“Don’t let Daddy sweet talk you, baby—he tired.”

The words floated from your seat in the corner of the home gym, where you sat posted up like the proudest coach there ever was—nails freshly done, hoop earrings catching the light, and a cup of sweet tea chillin’ in your lap.

Across the mat, your daughter was giving her whole soul to that sparring match, her braids swinging as she bounced, pink gloves cocked and ready.

“I ain’t tired,” Adonis huffed, already winded as he circled her slow. “She just fast.”

“She get it from me,” you said with a grin, sipping slow like you ain’t just stirred the pot.

He squinted over at you. “Oh we lyin’ today.”

“I been fast,” you said with a wink. “You just wasn’t tryin’ to catch me fa’real.”

Your daughter snorted mid-jab. “Y’all always doin’ this.”

“Focus!” Adonis barked playfully, ducking her hook. “You wanna box, you gotta tune out the noise.”

“But she not noise,” your daughter said, nodding toward you like a real one. “Mama hype me up. That’s strategy.”

“That’s bias,” he muttered, grinning as she hit him with a clean one-two. “See? You get one little combo off and now you Muhammad Ali.”

“I been floatin’ like a butterfly,” she said, puffin’ her chest like she was about to headline a pay-per-view.

“Oh lord,” you laughed, clapping slow. “Tell him! Remind him who raised you.”

Adonis threw his gloves off, hands in the air like he’d been defeated. “Y’all tag teamin’ me. This what we doin’ now?”

“Look,” you said, standing up and leaning on the ropes with a smirk. “You the champ, yeah… but her gloves got glitter, and I ain’t never seen you beat that.”

Your daughter spun dramatically in the ring, arms raised high like she just claimed a title belt. “AND STILL… undefeated in the house!”

Adonis pulled her into a headlock playfully, pepperin’ kisses on top of her head. “Aight, champ. Aight. You got this one. But next time? I’m comin’ for my lick back.”

You slid your phone out real smooth, snapping a pic as the two of them collapsed on the mat, laughing so loud it echoed off the walls.

Later That Night

She was out like a light by 9:30, mouth wide open, limbs everywhere. You and Adonis stood over her like a masterpiece had just been painted.

“She really got hands,” he mumbled, a soft pride behind the words.

“She got your hands. My mouth,” you smiled.

He kissed your temple. “Dangerous combo.”

You leaned into his chest, arms circling his waist as you rocked just slightly, swayin’ like you was slow dancin’ without music.

“That’s our baby,” you whispered.

“She gon’ change the world.”

“Starting with you,” you grinned. “Ain’t it funny how the heavyweight champ got humbled by a twelve-year-old with glitter gloves and an attitude?”

He kissed you again. Longer this time. “Yeah. But if she end up just like you…”

“What?”

He smiled. “Then I know she gon’ be unstoppable.”