Chapter 19
Fulfilled Request
Tasha
“No, Carmen, he doesn’t have any allergies. It’s more a matter of preferences and sensory dislikes. He hates the texture of a lot of things or when his food touches.”
“Oh, I learned that already. I feel so bad. Jordan and Blake love jerk chicken with rice and peas and steamed vegetables and Ryan will tear anything up.
“I thought that would be safe. The way he looked at that food and told me all those things shouldn’t touch, with such disgust in his voice,” Carmen laughs.
“Oh, that’s rude. Let me talk to him.”
“No, no, it’s fine. Ryan understood what happened and made him a new plate and took Sammy’s for his own.”
“Wait a minute. How did he end up with you guys anyway? Maldonado texted LaSalle that Sammy said he was going to spend time with Wyatt.”
“I don’t know what happened. On the plane, Sammy got this look on his face and came to ask me and Ry if he could stay with Jordan and Blake since they’re his friends. I don’t mind. I just honestly wanted to call to make sure I understand all his needs, you know?”
“Yeah, thanks for that. You can call me anytime. No matter the hour. I’ll come to get him anytime he wants. Please tell him I said so. I’m trying so hard to give him space,” I say as my shoulders sag.
I was so surprised and disappointed to find out Sammy took off for California this morning with the Blacks. I had planned to have breakfast with him and then take him and his siblings to the skate park so he could use his new hoverboard.
“He’s in good hands. If we don’t know nothing else around here, we know how to take care of kids. We have enough of them.”
“You’re preaching to the choir.”
“Are you guys done?”
I sigh and look down into my lap. I don’t want to be, but that’s looking like something I have no control over. It’s just that I feel like we were meant to have at least one more, but losing Lucia changed everything.
“I don’t know. I wouldn’t mind having one more. We’ll see.”
“Oh my God. Forgive me. I’m so sorry. That’s really none of my business.
“And … I’m sorry. I have baby brain. I should have thought about what I was saying. I probably need to get some sleep.”
“No, you’re fine. Don’t even worry about it. Thanks, Carmen. Get some rest.”
“Later, Tasha. Thank you.”
I hang up and sit staring into space. The sound of the door to my bedroom creaking open grabs my attention. I turn to find Sunny peaking his little head in. I smile and open my arms for my little boy.
“Mommy,” he sings and toddles his way over to me.
I pick him up and nuzzle his neck, causing him to squeal and laugh. I love his little laugh. Munching on his neck and cheeks, I cause him to laugh some more.
“Hey, handsome. What are you up to?”
“Ball-ball with Da-da,” Sunny replies.
“There you are, you just took off on me,” LaSalle says as he enters the room.
“You left Da-da to play basketball by himself?”
“I think he heard your voice and came looking for a cheerleader.”
“Is that right?” I laugh.
“Yup, he wants someone to cheer him on while he dunks on his old man.”
I pull a face and give LaSalle the side-eye. Sunny and his four-foot basketball hoop are hardly any challenge for this man. He usually has Sunny in his arms, helping him to dunk the ball.
Sunny gets so excited and happy. I always end up laughing the entire time they play. I stand with our son in my arms and go to carry him back out to play.
“Hold on,” LaSalle says and nods at Sunny in my arms as he places his hand on my belly to stop me.
I snort. Sunny has passed out. “Oh my goodness, what have you done to my baby?”
LaSalle chuckles. “I think he was running from me to find someplace to take a nap.”
“I told you to stop trying to be the basketball version of Joe Jackson,” I tease.
“I’m offering options, baby. There will only be one don. This one will either be in court or on one,” he laughs.
“Whatever, come with me to put him in his room and then I’ll make you some lunch.”
He moves to wrap his arms around me from behind. “I could think of something I’d rather eat,” he whispers into my ear.
I look back at him with a smile on my lips. The girls are at Marie’s and Elijah and Paulie are with my brother. Czar is one of the favorite uncles.
I’m not surprised by that. Czar was always the cool older brother growing up. I can’t wait to see him be a father. I think he’s going to be great. He’s amazing with my boys.
We walk Sunny to his room, and I put him down in his bed. Mary appears and nods as she goes to sit in the rocking chair in Sunny’s room.
“That reminds me. I’m firing Yolanda.”
“As in Sammy’s nanny? Miss Philps?”
“Yes, her ass. Did you know she locked Sammy’s vests away? She has some fucking nerve. I wouldn’t have known either because Sammy was trying to protect her.”
“How did you find out?”
“Uri told me. He was livid after Sammy had a bad day without one. If not for the NDA, her ass was planning to report us.” I seethe.
LaSalle kisses my temple. “I’ll handle it. Maybe we shouldn’t bother replacing her. He never uses them. Maldonado spends more time with him than the nannies do. He’s always with Uri, Micheal, Sim, and Val.”
“Yeah, but I don’t want them feeling like we’re pawning our kid off on them.”
“Trust me, no one feels that way. Sammy does more than just hang around them. Uri has been paying him for his help.”
“Really?”
“Yes, if I wanted to hand the family over next week, Sammy would have more knowledge about how to do so than Marcus ever will. Bobby wouldn’t have to advise him much.”
“Where has the time gone?” I groan. “He’s taking trips to California while we’re sleeping. Elijah wanted to make his own eggs this morning, and they’re all potty-trained. Heck, Jess needs to go shopping for her first bra.”
“Those eggs were delicious. I was so proud of him. Loved the way you handled that, by the way. Thank God for the potty-training and I don’t want to talk about the bra. I’m not ready.”
I laugh. “Well, it’s happening. Can we talk about what else is happening?”
He groans. “I knew this was coming.”
“He’s still a little boy. Going to Uri and Val’s is one thing. He might go into the city when they are there, but other than that, he’s close to home. California, LaSalle? Are you forgetting who we are?”
He snorts bitterly. “There isn’t a day where I get to forget who we are. Maldonado is with him and he’s with a bunch of trained killers. Tasha, I know this is hard, but this is something we’re going to have to learn to deal with.”
I sigh, knowing he’s right, but I’m still a mother. On top of that, I’m a mother married to the world’s most hated man. If someone harms one of my babies or my man, I’m going to take everything they love, but that won’t give back what I’ve lost.
I know firsthand what that looks like. I’ve seen it so many times. Trying to reconcile what Sammy needs to do with how it’s being done is something I’m struggling with.
“This isn’t easy.” I pout.
“I know, baby. I know. Come here. I’ll show you what’s easy,” he growls into my skin as he wraps his arms around my waist.
Nellie
I had a nice time in New York. That was such a fun children’s party. It was good to see the girls and get to hang out with them.
I needed that. Wyatt thinks I’m struggling because of the baby, but that’s not it. If I tell my husband what’s really going on, he might murder someone.
So I’m sitting here in the new baby’s nursery, hiding out as I sob as silently as I can. Wyatt told me to go and relax as he fed Nora and Evan before dropping them off at his parents’.
I’m trying to get it all out before he returns. I swipe at the tears and flip through the cruel pictures once again, not able to help myself. Each picture cuts a bit deeper.
That’s what they were meant to do. My father’s wife is a cruel bitch who’s out to break me. The funny thing is, I don’t think he knows or cares.
About a year and a half ago, my half-sibs reached out to me. My sister was getting married, and my brother was having his second baby. Each of them wanted me to come to celebrate with them.
Zander wanted me to meet his fiancée and first daughter, and Peaches wanted me to be in her wedding. I couldn’t be a part of either. I wasn’t trying to be a jerk.
I just couldn’t with work and Alliance stuff going on. My father’s wife was upset and took it as a slight. After Peaches wedding, she started with the pictures.
Father-daughter pictures from the wedding. Photos of her with my siblings. Now Peaches has had a baby and she’s taunting me with photos again.
I know what she’s doing, but I’ve still allowed them to get to me. My mother never got to hold my children and now I’m having baby number three, and it will be a void I can’t ignore once again.
“Hey, hey, hey.” Wyatt rushes into the nursery as I sit sobbing.
Shoot, I didn’t hear him return. Quickly, I hide the pictures behind my back and swipe at my tears. He comes to sit on the floor and tugs me into his arms.
“Baby, this is getting out of hand. I’m worried. Maybe you should talk to someone; this can’t be good for the baby. I know how much you miss her, but this isn’t healthy,” he murmurs as he holds me tight and rubs my back.
“I’ll be fine. It’s not what you think,” I choke out.
“Then do you want to tell me what’s going on?”
Hearing the concern in his voice, I know I can’t keep hiding this from him. I’m struggling to deal with this on my own. I know anyone I tell will want to handle that bitch and her mean ass.
Pulling from his arms, I go to sit back on my butt. Wyatt’s gaze lands on one of the pictures as I move away.
He picks it up and glares at it. “Where’d this come from?”
“Kennlee,” I murmur.
“Your father’s wife?”
“Yes.” I hand him the rest. He might as well see them all now.
I watch him as he flips through them. Realization colors his face as he flips through for a second time. He lifts his gaze to mine and bites his fist as rage rolls off him.
“How long?” he says, eerily calm.
“The first set came after the wedding. Peaches reached out recently, and I let it slip that I’m having another baby. That’s when Kennlee started with the latest batch.” I sniffle.