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When I saw Storm’s number, I rolled my eyes. To fuck with him, I answered breathlessly. “What, Storm?”
“Jenahra,” he said as if he was about to scold me.
I could imagine the frown on his face, and I nearly laughed. “What? I thought you were going deep sea diving,” I said, barely able to control myself.
“We got the quickie out of the way, and now Aspen is taking a shower for the main event. You worried about the wrong thing. If you was getting your back blown out, you shouldn’t have answered the damn phone. I don’t wanna hear my oldest sister sounding like she got COPD.”
I couldn’t hold my laughter any longer. I hollered as I fell to the bed. “Shut up, Storm! What do you want?”
“Shit, I done forgot now. You done made me fucking sick to my stomach. Oh! Bali called and said Remington and CJ was fighting. Remington beat his ass, but don’t worry. I’m gon’ beat Remington’s lil ass tomorrow.”
“What were they fighting for?”
“It was Remy’s fault. CJ had a popsicle, and Remy snatched it from him. CJ got mad and popped him in his head. Remy got mad back and dove on him. They’re probably friends again by now, but I’m gonna handle him in the morning.”
“Thanks for letting me know, Storm. Tell your little imps to keep their hands off my baby though.”
“Imps? Angels can’t produce imps, Jen. Study yo’ Bible. Gabriel is a messenger of God, girl.”
“Clearly, you’re delusional just like Mama Monroe was when she called you Gabriel that day.”
“Storm?” I heard Aspen call out.
“Bye, Jen. I gotta go serve Aspen this demon di—”
I ended the call in his face. Storm was the most disrespectful nigga I knew. No wonder his kids didn’t have any damn sense.
CHAPTER9
KENNY
“This time of year is always the hardest.”
“I know, baby,” I said as she and I pushed Kendrick’s fire truck back and forth between us.
We only did this around the holidays and his birthday, but it was more to remember him than anything else now. There was some sorrow, because even after all these years, I missed him. I still wore my hair loose on his birthday and Christmas day every year. He loved playing in it. When I slid it back to Keisha, she held it in her hands then looked up at me and smiled.
She slid it back under the bed, then I pulled her to me. I wrapped my arms around her as she sat between my legs and leaned back against me. “Baby, you have a lot of work to do tomorrow to help Jen and Chrissy. Why don’t we just go to bed?”
“Mm. Okay,” she said, not making a move.
I lightly kissed her neck as she slid her hand up the back of my head. “Are we still going to let Kingston and Kane open presents tomorrow since it’s the wedding?”
“Yeah. It’ll just be later. Is Shylou and Cass coming tomorrow? I haven’t had a chance to talk to him today.”
“Yeah, they are.”
“Kingston and Kane will be glad to hear that.”
“Yeah. SS, too, since he’s gotten just as close to Shaydon and Shykim.”
Shaydon and Shykim were Cass and Shylou’s boys. They were barely a year apart in age. Shykim and Kingston were the same age. Shaydon was a year older, and Kane was a year younger. I couldn’t wait until they got here. Since Shylou and I were no longer in business together, we didn’t get to see each other nearly as often as we used to. We were both busy as hell with our own businesses.
Shit, I had the truck stop and the ambulance service to worry about. He had several stores and his own successful clothing line. He’d gotten his first celebrity endorsement a couple of years ago, not counting that of his cousin who was a rapper and had always looked out for him. I was beyond proud of him. He’d always had a business mind. That was why we instantly gelled in school. We were a lot alike in that aspect.
I patted Keisha’s hips so she would stand. Once she did, she extended her hand to help me from the floor. I smiled and accepted her help then pulled her in my arms. She wrapped her arms around me, and before she could lay her head on my chest, there was a crash in the room the boys were in. I dropped my head back. That was what we got for letting SS and RJ come over. My boys were rough enough on their own. They didn’t need help. “Help, Holy Ghost,” Keisha voiced as I left the room to see what was up.
When I got to the room, Karima was standing in the doorway fussing. “Kane, you know better, bruh. Daddy gon’ whip yo’ high yellow butt.”
