Err'thang About Ya ✔️

56. Come Back Home

I'm sorry,
What more can I say for you to come back home.
I was wrong,
You know I love you and I did you wrong.
I know better,
Never, ever will I doubt you, my love.
For real,
Come back home to me, come back home.

It had been a few days, and Kitty was still not ready to face Icee. He continued to leave multiple voice messages and texts and singing her songs every night. He was even writing new songs, dedicated to her and Iceejay. Though they were lovely and made her smile, it was not enough. She spent her days lounging around doing nothing, not even work. She officially took a leave from work, which she had planned on doing in two weeks anyway.

She left Randi in charge with whatever loose ends needed to be tied up. The rest of her staff was very helpful as well. Most days she was all alone. Brandy and Monica started back to school, Victor worked, and Sarena was still spending her days getting her house ready for move-in.

Her house. Their house. The house she built for her and Icee. And IceeJay. And any future children they would have.

Did she even have a future with Icee anymore?

"Hey Auntie," Brandy said, walking in through the back door, tossing her backpack on the floor.

The girl was way taller than her at only thirteen. She for sure was going to be a model. Already five feet eight inches tall. Sarena was only five feet six. Victor was six feet eleven inches. Brandy was sure to hit six feet before she was done growing.

"Hey Bran Bran," she said.

"Don't call me that Auntie," she said hugging her while she stood by the countertop eating banana icecream that Marcello dropped off for her. He was dropping off plenty of meals for her because she did not want to be a burden to Sarena having her make her something special.

"You'll always be Bran Bran to me, no matter how tall you get."

"Ugh! What is that? It stinks," she said, looking in the refrigerator.

"It's just bananas silly."

"Just bananas stinks to me," she said, grabbing a bottle of water. "Mom not home?"

"Not yet. What are you up to? Homework."

"Na, but I need to ask her if I can go out for the basketball team this year."

"Basketball. Ugh!" No one in their family was athletic. Not counting taking years of boxing and martial arts from Victor, none of them played sports. Victor played football and basketball back in high school.

"I might as well do something with this height, huh. I get teased about my skinny legs and being taller than most of my teachers," she said, sitting at the table. "Kids are stupid. Like I can help being tall. Like I can stop my growth. Lames."

She chuckled at her niece. She had no worries that bullies would get the best of her. She was a Kelly for sure, but she was more of a St. James, so they knew not to fuck with her.

"I thought you said you would be my babysitter when IceeJay is born?"

She shook her head. "I said auntie...because you're getting old and can't hear well...that I would babysit him sometimes."

"Ooo girl, you're lucky I'm pregnant, or I would get you good for that smart little mouth."

Brandy jumped up and gave her another hug. "Sorry, Auntie. You're the best. My favorite. Shhh, don't tell anyone else."

She ran off just as Sarena entered through the back door with Monica.

"Hey, Auntie."

"Hey, little Miss Fashionista!" She looked her little niece over as she modeled her new school outfit for her. She was very picky about her clothes and put together her outfits in weird ways that her mother didn't like, but she let her just be.