Page 65 of Steel
Jaiden grinned. “It was so hard not to tell you I’m your uncle at school. KD said even though I’m your uncle, you don’t have to listen to me.”
Nayelli and her grandmother laughed.
“MaMa!” A cute little girl ran into the room. She latched on to Mrs. Jenkins’s leg and looked up at me.
“Yes, Emmy?” Her mother placed Nayelli down and picked her up, then kissed her cheeks.
I was surprised to learn she had another baby. This one couldn’t have been more than a year old. A man I recognized as Kerrion’s stepfather came waltzing into the room. I only remembered him because he, too, was a fine man. He looked at me with a soft smile.
Ms. Tavia turned to Nayelli. “Baby, this is your aunt Emelie. We call her Emmy.”
Nayelli giggled. “It’s so weird having a baby for an aunt. Hi, cutie pie!”
Emmy grinned at her. “Hi!” She turned and pointed at me. “Who?” she asked.
“This is Neha,” Mrs. Jenkins said. “Can you say hi?”
“Hi!”
“Hey,” I said, giving an awkward smile. She reached for me, not giving me a chance to protest before falling into my arms. “Oh! Well, aren’t you friendly?”
“She’s never met a stranger,” her father said with a chuckle. “Hershel,” he said, extending his hand. “Jaiden’s dad.”
“Neha.”
“Neha . . . Malone? Neha Malone?” He looked at his wife. “ThatNeha?”
“Thatone.”
“Maybe I should go—” I started.
“No, no,” Mrs. Jenkins stated. “You’re here, and we are going to have a little chat.”
Mr. Hershel turned to Nayelli. “You must be Nayelli.”
“Yes. You’re Mr. K’s other daddy. That makes you my grandpa.”
He smiled big. “That’s right. It’s so nice to meet you, princess.”
She went to him for a hug as well. It was clear that Kerrion had been telling her about her family. For his mother to know who I was, he must have told her about us too.
“Did Mr. K tell y’all about me?” Nayelli asked.
Her grandmother nodded. “He did. He thought this would be a great surprise for you today. He’s on his way back.”
Mr. Jenkins slowly took Emmy from me. “I’m gonna go put Emmy down for her nap.”
“No nap!” Emmy said.
“Yes, nap,” her father said, kissing her cheek before kissing his wife’s. “Be nice.”
“I hear you, my love.”
He nodded at me before heading upstairs.
Mrs. Jenkins turned to Nayelli and Jaiden. “Sweetheart, take Nayelli upstairs for a little bit. Me and Ms. Neha need to have a talk.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
