A/n: it's finals week y'all. bare with me 😅
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Bey's POV
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Blue slammed the back door harder than necessary, earbuds already in as she marched across the parking lot towards Y/n's truck.
Rumi and Sir trailed behind her, backpacks dragging, going on and on about some cartoon storyline I stopped trying to keep up with months ago.
I walked out behind them, arms crossed, trying to keep my face neutral. Friday exchanges were always something.
Y/n got out of her car and leaned against the passenger's door, hoodie on, chain glinting in the sun, pretending she wasn't watching me approach. She always did this thing like she wasn't looking even though she absolutely was.
"Rumi got her inhaler?" She asked without looking up from her phone.
"She always has her inhaler." I answered with a little bite.
That made her glance up at me.
Then a smirk she swore she was never doing on purpose appeared.
"Aight. Just makin' sure."
Sir ran past me and straight into Y/n's legs. "Ma, guess what?! I lost a tooth."
Y/n bent down immediately, palms on his cheeks. "Word? Lemme see the gap."
He grinned wide and toothless.
"Damn." Y/n laughed softly. "You really growin' up out here. I'm gettin' old."
"You been old." I muttered.
Her eyes snapped to mine. Slow, amused, and way too familiar. "Girl, don't start."
I didn't say anything. I didn't have to. She felt the energy shift just like I did.
Blue circled back toward us, annoyed. "Can y'all hurry up? I got homework."
Y/n raised a brow. "Since when you do homework on Fridays?"
Blue rolled her eyes so hard her whole head moved. "Since forever."
Y/n leaned down, voice low so only she could hear. "Fix your attitude, lil' mama."
Blue blinked twice. The respect she only had for Y/n kicking in.
"Sorry." She mumbled.
"That's what I thought."
I looked away before I smiled. I hated that she still did that to me, Made me remember the parts of her that were so damn good.
"Before you get too busy, check the twins' backpacks." I said, clearing my throat. "There's a permission slip in their folders. Sign it."
"Aight." Y/n nodded. "What's it for?"
"Field trip."
"Where they goin' now? NASA again? Zoo? Aquarium? They got these kids everywhere."
"It's educational."
"It's expensive." She shot back.
I put a hand on my hip. "You sound like a grandparent."
She laughed. "'Cause I'm the one that be payin' for the shi-"
"Watch your mouth in front of the kids."
We both stopped, holding each other's stare a bit too long.
Rumi tugged my Y/n's shirt. "Mama? Can you pick me up?"
Y/n softened. Instantly. The way she always did.
"Yeah, baby."
Rumi leaped into her arms and Y/n lifted her like she still weighed nothing.
