Getting Grace

Chapter Forty-Two

"So I mean." Kelly bit his lip. "You told your dad."

"No of course not. How can I?" Grace said sitting under Kelly. He rubbed her shoulder for comfort and kissing her cheek. "Jerome said he would tell him for me."

"Naw, let's do it today when he gets home." Kelly said. "Alright?"

"I don't want to be in the room with him when he finds out. I don't want to see his face." Grace said.

"Well I don't even my parents find out either, but I'm not telling them unless it's my child." Kelly said. "They have standards and don't even know I'm having sex."

"How long?"

"I been having sex since I was 14." Kelly said.

"Oh." Grace stared at the wall for a few minutes unaware that Kelly was staring at her.

"You straight?" Kelly asked waving a hand in her face.

Grace's eyes got smaller and she curled her lips up. She put her face into her hands and broke down crying. Kelly's eyes got big and he hugged her around her waist.

"What's wrong?" He hugged pulling her close and hugging her tightly.

"I don't wanna be a mother, yet. I don't want anybody calling me mommy. I'm not ready." Grace sobbed.

"Grace, you gotta calm down." Kelly said. "Stressing and worrying yourself is bad."

"Kelly I'm about to be a mother." Grace cried.

"And imma help you, I'll be a father. You're not in this alone." Kelly said.

"A father, huh?" Kelly jumped and turned around seeing Grace's dad. Grace wrapped her arms tighter around Kelly and cried harder. "Congratulations. Grace you have something you want to tell me?"

She shook her head. "Please don't make me say it."

"Grace not saying it isn't gonna make it go away." Kelly reminded her.

"Kelly I'd like to talk to my daughter alone." Gary said sternly. Kelly quickly got up leaving Grace reaching for him and walked out. Gary slammed the door and Grace jumped. "Didn't we just talk about this?!" He yelled. "Didn't I just warn you?!"

"Daddy, I'm sorry. But it was before we talked. When I was dating Jerome."

"So what? You got knocked up by a deadbeat?" He asked banging on the desk. "You've known for months and never thought to tell me!"

"Daddy I was scared. I knew you'd be disappointed."

"Oh I am. I am very disappointed." Her dad said. "Even your brother doesn't have kids. And I know he has lots of sex because her a young man with money."

"Daddy, I'm not sure who actually is the father." Grace said lowly.

"WHAT!?" He yelled at the top of his lungs.

"It could be Kelly." Grace said crying harder and shrinking up. Her dad stated at her for a minute before taking his belt off. Her eyes got big as she knew a friendly childhood reminder was headed her way. "Daddy no!"

He cocked back and shot at the target. "Good job Saint." Jerome said patting his shoulder. "That's better than what you did last time."

"Can I take a break? I'm bored." Saint asked.

"Yeah." Jerome said walking back into the front room.

"So anyways I was thinking about a color change, but he'd never allow that." Jerome heard Deira say.

"Who?" He asked rubbing on her shoulders.

"I wasn't talking about you." She said turning around and smirking. Jerome pecked her lips and Megan laughed shaking her head.

"What?" Jerome asked.

"You settling down now or something?" She asked lighting a cigarette.

"Naw. You see, I tried that, but it didn't work out." Jerome said. "She just gon be my main bitch."

"What happened? You fell in love?" She joked blowing out smoke.

"Yeah, and I lost her. I loved her and she cheated and cheated." Jerome said shaking his head. "So fuck it. That was my sign that love is not for me. These bitches are."

"Except I'm the best bitch." Deira said.

"Ma. I'm thirsty." Saint said leaning against Deira.

"Go get something to drink." Deira said wiggling him off her leg.

"Where did Tyler go?" He asked looking around.

"He went outback to the shed." He said he'll be right back.

"Alright." Jerome said sitting down. He pulled his phone out and was getting a call from Regina. "Wassup, ma?" He said standing up and leaving the room.

"Hey Rome. Guess who's in town for the week." She said.

"Coo. What yall doing?" Jerome asked.

"Hanging out. I brought Camilla back just for you. She need daddy time and my mom think's I'm in Atlanta. So you're safe." She said. "But where are you? I'm at your house."

"I'm at the shooting range." He said. "I'll come by there now."

"Ok." She said hanging up. Jerome grabbed his keys and told Deira he'd be back."

"Babygirl!" Jerome said walking up to Camilla. She smiled and walked over to him. "The last time I saw you, you couldn't walk. And neither could your mother."

"Hush." She said.

"I'm just being honest." Jerome said picking her up. "Hey baby girl."