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Armias

The way my life had done a complete 180 was insane. Last spring I didn’t think I was capable of handling a committed relationship and settling down wasn’t even a thought. I thought I’d go through the rest of my 20’s, if not the rest of my life, single and child free. I was way too consumed with doing for everybody else that I thought I wouldn’t have time for anything too personal. But man, if I hadn’t learned anything in the past year it was that there was nothing wrong with putting myself first and being selfish sometimes. If I allowed my toxic “no love” mindset to sway the way I moved with Lourdes then we probably would’ve just been a one night stand or a few hook ups. I couldn’t even picture a world without her or my daughter.

“Smile for daddy, Louri,” Lourdes poked her chubby cheek and she revealed a huge smile, showing off her dimples and two bottom teeth.

It was a hot, spring day, so Lourdes and Alouri were putting our pool to use. She had my baby decked out in a pink Hello Kitty tank top swimsuit with the matching hat, skirt, shades, and she was in a pink canopy floatie. Of course Lourdes had on a pink Hello Kitty bikini of her own with big pink Dolce & Gabbana shades. Her natural hair was up in a ponytail and she was bare faced, looking pretty as ever. Coming home to her everyday was a blessing that I didn’t take for granted.

“Take one on my phone, too.”

“I gotta get this food, Lo-Lo.”

“You literally just put those burgers on the grill! Stop hating on me and my baby, and take our picture on my phone!”

“Hating? Man, I’m the reason your ass got a daughter. Don’t forget that.”

“You’re so right,” she stifled a smile. “A picture will help me remember it. Go get my phone and take it.”

“Alright, smart mouth ass,” I laughed while grabbing her phone off the white daybed.

She giggled. “I literally agreed with you.”

“You know what you was doing, but I got something for that later.”

“You promise, daddy?” She asked softly with lustful eyes.

My dick jumped. “Keep looking at me like that and I’ma do something about it sooner than later.”

“I mean…it is almost time for Louri’s nap.”

“Nasty ass,” I chuckled.

“I’m in good company, then.”

“Man, go ahead and smile.”

“Exactly, you can’t even deny it,” she giggled. She was right. I really couldn’t deny it. There wasn’t a day that went by where we didn’t have sex. Sometimes we got it in more than once. I thought that might change when she returned to work two months ago, but it didn’t. We were good for morning quickies and we always made love before we closed our eyes for the night. I was aware that this probably wouldn’t be the norm forever as we got older, our businesses grew, and we had more kids. We’d naturally be more busy and while sex was very important in our relationship, it wasn’t everything, and I loved Lourdes beyond what was between her legs. So I was enjoying where we were in life right now, but I knew for a fact that I’d be happy as long as we were living life together.

“Armias, don’t piss me off,” she hissed.

“What you talking bout?” I laughed from my gut because I was doing something to deliberately annoy her.

“Turn my phone the right way!”

“What makes this the wrong way?” I asked while turning the phone from sideways to straight up.

“I’m not even finna play with you,” she uttered, before smiling at the camera and poking the top of Alouri’s belly. She giggled and I quickly snapped a picture.

“Take some more,” she demanded just as I was lowering her phone and about to hit the power button. “Just keep snapping. I want some off guards.”

“You don’t get enough of ordering me around, do you?” I asked, as I trained the camera back on them and did as she said.

“Ordering you around?” She gasped. “I’ve never done such a thing.”

“Man, I’m literally barbecuing because you demanded it. I wanted us to order out today.”

“Demanded is a reach. I asked if you could barbecue chicken wings, burgers, and steaks, and you agreed! And you know I hate ordering out from any food app because they either forget something or the shit don’t come right.”

“Or you just picky, bruh. Don’t nothing be wrong with the food we order.”