he found a dollar. Once Blake had the money he was trying to stuff it in his small pocket. “Aye, what you doing? Keep that out, i’ight. That’s the dollar we gon’ use fah yo ice cream. That’s yo only dollar, now give it here.” Blake handed it to Blaze and he pocketed it. “Thanks.” He left it at that. Poor Blake just looked so lost.
“That’s my dollar.” He sounded so proper when he said that.
Blaze shook his head at what he said. “No, you betted me a dollar and you using yo ice cream money to pay yo debt.”
My mouth fell open. I couldn't believe Blaze was actually doing that baby like that.
“You are so wrong. Why you want to hustle this baby? You shouldn’t even be teaching him how to bet,” I said, hitting him. “Now give it back to him.” Blake got up, standing on the side of me.
“Yeah,” he said with his hand out. “Give it back.”
Blaze let out a pss, shaking his head. “No, he shouldn’t have betted.” He looked serious.
“Are you really not going to give him back his dollar?”
Blaze shook his head. “No, I'm not. A bet’s a bet.”
Kicking Blaze in the leg I held my hand out for Blake to take.
“A bet you lost. I wasn’t even mad I asked a question, but it’s cool keep yo dollar, though. Come, baby, let’s go get you some ice cream.” Finding the ice cream truck I saw earlier in the same spot, I led us over to it. “What kind of ice cream you like?” He didn’t say anything, so I kept talking. “I like the chocolate and banana twisted together. That’s good or the strawberry shortcake. Will you tell me which one you like?” Reaching the truck, he just kind of stood there with his eyes widen.
“I want this one, this one, this one—”
I started laughing as he pointed to every picture on the truck.
“Wait, wait, wait, Blake, only one. We’ll go to the store later to get more so you can take some home, okay? So, just pick one. Come here.” I picked him up and placed him on my hip as I pointed to th
e ice cream. “You can get any one of these or do you want a cone?” Blake nodded. “Which one do you want, sweetie?” He pointed to both the chocolate cone and the red, blue and white Popsicle. Laughing, I turned to the man inside the truck. “Okay, let me get that Popsicle and a chocolate ice cream. Do you have Hudsonville Super Scoop ice cream?”
“Yeah, you want that?” Nodding my head, I continued to look at the different ice creams.
“Oh, you have colorful cones? Blake, you want a color cone? They have blue. You want one?”
“I want blue.” He told me, wiggling in my arms. “Can you put me down?” Blake asked.
“Don’t go anywhere, okay?” Again, he didn’t say anything just started tossing his little ball up. “Can you put the chocolate in a blue cone and the Super Scoop in a purple.” Glancing at Blake, he was now by Blaze throwing his stuffed ball with him.
After paying for our ice cream, I made my way to the picnic table close by them, sitting on top of it. It was so cute watching Blaze’s tall frame standing next to such a small person. They stood the exact same way as they tossed the ball.
“You my daddy?” Blake suddenly asked and Blaze’s eyes quickly found mine looking like he didn’t know how to respond. Blake got me, too, because I wasn’t expecting that question, not right then anyways.
My head jerked slightly, telling him to say something, which caused him to mug me.
“Do you want me to be?” Blaze responded.
Blake took his ball and shook his head no. “You took my dollar,” he said before kicking Blaze hard in the leg. Blake quickly turned his little self around and ran toward me like his life depended on it. I swear his little legs were hitting his back.
“You little—”
“Blaze, watch your mouth.” I called out, not able to contain my laughter. Blake finally made it to where I was and climbed on the table sitting beside me.
“Can I have my ice cream?” He asked politely like he didn’t just kick Blaze. I said nothing about it.
“There you go. So, how old are you?”
Licking his ice cream a few times, he looked at me. “Two.”