Chapter 35 Mia
BACK AT HOME
Iplaced the flowers in the small vase attached to Eden’s crypt before stooping to kiss her nameplate. This was the first time I’d been here since we came home. I needed to get myself together before I could step into her sacred space.
“We got him, baby,” I whispered.
It had been two weeks since we’d been home, and I was finally feeling like myself again.
I’d been in a dark place in Paris. For a long time, I’d only ever used my gun to take a life.
Tapping into that other side of me was draining.
When we finally got back to the house after everything went down, I passed out from exhaustion.
I slept for damn near a full day. By the time I woke up, most of the team had already left to go home.
Only my family and in-laws remained. My brothers said they weren’t leaving without me.
I’d woken up to all of them in my bedroom.
Deuce was sleeping in a chair. Maceo was at the foot of the bed.
KD had made a pallet on the floor, and Smoke’s big ass was curled up on that little ass chaise.
I couldn’t help but snap a picture and send it to the group chat with my girls.
I was lucky to have people who loved me enough to put their comfort aside to ensure I was okay. Since we’d been back, they had been over to my house every morning with the kids. When one showed up, it wasn’t long before the rest followed, and Senior was pulling up too.
I think they were all worried about my mental health after watching me torture these people.
I was fine, however. The day after we got home, Titan and I were sitting on Dr. Baxter’s couch unpacking our feelings.
I cried, but I didn’t regret a thing I’d done.
JacQues Dupont deserved to be scrubbed from the face of the Earth, and so did his family for being a part of his shit.
Nolan and Quaid swiped every dime from his account and put it into a Swiss bank account. They were slowly working to disperse part of the funds to the victims we were able to rescue. Part went to everyone involved in the case. And the other half went into the Dillinger Foundation's accounts.
Paris news was still speculating about the disappearance of JacQues and his family.
Quaid and Nolan had worked overtime to cover up everything by planting key evidence in his emails, phones, and electronic devices.
By now, everyone knew he was running a human trafficking ring and owned the brothel.
His client list had been made public and arrests were happening.
0He was wanted for questioning in the murder of Jazmine and the Johns from that fatal night, but they would never get any answers from him personally.
His and his family’s ashes were currently floating down the river. The warehouse we used on the outskirts of the city was scrubbed clean, and there was no evidence of the brutal murders that took place there. It was like we were ghosts… just gone with the wind.
“I hope you’re at peace now,” I said, caressing the nameplate. “I know grandpa is taking good care of you. You take care of my old man too.”
I sat there for a while until the family group chat started blowing up. When I checked my messages, my eyes widened. Jaeda was in labor. I scrambled up from the bench and ran to my golf cart. By the time I made it back to the house, Titan was coming outside.
“I was about to come get you,” he said, opening the door to his truck.
He helped me in and rounded the driver’s side to get in himself. As he backed out of the yard, my phone rang. I looked down to see my sister’s number. Quickly, I swiped the screen to answer.
“Jae.”
“Sissy, I need you.”
“Titan and I are right behind y’all on the way to the hospital.”
“I’m scared, Mia. He’s a little early.”
“You and baby boy are gonna be fine,” I assured her, softly.
“You got this, baby. You’re gonna get in there.
You’re gonna push. And you’re gonna bring my nephew into this world.
No negative thoughts. You were born to be this baby’s mommy, and you’re gonna be a great one, Jae.
You and Quaid will be amazing parents to an amazing little boy. ”
She sniffled. “I… I was afraid to ask, but will you be in the delivery room with Quaid and my mom?”
“You want me there? You sure you don’t want Shar or Grams?”
“No. I want my sister. I’ll understand if it’s too much, but I had to ask.”
It was my turn to sniffle. “It’s not too much. Not for you, Jae. I’ll see you soon. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
We disconnected the call, and I broke into tears. Titan reached over and grabbed my hand. Pulling it to his lips, he kissed it.
“I don’t know if these are happy or sad tears.”
“Happy tears,” I confirmed, wiping my eyes. “I almost wasn’t here for this moment a few months ago.”
“But you are. And you’re gonna be a great auntie to this baby.”
“I’m gonna try my best. I really want to get closer to the kids.”
“You can. I mean, they already love Uncle Titan, so I don’t gotta do much.”
I playfully slapped his arm. “Shut up.”
He chuckled. “For real. Now that I’m on the compound full time, we gotta start babysitting. Gotta be prepared for when it’s our turn.”
“I know. We have to take Smoke’s kids in doses. I can’t do all of them at one time.”
He laughed out loud. “Facts. Korri is a sweetheart, but them other three? I’ma square up with Juri’s mean ass before it’s all said and done.”
I giggled because my niece was a handful for everybody outside their house, but my daddy, Romi’s parents, Jaeda, and Quaid.
She was such a sour patch kid, but she loved hard.
Whenever she saw anybody she knew, she ran up to them for hugs.
The child almost cut off your airflow because she squeezed your neck so hard.
We got to the hospital twenty minutes later. When we got out of the truck, most everybody else was getting out of their cars. We were about to pack this waiting room out. I ran over to Quaid, who was rolling Jaeda in.
“I’m here!” I announced.
She grabbed my hand and smiled. “He’s not trying to stay in here,” she said, squeezing. “He just had to interrupt—”
She was quick not to finish that statement. My gaze shot to Quaid.
“What were you two doing when her water broke?” I asked curiously.
“You in grown folks business,” Quaid said with a grin.
I stifled a laugh. “Okay, grown folks. Being grown is how we got here.”
The nurses came rushing out to grab Jaeda to take her to labor and delivery on the fourth floor. They let us know we could come up and they would come get us when she was checked out and settled in a room. Quaid and I went back to the waiting area where everyone was.
“They’re taking her to labor and delivery on the fourth floor,” Quaid said. “We can go up and wait.”
After several elevator trips, we were all finally together in the waiting room upstairs. Quaid was nervously pacing the floor and rubbing his hands together while his mother and Mama Tavia tried to comfort him.
“Bruh, you gotta calm down,” Smoke said. “Jae and baby boy are gonna be okay. Come sit down before you walk a hole in these people’s floor.”
“Leave that man alone,” Daddy said. “It’s his first baby. He’s allowed to be nervous. Shit, it’s normal to be nervous with every birth.”
Deuce smirked. “So you were nervous five outta six times? That’s finna you be you, Smoke.”
“At least all my nerves are about one woman,” Smoke retorted, throwing a grin at our father. His gaze shifted to Mama Tavia. “Ain’t that right, baby mama number three?”
She paused in speaking to Quaid and looked at him with a frown.
“You ain’t too big for me to beat your ass, Devin. Keep it up.”
He shook his head. “It’s always a threat. Never any love. Why you hate me, Auntie Mama?”
Deuce laughed. “Ghetto shit. And you went and made that man your baby’s godfather.”
It was funny because Emelie was currently in his lap, pulling the barrettes from her hair and putting them in his beard. He was just sitting there so nonchalantly.
Mama Tavia pinched the bridge of her nose. “Stanley, get your sons.”
Daddy glared at them. “You know, sometimes I wish I’d just pulled out.”
Deuce playfully pushed Daddy’s shoulder. “Pull out game weak as hell.”
“Ask your mama. She knows.”
That wiped the smile off his face. “See, you always gotta take shit too far, Senior.”
Daddy shrugged. “You go low, I’ma take it to hell.”
“No cussing, Daddy,” Darlyn said, wagging a finger at her father. “No cussing, Pop Pop.”
Deuce picked her up and kissed her cheek. “Daddy’s sorry, princess. Pop Pop made me mad.”
She looked at her grandfather. “Say sorry, Pop Pop.”
Senior ran his tongue over his teeth as Deuce stared at him with a smirk.
“Sorry, Deuce.”
As soon as Darlyn looked away, he mouthed, “Fuck you. I ain’t sorry about shit.”
A low rumble of laughter filled the space. Juri looked around the room, probably looking for a target. When her eyes landed on Titan, she smiled and hopped down from her mother’s lap to make her way over to him.
“Pick me up,” she said, raising her arms. She flashed him a smile and added, “Pleeease.”
Titan shook his head as he scooped her up. “You better be nice.”
“I nice, Ty Ty.”
She kissed his cheek, then started playing in his hair. She fisted a handful of it and sniffed his locs. Scrunching up her face, she pulled back and looked at him.
“It stink.”
I stifled a laugh. “That’s his hair oil, Juri.”
“It stinks, TiTi. My hair smells good. See.”
She grabbed his face and shoved her big puff balls in it.
“Juri!” Romi scolded. “Uncle Titan doesn’t want a mouthful of your hair, little girl.”
Juri looked at Titan, who was indeed pulling her hair from his mouth.
“Him okay,” she said, patting his arm and smiling. “Love you, Ty Ty!”
He shook his head. “I love you too, JuJu.”
“You got some monies for me?”
Titan cackled. “Ju, why are you always hustling my pockets, lil’ girl? Your daddy got it.”
“She ain’t ask me,” Smoke said, grinning. “Ju, tell him to run you yo’ munyun!”