8. FAMILY AFFAIR
The Lyons celebrate Walker's first birthday.
"Hi, Grandma!" Bella chirped out, excitedly, appearing out of nowhere, scaring Cookie half to death. Cookie gripped the lounge chair arm to refrain from slapping the 5 year old. "Where's Ducious?" she questioned as she glanced around the back garden of Andre and Teri's home. The pink bunny ears, atop of her hair slicked into a curly bun, flopped up and down as she bounced up and down on her feet. She looked over Bella to see Hakeem and Tiana stroll in with little Prince clutching onto his Mama's hand. "Grandma!"
Cookie loudly sighed. "Shush, child. Stop calling me that." she tutted. Why couldn't she have a sweet little nickname like Lucious? But oh no, Bella wanted to stick with the basic 'Grandma' making Cookie feel ancient. "Your grandfather is around here somewhere. Try looking by the food."
Bella nodded and zoned away, yelling out a 'Bye, Grandma!' in the process. Cookie pursed her lips before smiling when she saw her youngest son approaching. Hakeem leaned down to give his Mum a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Cookie gave him a hard slap to the cheek with her smile widening when he grunted and dropped himself into the seat beside her.
"This is wack, Ma," Hakeem drew out with a tut as he gestured around Andre's back garden. "For Bella's first birthday, we went all out with Jamal looking homeless in that bad wig and all Dre can do is throw up some decorations in his backyard for Walker."
"If we asked Bella if she remembers her first birthday party, what would she say to you?"
"That she doesn't remember it-"
"Exactly, boy." Cookie interrupted. "So, shut up. If Andre and Teri want to throw Walker a normal party for his birthday, let them." She rolled her head to the side to peer at her pouting son. "He's not gon' to remember this disappointment of a celebration, anyway," she chuckled before patting his cheek when a grin graced her baby's mouth. "Go get me your fat ass Daddy."
Hakeem jumped to his feet. "I'mma tell him you said that!"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Cookie waved off. "Snitch bitch," she muttered underneath her breath before crossing a leg over the other as she gazed at her surroundings. Cookie and Lucious had offered to hire one of the best party planners in New York but their son and daughter-in-law had rejected the proposal, wanting to plan their son's first birthday together so they could 'cherish this special moment'. Cookie had just rolled her eyes at them, but let them do what they wanted. After all, it was their son.
"Ay, baby, what's this I'm hearing about you wanting Daddy?" Lucious questioned, sauntering over to her with a plate full to the brim with seafood.
"You forgetting the 'fat ass' in that sentence, too," she remarked with a chuckle. Lucious sucked his teeth before taking a seat beside her. "You got scrimp?" she questioned, peering into his plate. Lucious lowered his eyebrows at her. "Man, do you want me to starve?"
Fishing out a scrimp, he dropped it into her waiting open mouth. "You could never starve." he mused.
Cookie's nose scrunched. "What you tryna say, Dwight?"
"Lowball." He grunted, slapping her thigh. "I was just saying you've got a big appetite." He wiggled his eyebrows, suggestively. Cookie rolled her eyes as she snatched the plate from his hand and rested her head against his shoulder. "Why you got to be so rude?"
"You the one that's rude. Commenting on my weight like you don't like this fat ass." She snorted.
"You know I love that fat ass," he chuckled, lowly, into her ear.
