Hood Love II

Chapter 20

[Unedited]

Lucious turned the car off. Looking up the pathway to Desmone's house he sighed. Climbing out of his car, he made his way up to it and knocked. Don opened the door and paused seeing his home boy.

"You look rough." Don spoke stepping aside. Lucious gave a dry chuckle.

" I know." He responded walking in.

"Hey Don. Can you.....DAD!" Jamal's voice yelled before attacking his father. Lucious chuckled giving his son a hug back.

"Are you okay?" Jamal mumbled softly.

"Yeah, Mal. I'm okay." He responded knowing his son needed that response.

"I was gonna ask Don to braid my hair, but can you do it? Pleaseeeee....." Jamal spoke looking up.

"Yeah , where's Andre." Lucious asked prying hiself out of Jamal's arms and walking to the couch.

"Giving Keem a bath." Jamal responded sitting down on the floor in front of his father. Lucious hummed splitting Jamal's hair so he could work on one side.

".....Dad?" Jamal asked softly after a few minutes. Lucious hands paused, he knew what that question was about without even hearing the rest.

"No son, she's not home." He responded sadly, Jamal sniffled but quickly picked up the peices.

"Oh." He replied, then quieted down til Lucious was done.

"Well since your here, you staying for dinner." Desmonè asked leaning against the wall.

"I didn't plan on it...." Lucious answered he watched her face scowl up ready to snap at him.

"I was actually coming to get the boys, and we were gonna grab something to eat on the way home." He finished before she could flip, she made an Oh face then smirked.

"Mal, go get your stuff ready. Tell Dre to get his and Keems stuff." Lucious spoke, Jamal nodded and dashed off. Des sighed sitting down next to Lucious.

"You went to go see her?" She asked, he nodded feeling that fimilar ache in his chest.

"Im glad you decided to. This will be the first Christmas without her. You should make the kids feel at home Lu." She voiced, he groaned dropping his head.

He wanted to tell Des to shut up, but she was right. Christmas was Cookie's favorite holiday, especially with the kids. Since she never got to enjoy it, when the boys came along it became her mission to make them enjoy it. Imagine a notorious drug deal with a Christmas reath on their door.

"Its next week have you guys even done shopping?" She asked, he nodded.

"Yeah, but there's a ton of other shit we were supposed to get. Now I gotta do it alone." He muttered.

"You're not alone you got all of us. I tell you what. You get the gifts I'll wrap them." Des spoke, he nodded telling her pat him on the back.

"We all feel your pain Lu. You made some strong ads kids, but even the strongest feel something. Keep an eye on them for me. They me seem fine but I know Andre cried in the shower sometimes, and Jamal sits awake at night crying. Hakeem maybe to young to understand, but he does know his mother and you are missing. That plays out in his behavior." She spoke then gave him a hug.

"Fuck." Lucious muttered a single tear sliding from his eyes. He wiped it then shook his head.

"We gone get through this though." She whispered he nodded, then straightened up hearing the boys coming down.