Another Lifetime

Chapter 51:

Cesar's POV:
"So you're my dad?" Kyrie asks. "Yeah." I nod. "Spooky's always gonna be your family, and your brothers and sisters are still your siblings. Nothing has to change, baby." Lola explains. "Can I go?" Ky looks pissed as hell and she just nods. He slams the door and she clenches her jaw. "He took it better than I thought." I break the silence but she gives me a dirty look. "Ky isn't one of those kids that blows up in your face. He's probably crying right now." She explains. "Shouldn't we go talk to him?" I ask. "What? No. Kyrie isn't a baby, you don't need to comfort him right away. He needs time to feel what he's feeling." Lola says. I don't know how to be his dad. He's six, neither of them need my help. "You should go. I'll let you know when he's ready to talk." She tells me. "Ok." I can't say anything else.

"How'd it go?" I meet Monse at the Joint and I clock in. "Bad." I say honestly. "He's gonna need some time to get used to all this." She reminds me. "Maybe he shouldn't have to. Kyrie barely knows me and he has Jamal. He doesn't need a shitty dad." I sound like a dick. "Ok, he can get to know you and it's too late for you to not be his dad. Give him a chance to decide before you just disappear." Monse says and I know she's right. He's my son but he wants Oscar to be his dad... Oscar is his dad. I'm basically just a sperm donor. "Has Jamal said anything to you yet?" I ask. "Yeah, but he just called you a lotta stuff I can't say at work." She raises her eyebrows. "Good... is he cool with Lola again?" I ask. "He forgave her in a week. She told me Jamal said she didn't owe him a list of the people she slept with, but you're his best friend and you should've said something." She says. "I didn't know." That's pretty much all I've been saying since I found out. Everyone on the block keeps coming into the Joint everyday asking for updates, asking why I didn't say anything, asking to meet my son... they all think I'm a bad dad but I just didn't know. "Looks like your fan club's back." She points at the same group of middle aged women who come here every day, order nothing, and talk to me nonstop until I can finally leave. "You want me to handle it?" Monse asks. "It's fine, they tip and I don't have to put in any orders." I shrug.

"Mijo, you've got to stop with the tattoos! We get it, you're a Santo. Don't ruin your beautiful face like your brother did." One of them tells me. "You're right. I won't tia." We're not related but if I call her by her first name I'd be 'disrespectful'. "Ignore that vieja! We were just wondering when you were finally going to let us see your babies. You know I basically raised you, it's the least you can do." I swear no one in more entitled than a madrina who babysat you once. "Cesar, you got another table outside." Monse tells me when she walks over. I'm pretty sure she's trying to help me escape but now we're both stuck. "Is this your girlfriend?!" They all start talking over each other. "She's so pretty!" "She's the girl's mom, right?" "Why aren't you married yet?!" Monse looks more overwhelmed than I do. "You hear she's a Prophet?" I ask and they all shut up. We have enough time to get away before they start asking more questions. "Never let me complain about working the register again." Monse kisses me.

We don't have a lot of costumers after lunch so Monty drops Mona off with us. "I missed you so much!" Monse takes her right from me. "She's my daughter too." I remind Monse. "I grew her, I get to hold her first." She kisses our baby. Someone walks in to the restaurant and Monse rolls her eyes. "I'll be right back." She passes Mona back to me and I smile. "Take your time." I say while making faces to get Mona to laugh.

A few minutes later she's back but I don't even look away from Mona. "I really fucking love being a dad." I tell her. "I hope so 'cause it's a little too late to change your mind." Monse says. "Yeah, but he probably shouldn't be saying 'fuck' in front of your daughter." When I look up I see Lola and our son. "Shit, did you text me? My phone's in my bag-" Lola shakes her head so I stop talking. "Kyrie wanted to talk to you about something." She says. He sits across from me and just stares for a second. "Mommy said you make milkshakes?" Kyrie says it like a question. "Yeah." I nod. "Ok." He pulls a coloring book out of his backpack and gets to work. "He still doesn't know if he wants you to be his dad, but he promised me he'd try to know you more." Lola says. "Really?" I smile. "Yeah, it was his idea to come here... after I told him the milkshake thing." She explains. "I do make a pretty convincing milkshake. Something tells me you probably have better taste than Lola." I whisper to Ky. "She only likes strawberry. Strawberry's gross." He whispers back. "I know y'all aren't gossiping right now." Lola crosses her arms. "Chocolate... please." Kyrie smiles. "Got it." I say and he nods. "Finally!" Monse takes Mona back, happily. I walk away and Lola follows me. "I know Ky can act grown as hell, but he's still just a kid. If you're not ready for this, tell me." She's giving me an out. "He's my son, it doesn't matter if I'm ready or not, if Ky wants me to be his dad I'm gonna be the best dad in Freeridge." I tell her. "That's not gonna be hard." She laughs a little. "I'm still new at this, I need a low bar." I smile. "Whatever you do, don't hurt our son." Lola warns me.