Page 4 of Absolute Fulfillment
“Not right now. They’re barely one and giving me hell.”
I nodded, completely understanding. It was only me and Adonis and I swear he was enough for me, even though he spent summers and breaks with my mama. It gave me time to miss him, because I damn sure wasn’t getting much help from his nothing ass daddy. When I told him there was no us, he kept it moving. He barely called my baby but had the nerve to be laid up playing father to his current girlfriend’s three kids. That wasn’t my business though, as long as Syke stayed the fuck outta my space, we were cool. What’s sad was he always decided to pop up from time to time and test my temperature. He acted like he wanted to be a father to Adonis for a minute, but it always got old and he always gave up because I wasn’t budging. I didn’t want him and I made that clear every time, which he decided meant he didn’t have to be a father. When Adonis was two, I finally just cut it all off. If he wanted to be in my son's life, then he needed to go through the courts because I wasn’t gonna let him play with my baby.
“So, you’re on something then?” I asked, blinking from my thoughts and watching Harlem wipe baby girl’s face. She’d named the twins Brooklyn Haven West and Kysler Hope West. She gave my babies some passive ass names, in my opinion, hoping their father’s genes remained dormant. He was a surefire nut.
“Hmm.” Her response made me look from Kysler’s curly red fro to her face.
“The hell does hmm mean Harlem? Either you’re on something and actively preventing y’all’s third child or you’re practicing for another set.”
She waved me off. “Don’t say that.”
“Don’t say what? It’s true and I ain’t mad at you. That man loves you and you love him. Hell yeah you better settle into this family life.”
She once again waved me off like I was blowing smoke, but she knew what I meant.
“I’m not getting pregnant any time soon and that’s final.”
“The fuck it ain’t. I need a junior.” Kinga walked into the kitchen and went straight for her. “What’s up, Caya?” he greeted me, then kissed the side of Harlem’s face.
“You don’t need a junior right now. We have talked about this. Two years…maybe.”
He laughed and she cut her eyes because the laugh he delivered was sarcastic as hell.
While Brooklyn ate in the corner in her walker, Kysler started to ram her walker into her father’s leg until he acknowledged her.
“See what I mean. And you’re in here talking about another baby. The ones I have already keep trying to take my man.” She threw her head in the direction of the mugged up tot.
“Man, get off that. Ain’t nobody tryna take me from you.”
“Says the man reaching down to pick up his daughter.” Harlem playfully mugged him.
They joked back and forth a few times before the doorbell rang.
Kinga immediately looked from Harlem to me before nodding.
“You for sure don’t have to look all nervous for me. Your girl already told me this was a setup. Why do you think I’m drinking up her wine?”
Kinga chuckled and turned his attention to Harlem. “Yo, you can’t hold water.”
“I can, but not when you’re trying to set my friend up,” she called after him then looked at me. “You good?”
“Why wouldn’t I be? I’m not studdin’ that man, and I mean it, Harlem. I’m doing good in therapy and working on myself. I can’t revert for every fine man with some pull. Especially not the str?—”
“Hey, bae.” He greeted me as soon as he turned the corner. Rennix knew he was fine. If his eyes didn’t hold murders, he probably could have been a model. “What’s good, Harlem?” He greeted her with a half hug before advancing to where I was seated.
“I’ll be right back. She needs to be changed.” Harlem leaned down to grab Brooklyn.
“What’s up, Rennix?” I took him in and he not only smelled good, but the man looked good. Rennix had this rich, mahogany-tinted chocolate skin, highly sculpted cheekbones, a strong jawline masked by a neatly trimmed goatee and beard. He stood about six foot two with the build of a well-trained basketball player. He looked like a hoe, the best type too. That one who would have you waiting for him to bail you outta county because you smashed his windshield for talking to another girl.That type.
“You.”
I shook my head with a smile. The man was smooth, too fucking smooth to be in my face.
He then pulled the stool next to me out and took a seat. “What happened to you showing me your city?”
“I never agreed.”
“Nah but you told me you’d think about it and give me an answer when I called you. I called you and See Thru Kitchenanswered. Figured your pretty ass was tryna be funny.”
