Cruel Summer

Chapter 3

~Derrick~

"Love you." I said as Dina started to get out the truck.

"Love you, too." She said as as she shut the truck door.

I made sure she was in the house before I put the truck in reverse to head to the airport to get baby girl and her boyfriend.

I know Dina is probably ticked off at me, but I'm being completely honest. Marcus, Ryan and Chance are enough. Once Chance goes off to college, we can have the house to ourselves.

"Where's my balls?" I said as reached into my armrest for my stress balls.

A few weeks ago, my family had a sit down with me. Marcus and Chance talked with Dina and I in the living room while Ryan was on FaceTime. The kids really wanted me to quit smoking because they are worried about my health. Ryan keeps thinking I'm gonna die of cancer, so she kept begging me to put down the cigarettes.

They wanted me to stop smoking cigarettes and weed. Now, I was willing to stop the cigarettes, but I got to think real hard about the weed. I don't smoke as much as I did back in the day, but let me just say that my wife's nagging doesn't get to me that much anymore.

I pulled up to the airport to see Ryan smiling and waving.

"Baby girl!" I said after I parked the truck and quickly got out.

"Daddy!" Ryan said as she jumped on me.

"My heartbeat. My baby. My baby." I said as I stroked her hair and kissed her forehead. I haven't seen my baby since May. She didn't really come home this summer because she was busy volunteering at school.

"Daddy, have you been eating? You're still skinny!" Ryan said giggling as her boyfriend gave me a handshake.

"Your mama still ain't cooking. What's up, Calvin?"

"Hello, Mr. Jackson, and remember it's Caleb."

"Oh, hey Kevin." I said as I faked smiled. I hate this little boy with my guts.

I know my baby girl was going to have to grow up and fall in love, but something in my gut is telling me that he ain't good. I trust my gut.

"Daddy, don't be—"

"Ryan, where's your medical bracelet?" I asked as I looked at her arm.

"Oh, that thing? I broke it."

"Aye, put your bags in the trunk for us, my dawg." I said as I nodded towards the trunk.

Caleb grabbed the luggage as he walked to the trunk of the truck.

"Now, what you mean you broke it?"

"I was volunteering at the Y and it broke. I can just order another one."

"Ryan, why didn't you say something? I could've ordered you another one. This is serious."

"Daddy, let's not have a teaching moment right now. I just wanna see my mommy, my cousin and brother." Ryan said as she got into the front seat.

"Ryan, I ain't playing with you. What went through your mind when you went on that plane?"

"It was more like, 'I hope Daddy ain't doing all this fussing when I get home.' That's what went through my mind."

"Ryan, don't play damn games. You are capable of knowing that if you're around peanuts or any other nuts, you can go into anaphylactic shock. Where's your EpiPen?"

"It's in my purse."

"Show me." I said as Caleb finally got into the car and put his seatbelt on.