Lights Please II

31: Dad's Got You

Jermaine

After I was able to get Brandy and Tess to kinda calm down a little, we did actually discuss Chris and them moving out. I was adamant that I didn't want her to take him to the West Coast so she's looking at places in and around New York... not gonna lie that shit made me happy as hell cause I'd just have to drive a couple minutes to see my son. I wouldn't have to miss a single game, he could come around the house more and spend time with his siblings. Whatever I could do in power to speed up that process, I was gonna do.

"Why you cheesing like that?" Tess said looking up me frowning.

"Because it's a beautiful day and I'm with my wife and lifes' good," I smiled with a shrug and she rolled her eyes. "Fix ya face baby," I chuckled as I took her hand and we walked to the car.

"She gets on my last fucking nerve," she mumbled, referencing Brandy.

"I know she does baby," I laughed a little, "but you ain't had to come... you wanted to."

She looked up at me and narrowed her eyes. "I don't know why you laughing aint shit funny."

I squeezed her hand, "you need me to get deep in them guts so you stop being so moody?"

"Yes," she nodded, "but I also want cake."

"You sound just like your daughter witcho fatass—" I laughed, shaking my head, "aight I'll take you where you wanna go."

---

After driving around and catching up for a bit we went to the cheesecake factory; Tess and I had been so busy the past couple of weeks with our careers and the kids we never really made time for each other. She got her cake and was doing a happy dance in her chair.

"You good now?"

"Yuppppp," she grinned.

"You are unbelievable," I shook my head as she took a bite of her red velvet cheesecake and her second slice of chocolate cake sat there waiting for her. "I'm flying out for a show this week..." I told her.

"When?"

"In two days," I scratched the back of my neck.

"Why you telling me last minute? So I don't come?" she raised an eyebrow.

"You can come if you wanna come baby I ain't never said that come on—"

"You know how hard it'll be to make arrangments for the kids with such short notice," she frowned at me like she was tryna read me or something. "Where's the show? Are you headlining?"

"Nah.... It's JID show—in LA, and while I'm there I'm gonna take some time to check up on the Dreamville house and hold a meeting with all the artists and shit." I told her.

"Aight well have fun," she mumbled.

"Why you gotta be like that about it?" I asked her, confused.

"Cause I don't like being away from you," she poked her bottom lip out and played with the tiny bit of cake left in her plate. "and you're leaving me alone with the kids..."

"Well Chris is going back with his mom the night before, and it'll just be the girls. Why don't I fly out your sister so she can spend those couple days with you?"

"I guessssssssssssss." She shrugged.

"You so up and down with your emotions baby, you sure you not pregnant?"

She raised an eyebrow at me, "Don't say that.. don't even put that into the universe. I'm not about to give you another damn baby—"

"But why not?" I asked eagerly.

"Because labor hurts like a motherfucker—"

"I know I was there..."

"You ain't see too much from the floor," she laughed.

"When will you let that go? That was only with Lex..... When we had Aaliyah I was basically assisting the doctor—shit I delivered her my damn self," I smiled, proud of myself.

"Okay now you just lyin—" she busted out laughing. I loved kicking it with Tess like this, she was my best friend.

I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and saw it was Chris calling.

"Yo wassup man?"

"Hey dad... when y'all coming back?" he asked.

"Why? You not having fun with auntie Leish?" I said, amused.

"I just been playing the game in my room," he sounded kinda upset, I could hear it in his voice.

"What's goin on Christian, everything good back there?"

"Y-yeah everything's fine... I just wanted to see when y'all were coming back home,"

"We'll be there in a minute aight?"

----

Tess

After Jermaine got the call from Chris, we cut our little date short and headed home. I could tell something was off just by the way he instinctively got up and rushed us out. The whole way he was driving like a mad man but I ain't wanna ask too many questions. Once we got home, the girls were downstairs with Aleisha and Riley working on some arts and crafts so we went upstairs to talk to Chris. "Hey it's us, can we come in?" I knocked lightly and entered his room.

He was sitting on the bed crying and Jermaine and I both looked at each other confused before sitting on either side of him.

"What's goin on man?" Cole hugged him and kissed his forehead. I sniffed and huffed and puffed as his breathing got heavier.

"Breathe Chris, you alright we got you... whatever it is," I rubbed his back and he started to breathe in and out before he spoke.

"Mommy just called and she said you guys met to talk about me and that we're gonna move to LA. B-b-but all my friends are in Fayetteville," he started crying harder and I looked up at Cole who had clenched his jaw, feigning annoyance. "a-and if we go to LA then it's gonna be super far from you guys and Liyah and Lexi,"

"Aye look at me," Cole gently said, "you ain't moving to LA and I'll make sure of it aight? Let me talk to your mom about it... you don't have nothing to worry about. You're a kid—this kinda stuff shouldn't be stressing you out. You good, don't worry dad's got you," he gave him a hug and he rested in him and nodded.

"Daddy?" he finally said.

"Wassup big guy?"

"I don't wanna live with my mom no more.... I wanna live with y'all,"