Finding Joy

Chapter 13

I made my way to my truck, putting my frozen goodness in my trunk.

I can't believe he just stood me up. He could have just said 'No, I'm not coming, but he had to be an idiot and make me come over here just for him not to come. This may not be my place, but I'm gonna knock on his door and cuss him out

"Uncle that's her!" I heard somebody yell. "The one from the picture for real this time."

"Lauren!" I heard Devin yell.

I turned around, and he made his way over to me.

"Hey." I said a little uneasy.

I quickly removed the tears from my eyes with the back of my hands. Thank god I didn't put on makeup.

"Hey, I'm sorry I'm late. Melanie here wanted to change her clothes since we were coming to meet one of my friends." He explained motioning towards the little girl.

"It's okay. For a minute I thought you weren't coming." I said.

"I sent you a text." He told me.

"Once I thought you weren't coming a put it on mute." I said looking at him seeing a text and a missed call from him.

"Uncle. Introduce mee" the little girl said pulling on his jean shirt.

I observed his outfit, he wore a pair of cargo shorts, a white shirt and a jean jacket over it with a pair of Jordan's.

"I'm sorry Mel, this is Ms. Lauren, Lauren this is Melanie." He said introducing us.

"Hi Ms. Lauren." She said grinning.

"Hello, how old are you?" I asked.

"Five and three quarters." She told me proudly.

"Ohhh, birthday is coming real soon." I said.

"Yeah, Uncle dee dee is throwing my party this year." She said excited.

"Mels, I thought we weren't gonna say that outside the house." Devin whined.

"Ohh. I sorry." She said covering her mouth.

I chuckled. "That's alright, just know that the tickle monster will be coming tonight because of that." He warned her picking her up and tickling her.

She laughed and screamed a little loudly. "Ohhh No! Ms. Lauren save me!" She yelled reaching out to me.

I laughed and grabbed her out of his arms. she clutched her arms around my neck and laughed loudly.

"Thank you for saving me from that monster." She said.

"You're Welcome." I said giggling.

"Can we get ice cream now?" She asked.

"Yes, what flavor would you like?"
I asked.

"She likes one scoop of French vanilla, one butter pecan and pistachio nut with wet walnuts and whipped cream mixed together." Devin said.

"With caramel." She added.

"Right, with Carmel." He said "what would you like Lauren?" He asked.

"I'm good." I said thinking about all the ice cream I brought.

"Please Ms. Lauren, have some ice cream with me!" Melanie said smiling.

"Okay, I'll take one scoop of Belgian chocolate and chocolate marshmallow." I requested.

"You got it. I'll be right back." He said.

I nodded my head and sat on the bench with Melanie.

"So Ms. Melanie what grade you in?" I asked.

"I'm in the first grade." She said proudly.

"Really? What school ?" I asked.

"Fieldwaters Charter School." She said.

"Oh really! Do you know Mrs. Carter?" I asked.

"Yeah, that's my favorite teacher. When I have Art I get so happy!" She said

"is that so?" I asked.

"Yeah. How you know her? She your friend?" She asked.

"She's my sister in law." I said.

"What that mean?" She asked scrunching her nose.

"She married my brother, that makes her my sister in law." I said.

"Ohhh." She said nodding. "So you gonna be my Mommy's sister in law when you and uncle Dee Dee get married?" She asked.

"Alright ladies, Ice Cream."
He said.

He handed me a large waffle cone and Melanie a sugar cone.

"This is my favorite thank you uncle." She said licking her ice cream.

"You're Welcome, how about we go to the park?." Devin suggested.

I nodded my head, and we got into Devins car like Melanie wanted. She sat in the back seat singing along to all the songs he played.

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine." She started. Making me giggle.

"you make me happeee when skies are gray." She yelled as we drove.

"Uncle sing!" She said laughing. He shook his head and joined.

"you'll never know dear, how much I love you, please don't take my sunshine away." The sang together way off key. I laughed loudly and applauded them as they finished the song.

"Please don't take my sunshine away. Please don't take. My sunshineeeee. Awayyyyy!" Devin sang by himself.

I guess he didn't notice Melanie stop. He looked over to me as I showcased a startled and amused face.

"Fantastic Uncle! You da best!" She said clapping her hands.

We parked inside the park parking lot and we got out the car. Devin helped both Melanie and I out of the car and grabbed Melanie's sneakers and socks from the back of his car and put the on her.

"Melanie, please be careful. Your mom would kill me if anything happened to you. You want uncle to get beat up?" He asked.

"No uncle dee dee." She said shaking her head

"Okay, so you'll be careful?"
He asked.

"Yes Unc Unc." she said looking around at all the park equipment. I can tell she's getting antsy.

"Alrighty, have fun. Ms. Lauren and I will sit right her, when you need us call." He said.

"Okayy." She said before dashing off to the slides.

"So, we can talk now." He said.

"Yeah. Well I um. I wanted to apologize for how I acted. I know it was insensitive and inconsiderate of me not to call. Especially after you pulled all the stops for our date, and you've been so nice to me." I said.

"That's what I'm supposed to do as a man that's interested in you. I'm supposed to sweep you off your feet and take you out. I'm sorry for how I acted. It was a little boys move." He said.

"I understand your reasoning. I would have probably done the samething to be honest." I admitted.

"Yeah, so how we gonna do this? Like I told you I'm getting older and I don't really want to play around no more so I need to know where we are at with us." He said.

"I would like to try and be with you." I said looking in his eyes.

"Well then we gonna make it work. I'm busy, you're busy but we gonna make time for each other deal?" He asked.

"Deal." I said with a smile.

We continued to chat it up a bit, and I invited him out tomorrow. He dropped me back off to my car, when Melanie decided she was tired and done playing. I got in my truck and started my ways home. Who knows what this will bring.

A/N

What y'all think about this chapter? Y'all were fast with those comments today, I like that!

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