Motivation of Memories: The Second Book of the Labors of Love Series

New York New York: Part 2

"What about the notebook?"

"She still writes everyday but it's usually just during breakfast and before bed."

"Bed?!" He asks shocked turning to me with a stern look. My eyes go wide as he glares at me. I open my mouth to defend myself but then he smiles. "I'm just kidding. My daughter is a woman she can do as she pleases."

A blur of pink moves across the room in the distance before running straight into Anthony. He picks it up and removing its hood reveals a little girl.

"Baba, Gen Gen is home!" She squeals excitedly in his ear. He sailed down at his little girl and holds her close so she doesn't fall from his lap.

"I know but it seems you've lost her. Do you know where she might be?"

"She's fighting Ty Ty and Jay Jay for stealing her violin."

"I told them to put it back before she came home and they didn't listen, did they?"

"Nope."

"What did you learn?"

"Always listen to Baba!"

"I was looking for don't take your sister's things but that works too." He smiles kissing her cheek before turning back to me. "Do you have siblings?"

"Mostly half siblings but yes."

"Did you all fight growing up?"

"All the time." I chuckle shaking my head. I didn't see my siblings often but when we did it was always a mess. We all wanted to be the favorite and we did stupid things for attention.

"Baba, who's this?" The little girl says softly looking up at me.

"That Gen Gen's boyfriend, Prince."

"Do you live in a castle?" She asks with bright eyes.

"Something like that." I smile.

"Are you going to make Gen Gen a princess?"

"Maybe someday but right now we're still just getting to know each other."

"Like best friends?"

"Yea, like best friends." A boy runs past us hiding behind the counter and shouting ensues.

"Tyler, you rotten child! Give me my violin or I'll shave your head in your sleep!"

"Genevieve, put me down! I don't even like violins."

"You scratched my Jackson 5 record and for that you must also pay." Genevieve comes around the corner with another boy thrown over her shoulder. She stands in the doorway looking over the room, trying to decide where her little brother is hiding.

"Jack Jack, have you seen Ty Ty?"

"No." She says crossing her tiny arms.

"Are you sure?" Genevieve asks walking up to her.

"Mhm."

"Would you change your mind if I took you out for hot chocolate?" Jack Jack gasps in excitement then thinks for a moment.

"Can I get extra mallows?"

"You can get a whole cup of them if you want."

"Jack Jack you're gonna sell me out for marshmallows?!" The boy yells popping out from behind the counter.

"I like marshmallows and Baba told you to put back the violin a long time ago!"

"Baba, you knew?!" Genevieve asks looking at her father and letting one of the boys go.

"I didn't know until he was playing it, badly, one day after school. I gave him the opportunity to make the right choice. He chose to get chased by you." Anthony shrugs then reaches behind the counter taking the violin from the boy. "Boys, come introduce yourselves."

"Hey, I'm Tyler."

"I'm Jackson." They both say it quickly and then it registers in their minds who they're talking to.  "Wait, you're Genevieve's rockstar boyfriend?"

"Yea, I guess you could say that." I say scratching the back of my head.

"So you're like really rich and famous? I bet you have a lot of cool stuff."

"I do but it took me a long time and a lot of hard work to get here."

"How long?" They ask in unison.

"Almost seven years."

"Seven years? That's longer than Jack Jack has been alive! No way I'm waiting seven years."

"What is all this talk about fame and riches?" A woman comes around the corner with a stern face and a hand on her hip. Her presences drastically darkens the mood and everyone focuses in her direction. "Genevieve Elise you better not be filling you brothers heads with those silly dreams again?"

Genevieve corrects her posture and looks up at her mother. I can see the nervousness in her eyes and the worry in her father's.

"No, Prince was just telling the twins about how it takes hard work to be a music artist."

"Hm." Her mother says walking further into the room. I get down from my chair and stand beside Genevieve. She holds my hand tight and together we take a few steps forward.

"This is Prince. Prince this is my mother, Florence."

"It's nice to meet you, ma'am." I hold out my hand to her with a gentle smile. She takes it just barely allowing her hand to touch mine before adjusting her jacket.

"Genevieve, why didn't you tell us you were coming? They don't call in the industry?"

"She did call, Florence. I was the only one home." Her mother sucks her teeth angrily the same way Genevieve does and walks past us to sit beside Anthony. "Is anyone hungry? I've got some fish I've been meaning to fry."

"I can make the rest of that cabbage." Florence adds. "Genevieve, go to de market up by the street and get me an onion and a bell pepper."

"Yes, mummy." She turns swiftly and I follow her heading out the door.