“Well, you’re here,” Paris says. “And now that we’re all under one roof, can we please hurry up so we can sit down and eat?”

Everybody seem to be in agreement, and after all the introductions is out the way and we finally sitting at the table, Paris looks up and say, “Who’s going to say grace?”

Everybody look around at somebody else.

“I will.” And I do. And we eat. And it’s good. And afterwards I get a little upset stomach from eating too much of everything, and by the time I come out the bathroom, everybody done left to go see The Lion King except for my kids, Brenda, and the baby.

“You all right, Cecil?” Brenda ask when I come out.

“I’m fine, sugar. Just fine.”

“All right, me and Baby Girl going upstairs to take a nap, so y’all go on and do what you gotta do.”

“Where is everybody?”

“They all down there in the family room—or whatever room that is—waiting for you. Praise God.”

I give her a kiss on the lips and then give Baby Girl one, too. She ain’t no fussy baby, thank goodness. I walk on down the hall, and they all sitting on the floor in front of a big fire going strong.

“Hi, Daddy,” they say at one time.

“Hi. Y’all all right in here?”

“Yep. We’re fine. But we want to hurry up and do this because it’s driving us crazy,” Paris says.

“Speak for yourself,” Charlotte says.

“I’m perfectly fine,” Lewis says.

He sure look hot in that brown sweater, ’cause his forehead is full a sweat beads. I sit on a black leather couch.

“What was yours like, Daddy?” Janelle is asking.

“Don’t be so nosy,” Charlotte say.

“She was just curious,” Paris say back.

My big Baby Girl sho’ look pretty in yellow. “You know what, Janelle, you sho’ look pretty in yellow.”

She look surprised to hear me say this.

“As a matter of fact, all three of you girls look lovely. And, son, you looking healthy, and I’m proud of what you doing with yourself these days. That’s all I wanna say. No it ain’t. Paris. I want you to know how much I respect what you doing with my grandson and with your own life. And you, too, Charlotte. ’Cause if it wasn’t for you people wouldn’t be able to get they mail. You been through a lot, Baby Girl, and I’m proud of the way you handling it. Vy always said you kids was as smart as they come. I feel blessed to be y’all’s daddy and I’m sorry I wasn’t able to spend as much time with you as I wanted to when y’all was little, but I’m here now. Is that all right?”

“It’s all right, Daddy,” each one of ’em say together. It’s all right.

“Now, why don’t y’all go on and read your letters?”

Nobody don’t say nothing.

“Okay, see what I mean? Now, I’m trying not to run the show here, but nobody’s opening their mouth. So who wants to go first?” Paris asks, looking at Charlotte. Everybody’s holding a letter.