Page 67 of Steel

She pulled out her phone to show me pictures and videos of Kerrion and KJ. My heart swelled at how adorable they were. It was clear now why he always had him. I remembered all the conversations we had about kids, and to see him be a father like he always talked about was beautiful, even from afar.

“Does this look like a man who would hurt you like your father?” Mrs. Jenkins asked. “He’s so full of love, Neha. He’s a good man, and I’m not just saying that because he’s my son.”

Again, she stared at me with that same look from earlier.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked, quietly.

“Nothing. It’s just . . . my son has a type.”

Just as I went to open my mouth and ask what she meant, the front door opened, and in walked a young girl carrying KJ, with Kerrion right behind them, hands full of shopping bags.

“I’m not taking your lil’ ass nowhere else,” he fussed. “How you ask for shoes and then spend two racks on clothes?”

The young girl rolled her eyes as she turned to face him. “Because you got it like that, so I’ve got it like. I’m not understanding whatyoudon’t understand about that.”

“What job do you have?”

She pointed to the baby. “Being the best TiTi and sister in the world. That’s a lot to handle, and you stress me out.”

“Kalia.”

“KD.”

Mrs. Jenkins shook her head and chuckled. “It never ends.”

They were fussing the whole way into the kitchen. When Kerrion saw me, he stopped.

“Neha,” he said, placing the bags on the table.

“Kerrion. It would have been nice not to be ambushed, you know.”

“Do you wanna talk about being ambushed?”

“Kerrion,” his mother said firmly. “Don’t start.”

“Ma—”

“What did I say? You two need to go have a talk, and by talk, I mean she’s gonna talk first, and you are gonna listen. My granddaughter is here now. I don’t care what went on between you two in the past. Have the conversations that need to be had so you can co-parent in a healthy manner. You understand me?”

He kissed his teeth. “Yeah.”

“What was that?” she asked, placing her hands on her hips.

“Yes, ma’am.”

It grew awkwardly quiet. The young girl cleared her throat.

“Well, since nobody introduced me, I’m Kalia,” she said, extending her hand.

I shook it. “Neha. It’s nice to meet you, beautiful.”

“Is my niece here?”

I smiled softly. “She is.”

She quickly handed KJ off to his father and grabbed her bags from him. Before she left the room, she turned to me.

“You know, you look just like—” Her sentence trailed off. “Never mind. Anyway, I don’t like how you did my brother, but I want to know my niece, so y’all better get it together.”