Unbreakable
Three weeks later…
Remi and Petal were in the middle of the dance floor, having the time of their lives.
Most of the old heads in town were in attendance, along with their children who Remi had helped raise over the years.
She was truly a staple in their community with how much she gave back and volunteered.
It was why nobody had a problem ever showing up for her when she was in need.
The woman hadn’t had to cut her own grass or repair a damn thing in her house in decades.
“Giselle, you look good!” Maisie gassed her up and snapped her fingers twice at the gold disco jumpsuit and honey brown wig her cousin rocked effortlessly.
“And you look like Diana Ross,” Giselle replied as Heavy came up behind her in a black suit with a white shirt.
He refused to put on bell bottom pants, but a pair of black shades also shielded his eyes from all the smoke and flashing lights.
“Yes, honey, and look at Mama out there on her Chaka Khan.” Maisie nodded toward the floor.
Lou had installed a long kinky curly wig, and Remi had been shaking that shit since she put it on.
Now that the family was somewhat getting some act right, she was able to enjoy life and not be so stressed out about everybody.
With most of the town in attendance at this party, Maisie arranged for one of her waitress’s teenage daughters to keep an eye on the twins and Pierre upstairs in her office.
She’d set it up so they could enjoy snacks and food while watching TV and playing on their tablets.
“She deserves it.” Giselle grinned and paused at the bar.
Heavy moved in behind her, pinning her in place, and Maisie brought them both a shot of tequila.
“VIP is set up for our group. Gem and Solo are in there and… Oz, Henna, Viggo, and Prischa.”
“I’m good right here.” Heavy picked up his glass and tossed his shot back.
“You gon’ be petty and immature all night?” Maisie challenged.
“Let me get another.” Heavy held his glass up, and Giselle tipped hers to her lips.
“Yeah, I don’t think we should try to mix healing with alcohol tonight, Mais,” Giselle voiced.
“Please, that’s when it gets real. I’m going to check on everybody and make sure they’re good. The food is set up over in the corner if you want to eat.”
She sauntered off, leaving Crew, Heavy, and Giselle posted at the bar.
Everyone had showed out in keeping with the theme, so there were flashy outfits and big hair everywhere as Giselle rocked her hips and snapped her fingers.
Crew poured them all more shots and removed the blunt from behind his ear.
“Nice suit, son.” Toussaint slapped a hand against Heavy’s shoulder when he and Horace approached the bar. “You look beautiful, Giselle.” He stepped forward to kiss her cheek like he always did when he greeted her.
“Thank you.” Giselle beamed as Heavy wrapped his arms around her.
The two of them wore flashy shirts and slacks, Horace even pulled out an old pair of platform shoes. Crew took a pull from the blunt and held the smoke in his lungs before exhaling.
“Pass that shit, Crew,” Horace encouraged. “Petal out here showing her ass. We gon’ be lit tonight! She gon’ have me popping a Viagra to keep up.”
Crew threw his head back and chortled. Horace was a riot and he hoped he and Maisie was just like him and Petal when they got older. Giselle spun in Heavy’s arms and faced him. He’d tossed back another shot when she draped her arms around his neck and snuggled up to him.
“Do you think you can play nice for me tonight?” she asked, her big brown eyes searching his. “This is a family thing, and we are all family.”
For a moment, he was quiet, pondering her request as his hands slid down her waist to her hips.
“For you? I’ll try.” He pecked her lips gently, and she tasted the tequila on his. “First muhfucka say something crazy getting knocked the fuck out, though.”
“Then, just focus on me.” Giselle’s tone was laced with seduction, making Heavy’s dick stretch.
Grabbing his hand, she led him away from the bar and to the section Maisie typically kept reserved for them. Remi’s birthday cake was five tiers and gorgeous with flowers arranged from top to bottom in her favorite colors, maroon and gold. A sparkling gold candle with the number 70 sat on top.
The minute Giselle pulled Heavy into VIP, the air in the room thickened. Prischa paused mid swallow of her champagne. She and Viggo sat closely on the couch, and he blew a blunt with one arm draped behind her.
“Is that Heavy out here in a suit?” Gem couldn’t believe her eyes.
“Don’t get used to it,” he said, hugging Giselle from behind.
“I heard this was where the party is!” Milani’s boisterous voice filled the air, causing him to freeze up.
Everyone kept to the dress code, so the yellow tassel dress and big curly hair with matching yellow eyeshadow blended right in.
Pulling away from Giselle, Heavy slowly faced his mother, and everyone in the room braced themselves for whatever was about to happen.
Milani snapped her fingers and swayed her hips to the music.
“Oh, don’t look at me like that, Huey! You know if there is a party, I’m there.”
“Yeah? You high too?” he questioned, narrowing his eyes.
“Only off life and whatever my doctor prescribed,” she answered, hands falling to her size twenty waist.
Milani was in no way a petite woman, and since she’d been clean, the weight seemed to be sticking even more.
“I thought you didn’t care about me. Why you worried about if I’m sober or not?”
“Why are you here?”
“I got as much right to be here as anybody else. Southwick is my home too. It wouldn’t be yours if it wasn’t for me.
Remi is also an extended member of this family.
Now, you gon’ show some respect and at least introduce your mama to the mother of your children?
” She waved a hand at Giselle who hung back silently.
Heavy didn’t respond at first. Instead, he searched his mother’s bright, attentive eyes.
There was something different there for sure.
She wasn’t all dazed, and they weren’t glossed over like she’d been high for days.
Even her skin was clear, making her appear a lot younger than her fifty-two years.
“Hi. I’m Giselle.” She stepped forward with her hand extended.
“Excuse my son. He wasn’t raised like that.” Milani teased, grabbing Giselle’s hand.
“No. He’s always been nothing but a gentleman with me. I can tell he had some good influences.” Giselle hugged up to her man.
“Yeah, and I wasn’t one of ’em,” Milani chimed in, joining Giselle in laughter.
“But you are a very beautiful girl. Must be special to have him out in a suit.” Milani reached out and tugged on the flap to Heavy’s blazer.
“I don’t think I’ve seen one of these on him since my daddy’s funeral. I’m Milani, by the way.”
“It’s nice to meet you.”
“I’m sure he’s told you all kinds of stories about me.”
“A few.” Giselle nodded.
“I’m not as bad as he makes me seem,” Milani voiced.
“Actually, he’s never said anything bad about you. Just little anecdotes from his childhood. The good things.”
“Really?” Milani was genuinely shocked before her gaze drifted back to her son, who remained stoic with one arm around Giselle.
She had no idea how much of an anchor she was in this moment.
“I didn’t know he still remembered those.”
“I’m going to check on the kids,” Heavy told Giselle.
“Can I see them? Please?” Milani pleaded, eyes flickering with excitement.
Hesitant, Heavy’s eyes drifted around the room and found exactly who he was searching for.
Henna sat next to Oz, who engaged in conversation with Gem and Solo.
She was looking dead at him. Her twin radar sensed distress.
He didn’t want to react wrong in this moment, but he didn’t want to let Milani in, only to give her a chance to hurt not just him, but now his seeds.
Giselle pressed a hand against his chest, eyes peering into his before her brows cinched slightly together.
“She’s the only grandmother they have,” she reminded him, pain resonating in the reality of those words.
Heavy’s entire heart ached for her. Nodding, he bowed his head to kiss her.
“Come on.” He pulled away from Giselle and walked his mother out.
She stared after them for a minute before joining everyone else.
“What was that about?” Henna asked, leaning forward.
“She wants to meet the kids.”
“And he’s going to let her?” she pried, brows lifting as she gripped the rim of her glass.
“He was hesitant. I made a point or two,” Giselle disclosed with a shrug.
“Thank you.” Henna’s words shocked Giselle.
She had no idea what the little gesture meant.
If Heavy was willing to open his heart to their mother again, they could work on being the family she always wanted them to be.
Harlee and Heir were like the icing on the cake to start over and be better for each other.
Although Toussaint and Milani weren’t together anymore, there was still a mutual love and respect.
Her father never disrespected her, and he had every right to it with the shit she pulled.
The drugs, different men, abandoning him and their kids.
Instead of dwelling on what he couldn’t change, he absorbed himself in the streets.
Hustling became his way of life, giving him a purpose and motivation to go hard for his kids.
Toussaint got jammed up on some bullshit charges, but he was smart with his money, distributing it amongst his parents to slowly build their family legacy.
It was all in the timing, and Horace always told them not to be in a rush to do anything.
Savor every stage of it. Henna didn’t practice patience as well as her brother.
“Wow. Look at them.” Milani gushed with a hand pressed against her chest.