Page 4 of Love's Instant Replay
A low chuckle escapes my mouth when Mica’s mouth opens and closes as her eyes balloon due to Jaleel letting the cat out the bag.
“I was coming. I just had to finish Dollie’s hair first and you were being impatient,” Mica says.
“Use it in a sentence,” Jaleel counters.
“Huh?” Mica’s brows wrinkle, and her eyes pinch while staring at Jaleel.
Sitting back, I watch the show because Mica and Jaleel seem to forget they’re not the same age, and no matter how much I try to steer them in the right direction, they occasionally bump heads.
“Use impatient in a sentence, Little Bit,” Jaleel says smirking.
“How about the two of you allow us to enjoy dinner without having an unnecessary fight? It’s been a long day, and I just want to enjoy my family,” I interject.
“Okay, Daddy. I’m sorry.”
Lord, this is why she gets what she wants from me. She always knows what to say to make me fall further in love with her while continuing to wrap me around her little finger.
“Can you take me to buy some new dolls, Daddy?”
“Why? You aren’t playing with all the ones you have,” Jaleel says before I have a chance to respond, causing Mica to frown.
“How about this? If you promise to listen to Uncle J every day next week without him telling me anything bad, I’ll consider buying you some new dolls,” I say.
Mica’s frown transitions into a smile big enough to light my world and the restaurant that causes me to chuckle because I know she can get whatever she wants. Call me a sucker or a parent who doesn’t know how to stop overcompensating, but Mica is my kryptonite, and I’m helpless to do anything but surrender to the knowledge.
“Deal. Thank you, Daddy. I love you,” Mica says, smiling.
“Sucker,” Jaleel says shaking his head while looking from me to Mica, and all I can do is laugh.
A sucker I am but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Hello.We need a book that will teach my baby how to be the best mother in the world. I’m so excited that she is finally having my first grandchild.”
“Um—Um-uh?—”
“Don’t worry, the father is also fourteen, so Jessa is gonna be just fine.”
My eyes flicker as I attempt to process the young girl standing before me with a protruding stomach and a clueless mother. My mind is scrambling with less than professional thoughts as silence ensues.
“Hey, sweet face, let me help you. There is a boatload of books available. Right this way,” Tracy singsongs in the voice she uses when her professionalism is needed.
“Thank you. I’m not sure why I didn’t just walk up and down the aisles until I found what I needed instead of bothering you all.” The mom’s voice fades the further away Tracy leads the pair from where I’m standing rooted to the spot I’m in behind the counter.
Thank goodness for Tracy, my assistant and best friend since we were wee high to a grasshopper, or I might have lost a customer. As the owner of Echoes of Kyelle, I must always stay in business mode, and seeing a child in what looks to be the third trimester of pregnancy has me ready to slap somebody. While her mother doesn’t have to act or pretend to be ashamed, I didn’t expect her to be as giddy as she was. It’s almost like she begged her daughter to?—
“Thank you so much. We’ll take all of these and get out your hair. I need to get Jessa off her feet before they swell. We’ve been running around all day, and I know they’ll be looking like hooves if she doesn’t sit down soon. My word,” the pregnant girl’s mother gushes in a high-pitched tone that grates my nerves.
“Mammie, you’re embarrassing me. Hush now,” the girl says in a whiny tone, and it takes everything in me not to roll my eyes.
Wordlessly, I ring up their items in record time so they can exit my place of business expeditiously. The heat filling my neck and tingles in my left hand let me know that my ability to keep it cute is waning.
“Have a nice day,” I say, plastering on a fake smile as the mother grabs the bag before looping her arm with her child’s as they make their exit.
My eyes are stuck as my head unconsciously shakes, and my chest tightens with a dull ache from the sight before me.
“Chile, the caucacity of it all is mind-boggling for me. Did that Lucy Goosey tramp seem overly cheery about her young ass?—”
“My heart breaks for that child and the unborn baby who I pray is a boy so teen pregnancy can be broken at birth.” My eyes haven’t moved from the door despite no longer being able to see the two customers.
