Another Lifetime

Chapter 56: First Birthday Part 2

Monse's POV:
People start coming over and I see my dad. "Hi!" I run and give him a hug. When I'm around him I still feel like a little kid. "I missed you." He tells me. "I missed you too dad." I say when I let him go. "We're only a few minutes away." That's his way of asking me to visit more. "Good to know." I say sarcastically. "Hi Maverick!" I pick up my little brother and kiss his whole face. "Monse!" He giggles. "When did you get so old?" I ask him. "That's what happens when you stop coming around." My dad shrugs. "You know I was busy with the whole Cesar thing." I remind him. "Yeah." He nods. "Where's my granddaughter?" He changes the subject. "She's with Odessa in the backyard. I can get her for you." I suggest. He doesn't really talk to Odessa. I think it still hurts. "It's cool." He says. I put Mav down so he can walk with us.

"Hey." My dad awkwardly nods at Odessa. "Hi?" She look confused. "Come here and say hi to grandpa." I pick up my little girl who's too busy playing with Odessa's dress to notice I'm even here. "There's my favorite girl!" My dad takes her and lifts her over his head. "Rude!" I smack his arm. "It's ok baby, she's just jealous." He tickles my daughter. "How's it feel to have a one year old?" Odessa asks. "Feels the same but it's just weird saying it out loud." I explain. "How do you think I feel? I got a twenty year old!" My dad laughs. "Don't forget that you have a one year old grand baby." Odessa points out. My dad's quiet for a second but then he starts laughing. "This girl's trying to age me. Y'all better remember I'm not even forty!" My dad reminds us. "Doesn't mean you're young." I tease him. "You see that? That's why your mom left." He bullies me right back. Now Odessa's the one who looks uncomfortable. I think me and my dad forgot we were standing in front of the main reason my mom actually left. "So... where's your baby daddy?" Odessa asks. "He's not out here?" I look around. "Nope." She says. "Can you watch Mona?" I ask my sister. "I got it." My dad says but I'm already walking away. "Are you just hitting from the party or some shit? 'Cause-" I open our room door but I stop talking when I see Vero sitting on my bed. "Hey." I furrow my brows at her. "She was-" I cut this man off right away. "You're not ruing my daughter's birthday. We're gonna talk about this later." I look him up and down. "Monse-" I stop him again. "I'm not gonna listen to anything you have to say that doesn't have to do with Mona." I tell him. They just stare at me like the dumb asses they are. "Y'all think I'm just gonna walk away and leave you in my room? Out!" I try not to yell. Cesar walks out first and I stop Vero. "I swear I didn't do anything." She looks worried. "Girl, you don't think I know that?" I ask. "You shouldn't have been in here with him. I don't care what you were doing, it was some dumb shit." I explain. "So we're good?" She asks. "Yeah." I go back to the people I wanna be with.

Cesar's POV:
I get that same feeling again. Everyone's too close and I can't catch my breath. As soon as I see my kids I feel better. "Hi princesa." I kneel down in front of her. Mona takes a few wobbly steps to me and I give her a hug. If it wasn't for Monse taking her to visit me, Mona wouldn't even know who I am. "What's good?" Sad Eyes looks down at me so I get up. "You know." I shrug. "You heard what went down?" He asks. "We're not talking about this here." It's like all the Santos just forgot where we are. "Whatever you say compa." He says sarcastically. If I wasn't holding my kid I'd beat the shit outta him.

A few hours later and we're opening presents even though Mona just wants to play with the wrapping paper. "Lola!" Monse yells. "He just got out! It's for both of you." She winks at my girlfriend. Monse show's me the bag with lingerie at the bottom. "Thanks." I laugh and Monse hits the back of my head. "Don't worry, Ky got something for Mona." Lola defends herself. "Thank you baby." Monse kisses my son's cheek. He's sitting between us with Mona 'cause Monse didn't want him feeling left out. "Ok next one." I pick up a box with a cholo stuffed bear in it. "That's cute." Monse hands it to Mona. My daughter's obsessed immediately but I can tell Monse isn't feelin' it. "Who got it?" She asks me. "There's no name." I shrug and she takes the box. She moves some paper and then she freezes. "I can take a guess but you probably won't like it." Monse hands me Spooky's chain. No one says anything for a minute. "Can we get cake?" My son asks and I smile. "Yeah." I nod.

Me, Mona, and Monse stand behind a table with Mona's birthday cake. Everyone's singing and shit and I feel pressure on my chest. I can't ruin my baby's day so I ignore it. "Happy birthday to you!" Half of the people were singing in Spanish and half were in English but it's all the same to Mona. We help her blow out the candles and she claps with everyone else. "Are you crying?" I try not to laugh at Monse. "No!" She wipes her eyes. "Shut up, you're not allowed to bully me today." Monse says. "I love you so much." I kiss her. "I love you too." She tries to hide her smile.

Mona's in her high chair smashing a piece of cake with her hands. I don't think I've ever seen anything so beautiful. "We gonna talk about what happened?" I ask. "What'd I tell you earlier?" She looks serious. "I love seeing Cesar get tortured, but he's been suffering too long." Lola says and I'm lost. "He just had to last a few more hours!" Monse whines. "You wanna let me know what you're talking about?" I ask. "I know you and Vero didn't do anything. You're not dumb enough to fuck someone else with this many people in the house." She rolls her eyes. "You mean I'm not dumb enough to cheat?" I ask and Odessa looks me dead in the eyes. "So you were just letting me think I was gonna get dumped for hours?" I change the subject. "You cheated on me like six times but whatever." Odessa mumbles. "Next time don't have a girl in my bed. Especially not a girl you dated." Monse leans in like she's gonna kiss me but she just puts frosting on my face. "Dada's so silly." Monse says while she gets cake out of Mona's hair. "You're gonna have to learn how to take care of this girl's hair. If I have to do one more wash day mama's gonna lose her shit." Monse smiles at our daughter while she talks to me.

Monse's POV:
Lola and Jamal stay after the party to help us clean. "How many people were here? It couldn't have been less than two hundred." Lola gags when she fills up another garbage bag. "Nope, just a lot of gross men-children who don't know how to take care of themselves." I say and we both look at our guys. "We're helping!" Jamal sounds shocked. "Number one boyfriends right here." Cesar says. "Cesar, my sweet boyfriend, my love... do you know what one means?" I laugh and someone knocks on the door. "I'm saved." I kiss her. Once I see that they're not looking at me I pull out my gun. I open the front door and then slam it. "What just happened?" Monse walks over. "You had a gun on you at our daughter's first birthday?" Monse looks disappointed. "Ray's here." I say a little too loud. "Who's Ray?" She asks. "Ray as in your dad?" Odessa walks over with everyone else. "Yeah, that one." I nod.