Taking One for the Team (The Team #1)

CHAPTER ELEVEN

He helped me sit up and I look at the beautiful Victorian house that filled the yscreen.

"This is option number one." He said. "It has seven bedrooms, five bathrooms, one of which is in the master bedroom, the master bedroom and three other bedrooms are upstairs along with one other bathroom. The three other bedrooms are downstairs along with two bathrooms. In the basement is the last bathroom in a suite like area. I know you and Andre are close so if he wants to he can live in the basement."

"Wow, and you've already went to look at the properties?" I asked.

"No, I was waiting to tell you so we could look at the together. I gues I still haven't asked you the most important question; Will you move in with me?"

I started tearing up. Stupid hormones.I was chocked up so I nodded me answer. Alex hugged me tightly, "Thank you, you have no idea how happy you've made me."

Alex showed me the other two houses but I already knew which one I wanted. This was the best distraction, I just hoped it was enough to get me through tomorrow.

Andre

I knew she'd show up, she just couldn't help herself.

"Oh, my baby, my baby!" Savannah shouted as she walked down the isle.

Renee tensed beside me and Alex scooted closer to her with Rae in his lap. Beside him, Carmell, Nathan, and Roy shifted, turning to keep their eyes on Savannah but stayed where they were so Savannah would know she wasn't welcomed to sit with us.

"Oh, all my babies are here, even my grandbaby. Who knew it would take a death to get you two to come home to see ya mama." She said, eyes narrowed on me and Renee. She tried to lean around me to touch Rae but I stood, blocking her path.

"Mama, why don't you take a seat so we can get started."

"Ah, so now I'm mama? I haven't seen my no good, ungrateful kids in years. You don't write, you don't call and as success as you all have been, you haven't sent me any money. Ya'll know I'm strugglin'-"

"Mama, sit down, we're not here to talk about you, we're here for Angela, to celebrate her life." I let out, exasperated with her behavior.

"Fine, I'll sit but let me hold my granbaby", she reached for Rae again. "Ya'll got this unknown white man-"

"Sit down!" Renee shouted. Anyone who wasn't already watching us, was now. "I'm so serious, Mama, if you don't sit down right now I will call the police and tell them your disrupting this service and believe me, you don't need or want that type of attention."

Apparently, pregnancy helped Renee grow a back bone when it came to our Mama.

Mama looked at Renee, fire in her eyes. "Whatever." She huffed, sitting in the row of pews behind us. To the people that didn't know Mama, they probably thought we were being cruel. They also probably thought she would let it go and leave us alone since her pride was hurt, but they didn't know Mama.

Alexander

This is their mother? This woman has no shame.

All service Savannah tried to draw as much attention to herself as the grieving mother as possible. If she wasn't crying loudly, she was shouting to God 'how could you', if it wasn't that, it was the 30 minute speech she gave about how Angela was the only child she had that cared about her. The woman made me sick because from what I've been told, it was all a lie.

Rae, on the other hand, was perfect. She made very little noise during the service and fell asleep right as it ended.

When the service was over, we did our best to avoid and ignore Savannah but that was hard because people kept coming up to Renee and Andre with condolensces. This too angered Savannah. She began yelling, going on and on about people not acting like Angela was her daughter, like she didn't raise her and live with her for most of Angela and Rae's lives.

Finally, it was time for the reading of the will. Only Renee, Andre and Savannah were allowed to go in. A stayed outside the door holding a sleeping Rae in my arms with the rest of our party.

Renee and Andre came out with smirks on their faces. Savannah came out steaming, shouting at the back of Andre and Renee about fairness and being a good mama and grandmama. They both ignored her.

When we got back to our hotel, Renee, Carmell and Rae went to slept in Mine and Renee's bed. I text Andre to meet me in the cafe near the lobby. Roy and Nathan tagged along.

"I don't mind if they hear, they're as much family to Renee and Rae as you and I." Andre said.

"So what happened?" Nathan asked.

"Angela basically gave a big fuck you to Mama. The only things Angela owned were Rae and her house. She already gave custody of Rae to Renee and her house was being destoryed to build apartments or something. The money from that deal went to paying off debts so we wouldn't have to. Other than that, Angela had nothing." Andre paused to take a sip of his coffee.

"This paid for the lawyer fees as well?" I asked. "How much was the house worth?"

"He did it pro bono." Andre answered. "According to Renee, there is a possiblity that Rae is his kid. But he's married and for him to take the DNA test to find out if Rae is his would alert his wife of his...indiscretion. Even if it didn't, he wouldn't have taken her in anyway."

It was silent for a moment before I spoke. "It's over and Rae is safe and loved by her family."

"I'll toast to that." Roy hit my cup with his.

*****

Author's Note:

Hello, I've reached 1k readers so yay!