Sweet Baby

Six

Six

"Andre, listen closely." I said as he was playing with his bass. I was chilling at his house with Lettie in my lap as I was doing her hair. "What? Bruh, I know how to watch a baby. I'm the best uncle ever. Huh, Lettie?" Lettie clapped her hands. "Okay, but listen. Forreal. I'm going to Shevonne's to have dinner with her." "Oh, that's what it's called now?" I rolled my eyes. "I'm taking things really slow with Shevonne. We didn't even kiss until after our third date." Andre hissed. "Damn. That's unlike you. What's wrong? You afraid of another one?" He looked at Lettie. I pulled her hair back gently to tie it up. "For right now, yeah. But, we haven't even discussed sex. We don't make out often. I don't know man. Since becoming a dad I've been taking things slow." Lettie had her pacifier in her mouth. "Anyway, she's gonna be walking soon. She's already standing on her own." I placed Lettie on her feet between my knees to hold her.

"I'll work with her on walking. Did Mo ever call you about your tour next year?" "Yeah, he did. He shot me an email about the dates and the countries. Europe, Australia, and...Japan? I think? Can't remember I'll have to recheck it." Andre took Lettie to hold her between his knees as well. "Watch the guitar, man." I told him. He sighed and moved it away from Lettie. "I think your daddy's being overprotective." He said. I rolled my eyes and there was a knock on the door. I stood up and opened it to see Bernadette. "Hey, B. You staying with Andre?" "Of course I am. I haven't seen my adopted grandbaby in so long." She walked in to immediately snatch Lettie from Andre and I shut the door.

"So, you got a girlfriend?" Bernadette asked. "Yeah, I guess she is. She's...she's something else." I walked over to them and we sat on the couch. "I can't believe she's almost a year old." Bernadette said. "Well she's eight months. She's getting there." I said to her. Andre grinned. "You take her by your mama's lately?" He asked me. "Nah, she's...she's been busy." Truthfully, my parents didn't know about Lettie, and I wanted to keep it that way...for now.

My flip phone started ringing and I picked it out of my pocket to flip it open and raise the antenna. "Hello?" "Hey, Prince. What time you coming?" Shevonne asked. "Umm, I'm at Andre's. His mom just showed up. You need me soon?" "Well, I have a surprise for you. I'm gonna be making tortellini tonight." I don't know why, but my brain immediately went to sex. How could it? Shame on me. "I'll be there in about ten minutes." "Okay! See you soon." We hung up and I closed my phone. "Well, I'll be back tonight to come get her." I said as I stood. Bernadette stood and handed me my daughter so I could shower her face in kisses. "I'll be back soon, baby. Be good for Uncle Andre and Grandma B." Lettie got a little fussy when I gave her back but I left some money on the counter for them to get dinner and headed down to my car.

Why was my brain thinking about sex? I never thought about it when kissing her or holding her. I...maybe this wouldn't work out if I couldn't be sexually attracted to her. No, you're just nervous. You're a dad now, not a delinquent. Shevonne was beautiful. She was so, so gorgeous, but jumping straight to sex didn't feel right. And to be thinking about it so prematurely was uncalled for.

For the first time, I showed up to Shevonne's apartment and walked my way up just two flights of stairs before knocking on her apartment door. The door immediately opened and I realized my surprise was her hair. She had straightened her afro and her hair was to her shoulders. "Damn." I said with a laugh. She smiled. "Do you like it?" I reached out to play with a strand. "I...I love it. It looks good on you." Shevonne took my hand so I could come in. Her furniture was very 80s-esque and her blinds were beads that draped down. "Damn. Nice place." I said. She smiled. "Thanks." She was wearing a tank top and Jean shorts and I definitely stared way too long at her butt. Shevonne was killing me.

"So, what you wanna move first?" I asked as I sat my keys on the kitchen table and stood with my hands on my hips. "The bed in my bedroom. I got the mattress off the bed frame, but I just need the-" "On it." I said as I started unbuttoning my shirt. I knew this was going to be a sweat job. I took my shirt off and she watched as I threw it on the couch and walked to her bedroom. I was going to show her that I may be small, but I'm strong. Especially since I've been hitting the gym again at the Paisley. I pressed my shoulder into mattress that was on its side and shoved my way towards the door, grunting. "Oh, damn." She said. I smirked and put my hands on the mattress to push it out of the bedroom and into the living room where it plopped onto the floor. I was only breathing slightly heavy, but my back was starting to sweat. "Good boy." Shevonne said running her acrylic nails down my back gently. I shivered and followed her into the bedroom. "I can get that." I said as she was reaching for the bed frame.