Page 184 of Plaything

Wyatt held and squeezed my hand, sending me a comforting glance as he led us further into the house.

An older woman with gray tied-back hair and an apron’s mouth dropped open when she noticed us. “We’ll, I’ll be damned!” She exclaimed loudly, throwing the towel she was holding down on the counter. We had everyone’s attention now. “Look at you!” She sang in a southern accent as she walked up to us, wrapping Wyatt in a huge hug.

“Hey, mama,” he sounded nervous as he returned the hug. For such a short woman, she seemed to have quite the grip on him, and I smiled.

“I’m so happy to see you, son. Your Daddy didn’t think you’d come, but I told him—I said you’d come because you always do,” she said, giving his cheek a small tap before wiggling a finger in front of his face.

She turned to my other professor and wrapped him in a bear hug as well, making Aiden ‘oof’ from the force of it. “Hi Baby, you’re looking fit!” She complimented. “Where are my other boys?” She asked while still hugging him.

“They got kidnapped,” Aiden deadpanned.

She waved him off and finally turned to me. “As long as they’re here,” she said. “I have been waiting to meet you,” she greeted me, wearing a massive smile she could hardly contain. “My God, you’re even prettier in person than on the TV. Margaret, look at this young lady!” She called over her shoulder.

I blushed and laughed nervously. “I’m Odette, it’s nice to meet you,” I stretched my hand to her.

She whacked my hand out of the way. “The hell am I supposed to do with that? C’mere, sugar, we hug in this house,” she lightly scolded before wrapping me in a massive hug.

Strangely, it made me want to cry. I didn’t. But I could have.

After a few seconds of her squeezing me, she let go and grabbed my shoulders. “Goodness, you’re nothin but skin and bone. Don’t you worry, Mama will fatten you right up. I swear, everyone leaves ten pounds heavier every time we have a reunion,” she bragged.

“Boys, why don’t you go fix the TV or hit something with a hammer,” she waved them away before pulling me further into the kitchen and pushing me down onto a stool by my shoulders.

“The TV broke again?” Wyatt asked but was already making his way to the living room.

Aiden winked at me before he left out the back door, probably mingling with the seemingly hundreds of people.

“I’m glad your husband called me; thanks for inviting me,” I said, watching her begin to chop away at cilantro.

One of the women, probably in her late thirties, widened her eyes at me. “We’re all just surprised you were brave enough to show up. Our family can be... a lot,” she chuckled. “But you probably know all about crazy families, Miss Billionaire,” she joked.

Mama gave her a hip bump. “We were asked not to bring that up, Tracy,” she scolded. “Sorry, sugar,” she said sympathetically.

I widened my eyes, glancing at Wyatt, who was messing with wires on the back of an ancient TV. “No, it’s okay,” I held my hands up. I’d been on every local news outlet for weeks; Wyatt’s family had every right to be curious about me.

Mama got a stern look as she began aggressively chopping. “I just think it’s awful to put you in that position—we all do. You can’t buy or sell love. Not for any amount of money,” she ranted.

“Well, most people can’t,” I tilted my head. “Charles—my father—has always done whatever he wants,” I shrugged. “Is there anything I can help with?” I asked, feeling useless as they ran around the kitchen.

“Yes!” A woman holding a Baby walked over and plopped him in my arms. “Hold Junior for a sec; I can’t hardly move around, let alone cook with him in my arms,” she said.

I widened my eyes, somewhat panicking, as I stared at the baby. “Oh, I—uh...” What the fuck do I do with this?

I was impartial to kids, but I didn’t like babies. They were fragile, cried, pooped, peed, and puked everywhere. I didn’t know the first thing about how to hold one, especially one this tiny!

Support the head? My heart was hammering as my mind ran a mile a minute, thinking of any way to get rid of him. I was the absolute last person in the world who should be holding a baby. I was clumsy!

We were so high up... what if I dropped him?!

I quickly stood and took a few cautious steps, making sure to keep my palm and fingers wrapped around the Baby’s head and squeezing his body to mine. I quickly sat down on the ground, propping my legs up and leaning him against my thighs. I sighed, feeling much better about our proximity to the floor. Even so, I practically caged him with my arms.

He kind of looked like an alien. He was very red, and I worried I might have held him too tight.

“He ain’t gonna bite you, Sugar,” Mama laughed at me.

Didn’t babies teethe? He might not bite, but he certainly will gum me. Ew...

He made a crying sound, and I widened my eyes, more panic settling in. “No, no, no,” I shushed. “You’re okay...” I cringed. I looked up at the amused women. “Is he okay?” I asked. Why was he crying?

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