I wake up the morning of New Year’s Eve, reflecting on my life. Despite the losses we’ve experienced over the years, I’m happy to say that Me-Me and I have built a great life together. Our relationship is strong, and our kids are happy and healthy. We’ve done well.
I enter the kitchen to prepare breakfast as Me-Me heads outside to work at her robotics station.
Me-Me receives a text from her brother Jay when she steps out the door.
Jalin’s Text: I convinced mom to visit you and Lia for a couple of days.
Melisa’s Text: That’s good! When is she coming?
Jalin’s Text: She should be there in a few hours and bringing Leslie with her.
Me-Me is thrilled that her mom and nephew will be coming to visit for a while. It’s a few days late, but her mother and father were supposed to be staying for a few days when Kai was in Mt. Komorebi, but her father’s unexpected death derailed their plans. Me-Me hopes the visit will help to lift her mother’s spirits.
She steps over to her robotics station and works on a component for work. Now that her robotics skills have improved, she knows a promotion should be around the corner.
After she completes her work, she sees their cow Cocoa-Puffs staring at her, looking dirty and miserable. It’s usually Dub’s job to brush and milk her every day, but she hasn’t seen him or Mase all morning, so she decides to help by doing it all herself.
Cocoa Puffs is lucky that Me-Me has taken over her care for the morning because Mase and Dub are both still fast asleep in their beds. So Dray is the only Banks boy that’s up and ready to start his day. After bathing, he puts on his clothes and runs outside to play.
Although his dad promised to help him learn to ride his bike, once the weather warmed up – Dray doesn’t want to wait. Instead, he grabs it and uses his feet to scoot himself around the orchard. His balance is improving, but he still isn’t confident enough to try placing his feet on the pedals.
It’s late morning when Dub finally comes down the stairs with some interesting news.
Wade: Dad, I need a suit.
Kai: For what?
Wade: Perla wants me to take her to the prom tonight.
Kai: *shocked* Perla, who? My friend Mo’s Perla?
Wade: Yeah, dad. Do you know of any other Perlas?
I respond to his sarcasm with a question of my own.
Kai: Does Mo know about this? When did this whole thing happen?
Wade: She asked me last night.
Kai: No, I mean…when did you two become acquainted enough for her to ask you?!
Wade: We’ve been talking on the Social Bunny app for a while.
I look at Me-Me, who looks just as confused as I do. I thought Perla was Mase’s friend. When did she and Dub become friends? Dub grabs a plate and covers it in bacon and eggs.
Kai: I’d better call Mo.
Melisa: And you need to have a talk with your son.
I don’t have to ask; I know what kind of talk she means.
Mase enters the kitchen soon after with an entire crop of hair on his chin. Again, Me-Me and I are confused.
Melisa: Did you just wake up with an entire beard?
Mason: I guess. I didn’t notice.
Melisa: How could you not notice?
So I have to talk to my sons about woohoo and teach them how to shave on the same day. They are growing up way too fast.
I don’t have time to address any of it now because our doorbell rings. Me-Me’s mother and nephew have arrived – bags in hand.
Dray doesn’t miss an opportunity. He rushes to Leslie with his hand out, happy to have someone his age to play with. They shake, and a loud sound and sparks come from Dray’s fist.
Leslie: *startled* Oh no, are you okay?
Dray’s attempt at mischief has gone wrong. So, apparently, I need to talk with him as well. But first, I greet my mother-in-law with a long tight hug.
Drake: What’s that in your ear? Does it play music? I want one!
Leslie: It’s my hearing aid. It helps me to hear bedder.
Drake: Cool! Let’s go outside and play.
Before Leslie can even get settled, Dray drags him outside.
Leslie: Wow! It’s so preddy out here.
Drake: Yeah, and we have animals too!
After all the greetings and hugging are finished, I tell Mase and Dub to change into workout clothes and meet me in the garage. It’s time to have that talk. Mase jumps on the treadmill, and Dub puts on gloves and goes straight to the heavy bag. Neither of them suspects why I wanted them to meet me out here.
Kai: Before you start sweating too much, there are some things I want to talk to you about.
Wade: *suspicious* Like what?
Kai: I want to talk to you about woohoo.
Wade: Why? I already know about woohoo.
Kai: I’m sure you know the basics, but I want you to know all the ins and outs of it.
Wade: *embarrassed* The ins and outs? Really, dad?
I can feel myself blush a little. I didn’t mean to put it like that.
Kai: Uh – Mase, maybe you should come and listen too.
Watcher knows I don’t want to repeat anything I must say more than once. So Mase walks over and sits beside me while I decide how to start this conversation.
Kai: I guess we should start with, uh – how babies are made.
Wade: Ugh. I should have just stayed in bed.
(Generation 3 Chapter Summaries)
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