Chapter 10 You Remind Me
YOU REMIND ME
Later that day…
“The hell y’all doing here?” Heavy exhaled weed smoke from the front porch of Giselle’s house.
Crew pulled up with Oz and Solo in his car, while Maisie, Lou, and Gem all rolled up behind them in Remi’s pick-up truck. Furniture and other boxes were stacked on the back as the group piled out of the vehicles, everybody carrying something.
“Remi recruited us. Since she fed us and shit, we couldn’t exactly say no,” Oz voiced, turning his fitted hat backward on his head. “What you doing here?”
“Checking on the house for my baby mama,” Heavy answered.
With a glare, he took another pull from the blunt. Maisie choked on the blunt she and the girls were smoking, and Crew spit out the water he was guzzling.
“I’m sorry, what!” Lou screamed.
“Giselle!” Maisie hollered.
“Damn, Mais, you are the bull horn, ain’t you?” Giselle rushed out onto the porch in time to find everyone coming up the sidewalk. “What is wrong with you?”
“Me? When were you going to mention that Heavy, and not that fuck nigga husband of yours is the twin’s daddy?” Maisie demanded.
“After I told him.” Giselle rested her hands on her hip. “What are y’all doing here?”
“Nah, nah, nah.” Crew waved a hand. “Fuck all that. How and when this shit happen? And how come we didn’t know about it?”
“Ain’t like she told me either.” Heavy pinched the blunt tighter between his fingers and brought it to his lips.
Giselle cut a sharp glare in his direction before her attention swung back to her people, who were all awaiting answers.
“Oh, shit, it happened that night, didn’t it?” Maisie did the math, and her eyes bucked. “The night you got stuck at the shop, and the power went out.”
“Nigga had to keep warm somehow,” Solo muttered, voice dripping with sarcasm as he huffed and puffed, carrying a large box up the steps labeled kitchen. “Where you want this, shorty?”
“Um, straight through to the kitchen.” Giselle pointed over her shoulder.
“Maisie, see, that’s why I didn’t tell you then. You always making something out of nothing.” Giselle sucked her teeth.
“Shit, sounds like you two muhfuckas made something,” Crew accused. “Twice.”
With an eyeroll, Giselle turned to go back inside.
Petal helped her unpack what was going to be the kids’ room.
She wanted to get them situated first before she figured out her sleeping arrangements for the night.
The two of them had their little sleeping bags, and she planned to make it like an adventure for them.
Within a couple of hours, she managed to get stuff put away in the kitchen and bathrooms. It wasn’t a mansion, but it was home.
Heir and Harlee couldn’t stop running and chasing each other from room to room.
Remi thought of everything, including more food to feed everyone.
The sun had gone down, and most of the men hung out on the porch while Maisie poured wine for the women inside, and the twins played on the floor in the living room with toys.
“They are so damn cute, G. I can’t stand it.” Lou grinned and tipped her glass to her lips.
Giselle and Maisie sat side by side on the windowsill, with Lou holding up the wall beside her sister, and Gem on the floor seated Indian style, watching the twins play. Petal strolled out from the kitchen with her leather purse draped over one shoulder.
“Chile, I am beat. Going home to soak these old dogs and call it a night. You call me if you need anything, Giselle. I already told you if something is wrong with the house, just let your baby daddy know.” Petal winked, and Maisie and Lou snickered.
“Thanks for everything, Petal.”
“Don’t you worry about it. Don’t worry about paying any rent either, because I won’t take your money. Goodnight, beauties.”
“Goodnight, Petal!” Gem, Lou, and Maisie sang after her.
“Giselle, you got kids. Two of them!” Maisie teased. “I can’t believe it. I want to strangle you for allowing us to miss you pregnant and giving birth, but I’m so glad they’re here.”
“Not so much me, though, right?” Giselle guzzled the last of her wine.
“I’m mad at you. Hell yeah,” Maisie admitted.
“Thanks, Mais. Can always count on you to keep it real.”
“Nope, you don’t get to come in here with these two little angels and expect anybody to forgive you. I love you, but wrong is wrong… and you ma cherie, are dead wrong in this.” Maisie motioned with her fingers as the front door slammed shut and footsteps followed.
“Mais, I got some shit to handle. We ’bout to roll,” Crew announced with Heavy at his side.
He briefly glanced at Giselle before taking in Heir and Harlee on the floor, entertaining themselves with their toys.
Leaning against the doorway, hooded eyes glistening, it was hard to believe he had a hand in them being here.
For hours, all he could think about was the time he missed, which made him angry and aching in an unfamiliar way.
“Mmm, okay. Drop me at the club. I need to be there tonight.” Maisie hopped up and grabbed her Dior clutch from beside her.
“We’re heading to this mixer at the frat house.” Gem brought herself to her feet. “I’ll see you two tomorrow, okay?”
“Victory Park, Giselle. This Saturday. So, make sure y’all are ready to go by eleven.” Lou went to give her a quick hug because she looked like she needed it. “Goodnight, babies!” She gushed, waving to them on her way out with Gem.
“I’ll let you know how shit is moving when we’re done,” Crew said, turning to Heavy.
“No doubt. Be careful.” The two dapped each other up before Crew rushed to the twins.
“Aight now, y’all make sure to drive your mama crazy all night. Tell her Saturday nights are reserved for Uncle Crew and Auntie Maisie, though.”
“Do you have a puppy?” Harlee questioned, her big brown eyes searching him.
“No, but if you want one, we can get one,” he promised.
“Bye, Crew!” Giselle pointed to the door.
“How I’m supposed to say no to that face, G? She can have a whole litter if she wants one.” Crew leaned in and blew a strawberry kiss against Harlee’s cheek, which made her fall over giggling.
“Aye, get off my sister.” Heir nudged him back, and Crew mushed his forehead.
“You ain’t tough.”
“I fight you for her.” Heir nodded to Harlee.
“You know what? I ain’t even mad at that, homie. You sleeping on the porch when you come over, though,” Crew stood, laughing and shaking his head on the way out.
Heir played with his cars, moving away from where Harlee sat with her stuffed animals, having tea. He pushed the little Corvette across the hardwood floors until he was at Heavy’s feet.
“You want to play cars with me?” Heir questioned, resting on his knees and peering up at him.
Heavy crouched in front of him, picking up the car and examining it. It was a ’67 red Corvette. He remembered his grandpa refurbishing one back in the day.
“You like cars?” Heavy asked.
“He loves them.” Giselle cleared her throat. “Huey, why don’t you go get your bag with all the cars and show Heavy?”
The name struck something in Heavy’s chest.
Heir shot an annoyed glance in his mother’s direction.
“Mama, you ’sposed to call me Heir.”
“I’m sorry, baby.” She hid her smile because he was so serious.
“She not sorry. She do that when she want to be funny,” Heir muttered, making Heavy chuckle as he rolled his eyes and walked out.
“Huey! Huey! Come back, Huey!” Harlee jumped up and chased after Heir.
Giselle couldn’t help it; she burst out laughing while taking a few towels from a leftover box.
“Harlee, leave him alone!”
“You named him after me?” Heavy’s tone was low when he stood.
“You’re his father.” She didn’t look at him as she removed the last towel.
“I wanted them both to have something from you. I knew you liked cars and working on vehicles, but I wasn’t about to name my daughter Chevy or Lexus.
Harlee suited her. Plus, if you haven’t noticed, she’s always scowling like you, and it starts with an H. ”
“I don’t even know what to do with this,” he confessed.
Pausing, Giselle held the towels against her chest. She saw the panic and concern on his face and laughed a little.
“You look like me the day I got the ultrasound and found out it was two of them. You’re doing fine.
They like you… and you would know if they didn’t.
All this is just an adjustment. I realized that today.
They were deprived of it all. The aunties, uncles, cousins.
But… they love it. I spent my whole life fighting the balance between the world my parents created for me and Southwick.
” Giselle set her towels beside the box and took in the average living room that she couldn’t wait to transform.
“It took a lot of reflecting… and growth but… I see the charm. It was Daddy who thought we needed to elevate and mix it up with the people in Leawood. I remember right before mama died, she said she wished she had moved me to Southwick with Remi for a ‘normal life’.” Giselle took a breath.
“At some point, I realized I was doing the same things to my kids. Alonzo didn’t love them like a father was supposed to.
Me and them… we were nothing but a fixture for him.
I created that environment for us. So… it’s all my fault.
I was prepared to take the heat. I just hoped that you all would love them more than me, and it worked out. ” She perked up.
“Ain’t no loving them without you, princess,” Heavy spoke up.
Her heart fluttered in her chest, and she half smiled.
“It’s time for their baths. I usually read them a story after, and they have a snack.”
“Mama, can we sleep in here next to the fire like a real camp?” Heir asked from the doorway, holding his clear tote bag full of all his cars and trucks he’d collected over the years.
“I think that sounds like a fun idea. Remi sent graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate bars, too. How about we make some s’mores, and I can read you a story?”
“Yeah! Heavy, you want to see all my cars?” Heir held his bag up.