Page 80 of Steel

“I’ll explain later,” Kerrion assured them, tapping away on his phone.

A few seconds later, the back door opened, and a group of men came walking in, damn near pushing each other to get into the kitchen.

“Move, nigga!”

“Don’t push me! We been waiting to see her too!”

“Get y’all asses out the way!”

These had to have been his brothers. The older man following behind him had to be his father. The door opened again, and Jaeda walked in with a group of women behind her, all so damn beautiful.

“Y’all couldn’t wait for us!” one of them fussed.

“Right, just took off running like a bunch of kids,” another one added.

The men stepped into the room, all wearing grins on their faces. The women I assumed were their wives, took their spots beside them.

“Where my niece?” the biggest one asked.

Nayelli peered from around her great grandmother with a mouth full of cookies. She quickly swallowed and came to stand beside her father.

One of the women squealed. “Steel! Oh, she’s beautiful! Hi, Nayelli. I’m your auntie Shar?—”

“Can I introduce y’all first?” Kerrion asked, cutting her off.

“Well hurry up! I want a hug.”

He shook his head. “Nayelli, baby girl, this is Uncle Deuce, and that’s his wife, Salima. That’s Uncle Maceo and his wife, Sharina. That’s Uncle Smoke and his wife, Romi. You know Jaeda and Quaid?—”

“And we’re still mad they got to meet her first,” Deuce said, frowning at his sister and brother-in-law.

“Get over it, Stanley,” Jaeda quipped.

“Would y’all shut up so I can finish?” Kerrion snapped.

Deuce waved him off.

Kerrion shook his head. “Nayelli, this is your grandfather, Stanley Sr.”

His father stepped forward with tears in his eyes.

“Hey, beautiful,” he said, stooping down to Nayelli.

She smiled. “Hi, Grandpa.”

He placed a fist to his mouth as he looked at her with glassy eyes.

“Can I hug you?” he asked softly.

She didn’t answer. Instead, she threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. He lifted her into his arms and kissed her head.

“You give good hugs,” she said softly.

He chuckled. “You give good hugs too. I’m so happy to meet you, baby girl.”

I swiped a tear from my eye as I watched her go down the line, hugging and kissing her aunts and uncles. They all looked like they’d been anxiously waiting to meet her. They didn’t even know her, yet I felt the love in this room. My baby deserved that.

Dinah looped her arm through mine. “This is beautiful,” she whispered.