Page 5 of Out of Bounds
Whatever my husband said is what it was. I had no pushback because I knew how someone making promises and not following through felt. He could breeze into town and spend as much time as he wanted with my mom, but I had no plans on partaking.
Mutingthe volume on the TV, I rested my legs on the coffee table in front of me and gave my attention to the phone in my hand. Masai mentioned wanting to go to Bora Bora, so I reached out to our travel agent and asked her to look up a few places for us to stay. She’d emailed a list of resorts over for me to choose from, so I was going through each one trying to select the perfect place for us to stay. There were certain amenities that my wife had to have when we traveled overseas, so I had to be real fucking selective on what I chose. Closing out of my email, I dialed Deuce’s number.
“Whaddup, bih?” he said into the phone.
“Ain’t shit, man. What you got going on?”
“Nothing…” he drawled.“Waiting on Koya’s ass to get out of the shower. What you need?”
“Listen, Sai wants to do Bora Bora before training camp. You and Koya got some free time?”
“I mean… I do, and I’m sure she can clear her calendar to make it happen.”
“Cool. She wanted to make it a group thing, but I’on know if Jream will be able to get off for a week.”
“Shit!” he groused. “I’on know either, and if she do get the time off, who gon’ look out for Ma Dukes?”
“Reba’s ass.” I chuckled. “She ain’t got shit better to do. I’ll toss her a few dollars to stop by and check on her.”
He laughed. “That could work. Let me talk it over with my wife, and I’ll get back with you.”
“Let me talk it over with my wife,” I mocked his ass. “Aight, fuck nigga.”
“Hit that nigga Jrue up, so it’ll already be on his radar.”
“That’s my next call.” I let him know.
“Aight, just let me know what you need from us.”
“Will do.”
Hanging up the phone, I hopped up from the couch and trekked down the hall to my bedroom. When I made it to the room, Masai was sitting in the middle of the bed with Aurora tucked under her arm. The two of them were looking at something on the iPad and hadn’t noticed me standing there. Leaning against the door frame, I took a second to admire my wife, and damn, was she beautiful.
Masai had showered shortly after Maddie Claire and she had come home from shopping. She’d washed her hair and had it wrapped up in a towel. My heart smiled the longer I stood there, watching the two of them interact.
“Are you joining us or…?” Masai spoke up. She was talking to me, but her eyes never left the screen.
“Didn’t want to interrupt.”
“You can come see, Daddy,” my baby girl said after waving me over.
Pushing away from the door, I slid into bed next to them and wrapped my arm around Masai’s shoulder.
“Aurora was showing me the inspiration for her birthday party.” Turning the iPad toward me, Masai swiped through the screen. “This one is her favorite, though.”
“We’re planning a party… seven months in advance,” I responded to the elaborate theme on the iPad screen.
“Why… of course we are!” Sai giggled. “Ain’t that right, Aurora?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Baby girl smiled.
“Okay.” Swiping my reading glasses off the nightstand, I put them on and grabbed the iPad. “This is your favorite one?”
“Yes, sir. I want it just like this,” My baby said, pointing at the screen.”
“Just like this,” I repeated. “I don’t know, Sai… This looks expensive.”
“It does…” she sang.
