Finding Grace

Chapter Four

Three weeks pass and Rome's attitude has gotten nothing but worse. His level of disrespect is reaching Monqiue's and Jessica doesn't like it. She's refrained from beating his ass, and had tried to reason with him. D'Angelo can't get through to him and Monique seems to be the only one that knows what's up.

"Hey baby." Jess said kissing D'Angelo.

"Beautiful." He said kissing back. "Anything wrong?"

She shook her head. "I have just been a little on edge lately at work."

"Anything you wanna talk about?" He asked caringly.

She shook her head. "I can't talk about it. I wish I could, but I can't."

"I understand." He said hugging her. "Just stay safe out there alright."

"I always do."

"Alright now give me a real kiss." He puckered up and Jess kissed him hard biting his lip. "That's what I'm talking about."

"I'm leaving." Rome said. Jess turned around, but he already slammed the door.

"Did you tell him he could leave?" She asked.

"No, not unless he tricked me into saying yes. Imma just start sending him to you." Jess nodded into agreement. She walked outside and saw Rome walking towards his friends car.

"Rome where are you going?" She asked loudy.

"Off." He said. "I'll be back."

"Are you forgetting who you're talking to?" She asked sternly walking up. "You better stop and listen. I'm your mother and you are not grown. Don't think I won't beat yo ass infront of ya little friends."

"Why you all in my face?" He asked. "You not even my real mom."

Jess slapped him and he grabbed the side of his face. "I'm not your what? Are you trying to tell me I didn't push you out?"

"Bye." He said getting in the car. Jess walked back in the house fuming. She stomped up to her room and D'Angelo followed her.

"Lock the door." He obeyed and Jess opened her drawer going through it. She gasped and punched the dresser.

"What's wrong baby?" D'Angelo asked running up and wiping her tears.

"He found his original birth certificate." She said wiping her eyes. "I'm not ready to tell him yet. I don't want him to know."

"Look it doesn't even look like his birth certificate that we show him look." He pointed at the date. "He was born two days earlier on this one. I'm his father, you're his mother. We just need a lie to go with this one."

"I thought I was prepared for this." Jess whined. "I could tell him it's fake and he could compare the two. Remember I changed his entire name."

"What else is in that drawer?"

"Just this. I keep everything else in the matress."

"Why didn't you keep the certificate there?"

"I didn't expect him to snoop through my shit." She said.

"Mhm."

"I think I got an idea." Jess exclaimed. She whispered it into D'Angelo's ear as a smile appeared on his face.

"I like that." He said. "It's believable.

The next day while Rome was playing on his XBox Jess turned it off and he started fussing.

"Shutup." She demanded slamming the birth certificate up. "Is this what your mad about? You do realise this is a fake, right?"

"You don't have to lie." He said. "You're not my mother."

"Well, she isn't. Look, Jerome was a close friend of mine before Grace passed. I never really liked her, but when I found out she was pregnant I grew a soft spot. When you was kidnapped. I flew moths later on the day Jr. was supposed to be born he had these certificates made. He gave me one. I had you two days later and named you Rome out of respect. We dont talk anymore. He changed too much for me."

Rome looked down as he was taking it all in. "And this is a fake?"

"Yes. You weren't even born on this day." She said.

He sighed and shook his head standing up. He walked over to Jess and hugged her. "I'm sorry mom. I should've came to you. I didn't mean to disrespect you I swear. I don't care you'll always be my mother.

"Yeah I will baby." Jess said smiling. He bought it. He actually fell for it. She knew now that her time was running out.

"Now I feel extremely bad." Rome said shaking his head. "I'm gonna go ground myself now."

"No it's ok. Just talk to us." She said. "D'Angelo and I are here for you."

"Ok." He said with a smile. "I got you next time."

"Good." She said walking away. "I like trust."

"Did he buy it?" D'Angelo asked.

"Yeah." Jess said sadly. "I think it's time for a roadtrip."

"Nope. I still have orders I can't let you go back."

"Not yet? Right?"

"Never." He said shrugging. "Sorry babes. It's business."

"You love me right?" She asked. "Like forreal?"

"Yeah, I fell for you. I couldn't help it." He said grabbing her thigh and pulling her in. "Who could?"

She smiled and kissed him. "You know I hate being lied to." She said. "Don't hurt me D'Angelo."

"I'm not your exes. I was undercover at first, but now I'm in love." He said. "Still not gonna blind me from my duties. You're not leaving."

"I'm leaving." She said kissing his nose.

"I seriously can't let you do that. It'll cause too many problem as if we don't have enough on our plates now."

"Dee. Not cool." She pouted rolling her eyes. "I don't love you anymore."

"Don't lie. I said you couldn't go right now. I'm sure you'll get to go eventually." He said standing up.

"Where you going?" She asked.

"Don't worry about it. I'll be back soon." He said kissing her neck. "I'll tell you all about it if I'm cleared to."

"Leave." She said. "I'll cook dinner."

"I already told Monique not to go anywhere so make sure she stays here." He told me. Jess nodded and he grabbed his keys leaving.

"Where's dad going?" Rome asked. She shrugged.

"He doesn't tell me anything. He could be going to meet his wife and I wouldn't know." She joked.

"But what if he is?" We laughed and she shook her head.

"You are one funny boy." Jess said.

"I know." He said.