Page 74 of A Hood Wife And A Rich Goon 2

“Took a whole village to feed him growing up,” Taci chimed in, handing Midas his plate as Essence sat on his lap with one arm draped across his shoulders.

“I can’t believe you’re having a baby, Eazy,” Essence spoke up with a soft smile. “Lotus, you are glowing. Also, I wanted to talk to you about Niva and the other day at the mall.”

“Don’t even worry about it.” Lotus threw a hand up. “She’s your friend, and I don’t want to come between that.”

“She was my friend, but I told her how she came at you wasn’t right. I don’t want to make problems with you because I am hoping to still be a part of my nephew’s life.” Her gaze drifted to Eazy, and so did Lotus’s. “Anyway, we haven’t talked in days. I don’t know what’s going on with her. Ever since the whole shit with Oracle, she’s been kind of… off. Kept saying things like he ruined her life. Or if it wasn’t for him, she and Eazy might still be together. I couldn’t entertain it anymore, and I told her she might want to consider getting some therapy. She’s been through a lot.”

“Maybe she’ll take your advice. I can’t imagine what she’s been through,” Lotus whispered, watching Eazy’s jaw lock as Midas quietly indulged in his meal.

Bull, Toni, and the kids ate nearby at a table. Bijou ate from Bull’s plate, and her little mouth was covered in Taci’s potato salad. Swinging his little legs off the bench he sat on, Breeze held a chicken drum in both hands and went to town. Midas peeped it all. Jewel with his girl and their kids laughing together. Eazy and Lotus on their lovey dovey shit, and Bull the family man. He was irrelevant to any of their happiness. Life had in fact gone on.

“Okay, which one of you little heathens tracked water into my house!” Taci yelled from the back porch.

“Line ’em up and beat all of ’em, Ms. Taci!” Jewel yelled.

Eventually, Eazy and Lotus went to join Bull, Toni, and their kids at the table. Essence hopped up so she could go mingle with a few faces too. She even danced with a few older ladies and Kissa, who he found out was Lotus’ mom. Everyone loved his wife. She had roots. Regardless of her relationship with him, Essence had people who gave a damn about her. Midas remembered a time when he used to be a part of shit like this. It would have been nothing for Eazy to invite him to a cookout with his people because he was considered that too. There was once loyalty, respect. If shit popped off at three in the morning, he could call any one of them, and they would come.

After a while, Essence came back around to check on him, standing at his side with an arm across his shoulders.

“You good?”

Midas looked across the yard. Bull had his head thrown back, laughing at something Jewel said. Eazy was shaking his head, grinning while Lotus stole food from his plate. Nobody was watching him. That bothered him more than if all three of them had been clocking him. Instead they were natural, relaxed, and enjoying their environment.

“I’m straight.”

Essence followed his gaze. “They ain’t thinking about you, Midas.”

His jaw tightened. “I ain’t thinking about them.”

“Mm-hmm.”

She got up before he could respond, and somehow that bothered him too. She was supposed to be on his side, but slowly he was sensing her begin to pull away from him. Midas decided to move around. Everybody here didn’t know his history. A couple of teenage boys hung out by the cooler together, laughing and staring at the table where Eazy, Bull, Jewel, and Javon all sat with their fine ass women.

“Yo, Bull’s wife so fine. I see why he got two kids with her,” one of them said.

“Hell yeah. And Eazy put a baby in Lotus sexy ass, too,” another voiced.

Lotus stood next to her man with her arm over his shoulder, and he reached for her belly.

“You gon’ fuck around and get one of these young niggas shot!” He turned and grilled them all. They didn’t think they’d heard them.

You would have thought somebody lit a fire under them the way they got up and took off. Bull slammed a domino down on the table, and Jewel threw his head back in laughter.

“Twenty-five, muhfucka,” Bull declared, reaching for his beer and taking a swig.

Midas sat on the bench where the young boys just ran from and reached for a bottle of water in the nearby cooler.

“This nigga.” Jewel sucked his teeth.

“I’m going to get some of this cake.” Lotus pulled away from Eazy.

“I’ll come too.” Rhema hopped up.

“Me too.” Toni leaned in and kissed Bull’s lips. “You want some, baby?”

“Nah, I’m good.”

“Lo, one fucking slice,” Eazy warned.