Janice's heart raced as she went to find Dallas an the kids.
"Hey Janice. Where were you at?" Dallas tapped her on the shoulder causing her to jump back, "Damien just left and he wouldn't tell me where you were."
"I was just in the bathroom. Where Chubbs?" Janice tried to look past Dallas.
"Are you okay?" She asked.
"I'm fine. I'm just going to play Angry Birds with my birthday girl." Janice pushed through to Naomi and led her to play Angry Birds.
After thirty minutes and 10 levels of Angry Birds, Janice took Naomi over to play Candy Crush, Subway Surfers and Kung Foo Panda.
"Mommy, I'm hungry." Naomi whined.
"Okay Chubbs. Let's find Dallas so we can eat." Janice ended their game and grabbed Naomi's hand.
"Is daddy coming to eat with us?" She asked.
Janice sighed, "Do you want him to baby?"
Naomi nodded yes.
She paused and bent down to Naomi face level, "Chubbs, where did you get those bruises from when you were with daddy?"
"I fell on the playground steps. But daddy kissed it and made me feel better." Naomi played in her hair.
Janice stood up and took her phone out her back pocket.
Janice: Naomi says come back.
Damien😒: For What?
Janice: Food, cake, games, gifts.
Damien😒: Ard. I gotta drop Alana off to her mom house.
Janice: Ok, just be here.
Dallas and the kids sat around their reserved table as Janice and Naomi approached them silently. Janice sat across from Dallas with her arms folded on the table.
"Damien is coming back." She whispered.
Dallas shook her head, "Who was the girl with him? Is she coming back too?"
Janice rolled her eyes and laughed, "Alana and no."
The waitress came up to the table, "Hi, I'm Andi and I'll be your waitress. Can I start you off with some drinks?" She handed out menus and kids menus.
"Do you have chocolate milk?" Naomi spoke up.
"No sweetie, we don't. But we do have fruit punch." Andi pointed to the rest of the drinks.
Janice counted heads,"Five fruit punches and two Dr.Peppers then whatever Dallas and Clavin want."
Dallas poked her lips out at the menu, "Just a water with lemon, please."
"Okay." Andi scrambled down the drinks and walked back to get them.
Naomi pulled on Janice's shirt, "Mommy, can I play a game on your phone?"
Janice nodded yes, unlocking her phone and opening Toca Kitchen for her. She cut her eyes at Dallas, "You think that baby is Damien's?"
"Janice, stop. Don't even." Dallas snapped.
"I only asked a question Dal. Lemme finish. I don't think that baby is his because, she's like six months. Six months ago, he was with his aunt in California. The girl was pregnant when they met or got pregnant after and just assumed or told him it was with him." She sat back waiting for a reaction from Dallas.
Dallas ran her tongue across her teeth and grinned, "You really think so?"
Andi came back with a patter of drinks and sat it at the end of the table, "Six fruit punches in kids cups, two dr.peppers an a water with lemon."
Janice pushed the other Dr.pepper out of Naomi's reach, "Can I have another kids cup for my daughter please?"
Andi nodded and walked away, when Janice felt hands on her shoulders.
"Who is this?" She spun around, only to be eye to eye with Damien, holding a box in his arms.
"Hey everybody." He said.
Calvin looked up to him, "Wassup man?"
Damien sat down next Naomi and Janice as Dallas watched his every move like a hawk.
"So Damien," Dallas smacked her lips, "How did you meet that girl?"
Damien rolled his eyes, "I can never get a hi, hello or hey from you Dallas."
"Hello Damien. So how'd you meet that girl?" Dallas snapped.
Janice smacked the table in front of Dallas, "Stop. It's so unnecessary Dallas, please."
Dallas rolled her eyes and skipped through her menu. Damien and Naomi looked over at Janice's menu.
"I'll have whatever you order Jay." Damien whispered then went to playing on his phone.
She tapped Naomi on the shoulder, "What do you want Chubbs?"
"Cheeseburger and fries with lots of pickles and ketchup please." She hand Janice back her phone.
"You done playing your game?" She kissed her forehead and Naomi nodded yes, yawning.
Andi popped back over to their table, "You guys ready to order?"
"Yes." Dallas snapped, "All y'all order your food please."
"I want a grilled cheese."
"Chicken tenders please."
"Pretzel dogs."
"Make that two orders of pretzel dogs."
"And uh, let me get a short rib and cheesy mac stack." Calvin finished off all of Dallas' siblings.
Dallas smacked her lips, "Let me get the shrimp skewers please."
Janice looked up to Andi, "Can we get two baked chicken and shrimp alfredo. Both without mushrooms the. cheeseburger and fries, extra pickles and extra ketchup please."
Andi wrote down the last little bit of their order and too the menus off the table, "Can you get you anything to drink sir?" She directed towards Damien.
He broke from his phone, "Uh, coke is fine."
"Ok, I'll go put in you guys order and I'll be right back." Andi rushed off to the ordering station, punched in their order and poured Damien's drink, returning it back to him.
Janice went to her messages and clicked her conversation with Damien.
Janice: can we make an agreement on something?
Damien😒: what is it?
Janice: weekends are yours w/ Naomi. We can meet half way at Kent Island McDonald's. It's about time for you to step up as her father.
Damien😒: alright.
Janice: and no more sex.. I'm not down for complicated feelings with you anymore.
Damien😒: i just miss us sometimes, but ok.
Janice locked her phone and sat it face down on the table, "Dallas, you free tomorrow afternoon? I need my nails done and I'm going to let Naomi get hers done."
Dallas checked her reminders, "Free at 1:50 tomorrow. Is that good for you?"
She nodded then felt someone lightly tap her shoulder.
"Janice?" It was Andi.
"Yes Andi?" She turned around. Andi signaled for Janice to bring her ear to her lips.
"Out manager wanted to know when you wanted the cake bought out for your...um, daughter?" Andi asked.
"Same time as the food, please." Janice sipped her soda as Andi walked away.
15 minutes went by of Janice, Dallas and Damien talking along with the kids goon back off the play games before the food came.
Janice tapped Damien on the knee, "Go get the kids." She looked up at Andi, "Wait for my daughter with the cake please."
The kids ran back as Andi placed the food around the table.
"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Naomi, happy birthdayyyyyy to you!" Multiple waitress came out carrying the cake and singing, pulling an extra table put to theirs for the cake.
Naomi jumped up and down, her arms flaring multiple directions and her smile as bright as Janice's was five years when she finally got to hold her baby girl.
Janice pulled Naomi up on her lap, "Happy birthday princess. I love you so much."