Lights Please II

35: Tough Crowd

Jermaine

After kicking it with Chris and Ib we headed back home, I told Tess I would try and make it back before it was too late— which I did. But, just in case I stopped at Cheesecake Factory and got Tess' favorite red velvet cake.

"Honey I'm hooooome," I said super exaggerated, as I entered our bedroom. The rest of the lights were off so I wasn't surprised when I saw Lex and Liyah laying in our bed with Tess.

"Dadddy!"

"Dada!"

"Tess why you got these children in our marital bed?" I said, jokingly and she blinked up at me and held onto Aaliyah tighter.

"Cause you ain't come home on time I got a new cuddle buddy," she kissed Aaliyah's cheek.

"Damn it's like that? So you don't want this red velvet cake I got you then?" I raised an eyebrow.

She sat up and blinked at me. She ain't say nothing, so I looked at her and back at my daughters. Alexia was focused on the TV in front of her and wasn't paying me no mind. Aaliyah, like her moms was staring at me blinking a couple times.

"Damn, tough crowd--" I scratched the back of my head and handed Tess the box of cake anyway.

"Shoulda just given it to her in the first place bruh," Chris shook his head at me and climbed into the bed with the girls. Damn, now he's taking their side and shit. I can't even win in my own house.

Tess smiled over at Chris and gave him a fist pump, "that's why you're my favourite,"

"That ain't what you was saying last night when I was deep in your—" I mumbled.

"JERMAINE." Tess yelled, making me shut up.

I walked past the bedroom into our bathroom, I wasn't tryna watch one more episode of Peppa Pig with these kids. I took a long shower and changed into a pair of sweats before coming out almost thirty minutes later to find my family exactly as I had left them on the bed.

"Aight time to get out my bed," I tapped Lex and Chris, only cause Liyah was still in Tess' lap so she was too far out of my reach.

"But dadddddddyyyyyy," Lex pouted, "we was just gonna watch another episode—"

"I'm tired though baby girl," I pouted.

"Uhhh then you can go and sleep in my bed." She shrugged like it was the most simple solution she'd ever come up with.

Tess eventually stood up and took the kids to their room for bed time. I grabbed the remote, and flipped to ESPN. I was watching football but it was really just playing in the back ground. The group chat was popping tonight. The boys was on they bullshit again tonight, and as usual I was entertaining it. I was a grown ass man who had settled down, so I encouraged my niggas to fuck as many hoes as they could before it's too late.

I briefly looked up at my phone to see Tess was standing in front of me. She was looking at me weird, with a frown on her face. "What's good, you aight?"  I asked her, as I set my phone down.

"Yeah I'm alright," she shrugged, "why you smiling so hard at your phone like that? Who texting you?"

"My side bitch, she said wassup," I smirked at her and when she just blinked at me again I realized she wasn't in the mood for my bullshit today. "what's goin on witchu?" I asked her as I watched her walk over to the bathroom. I heard the sink running so she presumably was brushing her teeth and washing her face for the night.

She came back in the room in one of my t-shirts and the fresh cornrows she usually has under her wig. She slid in the bed next to me without saying a word and was busy on her iPad scrolling through some shit.

"Tessie?" I frowned.

"Yeah?" she mumbled.

"Talk to me please,"

"I'ono I just feel weird... bad day I guess..."

"C'mere," I told her and immediately pulled her in for a cuddle. I kissed her forehead as she relaxed in my arms. "I love you, beautiful."

"Love you too," she said softly.

We laid down just like that until she fell asleep in my arms. I didn't know what it was that had her feeling like this, but it was my job to protect her and to be her safe place. I didn't want her hurting, whenever she's hurting, so am I.

-

Tess

I woke up and rolled over and looked at the time. 12:38. I rubbed my eyes and sighed. Weirdly, I slept in. I was usually up at 8, if the kids didn't wake me up before then. I reached over to Cole's side of the bed and found it empty. Last night I was going through it and he really gave me what I needed. He truly was soulmate. I didn't have to exchange any words with him—he always knew exactly what I needed.

I rubbed my eyes, and got out of bed and reached for my robe before  sliding into it. I checked my phone, the regular suspects were blowing up my iMessages; my mom, my sister, Leish and Zoe. We were due to hang out again soon, speaking of which. We ain't seen each other in a while. I clicked out of my messages and scrolled through instagram as I walked downstairs to the living room. I found Cole and the kids in the kitchen. I couldn't help but smile to myself. 

"Hey," I smiled while the kids preoccupied themselves running around the kitchen.

"Hey baby girl, you good?" Jermaine pulled me in for a hug and kissed my forehead. I smiled and nodded and held him tighter.

"Thank you," I said softly, but it was weighted, I was grateful for everything he did and it didn't need to be communicated... and he knew that.

"Don't mention it.... you feelin better?" he kissed my forehead again and I nodded.

"Yeah... thanks,"

"We made chicken and waffles, your favorite," he gave me a slight squeeze.

"You're the best baby," I leaned up on my toes to kiss him.

"EWWWWW," the kids said in unison and we waved them off. Cole pulled me in and brought his lips to mine again, this time deepening the kiss. I laughed, pulling back and slightly slapping his chest.

"Don't do that to my babies," I rolled my eyes. I grabbed a glass of orange juice as my husband fixed me my plate.

"I'm not a baby actually," Chris puffed his chest out.

"trueeeeee," I laughed, roughing up his hair and kissed his forehead.

"I be kissing girls in school too,"he dusted off his shoulder.

"YOU SAID WHAT?" I rolled my neck to get a good look at him. Jermaine laughed and dapped his son up.

"Ayeeeee that's my boy-- you got lil girlfriends--?" Cole asked, grinning from eat to ear. I shook my head at him.

"Nah don't encourage this," I sat down and began to dig into my food. "that's not funny... Chris you're a kid--"

Whatever I was saying was going in through one ear and out the other. I looked up at them and they were busy winking and smirking at each other. I peeped Cole mouthing to Chris that they would talk about it later. He gave him a hug and picked up Aaliyah who was crawling all over the floor. "Don't eat chicken off the floor sweetheart," he told her in his soft baby voice. "gimme that," he grabbed the piece from her hand.

"Y'all I gotta go down to the studio and hear what these kids are about to put out..." he took another piece of fried chicken and grabbed his things.

"When you coming home?" I asked him.

"I'ono baby, I'll text you," he threw on his dreamville hoodie.

"Bet," I nodded and he came over and kissed my lips softly. "thanks for breakfast."

"Don't mention it baby girl," he pecked me again, "aight kids be good I don't wanna hear that you weren't on your best behaviour--" he said pointing at Lex and she grinned up at him, already knowing she was tryna be up to no good like she always is.

The girls walked with Cole to the door; everytime he left the house they would stand at the glass part of the door and wave at him until he pulled out the driveway. Those kids adored the hell out of their father.