Page 60 of Maceo

He pulled out his phone, and the next thing we heard was ringing. After a few seconds, loud music came blaring through the phone.

“What up, bruh!”

“Look at how your woman got my wife looking.”

He turned the camera around. I blew a kiss and struck a pose.

“Hey, daddy.”

“Shit! Damn, you look good, bae.”

I blushed. “Thank you.”

“Don’t have none of that on when you get home. Wait… you can leave the boots on.”

Deuce turned the camera around. “I didn’t call for you to encourage this shit, nigga.”

“What, man? We bagged some beautiful women. Leave them the fuck alone.”

“When I catch a body, it’s on you.”

“I’ll take that. I gotta go, man. These kids are lit as hell, and I’m ’bout to go snatch Deja ass up, out there twerking her back. Deja Giselle!”

He hung up, and Deuce turned back to us. “Please don’t let me have to come up there.”

Salima walked over and cupped his face. “I promise, we’ll behave. Besides, I have all the security I need with Shar.”

“And do!” I said, snapping my fingers. “Can you let us go now? I wanna get there before it gets crowded.”

Deuce waved me off. “You act like y’all wait in line and don’t have a private section.”

“That’s besides the point, Stanley.”

“Darlyn, your godmommy wants me to snatch her by her edges,” he said, looking at baby girl. She grinned, not even knowing he threatened her favorite person.

“Give me my baby,” Salima said, scooping her up. “Hi, mamas!” She smothered her chubby cheeks with kisses, causing her to squeal. “Mommy is gonna miss you! You be a good girl for daddy.”

I smiled, watching her love on her baby. She was such a good mom, and she felt bad about leaving her with Deuce to go out and have fun. He’d reassured her that even though she was a wife and mother, she still had a life, and he was perfectly capable of taking care of his baby by himself.

Salima returned Darlyn to his arms, then cupped his face and kissed him passionately.

“I love you.”

“I love you too, mama. We making baby number two when you bring your fine ass back.”

She rolled her eyes but didn’t object. “See you later, Deuce.”

He slapped her ass as she walked away. He got up with Darlyn in his arms to walk us out to where the blacked-out SUV was waiting for us. The door opened, and out stepped a guy Salima and I both knew from our neighborhood and school.

“Hey, Amp,” I said, opening my arms for a hug.

He took a step back and offered me his hand. “What’s up?”

“Damn, it’s like that? I’ve known you your whole life.”

“It ain’t nothing personal, Shar. Just a matter of respect for your man. I prefer my head on my shoulders.”

I laughed as I raised my hands in surrender. “I respect that.”

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