Good Girlz in the Hood : The Chronicles of Ciara

Chapter 91 - Another One Bites the Dust

Epilogue Part 1

I had come a long way since I was that 16 year old girl who took a risk by starting a relationship with her brother's best friend.

I was a mother to a four year old daughter, and a five month old son. I had lost friends that I'd thought would be around for life, I'd gained friends who were now a part of my journey, my family had both grown and decreased and I was finally starting to live out my dreams.

I still missed Karina so much, everyday I thought about her when I looked at Kari, but I knew she was in a better place.

Being pregnant again had been a lot easier, but giving birth was definitely harder the second time around. Kelvin and I had named our son Jayden Josiah Kadeem Pratt, and we were enjoying being parents to him together.

After my relationship with Kyle, I'd thought that I would never find a man who loved me and accepted my daughter, but Kel had proved me wrong. He wasn't perfect, he didn't always get it right but at least he was there for our family.

My brothers were all busy living their own lives with their own families, and I didn't hold it against them, I understood that they were busy. My relationshio with my dad was okay but it wasn't the best, he tried a lot and spent a lot of time with his grandchildren but his girlfriend, Eleanor, was very demanding so she often ruined plans he had to soend time with me and the kids. She wanted him to marry her, but he said he didn't want to get married again, which didn't sit well with her.

Kel and I were doing the last of the preparations for our wedding, which was in about a month so everything was hectic in the house.

We had had a traditional Ghanaian engagement/wedding ceremony whilst I was pregnant with JJ, but now we were finally ready to have our white wedding.

"Mackie, have you started writing your speech yet?" I asked as I placed some dirty dishes in the sink.

We had decided to have an impromptu dinner party so there was a few more people around the table than usual. Taylor and Mackie were still living with Kel and I, along with their son, Cairon. Kelani had the night off so she and Derome had joined us, along with my brother Tyrell and Kel's sister Fran.

I sat back at the table and awaited Mackie's response.

"Erm, yeah... About that... I kind of have, but at the same time I haven't." He said, avoiding eye contact with me.

"You still ain't started?!" Taylor said to him before I could respond.

He shrugged and reclined in his chair.

"I'ma improvise"

"Didn't you watched the Wedding Ringer? You saw what happens when people improvise so you ain't doing that shit at my wedding!" I said, rolling my eyes.

"At OUR wedding, thanks." Kel said, as he walked back in the room with JJ in his arms, he had been upstairs changing him.

"I never thought I'd see the day when my baby bro was changing his own son's diapers!" Fran said, shaking her head as she laughed.

"Well, you're seeing it, ain't ya? I planted the seed, so I gotta help it grow."

"Amen!" Kelani said, as she gently touched Derome's shoulder

I rolled my eyes again

"Uh, don't tell me you're pregnant? Grandma's gonna have a fit! 'Another one born on the wrong side of the cloth, bastard babies, blah de blah...' You know how she does."

"No way, I need to achieve some things and get a ring first." She said, nudging Derome who laughed but didn't respond.

"Oh , it's like that now, yeah?" She said, faking that she was upset.