Is It Worth It? (Sequel to 12th Avenue)

4

LAUREN

I throw Elijah into the air and smile as he laughs hysterically while falling back into my arms. I do it again and he clutches to my neck while trying to catch his breath.

"Mamá pleashe!"

"Pleashe?" I ask.

Normani playfully hits my arm and smiles, "Don't tease him."

"Yeah, don't tease me!" He grins.

"How can I not, when all my little offsprings just graduated?" I smirk.

He leans his forehead on mine and holds my face, "I'm a big boy now."

I nod and kiss his cheek, "You sure are."

Ally's daughter graduated with the twins so a big part of all four families and are friends came, instead of going out to eat where there probably wouldn't even be enough seating, we're going back to the house and throwing all that ethnic shit on the grill, yerrr.

__

I hold Alyssa on my hip with Ferg, Choie, and Bryson next to me. I tickle Alyssa and peck her cheek as she laughs and tries to break free, "You going to kindergarten!"

"Mhm!" She laughs, starting to calm down.

"You excited?" I ask.

She throws her arms up and smiles, "Yesss!"

"Good."

"All I'm saying is, Ruby was there with open arms for Olivia and she chose Monse's nigga! A coon!" I hear Choie say.

I suck my teeth and roll my eyes, "Man, fuck that bitch. We all know she ain't shit."

"The real nigga is Jamal, king of rollerworld!" Ferg says.

"The actual real nigga is Ceaser!" Bryson says.

"I like Ceaser but what his ass do to be the realest?" Choie asks.

"Well, he called Spooky on them uncultured appropriating white kids," Ferg says.

I think for a second and nod, true, true. I pour more Alizé in my cup and listen to more of the conversation.

Babs turns her attention from the table where our parents and grandparents are playing card games and says to us, "Y'all stop all that damn cursing around that baby."

I- fdddfyghgjjk

We nod and she sends us a stern look before going back to the game, I look between Alyssa and the other three.

Well, damn.

I put Alyssa down and Ferg instructs her to go where Elijah is with Justine and Quincy. Once we're sure she won't be able to hear us, Bryson picks back up on the conversation.