Endearment // Royce

ღ Chapter 23 ღ

  "Who in the hell was that?" Ray, Terry and Aunt Janice said in sync. I shrugged. "Her name is Jaide and she's looking for her kids.... That's all I know."

  "Why would you bring a stranger into your home, she could be crazy!" Aunt Janice exclaimed, being extra as usual.

  "You do it every night, so what's the difference." I shrugged, Terry coughed and Ray doubled over in laughter. Aunt Janice pointed her finger at me and squinted. "Y'know what, I ain't gon' say nothing. I'm just gonna beat your ass in Scrabble."

  She's only saying that because she didn't have a comeback, which is shocking.

Jacob Perez

  "I'm really starting to worry, please call me back." I listened to one of the many voicemails Chres had left on my phone. While I was stuck in traffic, my phone died.

  To top it off, I spilled coffee all over myself. Today just hasn't been my day.

  Once I came home, I charged my phone and took a well needed shower. As I bathed, I began to think about my parents. I wonder what they're doing and if they're alive or not. Does my mother still have the same long black hair, or did she go natural like she used to say she would. She'd call me pumpkin and tell me once she went natural, the two of us could be twins.

  Did my father quit smoking cigarettes cold turkey, or had he been diagnosed with cancer like I hypothesized when I was little. Every time he'd buy a new pack, I'd joke about how he'd end up like the people on those commercials. I hope he stopped though, it'd be a shame if that happened to him.

  Even though me and Jai were adopted and Karen and Joey are great parents, our biological parents were good parents and they did what they had to do to provide for us. Too bad Jai barely remembers them... It's not like she wants to anyway, in her eyes Karen and Joey are her real parents.

  By the time I'd got out of my head, the water had went from steaming to barely lukewarm. I rinsed off and got out. Once I was dry and situated, I called Chresanto back.

  "Mama, where you?" Boogie's voice boomed through my bluetooth speakers. I disconnect my phone before placing it to my ear. "I'm at home, baby. Mama had to take a shower."

  "You yucky?" He asked

  I chuckled, "Not anymore, I'm clean now. Are you yucky? Did your Nana bathe you yet?"

  Judging by his silence, he hadn't bathed and he is in fact very yucky. Before I could mention it Chres got on the line. "Are you Okay?"

  "Hey babe, how was your day mine was shit." I joked as I gathered my things and headed outside to my car. "I care more about your wellbeing than your day. But, now that I know you're fine, what happened?" I pulled into Karen and Joey's driveway and cut off my car. "I'll tell you once I get inside, unlock the front door."

  "Alright." I exited my car and walked into the front porch, just as I was about to touch the knob, the door swung open and Jamie wrapped his arms around my leg. I picked him up and he gave me wet kisses all over my face. "I miss you, mama. Look, I fall on da' steps." He showed me his elbow which was occupied by a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles band-aid.

  "Woah, that's a cool band-aid. Who gave you that?" I carried him into the living room where everyone else was. Once I walked in, I saw everyone tangled up on the twister mat while Chres called out colors. Everyone looked at me from different angles.