Lasting |His Block the Trilogy |

|2.9|

Year Three, 12 Months Ago

Jhenea gazed over at Anthony as he placed Artist onto his chest. This was Artist first official day at home and both of his parents were treating him as if he had "Fragile" stamped all over him.

Jhenea was in awe. She was shocked that she was even capable of bringing in such a beautiful and innocent soul into the world.

"Can we have another one?" Anthony chuckled as he allowed Artist to secure his small fist around his finger.

Jhenea's eyes widened. "Slow down babe, let's wait ten years,"

Anthony glances over at her giving her a small smirk. "We can compromise on a time."

Jhenea smiled agreeing on the terms he set in place. A silence rendered them both as they watched Artist twist and turn on Anthony's chest. He yawned every so often fighting the sleep that was becoming overpowering.

"You know when we were both in that hospital, I thought that would be the last day we ever saw each other," Jhenea confessed.

Anthony averted his attention from Artist and onto Jhenea. She sat Indian style at the end of the California King bed. Her hands cast all of her attention while she absentmindedly fiddled with them.

The life-threatening incident they both endured was a touchy situation that neither liked to speak about. They never really touched bases on how the other felt when everything transpired.

"Jhen, I really had no intentions on putting you or my son in harm's way—" He sighed out.

"That's beside the point, Anthony. You're not realizing that shit definitely has to change now. The way you live, the way you navigate through things, the choices you make. That all comes back on us. Whether it be negative or positive, it'll always impact your kids and me," She lectured. This was all something he had heard before. He knew that he was definitely the problem since everyone was preaching the same old thing to him.

He was getting to the point where he thought that his efforts weren't enough and as selfish as it sounded, he was starting not to care.

"Jhen—"

"No, let me finish, "She ordered.

Anthony nodded allowing her to proceed. He felt like he was being scolded by her. He didn't like the feeling but he knew he couldn't object to it. "I'm tired of walking on eggshells when I'm living my life. Every day when you go out, I have to always mentally prepare myself for the fifty percent chance of you never coming home,"

"But mama, why you thinking like that?" He spoke up while running a hand down his face. The energy circling the room at the moment wasn't the one he was expecting due to it being Artist's first day back. The atmosphere was supposed to be chill and peaceful, but currently, it wasn't because Jhenea chose right at that moment—of all times— to jump down his throat.

"Because it's my reality, Anthony. I can't just ignore the fact that my husband, the father of my son, is gambling with his life. When I envisioned my future with you, I didn't envision this," Her words were her harsh reality. She kept so many things bottled up inside that now that she was spewing them out, she couldn't stop.