by Tiana Laveen
“Yes, you’ve told me several times and that would be a resounding ‘no’ for you holding the baby. You’re all sweaty and I just gave him a bath.” She rocked away from him, holding their son possessively. “I need to feed him, too.”
“I’ll give him another bath right afterward then and just hand me a bottle. I can take care of his breakfast, too. Come on now, give me my son.”
The woman grimaced and reluctantly handed him over. Snow was such a baby hog. Sure, Alexander Jr. was adorable, but she was so overprotective of the little tyke, it was amazing he got any time with his boy at all. But he’d been right about one thing. She was a damn good mother. Alexander looked at the boy with his big brown eyes, his face just like his if he said so himself, and the little one’s lips curled in a smile.
“That’s right, smile for Daddy… You’re daddy’s boy, ain’t you? I’m your favorite. You ain’t gotta tell your mama. It’ll just be our little secret.”
Snow put her hand on her hip and laughed.
“You are something else.” She turned and walked away. “I’ll be back with the bottle.”
“It’s just you and me now.” He cradled the baby against his chest, feeling his little heartbeat.
Alex closed his eyes and slowly rocked and cooed at his child. He’d learned real fast and in a hurry that patience was a necessity with a newborn. He couldn’t recall the last time he or Snow had had a good night’s sleep. The dirty diapers, the constant hunger, playtime—the last was his favorite with the boy but it couldn’t be all fun and games 24-7. Sometimes he’d sit by his son’s crib and just watch him sleep. He’d read him stories about heroic and brave firefighters, the Bible story of Noah and the ark, and he’d also told him tales of a man he’d once called Daddy. He began to sing to his son as he slowly rubbed his back.
“It’s summertime… and the livin’ is easy… fish are jumpin’, and the cotton is high! Your daddy’s rich and your mama’s good lookin’. Hush, little baby, don’t you cry… You know what, Alexander? I am rich with love, you know that? Your mama is good lookin’ though, and she kicks ass in the courtroom.” He chuckled as he ran his thumb against the boy’s lower lip, wiping away some drool. “You’re blessed, and that’s the truth. Some folks ain’t got a family… no food to eat, no people to love them. Always count your blessings, son. I know you are goin’ to grow up big and strong. You’ve got good genes. You gotta be smart, too. That’s important. We’ve all got our faults, I suppose. Once upon a time, yo’ daddy could barely get a word in edgewise… or any word whatsoever. Then he started talking so much, it drove folks crazy.”
He smiled sadly.
“I had people that loved me who’d watch over me… angels, like my mama, your grandmother, who comes and sees you all the time. And then, of course, there are the ones that have moved on, like my daddy and grandmama, God rest their souls. There was Mrs. Brassie, another angel that left too soon. She taught me some lessons that didn’t have a thing to do with speech and phonics. See? You just never know what folks are struggling with. Looks can be deceiving. They can seem so well put together on the outside and things are fallin’ apart on the inside. You know what though, son? I think we should have Heaven on Earth, start the party right here, right now. What do you think, huh?”
He smiled at the boy as he rocked him back and forth in his arms. “Sure feels like Heaven on Earth sometimes, now don’t it? I got the best wife in the whole world… some great friends and a team of people who work their hides off, do what needs to be done to get the job done. I could complain about a thing or two, but why? Especially now that I have you.”
He raised him up high, coaxing another smile from the tiny one. Bringing him back down, he kissed his forehead. “Life is an adventure, son… but it is also a patient journey filled with love, forgiveness, and understanding…”
THE END
Mr. Ambition
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About the Author
Tiana Laveen was born in Cincinnati, Ohio though her soul resides in New York. She is a USA Today bestselling author of over 35 novels and lives inside her mind, but her heart is occupied with her family and twisted imagination. She enjoys a fulfilling and enriching life that includes writing books, drawing, painting, listening to music, cooking, and spending time with loved ones.
Tiana Laveen is a uniquely creative and innovative author whose fiction novels are geared towards those who not only want to temporarily escape from the daily routines of life, but also became pleasantly caught up in the well-developed journeys of her unique characters. Tiana creates a painting with words as she guides her reader into the lives of each and every main character. Her dedication to detail and staying true to her characters is evident in each novel that she writes.
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