Chapter 19
Chapter
Nineteen
STORMI
“Iain’t never seen somebody throw a party for every life event,” Jo said, her voice echoing through the half-decorated venue as we walked in.
The decorators were still hanging lights and setting up the gold backdrop with “Seth’s Legacy” spelled across the top. It already looked beautiful and we weren’t even done yet.
“Excuse me for wanting to celebrate my husband,” I shot back, signing the invoice the caterer slid into my hands. My name looks good on official paperwork now. Wife things.
Jo rolled her eyes dramatically. “I ain’t mad at you. I need an excuse to bust a move on the dance floor anyway.”
She immediately hopped into the electric slide like the music was blasting in her head.
I laughed. “Girl, you don’t need a dance floor or music; never have.”
“Whatever.” She kept sliding, hands up, hips moving. “Don’t act like you ain’t enjoy the show last time I hit that routine in your kitchen.”
I shook my head, smiling as the memory flashed across my mind the countless times I’d walked in on her dancing in random places.
In the living room while folding laundry.
In the kitchen with a spatula as a mic. In the bathroom with one lash dangling because she never finished getting dressed on time.
Jo has been sunlight lately; she’d been glowing happier than I’d seen her in years. It made me love her even more.
I nudged her shoulder as she finished her solo routine. “You know, with all this energy, we might need to hire you as entertainment tonight.”
She flipped her hair. “Girl, please. I will perform for free. Just give me a plate.”
Her laugh was contagious, bouncing off the walls of the venue.
And as I looked around at the decorations, the lights, the soft golds and deep blacks Seth loved my heart warmed.
Tonight wasn’t just a party. It was the start of a new chapter for us for real this time.
And I was damn determined to celebrate my husband properly.
“Would you like to try the signature drink for tonight?” the bartender asked, sliding a tall glass with a glittery gold rim across the counter toward me.
“No, thank you,” I replied.
She blinked, then turned to Jo. “What about you, ma’am?”
Jo shook her head proudly. “I’m in recovery, sweetheart, so I don’t drink but I am tryin’ to figure out why my daughter here ain’t.” She turned that mother stare on me.
“It’s too early. And I still have a million things to do today.” I avoided her eyes, pretending to check the table arrangements.
“Stormi Knight Greene,” she called out, using my whole government, “you’re my daughter. Holding liquor ain’t never been your problem.”
I tried to walk off, get distance maybe hide but Jo was glued to my shadow.
“Them late nights with your husband got another one on the way?” she questioned, squinting at me like a nosy best friend instead of my mother.
I threw my head back. “I don’t know. I haven’t taken a test yet.”
I stepped faster, hoping she’d drop it. Of course she didn’t.
“Oh, you know,” she said, smiling wide. “And don’t you dare act like you did last time.” She rolled her eyes so hard I heard it.
“No, no, I’m way past that,” I protested quickly. “We just—we agreed on a year or two before the next baby.”
Jo stopped walking and put her hands on her hips. “Baby, if that man wanted to wait a year or two, his pull-out game would be Olympic level by now. But he doesn’t mind fillin’ you up with babies.”
I covered my face, embarrassed and blushing. “Jo…”
“What?” she laughed. “I’m just sayin’. Y’all don’t look like a couple who waitin’ on nothin’ but the sun to set.”
“I just wanna be sure before I tell him,” I muttered.
Jo’s eyes softened. Her teasing melted into that motherly love. “Well, lucky for you I got a test. You can take it now.”
Before I could even ask, she was already digging in that big, overstuffed purse she treated like a survival kit.
“Jo, why do you” I stopped mid-sentence. “You know what? Never mind. I don’t even wanna know.”
She pulled out a pregnancy test still in the box like it was a pack of gum. “Baby, not me. The girls at the recovery homes still be out here fuckin’. I just keep extras on hand; look out for ’em from time to time.”
I shook my head, laughing despite myself as she handed me the test and nudged me toward the bathroom.
“Come on. Let’s go see what your husband’s been up to at night.”
And with that, Jo, my chaotic, hilarious, always prepared mother, pushed open the bathroom door and dragged me right inside.
“Is this gonna be our new thing?” I asked, my voice a little shaky as she followed me into the bathroom, the test box clutched in her hand.
“It can be,” Jo replied softly, her eyes already glossy with emotion. “I like knowing before anybody else. We never really shared private moments like this together.”
“No, don’t start,” I said, biting back a lump in my throat as tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. I wasn’t ashamed. I had been Jo’s rock my whole life, and to have her here in these moments with me hit me harder than I expected.
I finished peeing on the stick, my hands trembling as I washed them, then immediately pulled Jo into my arms.
“I love you, and thank you,” I whispered, holding her tight. My chest heaved, and she rested her head against mine.
“No, Stormi thank you.” Her voice cracked with emotion as we stood there, hugging, letting the tears fall freely.
We stayed like that, swaying slightly, until a tiny beep from her phone cut through the quiet. The timer Jo had set had gone off. Two minutes. Two minutes that felt like forever. And the moment of truth was here.
Was I pregnant with our third child or not? I inhaled shakily, gripping Jo’s hands, needing her more than ever to face whatever the result would bring.
Rich handled the guest list, and he did his thing. Everybody who mattered was here. I didn’t have much family of my own, but Seth’s people always embraced me like I was theirs. I loved that feeling. I loved the fullness of it.
I slid over to the bar with RJ, Ari, and Noah doing my big sister duties, making sure none of these underage kids tried to get bold tonight.
I sniffed Noah’s cup. “I hope that’s ginger ale in there.”
RJ raised a brow. “Calm down, Stormi. You know I’m not letting him drink.”
Noah rolled his eyes. “Man, Stormi, I’m a grown ass man. If I want a drink, I can have one. This little party ain’t gon’ be my first time.”
I stood my ground. “What you do outside my presence is your business. But while you in my presence? No drinking.” I took his cup and sipped it myself, just to be sure. “Yeah… soda. Keep it that way.”
Noah sucked his teeth. “When you gon’ let me grow up?”
I pulled him into a hug before he could back away. “I know you growin’ up. I just don’t want you rushin’ to be too grown on me.” My voice cracked a little. “I miss you.”
“Stormi, don’t start,” he muttered, trying to slip out of my arms.
“You know,” I said, holding him tighter, “you can move in with us whenever you ready. Jo and I been talkin’ about sellin’ the old house… maybe tearin’ it down.”
Noah snapped his head toward me. “What? Fuck no. Why?”
“Too many bad memories. It’ll give all of us a fresh start.”
“All of us? Or just you and Jo?” he shot back, eyes sharp.
I swallowed. “Noah, we family. All of us. When one of us wins, we all win. You’ll always have a home with me, long as I got a roof over my head.”
He laughed bitterly. “Yeah, I bet. In your fancy ass mansion or that new one your husband’s building.”
“Noah, don’t be like that.” I stepped closer. “I even heard your father wants to come back in your life talkin’ about you stayin’ with him for a while.”
That sent him over the edge. “Oh, so that’s how it is? Send me off if I don’t fall in line with you and Seth’s plans?” He pushed past me.
“No, Noah! It’s not like that!” I called after him. “I just wanted you to know you had options.”
But he kept walking.
Ari touched my arm. “Just give him some time. He’ll come around.”
“Yeah, you know how stubborn he is,” RJ added.
I watched Noah sit alone in a corner, arms crossed, jaw locked tight like he was fighting the whole damn world.
My heart sank. I hate the distance between us now.
Here I was happier than I had ever been, and the one person I wanted to bring into that happiness acted like he couldn’t stand being around me.
And that hurt more than I’d ever admit out loud.
“Sis, come dance with me,” Rich said, already pulling me away from Ari and RJ before I could protest.
I let him lead me to the dance floor, laughing as one of those new songs the kids swore was a classic blast through the speakers. Rich started doing some goofy moves only he could pull off, and I followed right along.
“Thank you for not runnin’,” he said, turning toward me as we moved in sync.
“Please,” I laughed. “I don’t think your brother gave me much of a choice.”
Rich smiled. “Y’all perfect for each other, you know that?”
I froze mid step. Something in his tone made the words hit different. I turned fully toward him, seeing the love in his eyes for Seth, for me, for our family.
It warmed a part of me, I didn’t even know needed warming tonight.
“Thank you, Rich,” I said. “It helps having a brother like you around.”
I opened my arms, and he didn’t hesitate when he pulled me into a hug, strong and protective.
Rich the brother most men pray for. The godfather kids bragged about.
He loved S3 and Shiloh like they were his own, and I cherished that more than he knew.
We stayed hugged up for a minute, just in that sibling love vibe, until a familiar voice cut through the moment.
“Let me steal my wife away from you,” Seth joked, sliding in like he owned the whole room because honestly, he kinda did.
Rich let me go with a grin. “Alright, alright. Lover boy’s here.”
Seth slipped an arm around my waist, pulling me right into him, his touch always warm and claiming.