Page 129 of Steel

Everybody was doubled over in laughter as they chased him through the yard. Pops tripped over one of the kids’ toys and hit the ground hard. Our mamas were on his ass with those dish towels, and all he could do was laugh and concede. The kids were cheering them on as they pointed and laughed.

“Get his ass, Mama!” Deuce yelled.

“I have never seen no shit like this,” Shar said, shaking her head. “Not they ganged up to beat their baby daddy ass.”

“At least it ain’t us,” Maceo said. “I’m tired of them damn dish towels. A nigga feels like he’s getting whupped with that shit.”

Once our mothers tired out, they walked away from Senior, leaving him on the ground laughing to himself. He got up off the ground and came over to us.

“So y’all just let your mamas whup my ass like that?” he asked.

My brothers and I shrugged.

“At least it wasn’t us this time,” I said. “You didn’t like that, did you?”

He grinned. “It ain’t the first time they jumped me.”

“Damn, Daddy,” Smoke exclaimed. “Your baby mamasbeenwhupping your ass?”

“It’s all love.”

“Daddy, there was a little anger in that,” Salima said. “What did you do?”

“I ain’t do shit, baby girl. They are mad because this swole ass nigga ain’t tell them about Nayelli before he told me.”

“I mean, they already beat my ass with the dish towels. You just gotta take your L and move on, Senior.”

He turned to Neha. Jokingly, he said, “Technically, this is all on you, baby girl.”

She held up her hand in mock surrender. “I’ll take that.”

My mama and aunts made their way over to us. I mentally prepared myself to get cursed out again.

“Hey—” I started but was cut off.

“Shut up, Kerrion,” my mama said, pushing Senior out of the way as they came to stand in front of Neha.

“Hey, baby,” she said, stooping to kiss her cheek.

“Hey, Ms. Tavia.”

My mother scooped up KJ, who didn’t fuss with her.

“Neha, this is Stephanie, Deuce’s mama. And this is Allison, Maceo and Smoke’s mama.”

Neha smiled and extended a trembling hand. “It’s nice to meet you both,” she said softly.

I could tell she was nervous. We had all told her how close our mothers were, so I was sure she didn’t know what to expect from the other two.

Mama Steph looked down at her hand and shook it.

“Don’t be scared. We’re not gonna jump you,” she said. “That ass whupping was reserved specifically for Senior.”

She looked back at my father, who was too busy staring at her ass to even hear what she said. Deuce picked up a pillow and threw it at him, hitting him square in the face.

“Watch yourself, old man,” he warned him. “That’s my mama.”

Senior picked up the pillow and slapped the shit out of him with it.