S.E.A.L IV: All I Need

Epilogue

~Charli~

7 months later....

"Welcome to the 3rd annual Summer Jam. Yall ready for a jammed packed weekend of events? We want to thank the city of Atlanta for allowing us to host this weekend again. But also working with us to expand the dream we had to help these young boys."

A few years ago, this was just a dream that Carlos and I had. We'd hoped the city would support us in the endeavor but never imagined that it would evolve into something this big. Not only did we have a annual concert series of the hottest artists out now and in this year's case the hottest artists of all times. But we also expanded Summer Jam to include a huge back to school fair, Food truck competition with some of the best food in Atlanta, and last but not least the announcement of our newest venture, which I'll let my wife tell yall about later own. Homies 2 Homies is still growing too, we recently made a big change to include mentors from other industries besides the music industry. After the success of the first two Summer Jams and then us doing that interview with Steve Harvey. It was like Boom everyone was calling to help out either financially or the city calling to say they are behind us getting our young boys off the streets and out of these gangs. Well the gangs aren't too happy about our program, but oh well I'd rather have more young black doctors and lawyers than black boys & men in jail or worse dead. I want to break the cycle of single black mothers raising all the kids, while the father isn't in the kids lives. I've seen it in my own life and the lives of my friends and family and I won't the person to continue the cycle.

"We got a line up to revival all line ups this year yall. We thought we'd throw it back and pay homage to the ones that came before us. And throw it back old school."

What did we have in store this year? Giving roses to the great artists that were still here with us. We couldn't all the way back so we went back to the 90's. And since we have the ultimate connection, we managed to get a line that all 90's babies dream of. When I say think all your favs, BBD, Xscape, SWV, Mary J, Jodeci, 702, Toni Braxton, Total, Monica and Brandy, and the icing on the cake I managed to sweet talk my aunts into performing. When I tell you, I had to kiss a lot of ass figuratively to get them to perform you don't even know, but I did. And I even got my aunt to help me coordinate this show as well. She made all the calls arranged all the sponsorship stuff and even managed to have the performers areas set up with their rider wish lists how she did it I don't know and sure as hell didn't ask. I just made sure that me and Carlos had some special planned for her after all the work she did for us.

Enough about this summer Jam I am sure you wondering how me and Nia are doing? In one word great! And I don't mean that on a superficial level either, I mean that we are truly great. We continue to go to counseling except this time we go separately to working on our own personal issues. It finally sunk in that two-half people don't make a whole person or a whole relationship. A real relationship consists of two whole individuals who are mature enough to handle a marriage and that is what Nia and I are striving to maintain that level of maturity in our marriage. Aside from our marriage our kids take up all of our time, if we aren't at football games, we're at plays, dance recitals, swim practice, poetry readings, or the latest activity is karate. I'll let yall guess which child has taken the interest in karate.

Babe! Hey baby I said smiling as my wife approached me. Hey Ace wants to know if you need anything. Need anything like what? Water, a snack, anything really, she said she didn't want you to get dehydrated or pass out. Tell her I am good; we got water up here on the side of the stage. Oh okay well you know I am just trying to be helpful. You are being helpful I said grabbing her hand. Where the kids at? Family VIP area, the older kids are around here somewhere but I didn't trust letting the little ones go with the older kids you know they don't watch them like we do. Naw they don't but they good in the VIP area I made sure it was set up with everything they need. Yeah you did she said smiling at me. You heard back from the house? Naw I haven't I said giving her straight face. Damn I really wanted us to get it so we could be closer to Ace and the girls. I know you did baby but maybe there is another perfect house for us. I doubt it, but I am ok with wherever we stay as long as we're together. You right bring it in I said motioning for her lips. Mmm I love you! I love you too baby she said smiling as she went back to the VIP area. Now what she didn't know is that I may have embellished the truth a little. We did get that house. The infamous house across from Gigi at the end of the cul de sac. It took 2 years for them to finalize their divorce but when they finally did, they ended up selling the house for way less that what it was worth because they couldn't make a profit off of it. I snatched it up before anyone could, I plan to surprise Nia tonight before the closing act because we literally have to go and do closing in the morning before afternoon shows start. She not gonna believe it when I tell her cause she's literally been talking about this house ever since we did a tour of it 2 months ago. I felt a little bad but she'll get over it.