She appears at my office door, dressed in a hot pink flowing dress and wearing dangerously high heels for a woman I’ve rarely seen out of Chucks. Her locs are swept up and pinned with a matching flower behind her ear.

“Sorry.” She covers her mouth. “I’m still getting used to having a baby in the house.”

“So am I,” I say, offering her as much of a grin as my tired body can produce. “You have on makeup and fancy shoes. What gives, Janet? Obama coming to town? That’s the only man I’ve ever known you to dress up for.”

“Very funny.” She walks over to my desk and lays the back of her hand on Mai’s forehead. “Fever broke?”

“Yeah.” I kiss Mai’s hair, inhaling the smell of baby shampoo. “Hers did, but now Aiko’s sick.”

“You’re kidding? You guys can’t buy a break. How’s Noah?”

“Apparently immunologically resistant to every strain of sickness. I told him it’s all the vitamins I’ve been force-feeding him for years.” I nod to her attire. “Where are you headed?”

“I have a date.” She fiddles with an earring shaped like a fan and doesn’t quite meet my eyes.

Fiddling? Mona?

“Have I met this guy? What are his intentions toward you?” I ask, only half-joking. I do feel like her protective big brother, even though we’re the same age. She hasn’t dated much since her divorce and I don’t want to see her get hurt.

“You haven’t met him, and that dumb second question is why.”

“Seriously, where’d you meet him, Mo? Tinder? Bumble? Show me his profile.”

“Church,” she says, lifting her chin and looking at me pointedly. “He’s a deacon at my mama’s church. No jokes, please, about my weed or my wine or my vibrators or how I’m not—”

“No jokes. I haven’t even met him and I already know he’s not good enough for you.”

Her eyes widen and then soften. “Awww. Thanks, boss.”

“Besides I’ll be living vicariously through you.” I look at the mess on my desk and Mai in the crook of my arm. “It’s gonna be a rough night. This is the longest she’s slept in days. I don’t expect it to last. Every time I try to put her down, she wakes up, and I need to finish my part on these grants before the book drops next week and the tour starts.”

“Look, I can cancel this. Jamal and I can go out any time.”

“Jamal, is it?”

She rolls her eyes and her lips twitch. “I’m serious. I’ll text him.”

“No way. School’s finally out and you’ve been carrying a lot of extra load for me lately. Go. Have fun. I’ll be fine.”

“You sure?”

“Positive.”