Page 79 of Sunday

“Making her happy includes making peace in every area of her life with those who matter the most to her. With that being said, I know that I didn’t make a good first impression on you, but I’d like your blessing on this relationship and our engagement. I will do whatever it takes to protect Sunday. I’ll lay down my life for that girl. But I need to know that you approve of me officially making her mine.”

“Son, I appreciate you calling me, and I apologize to you for prejudging you and not giving you a chance. But let me tell you this: As long as you breathe air, don’t ever threaten me again. I’m as protective of mine as you’re about to be over yours. From now on, we’ll show respect to each other as men but definitely respect me as an elder. I want what’s best for my daughter, and she’s convinced that you are the best. I’ll support what makes her happy, and I believe that nothing could bebetter than for your family to be united as one, especially with the little one coming. You do have my blessing on marrying my daughter, Son. Just make sure that you take care of her and never hurt her. As long as you can uphold that, you and I have no problems.”

“You good?” I asked as I approached Raymond.

“Yeah, Son. Thanks for taking that first step. I’m not so sure this old man would have been able to move beyond my stubbornness.”

“In time, you would’ve,” I declared as I rocked Aspen in my arms.

“I can honestly say that he’s a blessing. You come from a good family, and they’re extremely welcoming.”

I looked around the yard. “Yeah, they’re a good group of people.”

“Your dad proposed a fishing trip for the guys. Him, my boys, your brothers-in-law, you, and me. When do you think you’ll be able to get away?”

“Ahh, . . . I doubt it’ll be any time soon. Now that I’ve got my little king right here, I never want to leave home. I’ve got five more weeks with him before I have to return to work. I already know that’s gonna be the hardest day of my life.”

“It will be, Son.”

My father walked up and joined us.

“How’s my grandboy doing?” he asked and ran his finger down Aspen’s cheek.

“Sleeping as usual.”

“Aww, Son, they do that for the first couple of months of their lives. He’ll start being up more around three months, and you’ll wish he was asleep,” my father explained.

“But that’s when the fun begins, right?” I asked.

My father and Raymond looked at each other and cracked up laughing. When they kept laughing after two minutes, I looked at them as though they’d lost their minds. Aspen squirmed and scrunched his face up, and I knew what that meant.

My eyes met Sunday’s across the yard. She stood and met me at the back door.

“What are our fathers laughing about?” she asked.

“I’on know, baby. They on some old head shit. My little king’s hungry, though.”

“Isn’t he always?”

“Yeah, his daddy is, too, if you know what I mean.”

We walked into the house and upstairs to my old bedroom. I lay beside her, rubbing her thigh as she fed Aspen. When she finished, she burped him and laid him down to sleep.

“Daddy’s hungry too.”

“You’re not about to drink this boy’s milk,” she fussed with a giggle.

“I’m not. I want the grown man’s milk. It’s much sweeter.” I tugged her legs to the edge of the bed and dragged her leggings and panties down.

“We’ll get caught,” she hissed.

“All the more reason I should do it. ’Sides, I’m thirsty.”

“The baby might wake up.”

“Shh.”

“I’m serious, CJ.”

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