Hello hello :)
Thanks so much to all my baes (proper PMs coming tomorrow):
ladyrere1985, anon, Cartoonlover187, hueyfan, PippElulu, sergeant peace, anonrain, hueyisbae143, KateyBee42, YuunoMugen, Jazavelli, natasha Annalise, jazzyhue20, Katie, DaichiDA, YAYA IS KING, EDTHE3RD, Mrs. Freeman466, Govie, Sodakandy, and clockwork'sFinest.
So it finallyyy happened! He asked and she said YES! #HeartEyesForDays
Now for the bigger question: what's the plan?
Find out now :)
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Aaron McGruder's The Boondocks or any of his characters.
"Aye, what's 'class?'"
"It means don't act like niggas."
"S-see! That's what I'm talking about right there! We don't use the N-word in this house!"
"Granddad, you said the word 'nigga' 46 times yesterday. I counted."
"Nigga, hush!"
Riley Freeman, Huey Freeman, and Robert Jebediah Freeman (AKA Granddad); The Garden Party
Week 15
Sunday, September 23
Cindy's POV
Don't wake me up cause I'm in love with all that you are
You make me see the truth in things, I think that you are
The remedy for everything it seems that you are
The truth itself 'cause nothing else can take me so far…
Cindy felt her body begin to stir slightly along with her eyes beginning to slowly blink open as well. She closed them again in the next second and nuzzled her face more into her pillow instead. Jhene Aiko's feathery voice and wafting melody coming from the alarm clock relaxed her body even more while she stretched, so she let it play. Not to mention she was currently sprawled in one of the most comfortable positions she had ever been in with her lover.
Cindy smiled to herself, her face still buried deep in the pillow while she rubbed her leg against Riley's chest. She almost blushed at the feeling of him easily cupping her behind, right before brushing his lips to kiss her rounded abdomen. Cindy's lower half was semi-straddled over Riley's upper half, one leg tossed over his chest while her opposite leg lined the side of his torso as she rested on her right side. Riley was on his back as he held Cindy against him, one arm around her lower back while the other held onto the leg resting on his chest, gently gripping the back of her upper thigh. His head rested along the side of her ribcage and bare chest while his cheek rested gently against her babies' bump. Cindy smiled again with her eyes still closed, reaching down to lightly run her fingers in between Riley's cornrows. She hazily hummed through the bridge of the song while she took in more of the loving kisses to her belly.
My afternoon dream when
The world is sleeping
I am still thinking
Of my blue dream
It's bliss...
"Mm… sing to me, wifey." Riley murmured, his lips against her skin deliciously. Cindy was still grinning as she finally opened her eyes to glance down at him. Her gaze immediately went to the beautiful engagement ring resting on her finger, the sight almost taking her breath away all over again. She fought the tickling sensation behind her eyes as thoughts of their day and their night flashed through her mind as she softly sang the repeated bridge to him.
"My afternoon dream when
The world is sleeping
I am still thinking
Of my blue dream
It's bliss..."
Riley had tilted his head up towards her while she sang. As the melody played behind it once her lyrics were finished, he gently held her body to pull her down so they were face-to-face again. Then he pulled up the sheet that had once been tossed over her legs to cover their bodies again fully. Then, he pulled her closer against him intimately before kissing her while the music continued to fade out. Cindy wrapped her arms around him, her body molding to his while they kissed, reliving every pivotal moment about yesterday.
All of his romantic gifts. The surprise date to the restaurant. The "impromptu" stop at the basketball court. The roses… the artwork… the proposal… their night….
Cindy shivered pleasurably at the thought while Riley kissed down her neck. They hadn't had a long night like that in a while. Not that they didn't make love any other night (because they almost always did), but damn. It was like it was their first time all over again.
"Good morning." Riley spoke huskily against the base of her throat.
"Good morning yourself." Cindy replied breathily, tilting her neck back more at his kisses.
"How'd you sleep, babe?"
"We didn't do much sleeping." She countered smoothly, feeling him smirk against her skin.
"True." He admitted, finally glancing up towards her with that mischievous look in his eye. "Did I wear you out?"
"What do you think, boy?" It was her turn to smirk. "I don't wanna do anything today."
Riley let out a snicker as he stroked the side of her body. "The only thing you gotta do today is eat, relax, and recover… then be worn out again tonight." He added before kissing her lips, earning a giggle from Cindy.
"What's on the menu for brunch today?"
"Knowing Granddad, something elaborate. He been watchin' that cooking network for the past few days and swears he wants to own his own restaurant again." Riley rolled his eyes with a grin.
"Ooh, I think I smell him cookin' bacon right now." Cindy sighed with longing.
"Don't get too excited, I told him to start buyin' turkey bacon."
"Damn you." She answered instantly. It was killing her that he had been serious about monitoring her diet. God knew she wasn't willing to.
"You'll get over it." Riley pecked her lips again before reaching over to turn off the music. "I'm gonna start gettin' ready so I can go down and help him."
"I wanna help too." She told him cutely, sliding her leg over his hip. Riley pretended to suck his teeth, but he couldn't keep the coveted look out of his eyes as her hands started to trail over his body.
"That means you gotta get ready too then and stop hangin' all over me, girl. Damn." He teased.
"Maybe we should get ready together then." Cindy replied, slyly grazing her fingernails along his chest.
"Maybe we should." He answered, his voice becoming husky again while his grip around her tightened, clearly fighting for control. "I was gonna head to the shower. Join me?"
Cindy pretended to think, a playful grin on her face. "Only if that's what you want, Reezy."
Riley chuckled deeply, pulling her closer so that her lower half was suddenly pressed firmly against his. Cindy's face warmed at the feeling of his hardened member at her entrance.
"We both know it's what I want and what you need, girl."
45 Minutes Later
After a very indulging shower later, Cindy headed downstairs to finally start assisting with brunch preparation. Riley had already come down several minutes earlier due to Granddad summoning him. Cindy could already hear them bickering all the way from the hallway, which wasn't surprising. She followed the sound of their voices into the dining room (were they seriously arguing about drinks), smiling when she spotted them from the entrance. Riley was looking fine as usual, dressed in just a plain black V-neck and gray basketball shorts; he was sexy without even trying. Then there was Granddad, who had once again outdone himself by the amazing spread of food along the table. Cindy was practically tuning them out as her eyes hungrily scanned over the contents.
"Man, that ain't fair! How come we never get the good orange juice?" Riley demanded loudly.
"Because you niggas can't handle the good orange juice!" Granddad shot back. "And do you know how expensive my supply is? Shoot, when y'all cough up some money for some cartons then maybe we'll talk. Maybe. Mm-mmm." He clarified with the strong shake of his head.
"…Nigga, you lyin'! You just selfish!" Riley snapped while crossing his arms.
"Yep." Granddad replied easily with a shrug as he started for the kitchen again. "Mornin', Cutie Pie." He said sweetly to her with a smile as he exited.
"Good morning, Granddad." Cindy chuckled. "Need help with anything?"
"Nope! Riley was just finishing up."
"He just wanted my ass to set the table like I'm one of his slave niggas." Riley grumbled, still in the middle of placing utensils by plates.
"Yep!" Granddad chirped again from the other room.
"You sure you don't need help with anything else?" Cindy asked Riley this time, trying not to laugh at the way he glared into the kitchen.
"Nah. I got it babe." He turned to face her fully this time, eyeing her briefly up and down. "Nice shirt." He smirked. Cindy grinned back at him, knowing fully well why he liked it. The shirt was one of the ones he and Frank had gotten for her to wear at the gym. This one was a white tee that simply said "ICE ICE" on the chest in big black letters. It had originally been very oversized on Cindy before, but she was now starting to steadily fill it out.
"Thank you." Cindy winked while she leaned over the table to steal a buttery roll from the bread basket.
"Like them pants too." He added, no doubt staring at her behind in her navy yoga capris. Cindy smirked at him while she took a bite. She would forever love the way he looked at her and admired her body.
Ding-dong.
"Boy, get the door!" Came Granddad's immediate response from the kitchen.
"I'll get it." Cindy told Riley quietly before he could start to argue with him again. She actually felt excited as she headed to the door. She was hoping it was Huey and Jazmine, predominately Jazmine. Cindy couldn't wait to tell her the news since she'd restrained herself from texting her last night. She wondered if she would notice the ring on her hand. Knowing Jazmine, she was definitely going to cry. She was excited to see Jamilah's reaction too.
And of course, she couldn't wait to flaunt it in Huey's face. Was it too soon to start calling him her brother?
Cindy took her time once she got to the door, her hand already on the doorknob as she started to unlock it. She decided to act natural at first and play it cool. She and Riley could announce the news together at the table. But for now she'd just—
"CONGRATULATIONS!"
Cindy let out a surprised shriek, jumping a bit at the sight and sound of her friends in front of her (save for Huey). Jazmine stood the closest to the front, beaming at her while she held a white gift bag. Huey stood behind her carrying Jamilah, his daughter clutching tightly to three balloons that ranged from "Congrats" to "Happy Engagement" on them. Finally, Caesar and Anthia stood to the side with happy smiles on their faces. Caesar held what looked to be a bottle of sparkling cider while Anthia had a similar gift bag in her hands.
"What the," Cindy sputtered out with a smile, glancing back and forth to each of them. "How did you guys already kno-?"
"Riley told Huey then told Granddad then I figured it out from Riley then had to tell Caesar who told Anthia and I've been dying to talk to you for days and omigod-I'm-so-happy-for-you!" Jazmine blurted out at a rapid pace before practically bouncing into Cindy's arms to hug her.
"Jazmine-Speak 101." Caesar smirked at Anthia who giggled.
"Guys…." Cindy smiled at each of them as she patted Jazmine's back, already feeling her happy tears drip through her shirt. "Is all of this for us?" She asked, gesturing to their gifts.
"No, it's for Granddad. I heard he proposed last night." Huey deadpanned.
"Can it, bro!" Cindy grinned at him triumphantly.
Huey blinked at her before beginning to turn around with Jamilah in his arms, as if to head back to his car. The others laughed as Caesar put a hand on his shoulder to turn him back around.
"Oh get in here! All of you! I'm so glad you all came!" Cindy beamed, finally releasing a still teary-eyed looking Jazmine. Cindy gave a hug to both Caesar and Anthia as they entered and tried to give Huey one as well. He instead slid Jamilah into her arms before swiftly maneuvering around her.
"Happy 'Gagement, Aunt Cindy!" The child exclaimed as she hugged her.
"Aww, thank you honey." Cindy's heart melted as she squeezed her back and kissed her cheek.
"Are you and Unca Reezy really getting married?" Jamilah asked sweetly with wide eyes.
"Why don't you ask Uncle Reezy yourself?" Cindy smiled in return, following the rest of the group to the dining room.
"Ask me what?" Riley's muffled voice came from around the corner. Cindy snickered upon rounding it to see him standing stiffly while Jazmine's arms were now around him, no doubt crying again with her head in his shoulder.
"Unca Reezy!" Jamilah exclaimed happily, wiggling herself in Cindy's arms. She set her down to release her and held onto the balloons before the child darted over to him.
"Off me." Riley said simply as he shrugged Jazmine off his body, a smile taking over his face as he squatted down to accept his niece into his waiting arms. "Hey girl."
"Happy 'Gagement!" She told him proudly as he scooped her up into a hug.
"Thanks, Mila." He grinned, giving her a kiss. "You know what that means?"
"That you and Aunt Cindy gonna get married!" Jamilah said with excitement.
"You got it, babe." Riley replied, his grin even wider. "Which also means Aunt Cindy's gonna be your aunt permanently."
"Yaayy!" The little one cheered, not picking up on Huey's low groan from beside Cindy. She simply winked at him.
"It's about time y'all got here, hell." Granddad grumbled, emerging from the kitchen again.
"Morning, Granddad!" Jazmine chirped with a wave.
"Hi, Granddaddy!" Her daughter added from Riley's arms.
"Good morning Cutie-Pies," Granddad replied warmly, walking over to Riley's side to softly ruffle Jamilah's hair in a sweet manner. "Y'all hungry?" He asked, being answered by several nods. "Alright then. Put down your stuff and let's eat."
"Oh, Mr. Freeman!" Caesar spoke up suddenly, stepping over to him. Granddad's light expression shifted as soon as he saw the dread-head move in his direction.
"Sorry for the late notice, but I wanted to finally have you meet my girlfriend." He told him, gently ushering Anthia with him. Cindy noticed how Granddad's eyebrows raised in surprise.
"Baby, meet Mr. Freeman, AKA Granddad of Woodcrest. Mr. Freeman, meet my lady, Anthia Shay." Caesar introduced, seeming slightly nervous. If Anthia was, she didn't indicate any inkling of it.
"It's so nice to finally meet you, Mr. Freeman." She said instead with a bright smile, holding out her hand. "Caesar's told me so much about you."
"I can only imagine." He replied, casting a side glance to Caesar while he shook her hand. "Nice to meet you too, sweetie. How long y'all been dating?"
"It's going on a couple months now."
"And you still wanna be with him?" Granddad asked doubtfully. "You sure?"
"Of course!" Anthia giggled.
Granddad eyed her carefully, seeming mildly concerned. He paused for a few silent moments before he spoke again.
"…Blink twice if you're being held against your will." He mock-whispered, finally cracking a smirk.
"Granddad!" Jazmine and Cindy scolded him lightly while he let out a hearty laugh at himself along with Anthia. Caesar shifted, looking momentarily put out by the old man's antics.
"Aw come on, Mr. Freeman, why you always gotta play me like that?" He borderline whined.
"Shut up." Granddad quipped lightly as usual, the teasing smile still on his face. "Your ass is lucky Cutie-Pie even wants to be with you, shoot. She's clearly way out of league." He shook his head, brushing past Caesar to head to the table. "Come on and sit down y'all, food's getting cold!"
Cindy smiled and stepped closer while the others moved about. "Here Ceez, I'll take the cider so I can go pour it into glasses." She said while reaching for it. She noticed that the pout he had moments ago was gone and now replaced by a satisfied grin. Anthia must've noticed it too because she commented.
"What's that face about? I think the introduction went well. Much better than all the scenarios you gave me." She shrugged, setting her gift bag down on a nearby shelf.
"Oh I know it did." Caesar continued to beam. Then he turned to Cindy. "You didn't hear it?" He asked quietly.
"What?"
Caesar smirked. "He called her Cutie-Pie."
Anthia cocked her head slightly in confusion at the newfound expression on Cindy's face. "What does that mean?"
Cindy now had a smirk as well as she patted her on the back. "Girl, it means he likes you. It also means you're in."
Riley's POV
"And then what happened?" Jazmine must've asked for at least the tenth time. Riley grinned, his chin in his palm while he rested his elbow onto the table as he listened. Cindy had been re-telling their proposal story over brunch from the beginning, now coming to their "last-minute" stop at the basketball court. He smiled as he watched her explain everything in detail, picking up on the excitement in her voice and the way her face kept lighting up.
Not to mention that ring lighting up her hand. Damn it looked good on her. Riley kept finding his eyes drawn to it while she gestured as she spoke. It really did look perfect on her. Riley couldn't imagine it being on anyone else other than Cindy. And he couldn't believe he actually did it.
It was real now. She was his fiancée. He was about to be in the process of planning a wedding… and an actual marriage. And strangely, he didn't get a twisting or uncomfortable feeling in his stomach at the thought of it, not like he did in his younger days. Hell, not even like he did within the past year when distant family members had visited from Chicago, having the nerve to ask Riley when he was going to settle down. That had only been around Christmas time several months ago when his response then had been a strong and solid "never." And now it was "yes."
It wouldn't be long now until those words were "I do."
"Reezy?"
"Hm?" He snapped out of his trailing thoughts at the sound of his name. Caesar was looking at him with a smirk on his face.
"I said, did you ever tell your girl who helped you set up that movie-scene-looking proposal spot?"
Riley rolled his eyes with a grin while Cindy looked between them. "You helped decorate, Ceez?" She asked in surprise.
"Anthia too." Caesar nodded in return while Anthia smiled. "The things we do for y'all."
"Oh stop. We loved to help." Anthia corrected him.
"I ain't know he got you involved too," Riley said. "Thanks for that, girl."
"It was no problem at all."
"She did more than that though." Caesar grinned, glancing over at her. "You wanna show 'em?"
"I thought we were going to wait to do gifts after our meal."
"Everyone's basically done eating or finishin' up," Granddad spoke from beside her, glancing around. "Let's see it." He prodded her.
"Nosey." Riley smirked at him while Anthia smiled and rose from the table.
"I'm bringing our stuff out too then!" Jazmine said with excitement, bouncing up from the table as well.
"Don't hurt yourself." Huey rolled his eyes almost fondly.
Riley grinned, easily making eye contact with Cindy. She was glowing today and looked so happy. She also looked extremely curious, Riley right along with her.
He could only imagine what their friends had in store for them.
"Okay!" Jazmine said once they seated themselves at the table again, this time holding their bags. "You guys can go first." She gestured to Caesar and Anthia.
"We just hope you both like it." Anthia began, holding out the bag for Cindy to take.
"Like I said, this is really all her. I just bought the sauce." Caesar smirked, raising his wine glass.
"Yeah cuz we're all gonna get turnt on some sparklin' cider. Fool." Riley snickered.
"If you guys don't stop," Cindy chuckled, placing what seemed to be a weighted bag into her lap. She glanced inside, pushing aside tissue paper before she gasped.
"No way." She said slowly, an even bigger smile taking over her face as she reached in and pulled out a medium-sized frame. Riley leaned over and couldn't help the grin taking over his face either. He recognized all the colors in the picture immediately and couldn't believe she actually got a good shot.
It was them. The frame contained slots for three pictures. One was of Riley down on one knee, Cindy looking elated as he slid the ring on her finger. Another was of the moment Cindy nearly tackled Riley in a hug. The last picture in the middle was of the two sharing a romantic kiss. The backdrop of each picture contained Riley's portrait beside them and all of the flowers along the ground to complete the scenery.
"I figured you could use another memento of the moment." Anthia spoke softly, watching their reactions with a small smile.
"I absolutely love it." Cindy replied quietly, her eyes not leaving the pictures.
"This is tight." Riley nodded in agreement. "How'd you even get these shots? And where were you?"
"Hidin' in the bleachers." Caesar answered first, shaking his head. "We didn't even plan to be there when y'all showed up. We had just finished setting everything up but almost got caught, so we hid. We left before y'all probably got busy though, don't worry."
"Y'all were hiding the whole time?" Riley asked in amusement, brushing off the last comment with a smirk.
"I had a feeling something like that was going to happen since somebody couldn't remember what time you were planning on getting there." Anthia eluded, eyeing Caesar. "I'm just glad I packed my good camera."
"Boy, I texted you that I was on the way. Literally when I was in the car two blocks away."
"Well 'scuuuse me for trying to finish makin' your spot look dope!"
"Alright, shuddup both of y'all! Cutie-Pie, pass down the picture." Granddad snapped at them before asking Cindy politely.
"Sure. And thank you, Anthia. So much." Cindy told her seriously before handing the picture to Jazmine.
"AWWWWW! Babe looook!" She immediately exclaimed, starting to fan at her eyes.
"I see. Very nice." Huey said briefly as he quickly removed the picture from Jazmine's hands before the water-works began. He glanced at it in passing while he handed it across the table to Granddad.
"That's going to make me cry. That was beautiful!" She continued, her lip almost quivering.
"Don't start girl, you're going to make me." Cindy lightly pushed her, looking slightly emotional herself.
"Here." Huey reached over his wife and plopped their gift bag onto the table in front of her. "This won't make you cry, trust me."
"I would probably die of shock if it did." Cindy chuckled, regaining her composure as she set the empty bag aside.
"My gift is on top and that one is for you, Cindy. The one on the bottom is for Riley from Huey." Jazmine explained, finally looking chipper again.
"Aw snap. You ain't forget about me, bro?" Riley grinned at him.
"Not even when I try."
"…Is that a backhanded compliment?"
"It's kind of heavy." Cindy ignored them, lifting the bag carefully. She reached inside and pulled out one wide and vertical brown box, staring at it questioningly as she placed it on the table. She reached in again and pulled out an identical box, handing it to Riley to take.
"I'm almost scared." She chuckled, starting to peel off the tape to open the lid.
"You and me both." Riley agreed, doing the same.
"You'll love it." Jazmine grinned, watching them intently.
When they finally did manage to get the boxes open, they realized they both received mugs, Cindy's white and Riley's black. But when they lifted them and revealed the words on the face of their mugs, they both fell out laughing while Jazmine and Huey smirked.
"What, what do they say?" Granddad asked, trying to peer with his glasses.
"I can't… I can't!" Cindy said between her laughter.
"If y'all don't just tell us!" Caesar demanded with a grin.
"Naw, we mean we literally can't with little-ears over there." Riley continued to snicker, subtly gesturing to Jamilah in her chair next to Granddad. "Here, look yourselves." He smiled, taking both mugs in his hands to pass across the table. When the others read them both, they each couldn't hold back their laughter as well.
On Cindy's white mug in pretty gold cursive were the words: I'm engaged bitches!
On Riley's black mug in all-capped gold lettering were the words: Shit just got real.
But when Jamilah asked what the mugs said, the adults had fibbed and told her the words were: Happy 'Gagement.
30 Minutes Later
"Alright y'all, I'm headin' to the park for my checker game. Don't tear up my house." Granddad announced as he finally rose from his recliner, placing his hat on his head as he did so.
"No promises, G." Riley smirked, swiftly rising from his prior spot on the floor with his controller to steal his seat. His grandfather slightly narrowed his eyes at him before turning to Jazmine seated on the couch between Huey and Cindy.
"Do you know if Tom's planning to meet Ruckus and I down there later for our walk around the track?" He asked her.
"I don't think so. He and my mom are out of town again for a meeting." She explained.
"Again?" He shook his head when Jazmine shrugged. "Oh well. Tell his punk-ass to let me know in advance from now on, hear?"
"Yes, Granddad." Jazmine giggled with a playful eyeroll. Granddad winked at her before heading to the door. Everyone in the room verbalized a form of goodbye to him as he passed. He surprisingly slowed near the exit, directing his attention to the sofa where Caesar and Anthia sat.
"It was nice meeting you, Cutie-Pie. Feel free to come back any Sunday for brunch."
Anthia's face lit up immediately, clearly shocked. "Why thank you, Mr. Freeman! I'd love to come again. It was so nice to meet you as well."
Granddad smiled in return, ready to reply before he was cut off.
"Ahh, Mr. Freeman, you're kinda-sorta blockin' the TV." Caesar interrupted their exchange, trying to look around his body. He also had a controller in his hand as he was playing against Riley.
"Excuses." Riley snorted from the recliner.
"You see him in my way! Ow!" Caesar cried out after Anthia bopped him mildly upside the head, probably just in time. Granddad had looked like he was going to retaliate himself. Instead, he smirked at Anthia.
"Like I said, you can stop by anytime. But next time, leave him at home." He said before he started to depart again.
"Will do." Anthia giggled with a wave as he left the room. Caesar rubbed the back of his head, but grinned at his girl before he reached over for dap.
"He def likes you. No doubt." He smiled genuinely.
"You really think so?" She asked hopefully, tapping her fist with his.
"Hell yeah." He and Riley said unanimously.
"He called you Cutie-Pie." Jazmine added.
"That's what we told her." Cindy nodded to her.
"You're in." Huey shrugged, not looking up from his paper. "That's either good or bad depending on which way you look at it."
"Welcome to the Cool Kids' Club." Caesar winked at her before going back to the game.
"Eh." Huey voiced again.
"Oh stop." Jazmine grinned, leaning to rest against him.
"If you're tired, I can get Jamilah so we can head home."
"Not yet honey, let her rest." Jazmine waved her hand. The toddler had been so full and sleepy after brunch, they had taken her to her room for a nap. "Besides, now that she's down for a while, we can talk some more."
"About what?" Huey asked boredly.
"The fact that I'm engaged, bitches!" Cindy interjected, leaning over Jazmine with a goofy smile. Huey gave her an unimpressed glance before turning back to his paper.
"How does it feel? Can you even believe it?" Jazmine beamed, holding onto her hand with excitement and giving it a squeeze.
"Just barely." Cindy grinned back with the shake of her head. "As if it wasn't crazy enough that I'm pregnant. Now I'm about to plan a freakin' wedding. It's unreal."
"So what's the plan? You know you have our help with whatever you need." Jazmine began decisively while her husband gave her a look.
"Ours too." Anthia added.
"Do you think you'll start planning right away? Do you think you'll want more time or wait until the babies get here? Did you have a vision for exactly what you would want? Do you know where...?"
The more Jazmine shot off questions, the more distracted Riley was coming. He figured he might as well throw the game so he could thoroughly get into the conversation. It wasn't like he was paying attention anymore with his mind swirling too.
"WHOO! That's game, baby!" Caesar whooped with the pump of his fist. "Ow!" He yelped when Riley threw his controller at him, hitting him in the shin. "Why y'all keep hittin' me?!"
"There's a child upstairs sleeping?" Huey suggested, not looking up from his newspaper.
"And I ain't even hit you. Shuddup witcha loud ass." Riley rolled his eyes before turning to Jazmine, who hadn't even stopped talking to pay them any attention.
"Do you have funds set aside for it yet? Do you know how big or small you want it to be? Do you know who you'd like in it? Feel free to stop me anytime, I could go on forever, I'm too excited!" Jazmine finally did stop herself to take a breath and bounce excitedly in her seat. Cindy stared at her, simply blinking as the others were doing as well.
"Sooo the answer to 99% of the questions you just asked me and all of the questions you're going to ask me is a solid 'I don't know' for now. The only thing I know for sure is that I want Jamilah in it. Obviously."
"That's pretty much a given." Riley agreed, grinning as Jazmine squealed happily.
"Done! Oh my God, I can't wait to pick out her dress. Ooh, do you know what color scheme you'll-"
"I don't know, Jazmine." Cindy cut her off with a smirk.
"But what about-"
"Still don't know, J." Riley shook his head.
"Ring-bearer-though!" She blurted out. "Did you guys have any ideas on that?"
"How would we?" Riley snickered.
"I could always talk to one the parents of Jamilah's playmates if you want me too. She loves Trey and he's a sweet little boy."
Riley's grin instantly fell off his face. "Say what now?"
"Who?" Huey lifted his head from his paper and raised a questioning eyebrow at his wife.
"Trey." Jazmine said, seeming to quickly roll her eyes. "Every time you ask me who and every time I remind you who he is. I know you haven't forgot."
"That might be a good idea, Jazz." Cindy spoke up. "We don't know any young boys."
"And we don't need to. Neither does Mila." Riley mumbled the last part.
"Man, I can't wait for this." Caesar said from the sofa, a big grin on his face as he wrapped an arm around Anthia.
"Can't wait for what?"
The crew jumped at the startling loud voice suddenly at the entrance of the living room.
Ed Wuncler III stood in the doorway, casually taking a swig of tall beer bottle. Gin Rummy strolled up behind him, using the bottom of his shirt to polish off his gun.
"What's happenin', y'all?" He nodded to the group before placing the gun back in the waistband of his jeans.
The group stared at them silently for a moment, prompting Ed to pull the bottle from his lips.
"…The fuck y'all lookin' at?" He asked, at a strangely reasonable volume for once before returning the beer to his mouth again.
"…Did you just enter this house without knocking…?" Huey spoke, glaring daggers at both of them.
Riley face-palmed when Ed simply belched in return. He knew it was about to get ugly.
"Uhh babe, meet Riley's other two friends." Caesar cut in awkwardly, probably feeling the rage generating off Huey even from across the room. "That's Gin Rummy right there, best friend to Ed Wuncler the Third, grandson to Ed Wuncler Sr., owner of basically everything in Woodcrest. Y'all this is-"
"My future baby-mama." Ed interrupted with a big smile, eyeing her up and down the whole time he made his way over. "What's up girl?" He asked, plopping beside her on the sofa.
"Ummm hi?" She gave him a wary look as she scooted over to give them some space in between. "I'm Anthia, Caesar's girlfriend."
"And MY future baby-mama." Caesar added strongly with a glare.
"Sure-sure." Ed nodded with the same grin, clearly not taking any value in their words.
"Here we go." Rummy rolled his eyes, propping himself on the arm of the sofa. "So what's up, y'all?"
"Nothin' much. What're y'all doin' here?" Riley replied.
"In the neighborhood. Figured we'd stop by. Didn't know the whole squad be up in here."
"It's Sunday man, you know the deal. Food's in the kitchen if you want."
"Got any liquor?" He smirked.
"Uhh, fresh out unless you'd settle for beer. Why?"
"You're slackin', Reez. We heard a congratulations is in order." He eluded, glancing between him and Cindy. Ed finally tore his gaze from Anthia and gave a light head nod and a wink to Cindy.
"You're welcome, boo."
"He hooked us up with the Bugatti reservation." Riley briefly explained to her, giving a look of light annoyance. Cindy briefly communicated the look in return but forced a pleasant demeanor.
"We appreciated it, Ed. Thank you."
"Don't thank me yet, girl." He smirked in return.
"I'm sorry?" She asked in confusion.
Ed let out a cocky sigh while he leisurely propped his feet up onto the coffee table. Riley noticed that Huey's eyes were glaring strongly at his dirty shoes while Jazmine lightly rubbed his knee in attempts to calm him down.
"So here's the deal. Y'all officially engaged, right? Plan on gettin' married and all that shit?"
"That's generally the idea, Ed." Riley nodded slowly, not sure where he was going.
"You know when yet?"
"That's what she just asked." Cindy spoke next. "We don't know."
"But y'all are plannin' to have an actual wedding, right?"
"We'd like to." Cindy replied quietly, casting a small smile across the room to Riley who returned it.
"Aiight then… done." Ed shrugged.
The room stared at him. "Whatchu mean 'done?'" Riley and Cindy asked simultaneously.
"I mean what I said, dammit. Done. I'm throwin' y'all a wedding. Cheers!" He smirked, raising his now empty beer bottle.
"Mazel tov." Rummy added, amusement written all over his face.
"Ed… you can't just throw us a wedding…." Cindy trailed off, seeming to be at a loss for words. She turned to Riley, giving him a look like, can he?
"Why not?" Ed asked simply, almost deadpan. Riley gave a look to Cindy in return as if to say, he has a point.
"Because! Not that we're not flattered but… that's a huge offer, Ed. And a lot of work. Not to mention money. Money we do not have at the moment."
"That's why it's on me, baby." He grinned again while Cindy narrowed her eyes at him. "You know I got bank. Hell, I OWN the bank."
"Ed, I know, but-"
"Sooo what's stopping me from throwing y'all a lil somethin'?" He interrupted her.
"But-"
"I've done it for other friends before." He cut her off again.
"Okay, but-"
"What's one more wedding, one more party, and one more reason to turn up?" Ed finished, raising an eyebrow at her.
Cindy finally seemed speechless, turning instead to Riley for his reaction. "You wanna take it from here?" She asked, gesturing to him.
Riley cleared his throat and tried to compose himself. Of course he was shocked at Ed's suggestion, but at the same time, wasn't entirely. Ed did always like to do it big with gifts and parties, so he couldn't act like it wasn't par for the course.
"Ed… my dude… we're both obviously really appreciative of the offer, but… that's a lot to offer, man."
"Trust me, it's not." Ed snorted. "And the offer is non-negotiable." He added, crossing his arms almost childishly.
Riley turned back to Cindy, giving her the same look as if he really didn't know what to tell her. The rest of the group looked just as stunned as they did.
"Ed… are you sure?"
"Fuck yeah I'm sure! And I'm damn sure tired of y'all actin' like I ain't and can't do this shit! Hell! Out here tryna bless y'all and shit-"
"Oh-kay Ed, damn!" Riley cut off his tirade before it could even begin. "Okay… we'll let you help us. Thank you."
"Yes, help. And thank you." Cindy added, nodding at Riley.
"Help, give, make it rain, whatever sounds better to y'all. I don't give a fuck." Ed shrugged.
"Ed, we definitely appreciate the help," Cindy enunciated again, looking at him seriously. "But for real. If you really want to do this, we don't need anything outlandish. Just something simple for our close family and friends."
"What she said. It don't have to be nowhere fancy or over-the-top, just somethin' basic." Riley said in agreement.
"It's just a ceremony."
"Aw come on, y'all don't have any destination spots you ever wanted to do?" Ed asked in confusion. "Like an island wedding or somethin'?"
"I heard Maldives is the shit for that kinda thing." Rummy smirked, adding his two cents.
"If someone else is paying for it, absolutely not." Cindy shook her head. "We are doing simple, Ed."
He sucked his teeth in response. "Well damn, if that's the case, we can have this set to go early as fuck."
"How early we talkin'?" Riley raised a brow.
"Apparently y'all don't wanna leave the country and are lookin' like you wanna stay in-state, right? So yeah, if you really wanted I could have this shit set up by next week."
"Too soon!" The entire room seemed to reject him at the same time.
"What?" He snapped in annoyance.
"We at least need time to get invitations together!" Cindy exclaimed.
"And get her a dress!" Jazmine added.
"And get our families in town." Riley sighed.
"And tell Aunt Cookie." Huey smirked, making Riley groan.
"And plan the reception and menu." Anthia spoke up.
"And get that bachelor party in beforehand." Caesar grinned.
"Now that is a good point." Ed seemed to only focus on Caesar's last statement. "We gotta work on that too. Where am I sendin' y'all for the bachelor and bachelorette parties?"
Cindy and Riley briefly glanced at each other, seeming to share the same thought. "Pass."
"Aww." Caesar pouted.
"Whatchu mean?" Ed demanded.
"I don't know about him, but I don't need any 'last crazy thrill' kinda night. We've got enough craziness in our world regardless. Besides, it's not like I can drink." Cindy shrugged. "You?" She turned to Riley.
"Nah, I'm good. I don't need no damn party. And I definitely ain't down with whatever parties bitches be throwin' for the women. I heard about Magic Mike. Heeelll to the no."
"You don't have to worry about that, Reez." Cindy chuckled.
"I'm just sayin' though. I wish a nigga would try to dance all up on you like he know you. I'd go to jail. I'd be done."
"Oh-kay, Reez!"
Ed rolled his eyes. "Y'all niggas lame."
"I'm sure we'll revisit this conversation eventually." Caesar said aloofly, casually sharing a look with Ed who smirked.
"Caesar…." Cindy warned.
"Without the use of any exotic dancers." He modified with a grin.
"Damn straight." Anthia added, giving him a look.
"Aiight, gettin' back to the actual wedding shit. What's the timeline? Did y'all wanna do it sooner rather than later? Wait til after you give birth, what?" Ed asked them directly.
Cindy made eye contact with Riley again, seeming unsure. "What do you think, Riley?"
He thought for a moment before speaking. "In all honesty, the time doesn't really matter for me. But it's your body. I don't want you to be stressed or feel uncomfortable."
"Aww." Jazmine let out quietly, making Riley roll his eyes.
"I mean, I'm sure the process won't be stress-free either way." Cindy spoke slowly, clearly thinking. "And it's not like there's not maternity dresses out there."
"Beautiful ones. Did you see the one Ne-Yo's wife wore?" Jazmine cut in excitedly, turning towards Cindy.
"I was just thinking about that one." Anthia nodded with a smile.
"Shawty shut it down in that dress." Caesar added in agreement.
"Right." Cindy chuckled at them, grazing her stomach lightly as she spoke. "And realistically… it might be harder and longer to plan the wedding if we wait."
"That's true." Riley agreed. "Knowing us, we'd probably put it off for a while."
"Probably a good while with raising two babies."
"Yeah. And… if we do decide to do it beforehand… they'd have my last name right away." Riley grinned at that fact.
"I know." Cindy smiled at him in return.
"So… we doin' this?" Riley asked her, the faint smile still on his face.
Cindy took a deep breath before turning back to Ed. "Okay… let's do it."
"I was hopin' y'all would say that." He smirked. "What's the game plan? Since y'all don't want it done by next week."
"That's way too soon, man." Riley shook his head. "We need more of a buffer to get everything in place."
"Aiight, how about a month?"
"Ehh." Cindy winced. "That's still cutting it kinda tight for me. I don't want to feel that rushed."
"Cold feet already?" Huey commented while looking at his paper again.
"Screw you, oh brother of mine. Won't be long now until it's official." Cindy replied happily.
"I hate you."
"No you don't."
"You underestimate me."
"What about between two to three months?" Riley spoke up before they could continue. "That might be enough time. And if we need more, we can also add time."
"Hey, I'm just waitin' on y'all. I could have this thing set in stone today for next weekend. Cuz I'm rich… bitch." Ed smirked smugly.
"Yes, we know." Riley rolled his eyes with a grin. "But that should give us enough time. Whatchu think, babe?"
Cindy nodded slowly. "That should work. We need to start planning things like now though."
Ed nodded. "Cool. I'll get shit ready today. You ready, Rummy?" He asked, standing from the couch.
"The hell you mean?" Riley exclaimed in confusion. "We haven't told you anything yet!"
"Send me a text then nigga, I got places to be and bitches to nab!" He snapped in return, already pulling out his phone.
"Classy." Rummy grinned, rising from his seat as well. "We'll see y'all later."
"Yo Alfred!" Ed spoke loudly, the phone up to his ear as he walked to the exit, giving a departing head nod to the group as he did so. "Give me lists and availability of all the places to get married 'round Woodcrest! Also get me a list of the top caterers, decorators, and photographers that are local too…. Fuck NO it ain't my wedding! The fuck I look like?! Askin' me stupid-ass questions!" They heard Ed bellow before the sound of the front door slammed shut.
The room was silent for a brief moment before Huey sighed.
"There's always time to change your mind."
It wasn't too much later before Caesar and Anthia headed home, followed soon after by Huey, Jazmine, and Jamilah. Riley decided to hold off on telling his niece that he wanted her in the wedding. If he was going to ask her, he was going to ask her right. Not while she was half asleep.
When Granddad returned home a few hours later, he about fell out when they told him about Ed's offer. Naturally he had told them to soak it for all it was worth and do it big, to which they shook their heads. It was a very generous proposal, but they weren't going to go overboard with it and make him pay for unnecessary shit. Cindy already made it clear there were a few things that they were going to pay for themselves, such as her dress. Riley agreed and was planning to pitch in where they needed. But they were for the most part trying to keep it simple.
Granddad had rolled his eyes at them in obvious disapproval (because if it was him, he would've thrown the most obnoxious wedding of the century), but let it go. But not before giving Riley the order.
He had no choice and couldn't put it off a day later.
It was time to call Aunt Cookie.
"She's going to chew my ass out, I can hear it now." Riley muttered, staring at the phone on the kitchen table.
"The longer you wait, the more pissy she'll get, trust me." Granddad rolled his eyes. "Just do it."
"G, she's already gonna have an attitude. I ain't called her in months!"
"Whose fault is that?"
"She's gonna go off, I can feel it." Riley shook his head.
"You really think it's gonna be that bad?" Cindy asked, biting her lip.
"I think he's being dramatic. She'll be happy to hear from you regardless." Granddad told him.
"Despite the fact I got my girlfriend pregnant-who she's never even met, mind you-and I'm now in the process of planning a wedding in a matter of two months, shotgun-style?" He replied sarcastically.
"There ain't nothin' shotgun about it though." Cindy rolled her eyes. "We're doing it because we were given an amazing offer that we'll probably get never again in life. Besides, it's not like you feel obligated to marry me because I'm pregnant… RIGHT?" She demanded, staring him down.
"Of course not, babe. I'm just sayin', this is what she's gonna think no matter what." Riley said honestly.
She watched him for a moment before turning to Granddad. "Is she really that tough?"
"She can definitely play hard-ball. Especially when it comes to the boys." He explained with a nod.
"Yeah. And y'all are forgetting, I saw the conversation go down between her and Huey once he and Jazz got pregnant." Riley added.
"You did?" Granddad spoke at the same time Cindy did, seeming surprised. "How?" He asked.
"Well, I didn't physically see it cuz she wasn't here, but I did listen to it." He began with a sheepish grin. "Huey had been usin' the landline in the house, so I snuck on the other one and listened in on the call from upstairs."
"That's dirty." Cindy snorted, shaking her head.
"Hell yeah it is, boy! And why the hell you ain't invite me to listen too? The hell's wrong witchu?" He glared when Riley rolled his eyes at his ridiculous statement. "What'd she say?"
"Damn near bit his head off." The grin that was previously on his face quickly turned into a frown. "She actually cussed at him too! Aunt Cookie went in, yo. Told him straight off. I do not want her to come for me."
"You can't put it off forever. I'm sure it will be fine." Cindy told him, rubbing his arm reassuringly. Riley appreciated the intended comfort, but it didn't do anything for his nerves.
She just didn't know Aunt Cookie yet. And Aunt Cookie didn't play.
"Oh, just call her. Stop bein' a little bitch baby." Granddad snipped, picking up the phone and placing it in his hands.
"Stop watchin' Scandal, Granddad." Riley rolled his eyes.
"How would you know where I got it if you don't watch it?" Granddad smirked.
"…So I've seen an episode or two when there wasn't shit else to do and I was bored, sue me." Riley shrugged. "Besides, they said it again in How To Get Away With Murder, which I actually do watch. Which by the way-"
"Hey groupie, you're stalling." Cindy cut him off with a smirk. "We can discuss Shondaland later. For now, call your aunt." She told him before planting a kiss on his cheek and rising from the table. Granddad followed her lead, ignoring Riley's protests as they left the kitchen.
"Damn." Riley mumbled to himself, staring at the phone in his hands. He sighed as he slowly found her number in the call log and hit the call button. He almost contemplated praying as the dial tone continued to ring and ring.
Please don't pick up. Please don't pick up. Please don't pick-
"Hello?" Her sweet, country-drawl answered the phone.
Riley quickly coughed to clear his throat. "Hey, Aunt Cookie." He still managed to croak out.
"…Riley? Baby, is that you?" She asked after a few beats of silence.
"Yes ma'am." He replied carefully. If he wanted this conversation to go well, he needed to come correct.
"Well, ain't this a surprise? I almost thought I was talkin' to a stranger, I haven't heard your voice in so long. How you been, baby?"
So far so good.
"I've been hanging in, Aunt Cookie. How have you been doing?"
"Better now that I finally hear your voice after… well how long's it been… about nine months?" She asked innocently enough, but Riley knew better. That was that low-key shade.
Dammit.
"So how come I haven't heard from you, Riley?" She asked directly, a bit of the cheerfulness coming out of her voice while a deliberate undertone set in.
"It's uh… it's been pretty crazy around here lately." He began, trying to keep his cool. "Have you gotten a chance to talk to Huey?"
"Oh yes. Huey calls me at least once a month, unlike some." She replied smoothly, the shade now becoming more prominent. "But I don't want to talk about him. I want to hear about you and what you've been up to for the past few months?"
"Well… I'm in my last semester of school." Riley spoke after a moment of thought. He figured he'd better start off easy. "I'm makin' at least all B's so far."
"Good baby!" She said, at least sounding happy for him. "Are your teachers nice? You're getting help when you need to, right?"
"I can always get help, yes." Riley almost grinned at her motherly concern. "But actually, I decided to switch to all online classes for the last semester.
"Oh, why's that? Is it difficult?"
"It actually makes it a little easier for me honestly. And I'm able to do more at home and help out with Granddad." And Cindy. He thought to himself immediately after but couldn't bring himself to say it yet. "It also makes it easier to manage my business. Granddad told me that he had mentioned it to you already."
"Yes he did. Although I wish I had heard the good news from the owner of the business." She replied, sounding a bit testy again.
"I know, I'm sorry. He beat me to it, I guess." He replied, already knowing the excuse was weak.
"Mmm-hmm." Her answer solidified that.
"But umm… I was calling to catch up… I haven't really gotten to talk to you about anything going on with me lately…." Riley trailed off, scratching between his braids nervously.
"Well I know that, honey." She said almost amusedly. "Other than your business and school, is there anything else new?"
Here we go.
"Well… I'm seeing someone now." He finally spoke.
"Reeaally?" Aunt Cookie replied, sounding extremely interested. Riley didn't really know what to make of it yet.
"Yes ma'am." He confirmed instead, erring on the side of caution.
"What's this girl's name, baby?" She asked, seeming to sound fine about it… for now.
"Her name is Cindy. I actually knew her since I was a kid and first moved to Woodcrest."
Aunt Cookie gasped lightly. "Is that the same Cindy you would also hang around and cause trouble with? The same one who'd always beat your tail at basketball?"
"Noo! I mean, it's the same girl, but it ain't like she was always beatin' me-"
"Yes, yes, you talked about her all the time and Robert was always telling me the stories. Aww, that's great honey! How long y'all been seeing each other now?" She continued on.
Riley hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "Several months now…." He trailed off, trying to convince himself that it wasn't an actual lie. Cindy had come back to Woodcrest at the very beginning of June. If he counted that month, they would have been together over four months, going on five soon. He could consider that "several."
"That's nice, baby. I hope I'm able to meet her soon."
Riley inwardly sighed, knowing things were about to get real.
"…You know, it's kinda funny you should say that. I was actually hoping we could plan a time for you to come visit real soon if you were able to."
"I'd love to plan a trip out when my schedule clears up, Riley. What's the occasion?" She asked him.
Riley paused, trying to quickly come with a reasonable and delicate answer. "The occasion…? Well… umm… I-uhh… we're-"
"Shit." Aunt Cookie interrupted bluntly out of nowhere.
"Wh-what?" Riley glanced at the phone in surprise of her expletive.
"She's pregnant isn't she?" Aunt Cookie replied calmly.
"What?" Riley sputtered again. "How do you know-I-I mean, how do you figure?"
"You sound exactly like your brother did when he told me he and Jazmine were pregnant. I'm surprised I didn't catch on sooner." She let out a heavy sigh. "How far along is she?"
Riley gulped. "About fifteen weeks."
"…Fifteen weeks?" Aunt Cookie repeated, almost instantly. "Which means she's going on four months, Riley? How long were you even together before your dumbass knocked her up?!"
Annnddd here we go.
"Aunt Cookie, I know this was sudden, and yes it was unplanned, but it was just an acci-"
"Boy, don't you even finish that sentence!" She cut him off again, sounding fierce. "Accident my left foot! That's some bullshit is what that is! You know better! Hell, you watched your brother do the same thing. Having to put his life on hold because he couldn't be smart enough to keep it in his pants. And here you go doing the same damn thing! I oughta beat your ass!"
"I know. You have every right to be mad." Riley mumbled, giving her quiet validation.
"It's not about me being mad as much as I'm disappointed, Riley. I don't want to see you struggle. You or this woman that you've now gotten involved with in this way. There is no going back from this. You do realize that, don't you?"
"I do. And we are in the process of working that out. I love her, Aunt Cookie."
She practically scoffed at him in response. "Love ain't got nothin' to do with it, boy."
"I know. That's why I asked her to marry me." Riley finally revealed.
"You did what?!" She echoed loudly in his ear. "You proposed to her?"
"Yes. And not because she just happens to be pregnant." He stated clearly before she could even go there and piss him off. "I've always loved Cindy, Aunt Cookie. I knew it years back when we were older and still in school. We went our separate ways for a good couple of years though. I didn't expect for her to ever come back or even see her again… but it happened. I don't wanna let her get away again. She's the one for me, Auntie. I'm in love with her. No matter what."
Once he finally stopped talking, he waited; waiting for the quick rebuttal that was about to come or for her to interrupt at any moment. But it didn't come. There was an unexpected pause instead.
"…You're really sure?" She asked quietly. "About your motives and your decision?"
Riley nodded, forgetting she couldn't see him. "100%."
Aunt Cookie let out a heavy sigh. "I don't know what I'm going to do with you, Riley." She replied, sounding exasperated.
"Hopefully still love me?" Riley suggested.
"Boy, if you don't hush," She snipped at him, but the harshness was definitely lessened. "Beat your ass… you know I love you. You and your brother are my joy… I just wish y'all would be smart. Smarter than this. Smart like I know you could've been and this would've been prevented."
Riley held his tongue, refusing not to bite back at the dig. "I know. It could've been prevented… but it happened. I'm prepared and willing to take responsibility for it. I ain't gonna be no dead-beat, believe that."
"I wish you would." Aunt Cookie said in the way that only a black mother could. "I dare you."
"I'd never, Auntie." Riley grinned at the strong attitude in her voice, knowing she was dead serious. "I love Cindy way too much to ever turn my back on her. And I'd definitely never turn my back on my kids."
"Boy, you need to just worry about getting this child into the world before you even start thinking about future babies." She scolded him.
"I'm definitely not thinking about future kids yet. I'm only focused on the ones I've got on the way now." Riley responded casually.
"Well good, you need to just-WHAT?" She suddenly exclaimed, finally hearing him. "What did you say?"
"We're having twins, Aunt Cookie." Riley told her, the grin widening slightly on his face at the thought. It widened even more when he heard an unexpected squeal of shock, possibly even excitement in response.
"Get out! Are you being serious? You better not be messing around with me, child."
"I promise. We don't know the gender yet but the doctor confirmed it. We're having identical twins."
"Looordd, have mercy!" Aunt Cookie exclaimed, but definitely sounded excited. "Riley, that is… just incredible."
"Oh we know."
"You don't know nothin' yet." She answered in a knowing tone, sounding like she had a grin on her face. Or perhaps a smirk. "The Lord's definitely gonna test you, I know He will. Starting out with two babies, twins at that? Mm-mmm. God bless you both." She let out a chuckle, sounding a lot like her brother. "But… this will be something for you, Riley. And it's going to grow you up real quick."
"Aw come on Aunt Cookie, I'm already grown." Riley tried to defend without whining.
"You're growing, Riley. You're only 21 and still young, baby. But you are maturing more and more into an impressive young man. And I'm very proud of you, honey. But let me tell you… parenthood is going to grow you up real quick. There are no shortcuts when it comes to being a parent, especially a reliable father. You have to stay diligent."
"Yes ma'am."
"That's my baby." She replied sweetly before releasing another light sigh. "Oh honey, I've got to finish getting dinner ready."
"Okay, I won't keep you." Riley nodded, honestly ready to get off the phone. "I just wanted to tell you what was going on."
"And I appreciate it. You'll have to let me know when you want me to fly in to meet this girl and for the wedding and whatnot."
"Yeah, I can call you about that in a few days." Riley said vaguely. He had a feeling she probably wouldn't expect to be flying out so soon. He also had a feeling that would lead into a totally new argument once he told her that they were planning the wedding in a few months.
He could wait to have that conversation.
"I'll be expecting a phone call in a few days." Aunt Cookie emphasized deliberately. "And if I don't hear from you, just see what I'm gonna do."
"Beat my ass?" Riley smirked.
"Watch your language, but yes." She replied lightly.
"Okay, Aunt Cookie. I love you."
"I love you too, Riley... I wanna hurt you, but I love you."
"I know." He smiled. "I'll call you soon."
"You better, boy. Take care of yourself and your girl."
"I will, and you too. Goodnight."
"Bye baby."
Riley waited on the phone, waiting for the line to finally disconnect before he let out a breath. Thank God that was over with.
"Daaaaaaaaaamnnn!" Riley jumped at the sudden voices coming from the earpiece of the phone before he could hang up.
"What the hell are y'all doin' on the phone?!" He demanded.
"What's it sound like?" Granddad replied smartly. "It was Cutie-Pie's idea."
"To be fair, it was really your idea if you wanna get technical, Riley." Cindy responded innocently. "If you hadn't told us that you had done it, I wouldn't have even thought about it. And once I brought it up, it was Granddad's decision to grab the phone and listen…. I tried to talk him out of it."
"Both y'all are messed up for that." Riley shook his head.
"Maybe." Cindy admitted.
"But Cookie's gonna mess you up when she gets here! Yeaahh BOI, that ass-whoopin' is coming!" Granddad taunted him.
"Man, whatchu mean? She seemed fine at the end of our conversation."
"That's what you think, playa! I'mma tell you right now, she's still gonna be upset that you got her pregnant so early on and is not going to let it go until she sees you. She also doesn't even know how soon the wedding is, which will set her off again when she realizes it's only in a couple months. And to top it off, she's not going to let you get away with no ass-whoopin' when she didn't let Huey get away with it."
"Wait, huh?"
"Yeah, what?" Cindy added over the line.
"When Cookie came home before Jamilah was born, she took Huey in private and whooped his ass." Granddad explained nonchalantly.
"Damn!" Cindy let out with a laugh. "Like brother, like sister?"
"Oh hell yes, girl. She gets on my damn nerves, but we are cut from the same cloth. Riley's got no chance. That ass-whoopin' is comin' and I'm gettin' a front row sea-"
Riley clicked off on him before he could finish, putting the phone down on the table so he could cross his arms.
21 years old and still getting whoopings.
…Grown my ass….
I missed you guys. Sorry about the wait. Stretched it out to make it last a little longer :)
Disclaimers: Skip. I'm exhausted and don't own jack.
It's been an insane six months, let me just tell you. Since I've graduated, I'm now working two jobs and it's unreal. One job is absolute shit while the other one is the complete opposite and I love it, go figure. Needless to say, I've been running nonstop and completely exhausted lately y'all. And I'm sorry. No excuse. I've missed writing soooo much. And I did have writer's block on this chapter for the longest. But now that I finally passed it, I want to keep the ball rolling. Next update is for Friends First, Benefits Second. I'm actually looking forward to writing that chapter a lot, so keep an eye out for that one.
Thank you so damn much to all the readers, reviewers, followers, favorites, and PMs you guys continue to give. The love is still unreal. I could be gone for months going on years and y'all will still show so much love. It always means so much.
You guys are the best. Thank you. More soon. Eventually. Swear.
~Schweetie
PS: Let the record show that I'm distributing this chapter a day after my golden birthday… my gift to y'all :D