Chapter 8
Lyrix
One week later . . .
Pulling onto the driveway, I felt relief flood my veins.
I was finishing up a week of carrying loads from one side of the country to the next.
While I’d spoken to Grai and my boys daily, I was still ready to lay eyes on them.
My mama had been giving me updates that they were all doing well, but I always felt better when I could feel their energy caress me.
I could always tell when something wasn’t right with my three.
I parked my truck along the tree line that surrounded my property.
Before I hopped out, I grabbed my dufflebag from the passenger seat.
My steps across the lawn were long and hurried so I could get inside.
Before I could even insert my key in the lock, the front door was snatched open, and my boys stood there giddily.
I saw nothing but light in their eyes before they rushed me.
I inhaled streams of warm joy when they embraced me in a group hug that made me drop my bag.
“Welcome back,” Ace told me.
“It’s good to be back. What’s up with y’all?” I asked, releasing them and ruffling Loh’s curly hair. I needed to take him for a trim before the week was out. I bent down to pick up my duffle, then we all went inside. I was sure to lock the door behind me for safety.
“Nothing, waiting for dinner. Mommy is in the kitchen with Mama Dee,” Loh shared with me.
On cue, I could hear their light laughter floating from the kitchen.
A glowing orb of light extended from the kitchen into the dark living room.
It beckoned me forward until I stepped into the kitchen, and my eyes landed on Grai.
She glanced over her shoulder instantaneously, like she’d felt my presence.
“Hey, Pop. Welcome home,” she greeted me with a warm smile.
Something about hearing her refer to this as home shifted something around inside of me.
My eyes studied the smile on her face, down to the fitted leggings and t-shirt hugging her curvy frame.
Unintentionally, I licked my lips, dropped my bag, and crossed the floor.
Her arms were already open by the time I made it to her.
I sighed contentedly when they wrapped my waist at the same time mine went around her shoulders.
She placed her chin on my chest, then looked up at me with the most adorable look in her eyes.
I placed a kiss on her forehead. “Thank you, Bubbles. Whatchu in here cooking? It smells good as fuck.” I released her to rub my growling stomach. Walking over to my mother, I hugged her and placed a kiss on her cheek.
“Cajun shrimp pasta since I knew you would be home tonight. Go ahead and unwind. By the time you’re done, the food will be too.
” She glanced over at the boys waiting in the doorway for me.
“Besides, the two of them have been waiting all day to fill you in on all the good and juicy details about their lives.” She pouted, not even ashamed to let her jealousy shine through.
I winked and nodded. “Sounds like a plan to me.”
I headed upstairs with the boys on my heels.
When we got up there, I went straight into my bedroom.
My duffle was tossed to the floor while they went to plop on my bed.
Loh wasted no time going into vivid detail about an art project he had to do this week.
He was a very creative and hands-on boy.
He thrived best in the classes where he could move his body or express himself.
I could see him growing up to become a cartoon animator or something like that.
The entire time he talked, Ace lay across the bed, staring at the ceiling.
He may not have come from my loins, but he was just like me.
Quiet . . . Calculated . . . More likely to keep things to himself than to speak on them.
I followed the advice I gave his mother, too, and never pushed him.
The fact that he was even in here was proof that he needed some of my attention too.
After dinner, I would make time for us to speak alone.
“So, Mr. Carter said he was going to submit my painting for the district art show.”
I paused what I was doing to turn to Shiloh.
“Yo, that’s dope, baby boy. Congratulations!
If it’s going to be hanging somewhere, me and your mama need to know where.
You know she’ll need a million pictures for her collages.
” Grai loved to scrapbook and had pictures of every milestone in the boys’ lives tucked away in bulky journals.
He chuckled. “Yeah, she will.”
I left them in the bedroom to hop in the shower.
I didn’t take my time, because I was ready to be around the people I loved most. The boys were still on the bed when I came back out, refreshed.
Loh was watching TV while Ace still stared at the ceiling.
“Ma said the food is ready,” he shared with me as I spritzed myself with cologne.
“Okay, cool. Let’s go eat.”
The three of us raced down the stairs with me smoking both of them.
Grai shook her head at us when we rushed into the dining room, out of breath.
I rubbed my hands together in excitement, taking a seat at the head of the table.
Grai sat on the other end, with the boys side by side, and my mama on the opposite side.
I led us in prayer, then we began to dig in.
I’d admit Grai put her foot in that pasta, but I expected nothing less. It was my favorite, so she had plenty of time to perfect her recipe. We had lighthearted conversation while we ate, and I had to agree with my mother that they were all doing well.
After dinner, Grai followed me to the backyard to get some fresh air. The boys went to entertain themselves in whatever way they wanted since it was Friday night, while my mother prepared for bed. She didn’t play about her beauty sleep and was rarely up too late at night.
I took a seat on the lounge chair, and Grai filled up the one beside me.
We were quiet as I rolled up a blunt to share.
“A rose garden would look so beautiful over there.” I glanced up from where I was breaking down the bud to find her pointing at the far-left corner of the backyard.
“I would be able to see it from the Juliette balcony,” she continued.
I nodded, then looked from the area she spoke of to the back of the house. I noted it would also be seen from my bedroom window. Grai settled back into her seat with her chin resting on her knees.
I lit the tip of the blunt and inhaled deeply. The smoke filled my lungs and had me coughing seconds later. “This some rapper,” I warned her while taking another drag.
I felt the weight of Grai’s eyes and turned to look at her. Her eyes were zoned in on my wrist. “Aw, you still have this?” she asked in reference to the bracelet she made me when we were younger.
I always had a habit of doing anything and everything Grai wanted to do.
She would sign up for all kinds of free classes at the rec centers or library, then drag me along with her because she didn’t want to go alone.
I used to go merely as her protection and support at first, until I started to realize those classes would be filled with girls.
My phone stayed full of options because of it.
I passed the blunt over to Grai, blowing smoke in her face.
She laughed while waving the cloud from in front of her.
“Rude, much?” I didn’t respond as I continued to study her soft features.
Even wearing a head scarf, she was as elegant and beautiful as ever.
I wished she had the ability to see how fucking amazing she was.
Drey tried to ruin her, but by the grace of God, he didn’t succeed.
Grai still remained nurturing, kind, and loving to not only her boys but others too.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked when I continued to stare at her. I remained quiet but refused to look away. Eventually, she blushed and rolled her eyes.
We fell into a comfortable silence that didn’t bother either of us. Hooking my arm around her shoulder, I pulled her closer until she was tucked under me. After placing a kiss on her forehead, we settled back into our bubble of serenity, listening to the rustling trees and crickets.