Love's A Gift {B5}

Chapter 2: Remember What!?

Friday Morning

Reality POV

Today will be very very busy. Going to the label office the sign some paperwork. Ripping an d running around and making sure everything is handled when Sidney comes to the house and starts on the yard. His passion for landscaping comes in handy when I don't want to call a lawn service. Keep in the family.

I got out and handled everything, running all over town. By 4:50 pm, everything was done.My girl friend called me earlier, said she was at the studio down the street from the label's office, with her sons. So I'm going by there to see them. Haven't seen any of them in a while. Last time I saw them her oldest boy was about 11 years old.

I asked her, "How many did you pop out by now?"

She laughed. "I have 5 boys total. a year or two apart."

I laughed and was on my way there. Now Im walking in the studio where she told me they'd be. I walk in and Adrian was sitting on the couch chilling with a younger boy. He's what Naye would call a 'light bright'. She saw me and got up to greet me.

"Hey there woman" hugging me.

"Hey Ad, where are these five boys you so called have?" i joked.

"This is Bryan, my youngest." She pointed. "The other knuckleheads are in the booth arguing as usual. You remember how bad they were when they were younger?" I nodded and laughed. They were kind of bad.

"Hi Bryan," I said waving at him. He just looked at me with a shocked expression. He waved back and went in to the booth. We couldn't here anything but we didn't have to. He was telling the boys who was here. I could see the expressions on their faces. They couldn't see us at the moment, but we sure could see them. Reading their lips:

Bryan- Reality is here!

Boys- Stop Lying.

Bryan- No really!

Carnell- If we go out there and my future mother in-law is not out there I'm going to beat the hell out of you.

They all got up and came out the booth still talking mess to Bryan. I think I'll help him out.

"Hey Bryan, if they don't want to believe you then we'll leave them at home and go to my show tomorrow night." All their faces dropped to the floor. Adrian and I couldn't help but laugh.

"I told you she was here. I'm not blind." He said coming to stand next to me. I put my arm around him, he smiles down at me. God they were all so tall.

I watched them as they just stood there like lost puppies. "Well well well, if it isn't the one and only B5. You know my daughter and niece really love you guys. But there's just one thing I don't like about you" I said making them look sad. I'm not gone say why just yet.

Then Carnell huffed. "See! Now look what y'all done did. She don't like us, and I can't marry ScooterBoot if she don't like me." flopped on the couch looking pitiful. What was in that boy's mind, I don't know. I will say if he only knew Yazzy, he'd be singing a whole other tune.

They all looked at Carnell like he was dreaming, he was. "Hush Nellz!" Kelly said. "she hasn't even said the reason why she don't like us." they sighed and looked at me. "Ms. Real, why don't you like us?" he asked.

"Cause y'all were bad as hell when y'all were little and I use to watch you. Way before Bryan was born." I said. Adrian and I sat down on the other couch and waited for the utterly shocked expressions to fall from their faces.

"Wait, What!?" Carnell and Patrick said in unison.

"Ha, she called y'all bad." Bryan said laughing.

I'm hoping Dustin or Kelly recognize me before Adrian says my real name. The looks on those two faces were puzzling; searching; thinking, hard; and finally realization. I smiled as Dustin came to me and hugged me. followed by Kelly.

"Hi Auntie Deb," they each said.

"Hi, babies" I kiss their cheeks. "how you been, D? I know that you been feeling stressed lately with school." I held his hand in mine.

He gave a gentle squeeze. "I'm OK. Could be better. I've missed you and our talks. I've been needing those a lot lately." We use to have weekly talks when he couldn't talk to Adrian or anyone else for that matters. This was my baby back in the day. He wanted me to give Janaye to him, since he didn't have any sisters.

"And you Allen? I see no more hair, so something must've happened." I spoke to Kelly giving him the same attention as Dustin. His face told me everything. He wasn't happy about something and that I'll know sooner or later. "I know, we'll talk later." Kissing his forehead.

"You still remember my faces?" he asked smiling almost relieved and hopeful.

"Of course, you were my shy baby." I told him.

I go to look around at the boys and they all look like they just seems ghost. Carnell was always a dramatic child. Patrick was a showman. I didn't get to meet Bryan after he was born. They had moved and I was busy with Jasmine, Janaye, Deshawn and Indigo. (all my children)

"Who is she again?" Carnell asked.

"Nelly! You don't remember when I use to tuck you in at night, when y'all spent the night at my house?" His face a blank. Lord this child was slow at catching up. "Back when you were 8?" Still nothing. I give up.

"Nellz, Auntie Debra, Uncle Sidney and Jasmine from New York. They gave you Falcon for your birthday." Dustin said. I had forgot about Falcon, his pet parrot. He died two years later. Carnell was devastated.

"Auntie Debbie!?" Now he gets it!

"Yes, Nelly Pooh." he nearly jumped on me trying to hug me. "Nice to know I'm loved."

"I'm sorry, Auntie. You know I'm a little slow." he said still hugging me. Then he had a worried look on his face. "Wait, this means I can't marry ScooterBoot! She's my cousin!" Yup that's my Nelly.

"No Nelly, she's not your cousin. Play cousin maybe."

I laughed, shaking my head. Last but not least...Patrick.

"You have any memory of me Rickie?" I asked him.

"Yes, I do." he said.

"What do you remember?"

"That Janaye is going to kill me." Ah yes, Janaye. He loved that girl. Said they were going to be the best friends forever.

"Why is that?" I asked.

"Cause I broke our promise kind of." he replied sadly.

"What promise? And what's "kind of"?" I caught it and I'm not sure I'm right.

"The promise to keep our 3year long friendship a secret. Now knowing we were friends before this makes this 'new' one silly." He shook his head in his hands, staring at the ground he sighed.

The rest of us looked at each other then him. and back again. "WHAT!?!" we said together. All this time he was Bestie P? Oh shit! Janaye is going to freak!

"Bestie J is Janaye?" Kelly asked Patrick nodded.

"But Janaye is ScooterBoot, right?" Bryan asked me. I nodded then looked to Adrian, who has been nothing but smiles and silent. She knew everything. They were going have a fit about that one.

Then they all said, well yelled at Patrick, "SCOOTERBOOT IS BESTIE J!?!?!"