This Time Around

Chapter 7 - Jerome

Tuesday, May 20th

I had to call a family meeting today because I have to get my crew in line before we meet with the twins. A lot of shit is going to be dropped on them and I need to make sure they keep their cool.

"Richard, what's on your mind?"

I look up to see my beautiful wife walk into my office. God truly blessed me by sending one of His angels my way. I was just as bad as my grandsons when I was younger. I was trying to fuck as much as I could, whenever I could.

No matter how much shit I threw her way, she was always by my side. That was until I came home one night and she was packed along with my kids, ready to leave my ass because of some bitch. Rome was around three at the time. I couldn't lose my family, so I stopped fucking around and focused on getting my empire secured.

I handed the reins over to Rome because Rick was too busy chasing pussy. Now, all my hard work and sacrifices over the years will be all for nothing because these niggas can't keep their dicks in their pants. If this shit gets worse by generations, I'm packing my wife up and leaving all their asses behind. Fuck these kids.

"Just thinking about how lucky I am to have you by my side. You are still the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."

"Tell me something I don't know."

She comes over and sits in my lap and kisses me like she used to when I would be away for a while. We may be knocking at seventy, but we still make love like we are in our thirties.

"You gon' fuck around and your kids are going to walk in here and find you bent over this desk, love."

"If anything, they will find me laid on top of it with your face buried between my legs."

"That works too."

We kiss again before she pulls away and stares at me. It always seems like she is looking deep into my soul. Her eyes are the only thing that my boys inherited from her. Especially Rome. He's my twin from top to bottom. He did get his mother's sensitive side though because I would have been inclined to be like Rick if I was married to Brenda. Well, before we knew the full story.

"Everything is going to be okay. You have always trusted my word, don't stop now."

"I trust you with my life, love. Always will. It's these fucking demon spawns that give me pause. I give them hell, but I love them and I'm not going to just sit back and let something happen to them.

They are all hot headed as fuck and I know they get that from me. I just have more common sense. Not knowing what's going to happen, makes me a little anxious. My biggest concerns are June, Ricky, Marcus, and Reggie. All of them are loose cannons and I don't want to have to break my foot off in their ass."

She runs her hands through my salt and pepper gray curls and kisses me again. This time, it's for comfort. This is how she relaxes me. I melt like butter every time.

"You don't have anything to worry about. They will act like the men and women we raised them to be. Trust me. They don't want to feel my wrath."

She winks and gets off my lap to go to the door as the doorbell rings. I give slaps on the wrist compared to my wife. We decided to move to Atlanta full time after the attack. Almost everyone moved here. I only agreed because I wanted to be close to my great grands.

I have never understood why these mothafuckas can't just come into the house and be quiet. I can hear their asses all the way down the hall. I close my eyes and say a short prayer, asking for patience and delayed reflexes.