Just When Everybody Gets Their Lives Back On Track, A New Enemy Steps In And Turns Everyone Lives Upside Down.
STOP: Read Books One and Two Before Starting This Book!
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Tevin Booker
I was sitting on the couch, bouncing Ivy on my knee, as she laughed and clapped her hands. I was sitting over at Jackie's house, waiting on Zell to text me back and let me know something, all while spending some time with my baby girl.
"Daddy loves you, lil ugly." I smiled, throwing her up in the air. She hated that shit and as soon as I caught her, she started crying hysterically. "Aw, shut your crybaby ass up!"
"Why do you have to talk to her like that?" Jackie asked, walking into the living room with two plates in her hand. I slick thought that having Jackie as a baby mama was gon be hell, but in reality...it was hella cool. She wasn't one of those bitter baby mama's that kept their child away from they daddy because he didn't want to be with her. Hell, to be honest...she was the complete opposite. Whenever I didn't have Ivy with me, she'd send me cute little pictures and videos of her doing cute shit, plus calling me and telling me shit that I really don't give a fuck about, but I listened anyways.
"Talk to her like what?" I questioned, glaring at her.
"Like you talk to your friends and all that. She is just a baby and she doesn't need to hear all of those cuss words." She grabbed Ivy from me and consoled her until she stopped crying, laying her down in her playpen with a bottle.
"You know Ivy is like my best friend and I only talk to her that way because she talks to me that way." I told her.
"She's a baby, Tevin. She probably doesn't even know what she's saying."
"Whatever man. I know she be talking mad shit and I ain't having that!" Jackie knew exactly how me and Ivy got down, but for some reason she stay tryna check us.
"Whatever you say." She laughed. "I can't believe how big she's getting. It seems like only yesterday when I gave birth to her."
"Man, I know right. Soon her lil bad ass is going to be walking and talking more shit, but we'll be able to understand it."
"I know." She whined, poking out her bottom lip.
"Don't start all that crying shit!" I snapped at her. She always crying and shit, knowing damn well that all babies grow up eventually. I ain't gon lie though, when my baby girl turns one...I'll probably be somewhere crying my ass off along with her.
"I'm not, I'm not." She huffed, rolling her eyes. "So...how's things with you and Syd?"
"There is no me and Syd." I scoffed, grabbing my plate off the table.
"What? What happened? I thought you two were going to work things out."
"I thought so too, but it's clear that she doesn't want to so I'm not gon worry about it anymore." I shrugged.
"I'm sorry Tevin. I don't know why, but I feel like this is somewhat my fault."
"It's not, so stop beating yourself up over it. I'm the one that fucked around and cheated, knocking you up in the process, but I don't regret us having the baby. Hell, I love her little bean head ass to death and I don't even want to think of how life would be without her cause there is no life without my baby." I said.
"Amen to that." She laid against me and I wrapped my arm around her, as we both looked down at Ivy, who had fallen asleep with the bottle still in her mouth. Fat ass lil girl. "You think she'll sleep through the night since it's only eight o'clock?"
"Hell, I don't know. She might but I don't put her ass to bed until ten, so I know for sure that she will sleep through the night." I told her.
"Well she didn't have a nap today, so I'm going to pray that she does sleep throughout the night. In the meantime, I guess I'll go get the Christmas stuff from the attic and start decorating. I'm so excited, it's Ivy's first Christmas!" She beamed. I chuckled and shook my head, knowing how exciting Jackie gets when holidays are nearing.
"You need some help?" I asked her. I really wasn't trying to leave until I heard from Zell, just in case he needed me or some shit.
"Yeah, if you can get the tree box and bring it down that would be great. Plus, I have two crates of ornaments and a bucket of wrapping paper."
"Damn! You tryna put a nigga to work ain't ya?"
"Yep, now let's go!" She smiled.
*
After helping Jackie get everything she needed, I found myself helping her put up the Christmas tree; which she refused to decorate until Ivy was awake to witness it.
"Thanks for helping me. I really appreciate it." She said.
"No problem. I had fun." I said, pulling her into a hug. When we pulled back, I leaned down and kissed her lips, surprising both myself and her. "Damn man, I'm tripping."
"I can see that." She laughed. She then stood on her tippy toes and grabbed my face, kissing me long and hard. "I guess we're both tripping now."
"I thought you had a boyfriend." Look how the hell I sound. Worrying about another relationship, when I can't even get my shit in order.
"That didn't work out." She sighed.
"Why not?" I asked her.
"I um...I kinda have a thing for my daughter's dad, but he's in love with someone else." I furrowed my eyebrows as we stared at one another.
"Why you just now telling me this?" I asked her. Though I have been focused on repairing my relationship with Syd, it's obvious that we weren't getting back together...so why shouldn't I try to make it work with Jackie? After all, she's beautiful, she's smart, she has her own everything, and most importantly...she's the mother of my daughter.
"We've had such a good thing going and I didn't want to mess that up." She admitted. "Ever since Ivy was born, you and I have become the best of friends and I love spending time with you. Plus, you're the greatest father to Ivy and the best baby daddy I could ask for. You're literally golden." I grabbed her face and kissed her, pulling her body towards mine. I wasn't expecting this at all, but maybe this was supposed to happen. Who knows?
