Chapter 27 #2
Naturally, she’d attempted to throw some pussy my way, but that ship had sailed a long ass time go.
Honestly, Lissa was washed up, and still often talked about her glory days in high school.
So, she wasn’t even worthy of sucking the dick.
Besides, I was in a different faze of my life, and after everything that my family had been subjected to, because I’d brought Tyra into their lives, I just couldn’t see myself going backwards by cheating.
So, for the longest, the only time I lied to Raven was when I’d spend time with JJ. That went on for years, until she figured that shit out, and we were forced to deal with the situation head-on.
Assimilating JJ into my family was probably one of the hardest mountains I had to climb. It had taken several hours of therapy. For everybody. Raven had even temporarily lost her mind. And may that nigga who thought that he could snatch my wife now burn in hell.
Me not keeping my word about staying away from JJ had nearly derailed my marriage. But after the pieces were broken, we were put back together, stronger than ever. And now, I was convinced that Raven was mine to have and to keep. And neither of us were going anywhere.
Present day…
Raven
I rolled over in bed to hear my phone ringing. Blindly, I reached for my cell, and answered with my eyes still half-masted.
“Hello?” I gruffly answered, while brushing strays hair out of my face.
“Mama, you was sleeping?” Jhyrah questioned, sounding energetic.
“Yeah.”
“Oh, okay. Well, I was calling you because I have this new concept for the family restaurant. I got some properties in mind too. Can you have Sam run the numbers? I’m thinking we can be up and operating in about two months—”
“Jhyrah,” I interjected. “Didn’t I tell you that I was sleeping?”
“Okay, but you answered, so that means that you’re up. Me and the kids are about to come over there, anyways. I need you to grease my scalp, and I want some breakfast.”
“Girl, what?” I pulled my phone away from my face to see that it was just eight in the morning. “Yeah, you losing your mind. Talking about me making you breakfast. Where is Jeremy? I’m sure that him and the kids don’t wanna be dragged over here this early.” I asked about her husband.
“He’s in the bathroom, getting ready. He already knows what’s up. He aint bigger than the program. It’s Sunday and I gotta go see my mommy.”
I sighed, as I sat up, rubbing sleep out of my eyes. “So, you’re just gonna assume that I don’t have my own plans today?”
“No. I’m assuming that your first-born daughter would just naturally be a part of those said plans.”
“Jhyrah—” I got out, as my line clicked. “Shit, hold on.” I clicked over to answer the other line. “Hello?”
“Mama, I was some of that stuffed French toast you be making,” Jahrein Junior wasted no time.
“Stuffed French toast?” I scoffed. “Well, tell Josairah to make it. That’s what you got a wife for.”
I could hear him sucking his teeth. “She wants some of your French toast too.”
Already fed up with my spoiled ass kids, I crinkled my nose. “Then get that damn chef to make it for you,” I advised.
It was crazy how my kids still wanted to be babied, even long after moving out, and creating families of their own.
Jhyrah was married to my girl Paris’s son, and he was in the NFL.
Meanwhile, Jahrein Junior was married to my other girl Shay’s daughter, while he was in the NBA.
So, they were successful in their own rights, but loved to pile up at my house, acting like some big ass kids.
“Mama, you know that can’t nobody whip it up like you. Besides, it’s Sunday, homegirl. It’s family day. And we trying to get it started.”
I rolled my eyes, because I hadn’t appointed Sunday as family day. My kids had, and they never gave any regards to me possibly having other plans.
“Look, whatever, boy. Don’t be surprised if you pull up, and I aint here,” I grumbled, as I scooted out of bed.
“You tripping. I’ma call my daddy and see what he got shaking. Cause you aint moving, if he aint. So, that’ll tell me everything that I need to know.”
“Your daddy?” I chided. “That nigga aint the boss of me.”
“Mama, nobody said all that. But you don’t spend your Sundays away from him.” He pointed out.
“You don’t know—” I was cut off by my line once again clicking.
Glancing at the screen, I realized that Jhyrah had hung up, and now JJ was calling.
“Junior, let me see what your brother wants,” I told Little Jahrein.
“Okay. We’ll be over there in a minute,” he claimed.
Not bothering to respond, I clicked over. “Hello?”
“Hey, mama, you up?” JJ questioned.
“I wasn’t trying to be,” I groaned. “But what’s up?”
“Let me guess, your kids have already been calling,” he chuckled.
“You know it.”
“I figured that. But I can’t even blame them. I been thinking about that food you cooked last Sunday, all week. So, I definitely need a plate today.”
“But who said that I was cooking?” I asked, as I stepped into my spacious bathroom, while my voice bounced off the walls.
“Aw, come on, mama. Don’t be like that.”
“Boy, bye.” I pursed my lips. “I aint got but one child left here, and Reagan don’t even be worried about me cooking. She’d rather go to brunch.”
“Mannn,” he drawled. “That’s because she don’t know no better.”
“Uh huh,” I absently uttered, while loading toothpaste onto my toothbrush. “I hear you,” I claimed, before brushing my tongue.
Once again, my line beeped. Checking out the screen, I saw that it was Naomi.
“JJ, why is your girlfriend calling me on the other line?”
He sighed. “Ion know. She been getting on my fuck—I mean, she been getting on my nerves.”
“And why is that?” I questioned, while brushing my teeth.
“Cause. She so insecure. I keep telling her that the internet is gonna be her downfall.”
“Is it the internet, or the shit that you do that makes it to the internet?”
He lightly chuckled. “Same difference.”
I shook my head, recognizing the bullshit.
Out of all the kids, JJ often exhibited the traits that Jahrein had when he was steeped in toxicity.
The slick womanizer, who thought that he ruled the world.
And that stemmed from the fact that JJ didn’t just carry what we’d instilled in him, but also what he’d witnessed prior to living with us.
Flat out, Tyra’s side of the family were comprised of losers and hood rats, who had taught JJ plenty during his adolescence.
Unfortunately, I didn’t come to terms with accepting him, until he was old enough to understand plenty.
Then even after he moved in with us, we didn’t immediately shift into parental guidance.
Some healing had to happen first, and we all had to get used to each other, which meant that he was naturally closer to his mama’s side for a long while.
Gradually, things fell into place. And although me and Jahrein tried to show him healthier ways to navigate through life…
he was his mother’s son. So, he was stubborn, and always had to learn shit the hard way.
So, in this season, I could honestly say that JJ had no business trying to be anybody’s boyfriend, but he wouldn’t listen.
Therefore, he’d gotten with the beautiful, suburban raised Naomi, and had knocked her up, back-to-back with babies, but still wanted to run around like he was single.
With me understanding Naomi’s plight, I would often listen to and advise her, as she dealt with my son.
But…I always stopped short of just telling her to leave his ass and never look back…
because JJ did love her…and I wasn’t super sure of where his mental state would go, if she ever left.
Because JJ battled with depression, and had been diagnosed as bipolar.
Which I believe was inherited from Tyra.
So, as whorish as he was, he also had this obsessive nature when it came to Naomi, probably worse than how Jahrein stalked me.
“JJ, you know that I don’t find that sh’it funny,” I lectured. “Cause you’d be looking crazy if that girl decided to leave your ass. Them two kids won’t stop shit.”
He sighed. “It aint like that. I’m just saying. Naomi be running with everything she hears. Ion even be knowing them broads half the time.”
“Let you tell it. I know that you aint gon tell the truth, but if you are fucking around, stop it. Either that, or leave that girl alone. I’m telling you. Treat how you’d want somebody to treat your daughter.”
“Alright, mama, I hear you,” he claimed. “And we’ll see you in a lil’ bit.”
“Okay,” I breathed into the phone. “Love you.”
“Love you too,” he responded, before ending the call.
Placing my phone on the countertop, I shook my head, while gazing at my reflection in the mirror.
I was just forty years old with too many damn grandkids, and worrisome ass children.
A mother’s job was never done, but I couldn’t deny that having a huge family was super rewarding, now that they were mostly adults.
My youngest, Reagan, was the last of the bunch, and pretty much did whatever she wanted.
Although she was just eleven, she moved around regularly, as her older siblings were just one phone call away.
She loved staying over at either Jhyrah or Jahrein Junior’s house, while the rest of the kids acted like they were seconds from moving back home.
At one point, I was suffering with the empty nest syndrome, until my kids started popping out all those damn kids.
That’s when my house became a part-time damn daycare, as I always had a grandchild around.
Hell, a few of my grandbabies practically lived with us, because they loved being with the best grandparents on earth. Those were their words. Not mine.
Long story short, my life was full. Jahrein was out the game, we had legitimate businesses up the ying yang, and our kids were all doing well for themselves. I couldn’t have asked for more, but damn if those muthafuckas didn’t work my nerves from time to time.