Page 74 of Baby Daddy
At the sound of Ty’s bright voice, I spun around, almost losing my balance. Shit. I hope she didn’t hear what Lulu just said.
“Where are you going in that pretty dress?”
“I’m going to a party tonight with Drake.”
“Cool! He’s going to love that dress!”
I loved my baby girl. She didn’t just make statements; almost everything that came out of her mouth could be punctuated with an exclamation point. Her unbridled enthusiasm was contagious. No wonder everyone fell in love with her. Including Drake.
My cell phone rang. Charging, it was in the kitchen.
“I’ll be right back.” I might as well get used to walking in this slinky dress.
When I returned to the living room, Ty was devouring the pink frosted donut Lulu had bought for her. All the excitement I’d felt about tonight left the room.
“What’s the matter, Mommy?” asked my sweet, perceptive daughter.
I inhaled a sharp breath through my nose and shrugged. “I can’t go to the gala tonight.”
“Why?” asked my sister.
“Ty’s sleepover has fallen through. Chandra is sick with a stomach bug.”
My sister wiped off a few sprinkles from Ty’s frowning lips. “That’s not going to stop you. I’ll watch Ty.”
“But don’t you have a date with Brock?”
“Actually, that didn’t work out either. Believe it or not, he’s got to fly to Miami tonight for some crazy, unexpected deposition that’s taking place early Monday morning. It was the only flight he could get. So Aunt Lulu is free to spend the night with her favorite niece.”
“YAY!” shouted Ty, wrapping her arms around my sister.
We exchanged a smile. God, did I love my sister. Maybe one day, Ty would have a sibling she could count on and love as much.
Ty and I had a fun mother-daughter day out. A stop at Payless shoes netted me a cheap but attractive pair of metallic silver heels and a dressy red satin clutch, and Ty made out with a new pair of sneakers that lit up when she walked in them. Afterward, we ventured for the first time into a Vietnamese restaurant where we devoured Pho, a delicious noodle soup with mixed vegetables and chicken. Down the street was a cheap nail place. We both indulged in mani-pedis. I chose a fire engine red polish to match my dress, but Ty went all out with a different Crayola color on each finger and toe. On the way home, we stopped off at Kentucky Fried and picked up a bucket of crispy chicken and a quart of mashed potatoes. My on-the-go sister didn’t like to cook nor was she very good at it, but she could at least heat up the chicken and potatoes.
We got home at three-thirty. Drake had texted me to confirm that he would be here at six to pick me up, so I wanted to give myself plenty of time to get ready. To feel relaxed, not rushed, though all afternoon I felt flutters in my chest every time I thought about my evening ahead with him. I was as nervous as I was excited.
Parking Ty in the living room with the TV turned to Danger Rangers, I took a long hot shower. As the hot water beat down on me, I did something I rarely did—I made myself come, imagining Drake’s deft hands between my legs. I needed the release if I was going to make it through the night ahead. Butterflies were still flitting around in my tummy and my heart was hammering.
Getting ready was a group project. My baby girl was so excited I was going out on a special date with Drake.
“How do you know what a date is?” I asked as she sat on the bathroom counter blow-drying my hair while my sister rolled my long, thick, wet tresses around a brush.
“Gosh, Mommy! Everyone knows what a date is. It’s when a boy takes a girl out and then he kisses her. Like on The Bachelor.”
A shockwave wound through me. “Since when do you watch The Bachelor, young lady?”
“Aunt Lulu lets me watch it all the time with her.”
I shot my sister a scathing look. She flashed a guilty as charged smile at me. “Chock it up to female bonding. We’re both rooting for Greg and Lynette to end up together.”
I rolled my eyes. I needed to have a come to Jesus meeting with her. But on second thought, it was probably meaningless. In this world of social media, kids these days knew everything. They grew up so fast.
“Are you going to kiss Drake again?” asked Tyson.
My breath hitched. Not so much because of my six-year-old’s audacity, but more because of the very real possibility.
“Of course she is,” responded my sister before I could get my mouth to move.