Love or Loyalty (Now Available On Amazon!!)

Chapter Four

"I understand."

"I think it's time for you to have a break. When was the last time you had a girl's trip or some Staicy time?" I shrug my shoulders. "Let me send you and Asia away for a week or at least a weekend. You won't have to worry about the boys."

"I may take you up on that offer."

"Good let me know when and where and I will make the arrangements." He pauses to take a drink and looks down at his phone. "Other than all of that, how is everything else?"

"Not too bad, I have been thinking about getting a job."

"At the office? That may do the two of you some good. Spending a little more time together." I don't dare tell him that Jonathan thinks that will be too much of us seeing each other, at home and work.

"No, I want to do something outside of him. Outside of his name, something that I will enjoy. I don't want something just for the paycheck; I want to look forward to going to work. To get out of the house."

"Okay, so what are you thinking? Have you thought of anything in particular?" 

"No, but I will put some more thought into it."

"Sounds like a plan then." 

"Pop-pop, we ran out of credits; can we get some more?" Isiah asks with his hand sticking out knowing the answer will be yes.

"No." I chime in as my dad reaches for his wallet. "We have been here long enough and I am ready to go. Besides, you two need to start getting ready for next week." It just dawned on me that I will be home alone with Jonathan for a week. Ugh, I am, so not looking forward to that. Better start putting this job thing into motion as soon as possible.

"You heard your mom, time to go."

"We dropping you off Mom?"

"Where do you two think you're going?"

"We're hanging out with Pop-pop!" Isiah says as if I should have known that, which I should have.

"Who said he wants to hang out with you? He might have plans."

"Pop-pop are you doing anything today?" My dad smirks as he hits the button on his car key to start the car. I already know I have lost the battle again.

"Do you have plans Baby-girl that you need to get to?"

"No, I'm thinking about going to the mall to get some things for the boys for this trip."

"No need for that, I will get everything that they will need. We'll stop by my place for a few hours." I can feel the boys smiling as we get into the car.

"Pop-pop, is the pool ready yet?" J.R asks.

"No, not yet.  It should be when we get back. The people are still waiting for some of the features to be shipped in. Staicy I'm going to need you to be there when they finish up."

"Okay, no problem dad."

"I gave Dennis the pool guy your number to call you when he gets everything and is ready." We pull into the garage of my childhood home and the boys race up the street to play basketball with their friends. I notice the for-sale sign across the street from my father's house is no longer there.

"Who brought Ms. Judy's house dad?"

"I don't know. The sign just came down a few days ago. I haven't seen any moving trucks there yet or anybody going in or out."

"I'm going to miss her. I loved going over to her house and running errands with her." I say to no one in particular as I walk into the house with dad.

"Yeah, you two were very close. She used to say that you were an old soul." My dad chuckled. Ms. Judy has been my dad's neighbor forever. When my mother passed, she would bring food over and offer to do my hair. I don't know if my dad and Ms. Judy ever had a relationship. I've never seen them together, other than when she would come over to pick me up or drop me off. Now that I think about it, my dad hasn't been with anyone since my mother, well he never brought anyone around or introduced anyone to me. Ms. Judy treated me as if I were her own daughter. She even helped me with planning my wedding and even my boys have come to love her and called her Auntie Judy. I was at her side in the hospital with her when she passed, it broke my heart to have to say goodbye to her. Just as I feel the tears getting ready to come, the doorbell rings. I clear my throat and blink away the tears as I go to answer the door.

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