Green Eyed Monster

Do Not Covet...

Life's been gracious, moving in the right direction. Lola has total trust in me again, I believe. She tells me everything, and I offer her wise counsel to help her and Solomon navigate this challenging time in their marriage. 

Savannah & Hyde Marketing is growing rapidly. Lola's title is finally CEO. She now has eight employees. As for me, I put in for early retirement. I'm waiting on my severance package. I've done well for myself. My children have done well. Drake pays me spousal support and is doing very well.

Lola needs a full-time babysitter for Hyde. Although Stacy and Leah are full-time moms and wives, they're not Hyde's nana. He heard his daddy call Mrs. Tolbert Nana, and his little mind decided I was 'Nana' too.

Hyde is 5 years old now. He's in school full time, driving his teachers nuts. I'm the one they call to get him in order. His homeroom teacher, Mrs. Grady, absolutely adores me. She said, "Ms. Mae, Hyde couldn't have asked for a cooler nana! He's so full of personality. He needed you around to understand that he's perfect just the way he is! I love it!"

    "Thanks, baby."

    "He's such a little grown man, and he's super excited about his baby brother."

    "Yes, he is! ...Wait...What did you say?" My hearty laughs come to an abrupt halt.

    "Yes. Mrs. Stacy sent me a baby shower invitation through Hyde. His other teachers are so jealous, but they stay "snitching" on him."

Bursting into laughter, she continues, "So Mrs. Stacy asked him his teachers' names so they could come celebrate with him. Hyde said, "Ugh. I only like Mrs. Grady. Only she can see my brother."

I stand listening, fake laughing until my face hurts. I leave and drive to Lola's job humiliated. Hyde and I enter to see Solomon and Lola talking in the lobby. Uncomfortable, she glances up at Solomon, then comes straight to me and Hyde. She greets us both with a kiss. Hyde snatches from me and runs straight to his daddy.

    "Hey, daddy!" his little voice says excitedly.

    "What's up, man?" Solomon says giving him dap. He then looks at me and says, "Hi, Mae."

I mouth, "Hey," then turn to Lola, saying, "I need to speak with you in private."

    "Okay," she answers as she heads back to Solomon. Squatting, she kisses Hyde, then stands on her tippy toes to kiss Solomon. He wet his lips before kissing her. They stand gazing at one another a moment before he whispers, "Come straight home."

She nods. He gently kisses her lips again, and then he and Hyde leave. Rubbing her hair back, she comes over to me and asks, "Hey, Mommy, what's up?"

    "Are you pregnant?"

Through squinty eyes, she asks, "How...Who told you?"

    "Hyde's teacher!"

Frozen from shock again, with her eyes closed. She asks, "Mrs. Grady? How in the entire world does she know?"

    "Stacy invited her to your baby shower."

Head lifted with her hands holding her hair back and eyes closed, she lets out a long-suffering sigh. Dropping her hands and head, she explains, "Mommy, I just found out yesterday that I'm almost two months pregnant."

    "Well, how does Hyde know he's having a brother?"

    "He doesn't. He just wants a brother."

We both chuckle, and I say, "So you chose Stacy to give you a baby shower?"

    "No, mommy. Clearly, she took it upon herself, but let her have one with King's family. You can plan my real baby shower with my cool family."