Paul snatched P.J. off the stool and twirled him in the air. “You crazy? My little man is gonna be president or some shit like that!”

“Not with a potty mouth,” Marlene said, tapping the plastic comb against her thigh. “Now, could you please put him down so I can finish doing his hair?”

Paul placed the little boy back on the stool. “I got this, boo,” he said, and kissed Marlene on the forehead.

“And while I’m thinking about it, where are you going? We’re supposed to be spending the day with P.J.”

“Oh, I’m gonna run out for about an hour or so. Larry is coming to scoop me,” he said, as if it were no big deal.

“Larry doesn’t even have a car.”

Paul just shrugged. “I didn’t ask how he was getting here. Don’t worry, baby, I won’t be gone that long.”

“Paul, you didn’t get here until this afternoon and now you’re leaving again?”

“Baby,” he said, and planted a kiss on her neck, then her lips, “I’m just gonna go take care of this thing with Larry right quick and I’m coming back.”

“If that fat friend of yours gets you into trouble, don’t call me,” she said to his back as he disappeared. Marlene had a few choice words that she would’ve slung his way, but luckily for Paul, she didn’t want to harm little P.J.’s ears.

“What’s the matter, Mar?” the boy asked, looking up at her with caramel eyes.

She forced a smile to her lips. “Nothing, baby.” Marlene’s attention was drawn to her cell as it rang for the second time. She peeked out the bedroom doorway to make sure Paul wasn’t around before picking it up. She was relieved to see Audrey’s name flashing on the screen.

“Yeah,” Marlene answered.

“What’s going on, Mar?” Audrey asked.

“Just braiding P.J.’s hair.”

“Oh, y’all got him for the weekend?”

“Yeah. You-know-who decided she wanted to play nice.”

“Probably so she can get her freak on,” Audrey remarked.

“More than likely, but who she’s sleeping with isn’t my concern. She can do what she wants as long as she doesn’t bring it around P.J.”

“You never can tell with a bitch like that. Them kids are probably exposed to all kind of bullshit staying over there. You know, Paul is a pretty smart dude, and if he could manage to stop running the streets with stupid muthafuckas like Larry, he might actually make you a half-decent husband. I still can’t figure out for the life of me what made him fuck with Rhonda like that.”