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morphed into a quizzical expression. I didn’t want to allow time for a serious talk, so I reached up, signaling for him to bring his head down as I always did, and planted a kiss on his stubbled cheek. Inhaling his virility was torturous. I didn’t slow my steady stride out into the living room where Stanley sat, watching television.
    “You leaving?” he echoed his nephew’s question.
    “Yes. I have homework to complete.”
    “Okay,” he replied monotone, not even facing me or offering goodbyes to a sleeping Jordan, who Stenton was locking up in his car seat.
    His reticence had returned. That was okay with me because I knew my time in his good energy had expired, but would return the next time he agreed to interfacing. Similar to his nephew, who was now leaning against the doorway of the living room, wearing the same morose expression I woke from my catnap to find. This time, though, it wasn’t accompanied by the swelling of his appendage. He too would come around to being the Stenton I fell in love with when he got ready.
    My momma would always tell me, “ Never dim your light to accommodate ill-tempered people. Most often, the best solution to their disposition is the consistency of your shining light. People may not like people, but they love the consistency and predictability of them. ”
    That was my resolve when preparing to leave the Rogers’ residence. I didn’t like that Stenton was “formally dating” Erika Erceg, no more than I liked Stanley turning cold as soon as I left the kitchen, but I was confident that they’d both come around. Stenton picked up Jordan’s car seat and I took it from him, refusing his help. I could manage on my own. But that didn’t stop him from watching us out the door and into the truck.
    “You two Rogers’ men, take care. Oh, and Stent,” I halted my steps and tossed him a glance over my shoulder. I saw him straightening, apparently affected by my attention. “T-Murder says this lil’ nigga, JR, looks just like you.”
    Both their eyes flew to me. Stenton’s nostrils flared and his shoulders broadened.
    “That muthafucka said what?” Stenton hissed through gritted teeth.
    “Oh, I’ll handle his narrow ass,” I could hear Stanley promising from inside.
    All I could do to keep from laughing while placing Jordan inside and then myself was bite my bottom lip.
     
    ~~~~~~~~~~
    ~ Stenton ~
    After watching my life drive off and around the corner, I acknowledged my armor parked in front of the house. Then I slowly closed the door.
    “That’s a good girl right there. A special…forever kinda girl,” Uncle Stanley muttered while his eyes were fixed on the screen.
    “Yeah,” I concurred painfully. “Do I know…”
    “Question is what’d she ever see in your wayward ass?” he grunted.
    “That part I don’t have worked out just yet. I only have an anchor to make sure my ship of treasure doesn’t sail the fuck away,” I answered, rubbing the back of my neck, surprisingly not offended by his tone in the least.
    He laughed hard. “Anchored…as in at sea? You think that little baby is gonna keep some other man from finding the treasure, buried at sea, since we’re using oceanic analogies here?” Very few knew and less even remembered that my uncle had a double bachelor’s degree in science and psychology. He never used them, never wanting much more than the accomplishment of obtaining them.
    Then I saw his eyes as he stood from the couch. “Let me explain something. That happy-go-lucky-I’ll-play-nice-even-though-I-wanna-be-with-you-and-only-you act that she strolled outta here with has an expiration date. If you don’t want to meet it, you better act now because when that day comes, not only will you have to worry about the next man she gives her heart to, and your beloved son calling him daddy, but you’re also going to have to endure her bitterness toward you.” He gave me a leveling glare before stalking over to the kitchen, mumbling, “Dumb