Page 128 of Smoke

Korri blushed. “I missed you too. You know what else I missed?”

“What’s that?”

“Those chocolate chip cookies.”

Granny Dillinger told me that shared her special chocolate chip cookie recipe with all of grandkid’s mothers because she wanted to share in the aggravation of them begging her to make them. The way I saw Devin’s brothers grabbing them up at her birthday party, I was inclined to believe her.

Ms. Allison laughed. “You know, I think I might have made a whole batch just for you.”

“Hold on now, Ma,” Devin said, waving his hand. “She’s gotta share that.”

“My baby doesn’t have to share her cookies with you.”

He turned to Korri. “KoKo, you gon’ leave me hanging?”

Korri snickered. “You can have one, Mr. Devin.”

“Just one?”

“Maybe two. But that’s it.”

He playfully mushed her head. “See if you get another Lego set outta me.”

Ms. Allison winked at her. “Don’t worry, baby. I got you on the Legos.”

She stuck her tongue out at her son before placing Korri back on her feet. Deja came trotting downstairs with a smile on her face.

“Hey, y’all,” she said.

She embraced me and Korri before going to Devin. They started play fighting before embracing each other. When she pulled away, she held her hand out.

“I need some money.”

“Doesn’t your man have a job now? And didn’t I give you money last week?”

“So.”

“Youneed a job.”

“Devin, please.”

“Deja. I’m not gonna keep spoiling you?—”

She laughed in his face, and so did his mother. I covered my mouth and snickered. I’d quickly learned that gifting was his love language. He loved dropping a bag on the women in his life. He knew as well as we did, he would never stop giving her money, even if he said that statement with his whole chest.

“Y’all take me for a joke,” he said, pulling out his phone. “One of these days, I’ma show you better than I can tell you.”

Deja’s phone chimed in her hand, and she smiled. “Well, today isn’t that day. Thank you, brother.” She kissed his cheek and reached for Korri’s hand. “You wanna hang out until dinner is ready?”

“Can I, Mommy?”

“Go ahead. Be good.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

They disappeared upstairs while we followed Ms. Allison into the kitchen. Devin headed straight for the pots on the stove to see what she was cooking. Ms. Allison came behind him with a dish towel, swinging it at him.

“Get out of the pot, Devin!”

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