Page 29 of Beyond The Stars

She waved him off. “You know how she is and I ain’t bout to be arguing with no damn four-year-old.”

“But you letting her run the plays? Yea, okay.” He looked her upside her head.

The three of them got into the car with one place on their mind. Lynn Beach was known for the many Black-owned eateries placed throughout the city. There was one place in particular that Esmeray loved more than any place on earth. Kids Eat Free was her favorite restaurant. She claimed their tenders were the best in the world and to top it off, they had gourmet deserts and a bougie indoor playground.

Neither of her parents asked where she wanted to eat because they both knew. Qamar felt she liked visiting him more for Kids Eat Free than it was to see her own daddy.

At the restaurant, they got out the car looking like the picture-perfect family. Malaysia’s complexion was deep in color and had been passed down to her baby girl. She was on the taller side standing at five feet, seven inches and she was slim. She could easily be a model with her height and exotic features. Her beauty was what stood out when he laid eyes on her in high school. Qamar could still admit she was stunning, he just didn’t see her like that anymore. He would love her forever though.

“Welcome to Kids Eat Free. How many in your party?” The hostess at the hot pink check-in desk smiled.

“Three,” Esmeray held up her three fingers.

The woman’s smile grew at the cutie pie calling all the shots. “Okay. You want a table or booth?”

“A booth.” Esmeray’s long lashes fluttered. A feature she’d gotten from her daddy.

“Follow me.” She grabbed their menus and headed to the requested section.

Their booths were closer to the indoor playground that mimicked outdoors. There was grass and dirt along with artificial wind surrounded by glass so the natural sunlight could shine in. At night it was even more magical. It was very family friendly but elegant enough to serve as a cute date night for adults.

“Can I go play?” Esmeray asked with her hands in prayer.

Qamar looked at Malaysia before looking back at his baby girl. “Yes, but when you see your food at the table you need to bring yo’ ass back to eat.”

“Okay,” she barely got out before she was off to meet temporary friends.

Malaysia placed her hands on the table. “So, what’s been up with you?”

“Same shit, different day. Let me ask you something.”

“Oh lord,” she faked worried.

Qamar laughed, seeing where his baby got her dramatics from. “Real shit. When you had Esmeray, did you think we were going to be together? Like, was that the only future you saw for us at the time?”

Malaysia wasn’t expecting that question. It threw her off so much that she adjusted her sitting posture while her mind played out every detail from when they were sixteen.

“You come from a two-parent household so was that what you saw for us? Was it something you knew your pops would be disappointed about?” he ranted, talking a mile a minute.

“Damn, slow down.” She used her hand like a stop sign. “First, why you asking me this?”

His face scrunched. “I ain’t trying to get back with you if you thinking that.”

Malaysia’s body relaxed. “I was about to say… thank God. Let me guess, Janay?”

“Hell yea. She pressing me about giving her a chance and shit but my heart ain’t in it at all. Never has been.”

“That’s the difference between her and me. We…” She pointed between the two of them. “We were in a relationship, so of course I thought we were going to ride off into the sunset. You and Janay were new… just getting to know each other while fucking. My experiences and expectations weren’t the same.”

“But when did you know we wasn’t going to be a family?”

“That’s the thing, Qamar, we are very much a family. I love you so much. I’ll give my life for yours because we are family. We just ain’t in a romantic relationship and I like it this way.” Malaysia sighed. “Your biggest opp is that big ass heart you carrying around. Janay knows it and will use that shit against you.”

“You really ain’t feeling her, huh?”

“It’s not that. I just see shit and know what you need.”

Stretching his arms across the back of his side of the booth, he kissed his teeth. “What I need, baby mama?”

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