Please excuse ANY grammatical errors.

December 23, 1998

~Dalvin's P.O.V~

Opening the door to De's room, I called out his name to wake him up. "Aye, De?"

He let out a loud ass, roaring snore when I called his name, before it turned back to normal, "De?" So I called his name again only to get the same reaction. "De?"

Exhaling, I laid down beside him on his bed. I began tossing the little toy basketball that Dj brought, hitting the ceiling. I won't do much because it's soft.

"Yo, DeVanté?" I called again, still tossing the basketball.

From the corner of my eyes, I saw DeVanté turn around, muttering in his sleep.

"Bae, it's cold as fuck." He said wrapping his arm around my stomach.

My eyes widened and my head turned. I heard him take a deep breath before I saw his eyebrows furrow and his crusty eyeballs pop open before he screamed and kneed me in my side with those pointy-ass knees of his. Wincing in pain, I still managed to speak.

"Good morning, BAE," I said in a girly voice with a smile, wanting so badly to laugh.

He sat up, wiping his eyes. "What the fuck you doin' in my room? In my fuckin' bed too?

"I was tryna wake yo heavy sleeping ass up. And nigga, do I look like yo BAE?"

"So you lay in my bed and let me wrap my arms around you? Nigga, I almost pulled you close!"

"Oooh, that would've really given it away. Next time I'll stuff my shirt and it won't give it away as quickly." I laughed. "And what you mean, LET you? That shit is used loosely. I ain't know you was finna do that shit. I was just goin' to do annoyin' shit until you woke up ass up."

"That cologne gave it away. Smell like you got the on Axe's brother, Baseball bat. Got that shit all on my sheets. My girl don't wear that stank shit." He said lifting his top lip to his nose, ignoring everything else I had said.

"Nigga, pops brought me this. Tell it to his face."

"Shit, I will. Fuck is that anyway? Smell like something he used to spray on us when we was kids." He lifted his shirt up o his nose. I sat up. "Nigga, rise the fuck up outta my bed!"

I stood up."We ain't ever wear no Calvin Klein as kids. It's called Obsession."

"That shit should be called Repulsive because that shit stank. Walmart ass cologne."

"Nigga, ion care or know where it came from. It's a gift."

"That smell like a nursin' home." He chuckled.

"Yeah... I know, but-"

He cut me off. "What you waking me up for?"

"Rude ass, bitch. I noticed how grouchy you was until you found out it was me." I began to make my voice crack. "You almost pulled me close, just to push me away? I'm your brother and it ain't like- it ain't like we never slept in the same bed before."

"Dalvin, what did you wake me up for?" He asked again, but more irritated.

I cackled at fake-ass calm voice. "I get it. I would be mad too if somebody woke me up for no reason and I almost pulled them close." I laughed.

He heavily sighed. "So you tellin' me that YOU woke ME up for nothin', Dalvin? Not a gotdamned thing?"

"I just needed to be held!" I said putting on theatrics, all dramatic.

"Dalvin, please get the hell out." He calmly spoke. Then he began laying back, pulling the blanket with him, and over his head.

"A'ight," I said walking to the door.

He grumbled, irritated, and shouted. "I can't even go back to sleep with that stank ass smell!"

I closed the door behind me laughing. Then I opened his door again, peaking my head inside. "Oh, now I remember why I woke you up!" I said snapping my fingers. "We planning on goin' skatin' and we leavin' in a few. I'm just reminding you."

He looked at me then at the clock in confusion. "Damn, I took that long of a nap?" He said getting out of bed. "Luckily, I already washed my ass. Nigga, how long was you in my bed watching me sleep?" He asked me, walking to his closet.

"Probably about... A good ten minutes." I shrugged. "And don't make that shit sound so weird like I was on some Rockwell shit. I constantly called yo name, but you remained asleep."

"You usually shake me awake. Now you wanna be different all of the sudden, nigga?" He chuckled.

"Shit ain't matter. If I did that yo ugly ass would've been mad still." I told him.

"You gon' watch me get dressed too or what, nigga?" He chuckled. "Watchin' niggas sleep and shit."

"Nigga, don't nobody wanna see yo broomstick ass get dressed." I laughed. "That's all I came to tell you. Told Tia I was gon tell you."

"I'd rather her do it. Ion want you being the first face I wake up to. You got the face only a mother could love." He chuckled.

"Fuck you. Fake asthmatic ass nigga. Gotta take a fake ass asthmatic breath after or during every other word." I said laughing. "Ain't what yo girl said. I get more bitches and hoes than you anyways."

"You can keep those bitches and hoes. I got my empress. And you know she just be bein' nice." He laughed. "Now get yo ass out!" He said throwing his shirt at me.

"Bye. Be ready!" I said throwing the shirt back at his and then closing the door.

I took the elevator back down. Shit, I ain't got time to be walking down all them damn stairs. Last time I checked, I ain't no damn athlete. When the elevator made it to the basement floor, I exited the elevator. I went into the game room where the women are as well as the kids.

Mm, mm, mmm... Yasir had to be a fucking idiot to let Ashari go. I mean, she is fine and Yasir is... Yasir. Okay, that nigga ain't ugly, but he looks like he can't take care of himself and from what I heard, he can't. I can't tell WHO carried the kids, Ashari or Yasir? The dude seems cool, just a little off to me. He's never said anything off the wall to me, but some things you can just tell.

"Feel like playing eight ball?" Tia raised her right eyebrow at me.

"A'ight," I nodded. "But don't go crying to my brother tellin' him I beat yo ass!" I laughed. "Let's go!" I said walking towards the table.

"Me? Cryin' to YOUR brother? Puh-lease!" Tia guffawed.

"I can hear it now. "Donald! Donald! He- he beat my ass! He beat my ass and now I- I just don't know what to do!" That's how yo ass gon' be." I said laughing.

"Then he gon' beat yo ass." Ashari chimed in laughing. "Nahh, but for real. You swear you can play but can't." Ashari laughed.

"Who?" I hooted.

"Tia! She knows who I'm talkin' about. Can't play for shit." Ashari said laughing and Tia stuck up her middle finger.

But she hurriedly put it down when her eyes landed on the kids. "You can kiss the dirtiest part of my butt. Okay?" She chuckled. Ashari made a face at her.

"That's a first." I laughed. "I ain't ever heard nobody say no shit like that."

"Now you have. You woke him up?" Tia asked me.

"Nahh, he stayed sleep." I smiled. "For real, I woke him up. That nigga sleeps hard as fuck now. Let me find out you feedin' my brother melatonin." Tia zipped her lips. "You the one that be cookin' for his ass. Slippin' him melatonin and shit."

"Whatever Dalvin." She waved me off, smiling. "It's good that he is sleeping harder. He's comfortable and relaxed." She nodded.

"I agree. That nigga needs it with his grumpy ass." I laughed. "I know he just be playin' though." I nodded for her to go. "Ladies first." She hit it and... This woman missed. "Aye T?"

She looked up at me. "Yeah?"

"Who the FUCK taught you to play? Cause girl you bad as fuck." I shook my head. "Who misses the first shot? That's the easiest."

"A'ight, negro. Don't jump down my throat. This was ONLY my first hit." She chuckled.

"That's the point. You had the first turn and you straight ass. I can tell that off bet." I said laughing.

"Whatever Dalvin. Play your turn." She rolled her eyes.

I played my turn getting three different balls in two pockets. "You lucky we ain't bet nothin'."

"Tuh, I know I'm ass. You thought I- ME- TIA was gon' bet? Negro please." She laughed throwing her head back. "I may boasting my game up, but I ain't that stupid to bet. HA, you funny as heck." She said laughing. "This is pure fun."

"Who taught you?" I asked taking another turn.

She smiled. "Your brother."

"Who? DJ?" I chuckled, but stopped once I saw I missed.

"Yeah, it was DJ. Who else?" She said playing along.

"No wonder you suck. DeVanté slow ass taught you." I cackled.

"I ain't as slow as yo ignorant ass." I heard DeVanté say.

I turned around. "You FINALLY done!"

"Nigga, you got me running around this damn house like a chicken with its head cut off. I went outside and saw only one of the trucks gone. I thought y'all was gone. I thought y'all was 'bout to leave SOON?" DeVanté asked me.

"Oh, we are," I replied. "In about an hour or so." I shrugged.

DeVanté's eyebrows furrowed. "And you woke me up like that with that funky ass cologne early like that?" DeVanté asked me. "Rushing me and shit."

Nodding proudly, I replied with a simple, "Yup. You know sometimes you take as"

"You love pissing me off." He shook his head.

"That's my duty as your little brother." I smiled.

"Ain't nobody up them stairs, but Maria and Derek. I only spotted them AFTER I ran all around here. Who took the other truck?" He questioned.

"The old folks," I replied. "That means everybody was born before the seventies." I looked directly at DeVanté when I said that, but he didn't catch that. Maybe he just ignored that.

"Oooh, I tellin' mommy and daddy when they come back," DJ said with his lips poked out.

"When they come back, we gon' be gone, big head." I laughed.

"You got some fuckin' nerve, Dalvin." DeVanté laughed. "Don't let him call you big head. Look at his head." He told DJ.

"I know, looka yours." Dj replied.

"He got ya dumb ass!" I said laughing. "We all got some big ass heads in this room."

"Shit, I don't." Ashari made it known.

"I'm just a baby! It's cute!" DJ replied.

"This boys got roasting in his blood. Imagine when he's y'all age." Tia chuckled.

"Old?" DJ asked.

"Tell that to your parents." I laughed.

"Donald, instead of running around the house looking for everyone, you could've just called somebody's cell phone," Tia told him.

"Right! I ain't even think of that. This ain't the eighteenth century, nigga." I told him.

"Babe..." DeVanté dragged on.

"Yes?" I answered. I love annoying this man! It's hilarious.

"Dalvin, imma smack you. Keep playin' nigga." He pointed to me laughing.

"He thought I was you this morning," I told Tia. "Then got mad at me when he saw it wasn't."

"Yeah, it's because his weird ass decided to lay up in my bed beside me. You the only one that be in my bed. Then that funky ass cologne hit my nose. Shits all over the sheets that I still gotta change." He told her. "Aye man, take a bath! I smell it in here too."

"It ain't that bad," I replied. "Is it?" I asked the women.

They both shot me a look.

"I ain't wanna say anything, but... Issa no. That stank." Tia told me.

"Keeping it real, it do stank." Ashari shook her head at me.

"See... I thought we was here, Ashari." I said doing the eye-to-eye signal.

Ashari raised her eyebrows. "Who told you that?"

I mean... We have been- I felt eyes on me that just so happens to be DeVanté's who is smiling at me like he knows something.

"Right, who said that Dalvin?" DeVanté questioned.

I started, "I just thought-"

"I would've said something... Then if you had it on, but you didn't." Ashari shrugged.

"THEN? What that means?" DeVanté asked us with a smirk. His and Tia's eyes met, but no words were spoken between the two. "Imma be all up in yo business like you did us."

"Don't bite yo brother!" Ashari said grabbing Asiri.

"She just a baby," Masir told his mother.

"It doesn't matter, Masir. She still shouldn't do it." Ashari replied picking up Asiri.

"She just a baby!" He yelled at her.

DJ's eyebrows rose in confusion because he can't talk to our parents the way Masir does to his mother and DJ gets away with a lot more shit than we do, but that disrespectful shit is something he doesn't do. Masir needs to be disciplined. Ashari is doing the best that she can, but it's clear that Yasir just isn't when it comes to situations with Ashari. That nigga just stays silent or even worse, laughs like that shit is funny. When a child sees no reaction from the more disciplinary parent, they will continue to do that shit. I ain't nobody's father, but I fucking know.

"No he ain't just- Look, lil man, you gotta stop that. Remember what I told you?" DeVanté asked him.

Masir looked off to the side then back to DeVanté. "Yeah! I sorry. Not do it no more."

"Don't just keep sayin' it, Masir. Do it so you ain't gotta keep sayin' it." DeVanté told him.

"Look at you be all authoritative and whatnot. You must be READY ready?" I asked him.

"Hell nahh!" DeVanté burst out laughing. "Want no damn kids right now."

"Exactly. Cause who finna pop some out soon? NOT I." Tia made a face.

"Still need to get my finances to where the hell I WANT them to be," DeVanté told us. "That and the obvious reason." He shrugged.

"What? Bein' a virgin?" I'm not trying to be funny or anything. Well, just a little bit, but my voice was serious.

"How you know that?" Ashari looked at me. Tia looked at me.

DeVanté was about to speak, but I spoke before he did. "Because he told me," I replied to both of them.

"He told you?" Tia's head jerked back. "He told you what?"

"That I was abstinent. Now his dumb ass keeps callin' me stupid shit like Virgin Martin and Virgin Mary." DeVanté chuckled.

"OH!" Tia nodded in understanding. "Who the heck is Martin?"

"Yeah..." I looked around the room at everyone. "What y'all thought I meant?"

"She don't even know." DeVanté laughed referring to Tia.

That response seems more like a cover-up to me. It ain't my business, but you know me... I read between the lines and TO ME it seems as if she thought I was referring to her. I could be wrong though. However, her being one would be VERY surprising. That wasn't even my first impression of her upon meeting. Whatever! As I said, it ain't for me to dissect. Yasir walked into the room with his girl.

"Lil me!" He called out to Masir.

DeVanté walked near me and muttered some slick shit. "Indeed."

Ashari couldn't hear what he said.

"But nahh," DeVanté spoke up. "Ain't nobody talking about no got damned virginity. I'm talkin' 'bout marriage."

"Virginity? Damn, Tia! You tellin' everybody your business now?" Yasir laughed.

"Yasir, why you gotta always open your mouth on somethin' that don't involve you? Ain't nobody said nothin'. You just love to assume." She squinted at him looking very irritated.

And... Reading between the lines, my guess is definitely right. Damn, what? In THIS industry? Well, she's in a different branch, but music and movies are what in what. DeVanté is lucky as hell! How the fuck did you get a billionaire and a virgin one at that? If I was him I'd want to settle down too. Is this too good to be true? No wonder this nigga converted to being virgin Mary so quickly. I shot a smile at DeVanté and he gave me a "why the fuck you smilin' at me like that" look.

"See... If it was up to me..." DeVanté trailed off hinting that Yasir wouldn't be here.

I don't know what beef they have because the last time I was around them both which was Thanksgiving, everything was good. Since this trip, there were little hints that they aren't that fond of each other. I can also tell that there's more animosity underneath those hints. They both seem to be holding back. Tia gave him a look.

"What?" DeVanté chuckled. "I ain't said nothin'." He shrugged all innocently.

"But you was hintin'..." I trailed off.

"You shut your face." He flicked his head at me. "Tryna get me in trouble."

Looking away from Yasir throwing Masir into the air, I looked back at Tia with a sigh. "It's yo turn."

"Oh!" She said turning back to the table, then taking her shot and missing once again.

"Boooooo!" I shouted. "DeVanté, you need to teach her how to play better!" I laughed. "Oh, snap! I forgot! You can't!"

"Aye, I'm good at shit that matters. Remember that!" DeVanté responded laughing.

Tia chuckled. "He's STILL teaching me. I haven't played too many times."

"I suggest you get a new teacher." Yasir butted in jokingly.

"I suggest you get therapy of some sort. Check into a mental asylum." DeVanté shot back.

"I was just playin'." Yasir chuckled. "Don't be so sensitive."

"I ain't. It's just that nobody was talkin' to you." DeVanté replied.

"Oh, okay." Yasir nodded. "If it was anybody else, you wouldn't even said nothin' back slick."

"You're right." DeVanté shrugged. "But it wasn't nobody else. Don't say shit to me. Period." DeVanté told him.

"That's a lie. DeVanté say slick shit all day, but he just meant it with you." I butted in.

"Now, Tia... I ain't said nothin' to him on some bullshit. Can't put that on me this time." Yasir told her. "It was him."

Tia inhaled then exhaled slowly. "Um... I'm going to go upstairs. I'm done with this game." She placed the pool stick down.

"You the one who asked me to play," I told her.

"I'm horrible. I can't even play anyways. You won." She forced a chuckle then walked out or more like rushed out.

"Damn, I should've played for money," I said shaking my head.

"Y'all are just being childish as hell. Look, whatever y'all got goin' on, y'all putting her between it." I told them. "Y'all here in the same house and y'all MIGHT as well stop being petty."

"She ain't between it. She part of the fuckin' reason!" Yasir replied. "Boffa them."

"Fuck you mean- NIGGA, YOU the fuckin' reason!" DeVanté pointed at him walking closer. "You the fuckin' problem. Always beggin' and shit! I'm tired of yo fat, ugly, broke, and beggin' ass!"

"What you comin' close to me for? You gay or somethin'? You want me, faggot?" Yasir questioned my brother.

"Woah, woah, woah!" I butted in again. This is ridiculous! Yasir has taken it way too far.

"I wanna beat yo ass is what I been wanting to fuckin do for a while." DeVanté told him, eerily calm.

Bianca laughed like it was the funniest thing in the world. "Little boys shouldn't fight grown men." She told DeVanté.

"I would like to see you try." Yasir matched DeVanté's tone. "Gon' 'head."

Seeing the anger rising up even more in my brother, I quickly pulled him back. "De, you gettin' all riled up for nothin'!" My voice came out squeaky for some reason.

"You callin' me nothin' now?" Yasir looked at me.

"If it quacks like a duck... You KNOW DAMN WELL that ain't what I meant." I tilted my head to the side as I spoke to him.

"A'ight." Yasir nodded.

Then DeVanté walked out of the room on his phone and Yasir put Masir back down.

"Y'all some grown-ass men. Y'all too old for this shit." I told Yasir. "You ain't said nothin' this time, but other times you have or really wanted to."

"Tell your fuckin' BROTHER to grow up," Bianca told me.

"Bitch, you shut the hell up. Wasn't nobody even talkin' to you." I told her with clear irritation in my tone. "Instigatin' and shit."

Ashari busted out laughing and so did Yasir. That nigga ain't got no type of respect for her and they definitely match energies, because she damn sure ain't got none for herself. If I was with somebody, even if I didn't care for them wholeheartedly, I would stand up for my girl.

DeVanté and Yasir seemed to have some animosity the moment DeVanté knew his ass was even here. First of all, I don't need my brother fighting. Second of all, I definitely don't want him fighting any broke niggas. Fighting a broke motherfucker is dangerous as fuck. They are quick to sue when strapped for cash.

"My bad for callin' you a bitch out loud." I apologized. "But please stay out of it. Yasir just as much in the wrong as my brother."

"That's where you wrong because I KNOW for a FACT." Ashari cackled.

I shook my head. "DeVanté may be a grouch, but he DO got his reasons." I shrugged. "What happened?" I asked Yasir.

"Aye, don't you go questionin' my life like you know me like that." Yasir pointed at me. "Tired of everybody thinkin' I'm the fuckin' problem when I ain't. I'm the victim being made out the bad guy. I just want peace and harmony Is that so bad? Is that so hard to ask for?"

"Hey." I shrugged. "But I just wanna let you know that ain't nobody scared of you. Neither is my brother, not that I need him to handle you, but you get what I'm sayin'." I told him.

"Nigga, I ain't scared either." Yasir shrugged his shoulders laughing.

"Okay." I shrugged, then left the room.

Slim walked past me as I walked up the stairs. Making it up the stairs to the main floor, I kept walking and saw DeVanté on the phone. Even though I'm not looking for DeVanté because I figured he was still all the way upstairs to check on Tia.

"Yeah, the 30th is perfect. Alright, bye." De hung up the phone. "What?" He asked me. "What's wrong?"

"Nothin'..." I shrugged. "Beside K-Ci and everybody else comin', what's on the 30th?"

"Nothin' that concerns you." He replied. "What you need?"

"I was just coming up here to get away from that nigga. He was pissin' me off."

"Yeah, he seems to have that type of effect on everyone." He nodded with laughter.

"I don't know about that because he seemed cool last time I saw him which was when y'all came for Thanksgiving. It's just right now." I told him then smirked. "Now I know the reason why you decided to be a virgin Martin. It chose you, you didn't choose it. You went out and got you one. No wonder you were so in love. She ain't been touched? And in THIS industry? Ain't that some shit?" I tilted my head.

He didn't say anything, but he shook his head smiling. "You got it wrong. I'm with her because I love her and the unknown is unknown."

"What the hell does that last part even mean?" I questioned.

"Imma go check on my lady now," DeVanté told me about to go, but I grabbed his arm.

"Nigga, YOU mean to tell me that YOU ain't check on her yet?" I questioned.

"I ain't tell you shit. But when you put two and two together THIS TIME you're right." He nodded like he was impressed.

"Don't fuck this one up." I pointed at him.

"Nigga, this one? I ain't fuck up no other relationships because I ain't been in many. Fuck you mean?" He asked me. "And why you so serious?"

"I mean... You wasn't, but had them women thinkin' otherwise. And you have fucked up SOME relationships, they just wasn't yours." I laughed lowly. "But you- you- yo ass lucked the fuck up. Jackpot!" I said accidentally getting loud. "Nigga, a virgin?" I leaned my head forward, and my eyebrows automatically rose as my voice lowered again.

"I did, didn't I?" He smiled at me, then his eyebrows furrowed. "Aye, how the fuck you know that?" He asked me.

"I'm Dalvin. You ain't just out of nowhere become celibate- abstinent or whatever the hell you are because I heard yo ass. I thought you was lying' for a while about that- whatever you are. Which is why I always made fun of you. You know I read between the lines. Plus you just double-confirmed it." I laughed. "A- how old is she again?" I asked him.

"About to be twenty-seven." He held his smile.

"Right, in the climate of today's society?" My eyebrows rose even higher.

"Dalvin, you slow as hell." He laughed.

"Nigga, you lucky as hell. I'm happy you are a changed man because... The old you..." I trailed off.

"Would've been fucked up?" DeVanté squinted.

"Ex-fuckin'-actly." I told him laughing. "You said it NOT me."

"You forever readin' into shit that got to do with the both of us." DeVanté shook his head. "I'm finna be on my Mariah Carey Obsessed shit with yo ass." He chuckled. "You're right though. I would've probably fucked it all up. That's why waiting is good. You live and you learn. But she probably would've been on some other shit too."

"You should've been checked on her. Gon' up there, man." I pushed him.

"Aye, nigga. Don't be pushin' me." His tone was threatening and low. "Damn! And I would've went if yo ass ain't pull me to the fuckin' side. BUT she be needin' time to herself or I definitely would've been up there." He said walking away backward. "Trust me. I know her to the T." He said loudly, then turned around and walked away. "Show her to her room."

"I will!" I replied laughing. "Don't fuck up!"

"Nigga, you can kiss the dirtiest part of my ass!" He said, turning the corner. "And take yo own advice."

"Eww, hell nah!" I laughed. "And remember we leavin' in a lil bit." I told him. "Kiss the dirtiest part of my ass? Ain't the first time I hear that shit today." I mumbled to myself, chuckling.

Ashari was walking past me with all the kids following her, but stopped once she spotted me. "What are you doin'? You look stuck."

I shook my head. "I'm not, I was just thinkin'."

"That's new," DJ said looking up at me.

"Oooh, don't disrespect my uncle." Dery told him.

"I'm uncle too." DJ said with his eyes low, arms crossed, with a smirk.

"Uncle Dal, beat his tail." Darnell pointed at DJ.

Why in the hell did they name this boy Darnell? I don't know.

"I don't hot people's kids," I told Darnell.

"Look, big brother hit little brothers. That's life, Uncle Dalvin." Darnell nodded.

"Yeah, that's what Uncle De does to you," Dery told me.

"That's a lie. De doesn't hit me." I told them. "We argue, not fight."

We have fought, but that's both of us fighting. It was never just him hitting me and we haven't fought in some years now. We tussle sometimes, but we don't throw hands any more. To be truthful, if DeVanté and I were to fight, I'd definitely win. Shit, even with Derek. Even though DeVanté HAS been in the gym, I still can beat his ass.

"How did YOU pop out two kids? You don't look like it at all." I shook my head looking down at her and Ashari is short.

Ashari is probably a good 5"2 at the MOST and she looks good as fuck. I've always thought that even when we went on that little graduation celebration trip or whatever you want to call it. Not only that, but she seems like she's sweet.

"I don't work out. You know what? In a way, I do because I'm chasing after my kids all the damn time, but it's mostly because my parents are naturally thin." She replied. "Thanks."

"Really? I don't see too many thin people livin' in Trinidad and Tobago because the food there is just THAT damn good that even the locals go stir crazy over it." I chuckled.

"Oh, man..." She sighed. "The food there is SO good. I'm glad I came from two cultures that know how to throw down." She chuckled. "We should do the gingerbread train thingy that they brought yesterday. Y'all wanna do that?"

"Yeah!" The kids yelled in sync, some were just more aggressive than others.

"Damn, okay then." My eyebrows furrowed, though I'm amused.

"I'm telling daddy." DJ frowned at me.

"Tellin' him what? You always wanna tell on somebody to him." I shrugged.

"Fa cussin'." He blinked hard as hell.

"Is that your attempt at rolling your eyes? And so... Go ahead." I shrugged. "Imma tell that to lil ass been tryna boss people around."

"Yeah!" Darnell shouted. "You bossin' people around!"

"I'm an uncle," DJ told him. "Your uncle."

"You still a baby," Dery replied.

"I not a baby!" DJ yelled with all his might because his arms went up, behind his back like he was Superman or something.

"Can't even talk right." Darnell laughed.

"Yes you are and you can't even talk right, you baby," Dery replied.

"No!" Masir pushed my nephew's back with each arm. He sticking up for his best friend.

"Nope, don't do that." Ashari grabbed him with her free hand.

"Right, y'all calm down," I told them all. "We are all family."

"He's not family." Darnell pointed at Masir.

"He my friend." DJ shot back.

"Oooh, he acts like y'all, and Masir is like his daddy." Ashari shook her head.

"Imma go get this kit and y'all take a seat and a chill pill." I pointed to them.

"Ooh, like Uncle De? Because pills are bad for you." Dery asked me.

My eyes widened and I silently walked away. These kids, man. They do not need to be around all these damn adults hearing us discuss things. Shit, that's how we grew up. Adults told us to go in the room and did whatever the hell they wanted to while we weren't in sight. Us being kids at the time were happy too, because we did a lot of what we wanted to do as well. We ended up just decorating the train set, letting it dry for a little bit, then putting it together. It looked like a hot ass mess. The mess was expected because the kids are still so young, but DAMN!

Word Count: 5,300

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