Chapter 9 Good, Bad, & Ugly #2
“I’m sorry,” Giselle whispered, feeling like a little lost girl in that moment against her aunt, a woman who was pivotal in her upbringing.
Remi might not have thought so, but Giselle valued her words, even when she didn’t always listen. She carried them with her all the time and knew it was the reason she often pushed through.
“You’re Grandma Remi!” Heir declared, causing Remi and Maisie to chuckle.
The old woman’s expression softened when she finally took in the twins.
“Close enough. You want something to eat?” she asked, hiking her brows.
“You got chicken nuggies?” Harlee queried.
“Better than that. Come on.” Remi waved them toward her. “Maisie, take them to the kitchen and get them settled at the table. I’ll be in there in a minute to make plates.”
When the three of them left, Remi turned to her niece and looked her over.
Distressed skinny jeans hugged her hips, while a yellow crop top over a white tank top clung to her breasts, and yellow and white sneakers graced her feet.
Although still very pretty, Remi could read the weariness on her as she reached out to smooth some of her hair back into her ponytail. A habit when she was nervous or uneasy.
“You look tired. Not city tired. Worn out tired,” she clarified.
“It’s been… a lot,” Giselle muttered, doing her best to hold it together.
She had to keep it tight for her kids, even though she had every reason to fall apart. The last thing she wanted was for them to see her crash out. She could do that in her own time.
“It always is when you do things the hard way,” Remi recited.
The words stung. Remi’s tone wasn’t cruel, just factual. Years of disappointment distilled into one sentence.
“I fucked up.” Giselle shrugged, and her hand slapped against her thigh. “I didn’t mean to shut anyone out. I just…”
“Right now, I don’t care about your intentions. You want to be a part of this family, you’re going to have to earn your space back. Those kids, that’s what matters. We deserve to know them, and they deserve to know us.”
Silence filled the room, but the laughter of her children from the kitchen warmed Giselle’s heart. For the first time in years, she felt something like solid ground beneath her feet. Her roots were there.
“You hungry? I fried chicken, made mashed potatoes and gravy, broccoli and cheese, and cornbread. Apple pie is in the oven,” Remi listed off.
Giselle’s stomach rumbled. McDonald’s on the drive and a few snacks in between were all they’d had, so she was indeed ready for a real meal.
“Yeah. Starving.”
“Well, come on,” Remi encouraged, removing the towel from her shoulder.
Giselle joined the kids with Maisie in the kitchen, just as the back door opened, and Crew came strolling inside.
With him were Oz and Solo. The two were back in town on business and were at Maisie and Crew’s spot, getting lit.
When Oz mentioned being hungry, Crew had them walk across the alley to Remi’s spot.
She always had something cooked, and there was usually plenty to feed any and everybody, which she never had a problem with.
“Oh, shit. G!” Crew rushed to scoop her off her feet into a hug before planting a sloppy kiss against her cheek.
“Ugh, Crew, you smell like a pound of weed right now.” She nudged him off, playfully annoyed as she pulled her chair out beside the twins.
“When you get here?”
“Not long ago.” Giselle reached for a cornbread muffin while the twins took in the table full of food.
She was no stranger to cooking. Over the last three years, there had been a lot of trial and error. She even took a cooking class to get better. While she was no professional, she could make a decent meal for them. It was nothing compared to what Remi could whip up on a random day, though.
“Y’all say hi to your uncle Crew,” Giselle told the twins.
“Nigga, you had kids!” Crew examined Heir and Harlee seated side by side.
He went into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a wad of cash.
“Aight, here go some money for you.” He tossed a few bills on the table.
“Mama, we got monies!” Harlee picked up the bills and waved them around.
Crew was immediately smitten, and Maisie read it on his face. Harlee was going to have him wrapped around her little finger. He wanted babies, but Maisie never did. Now, she was in her forties and couldn’t imagine bringing a baby into the mix this late in the game.
“Here, take all that shit.” Crew tossed the wad on the table.
“Crew, they do not need all this,” Giselle argued.
“Shit, it’s two of ’em,” he countered. “Oh, Oz, Solo, this is my people, Giselle. Giselle, these the homies from around the way. They just in town visiting.”
“We hungry,” Solo announced, rubbing his stomach under his shirt.
“Of course you are.” Remi shook her head. “Y’all have a seat. I’m feeding these babies first.”
Oz and Solo didn’t have to be told twice. Pulling out chairs across from the twins, they both settled in. Crew grabbed Maisie’s hand, pulling her from the chair so he could sit down, and she could take up the space on his lap.
"I’m viewing a house over on Danner Street. I talked to the owner—”
“Danner Street? That must be Petal’s place.” Remi grabbed a few paper plates and made one for each twin before moving on to the adults.
“You’re not staying here?” Maisie perked up.
“No. It’s not just me anymore, Mais.” Giselle cut her eyes at her babies as they each grabbed their forks and dug into the broccoli and cheese first.
“There’s enough room for y’all here. Lou and Gem got their own place off campus,” Maisie informed her.
“I just think it’s best that we have our own place. I didn’t come here to be anybody’s burden. I have enough money saved for a few months’ rent, and I have my car. I just need to find a job, and I’ll be fine.”
“So, where that fuck nigga ass husband?” Crew asked, taking a chicken drum off the plate Remi served him.
“You said two bad words,” Harlee said between chews.
“I don’t know where he is,” Giselle answered, using her fork to play with her mashed potatoes.
“He cleaned out our accounts and took everything, including my business. I also had to sell the house, which was in his name. So, I have what I set aside for myself and the kids, but I know it’s not nearly enough to survive on. ”
“Are you serious?” Maisie whispered.
Oz and Solo remained quiet, but both wore faces of empathy listening to Giselle’s story.
“This bitch ass nigga married you, stole everything, and then left you with two kids?” Maisie listed, pressing her fingers into the table with each point.
“Sounds like a nigga that needs a hollow one,” Oz muttered, leaning back as Remi served him and Solo plates suited for a king.
His partner practically salivated at the meal as he rubbed his hands together. Saying a quick prayer, he picked up his fork and dug into the potatoes then picked up a piece of chicken and slowly sank his teeth into it.
“Man… Ms. Remi, you offering cooking lessons? I know a few shorties that could use some tips,” Solo kidded.
Keys rattled in the back door, and Lou walked through with Gem laughing behind her. The two paused when they found Giselle and the twins seated at the table with everyone else.
“Giselle! Oh, my God!” Lou rushed inside.
She wrapped her arms around her so tight it took the wind right out of her. Gem closed the door, but she didn’t seem necessarily happy as she strolled over to the table.
“Hey, Lou.”
“What are you doing here? And… are these your kids?” Shock flitted over Lou’s face when the twins looked in her direction.
“How freaking adorable are they! Hi, babies! I’m your cousin Lou!
Look at you!” She kissed both of their little fat cheeks, and they continued to stuff their faces. “You had twins!” Lou squealed.
“Hey, Gem.” Giselle greeted her standoffish sister and tossed her napkin on the table.
Over the years, she’d reached out to her and tried to keep up to date with how she was doing.
She made sure to set up her trust fund for her as promised.
She got money for tuition and would receive one lump sum when she turned twenty-five in a few years.
There had been a disconnect since she left, though, and Giselle knew she was the reason why.
Gem was used to being abandoned, and she was just one more name to add to the list.
“Hey,” Gem whispered, focusing on the twins studying her.
“Heir, Harlee, this is my little sister. Meet your Auntie Gem,” she introduced them.
“Hi!” The twins waved together.
Gem was a grown woman, inked with fresh tattoos on her wrist and upper arms. With box braids half up in a ponytail and pink glossed lips, she was gorgeous. Solo approved as well. He seemed like he was in a trance, looking at her.
“You’ve been avoiding my calls,” Giselle spoke up.
“I’ve been busy with school. We’re on spring break now, though.”
“Yeah, Mama, that’s why we here.” Lou picked up a cornbread muffin. “We came to bother you for the whole week. Now, I think we need to set up a trip to Victory Park this weekend for the kids.”
“What’s Victory Park?” Solo chimed in, still eating like he lived there and was part of the family.
“It’s Southwick’s version of Six Flags,” Lou told him. “I haven’t been in years. Remember we used to go there every summer with Daddy?” Lou questioned Maisie.
“Mmm hmm.” Mais nodded and sipped from her glass of Kool-Aid.
“Shit, I’m down. When we going?” Solo asked.
“Nigga, she ain’t invite you.” Oz slapped his chest.
“I’m cool with it.” Lou shrugged. “We could all go as a group.”
“Y’all on ya own. Won’t catch me walking around that maze of a place,” Remi griped. “I’m going to run some errands and grab a few things for the house.” She untied her apron. “What do you babies like to eat?”
“Ice cream!” Heir squealed.
“Cookies!” Harlee joined in.
“Brownies!” Solo piped up, catching eyes from all the adults. “Aw, shit, I thought she was talking to me too.”
Heir and Harlee giggled cutely.