Loved By You

One-Hundred & fifteen

Angelo

"Open please." I glanced down to see Nicky holding up his snack. "Are they here?" Dem asked with a pout as he walked over to where I was. "Not yet. They have never missed your birthday before, and they aren't going to miss this one. If your mom were here she'd tell you to go have fun."

"I know but they've been gone for a week. They were supposed to be back yesterday and they're not." Nicky walked over to his brother passing him a piece of his snack. Dem smiled. "Thanks, Nugget."

I scooped Nicky up kissing his cheek as he laughed before guiding Dem back to the arcade. "MJ really has outdone herself. Happy birthday sweetheart." Shaunie sang to Dem who smiled hugging her. "Thank you, Auntie." "You go have fun and I'll call mom." He sighed nodding his head.

MJ had truly shot high for Dem's birthday this year. She'd found a place with go-karting, an arcade, laser tag, and a huge karaoke section. He had invited all of his friends from school, soccer, and martial arts, and now over 30-something kids were running around, and almost as many parents. We had Rod's food truck cater and MJ had gone all out per usual, and it should.

"Maja's not here yet?" Shaunie asked. Nicky's attention turned back to us at the mention of his mom's name, and I chuckled. "Mama?" "Yep, mama." His little face lit up.

"I cannot believe the twins are getting so big, or that Sami and Dem are teenagers." "I know the kids are supposed to grow up, but I don't like it." Time had been ticking by and before I knew it we had two teenagers, now three, one pre-teen, two toddlers, and a baby on the way. I loved watching my family change with time, but I couldn't lie it was bittersweet. "Life looks nothing like what I imagined it would be." "Good or bad?" I snorted at her question.

"Good, better than good. I think the weirdest thing about it all is that Dimitri lives with us now. I never would've seen that coming, but it has been helpful having another adult around. Sami likes having all her parents under one roof and well Dimitri's become family." I covered Nicky's ears.

"Besides there's more of them they could have a mutiny and take us out." Shaunie laughed. "Well yeah, there's what six and a half kids now? There definitely could be a coup and your house would turn into Survivor." I laughed loudly.

I sat Nicky down as Teddy ran up laughing with Ben chasing him. He hid behind my legs with the biggest smile before looking up at me. Although Teddy and Nicky had my face looking at Teddy always felt like I was looking at the boy version of MJ. The twins had my entire face just in a light brown package but Nicky had my eyes. Teddy, however, had MJ's eyes, and it shined through whenever he smiled. They were dark and full of life just like his mother's

Ben took Nicky and I picked up Teddy. He smiled before pulling a cookie out of his pocket and passing it to me. "Cookie?" I snorted before laughing hard.

"Thank you, Tater-tot." He smiled pleased with himself. "You're welcome." He said in his little voice. Ms. Jacqueline walked over with my mom behind her holding their arms up. "Hi, my babies." They both cooed each taking one of the boys. "Maja and Sami here yet?"

"No, but they're on the way. They hit traffic which has been the holdup." They nodded their heads before walking off with the boys. "Wow." "You go have fun we'll watch the babies." My mom called. Shaunie and I joined Dimitri, Haseem, J.J., and Nadia. "Where's—"

"Over there." Laughter left my lips as I watched Omar and Toya going back and forth to the song Promiscuous. While Arnell and Reggie swayed egging them on. "Where's Maja? I don't think I've seen her all day." Haseem asked.

"She's not here." J.J. looked surprised. "She's—," Before I could answer my phone rang. "Hey, baby." "See that's how quickly I need my man to answer my call." Nadia laughed but J.J. looked annoyed. Which all things considered was fair. "Come help me please." I was already up on my feet and heading outside.