A Chance For Growth II

These are Your Choices

Taraji popped a peice of gum into her mouth as her kids jumped out of the car. Too excited to see Bernice but more or less for gifts. Taraji got out, letting Cyrus out of his carseat. Putting him down on his feet she grabbed her purse then shut and locked her doors. Cyrus grabbed a hold of his moms pants legs pulling her torwards where the others ran off. She laughed at her impatient child, heading into the house, ripping was heard loud and ear.

"Grandmas baby." Bernice cheered seeing her youngest grandchild. He ran torwards her with a big smile giving her a quick hug before running back to Taraji.

"Cyrus go open gifts with your sister and brother." Taraji spoke picking up the Bonnie he had just dropped. He darted off following the noise. Bernice sighed giving her daughter a look.

"I don't want to talk about it mama. I'm fine." Taraji stated knowing that look.

"Are you really I mean he..."

"Terrence does what Terrence always does. At some point I have to realize that." Taraji muttered softly feeling the tears trying to come out. Bernice knew her child was hurting. It was written in the way she carried herself. Hell if she was having a hard time wrapping her head around it then Taraji was going through it. Life was tough, everyone was being hit with mess after mess.

"Baby I'm sure he just needs some time. He'll come back, I know he will." Bernice spoke trying to uplift her spirits.

"I know.....he always comes back." Taraji commented.

"As your mother though I need you to hear me and hear me good. Dont wait on this boy forever, it's not fair to you and it's not fair to your kids you hear me. I know you love him but you better love yourself more. No amount of love is worth killing yourself. So I'm saying give him time, but don't wait. Waiting means you're on pause, I need you to press play." Bernice spoke pulling Taraji in for a hug.

"I love you mama."

"I love you too."

Kissing her child's forhead she lead Taraji to where the kids were. Wrapping paper everywhere the kids all grinning from ear to ear. Marcel opened his last gift and froze his cheeks heating as he looked up at his grandmother. She smirked wiggling her eyebrows.

"What? What is it?" Taraji asked feeling left out. Marcel looked up at his mother and shook his head putting the gift behind his back. Taraji narrowed her eyes at her son as her mother laughed.

"Let me see." Raji pushed walking over to Cel. He grinned at his mom feeling like she needed a laugh.

"You really wanna see it?" He asked slowly getting up.

"Yessssssss...." He grinned rushing his mother picking her up and putting her over his shoulder. She screamed in fright before laughing. Heaven started laughing once Taraji started screaming for Marcel to put her down. He dropped his mother down on the couch. Before she puked from him spinning her around. It felt good to hear her laugh, he hadn't heard it in a long time. Smiling down at her, he was distracted when a little body attacked him.

"My mama!" Cyrus snapped

He held a mean mug as he swung at his brother trying to push him away from Taraji. Marcel laughed raising his hands in surrender. Cyrus huffed climbing onto the couch and looking Taraji over as if she had injuries. When his examination was done he laid his head down on her chest.

"He's a mama's boy alright." Bernice commented as the kids started cleaning up the wrapping paper. Cyrus hopped down grabbing one of his new toys and bringing it to show Taraji.

"I see baby. You want mama to open it?" She asked, he nodded waiting for her to do so. Breaking open the box she caught a glimpse at the gift Marcel was acting so embarrassed about. She wanted to laugh, her mother had gifted her own grandson a box of magnums. It reminded her of a time she did it to Terrence. At that thought her mood plummeted again.