▲▲▲
"Who is Nova?" Jersey questioned her boyfriend as she leaned against the archway.
Malcolm looked over at her and realized her mood had changed. Jersey's facial expression was calm, yet it showed so much seriousness. She blinked a few times and looked as if she was ready to attack him.
He had to tread carefully.
"Who?"
Jersey looked down at the handwriting and said, "I found this sticky note inside your pocket. Nova is written on it."
"Oh." Malcolm leaned his head back in relief. He didn't communicate with random women, and the man wasn't friendly if he did. Malcolm respected Jersey to the fullest and would never cheat or attempt to do it.
Malcolm was the total opposite of a typical rich man. He had a lot of money but would rather date one woman. He didn't believe in having side chicks. In his opinion, he felt it was stupid to trick on a woman who he couldn't parade around.
Jersey was his woman, and he made sure to give her money and surprise her with expensive gifts.
"Some woman I ran into at Givin' Back."
She looked at him for a while, not liking his answer. Jersey raised her eyebrows and asked, "Care to explain why her phone number was tucked away in your pocket?"
"I forget it was in there. I planned on throwing it away as soon as I got in my office, but I got distracted."
"You got distracted? What distracted you?"
"Shit." Malcolm cursed while touching his forehead. "One of the kids got sick, and they needed assistance with that."
"Hm." Jersey pursed her lips as she placed her eyes on the sticky note, thoroughly examining it. The young woman kept flipping it. "What was her motive for giving you this note? She wants to fuck you or something?"
"She told me that her son needs help with his behavior, so she gave me her number."
Jersey rolled her eyes. Maybe that part was true, but there was still some motive behind the note.
"The bitch gave you a note with a heart scribbled on it." She responded in a low tone. The woman leaned over and said, "a heart next to her name."
"I don't want to argue with you about a woman I don't know," Malcolm muttered underneath his breath.
"Then don't do shit that you know will piss me off," Jersey remarked with her nose flared. "How am I supposed to feel about this? I'm trying to do our laundry, and I find another woman's number in your pocket."
"We're not supposed to argue around Harlem." Malcolm reminded Jersey while placing his hand on his son's back. He hoped she would stop yapping about something that she made up in her head.
"I don't want to argue around my baby, but you're making me break the rules."
"Moriah..." Malcolm trailed off and looked at her. She didn't utter a word. Jersey continued to stand there with the note in her hand. "I'm not cheating, and I'm not attempting to cheat on you."
"I met the woman in the hallway. She told me about her troubled son and gave me her number. The woman claims she wants me to help her son, but I know she gave me her number for another reason. She's attracted to me. I don't feel the same way about her. Jerse, I had plans to trash it, but I got distracted."
Jersey rolled her eyes hard.
"I'm telling you the truth. I'm not trying to fuck up our relationship."
"I believe you...." Jersey trailed off while nodding her head stiffly. She looked at him with narrowed eyes and said, "Don't let it happen again."
Malcolm laid his head on the pillow and closed his eyes in relief.
Rip!
He looked over and realized that Jersey was ripping the paper. Piece by piece, she made paper smaller until she couldn't. After the ripping, she tossed it in the trash and shot him one last look before resuming her laundry duties.
▲ ▲ ▲
Jersey found herself in the middle of an icy road. She was dressed in a black t-shirt with a pair of leggings. Her feet was bare, which had her confused. Slowly, she looked around.
The young woman shivered from the cold and couldn't help but feel pain. She looked down at her arms and realized it was covered in bumps. It looked as if she had been bitten at least fifteen times on both arms. The bumps were inflamed, red, and filled with pus.
Suddenly, the sounds of crying could be heard. Jersey looked up and realized the voice sounded familiar. She placed her eyes ahead and noticed the trees over the icy road.
The cries continued, and that caught her attention again. Her eyes widened as she walked further down the path.
"Harlem?"
It soon became so vocal that it made her run faster. Jersey continued to look ahead as she speeded up her walk.
"Harlem! Malcolm!"
The woman started running until she couldn't breathe. Jersey dropped to her knees and started to wheeze profusely. Her hands were pressed against the cold concrete, and she could feel the tears at the brim of her eyes.
"I...have to find my baby." Jersey pushed out as smoke blew from her mouth. She looked down and realized her foot was bloody. A few pieces of glasses were lodged in her right foot. She tried to remove some but was interrupted by the cries.
Carefully, she stood up and limped down the road, desperately trying to find her son. Jersey knew it was her son. The woman knew Harlem's cry. She continued her walk. Jersey felt herself growing tired as she walked lamely. Her feet were becoming numb from the cold. She walked around aimlessly, calling out her boyfriend's name.
Suddenly, she noticed a figure on the road. It looked like a body that was lying on the ground. Before getting a closer look, she was bombarded by a loud noise.
Beep! Beep!
A loud honking noise caught Jersey's attention. As soon as she turned around, she realized an eighteen-wheeler truck was on the road, and the driver was driving fast. It was clear that whoever was operating the truck was trying to warn Jersey.
Beep! Beep!
Jersey jumped up and inhaled deeply. The woman put her hand on her chest and closed her eyes for a moment.
"It was just a dream."
The dream was too realistic for her. She heard her baby crying, and she almost got hit by an eighteen-wheeler. Of course, she was worried about her son the most. Jersey shook her head.
She looked around the room and realized she was the only person occupying it. She eventually slipped on her slippers and made her way to the bathroom.
Jersey sat on the toilet and decided to let out a yawn. She ran her hand over her forearm and realized there was a painful feeling. The woman looked down to inspect it and realized she had a bump.
It was no ordinary mosquito bite. This bump was red, swollen, and had a hole. Her eyes widened in disgust. Quickly, she cleaned herself, washed her hands, and proceeded to freshen up.
After fixing herself up, she made her way to the front. Malcolm was sitting in the kitchen with Harlem in his arms. The baby seemed fine and content. Jersey sighed in relief.
"What do you think? You like this one?" Malcolm questioned his son, Harlem. The infant was busy gripping a soft block toy. He was intrigued by the illustrated octopus, so that had his attention.
Malcolm decided to help him. He gave the toy a shake, allowing it to rattle. Harlem's eyes widened with excitement. He liked toys that made noises.
Malcolm placed his attention on his MacBook Pro. He scrutinized the screen for the fourth time. The young man was on a luxury ring-making website. It was time for him to start the process. He didn't want to wait until the last minute.
He had plans to create a beautiful ring for his future wife. Malcolm felt a little overwhelmed. There were so many options to choose from in the designing process. He just wanted to create the perfect ring for Jersey.
"What's going on in here?"
Quickly, Malcolm switched the windows. He didn't want her to know about the engagement ring, so he switched to DocuSign.
"Just finishing up some paperwork."
"And Harlem is helping you?"
"You can say that."
"Hi, baby." Jersey cooed to her son. She reached out to grab him, and Malcolm allowed her to do so. Harlem didn't seem to mind the interruption. He was happy to be in Jersey's arms. She was the parent with the milk.
"What are you doing?" Jersey gave her son a big kiss on the cheek, making him smile.
"He was playing with his toy."
"You can have him back. I just wanted to see him, that's all." Jersey informed him while holding her son closely. The dream scared her, so she wanted to ensure her baby was okay.
"We need to check the place today." Malcolm pressed. "So you can see what your property looks like."
"Fine, but I need you to look at something."
"What?"
"I have this...bump on my arm. I don't know how it got there."
Jersey held her arm out and allowed her boyfriend to inspect it. His eyes lingered over the bump. It looked nasty, and it wasn't a typical mosquito bite.
"Damn, let me see." He pulled her arm gently, wanting a better view. Malcolm noticed a visible hole and shook his head. "You got bit by a spider."
"A spider?" Jersey reiterated while looking around. "We have to do something. I need to go to the emergency room because I don't know if the spider is poisonous or not."
"Alright." Malcolm nodded his head stiffly. "While you're doing that, I'm going to get Amber to watch Harlem. I need to get some stuff for this house. We can't have spiders biting us. Especially Harlem."
"I agree."
▲ ▲ ▲
Malcolm managed to handle his responsibilities. He sprayed the house down to prevent more critters while Amber took Harlem out for some fresh air. He chilled at the house for a while and eventually left to get his son.
"He was good...." Amber trailed off, placing her attention on Harlem. She made sure to hold him close while kissing the side of his head.
"He's always good," Malcolm replied as soon as she hopped inside the passenger side. Harlem sat in her lap like a big boy as he looked around with curiosity in his bright eyes.
"Where are you about to go?" Amber questioned him.
"Home. I need to check up—hold on. Jerse is calling me now."
Malcolm tapped a few buttons on his dashboard and answered his girlfriend's call.
"Hi." Jersey's soft voice could be heard clearly.
"Hey, you good?"
"Um, yeah. I just made it home." Jersey stated with fatigued. "Where is Harlem?"
"He's right here chilling. What did the doctors say?"
"I'm good, and it wasn't a poisonous spider. They cleaned the wound again and applied antibiotic ointment. I went by the pharmacy and picked up the prescribed medicine."
"That's good to hear." Malcolm leaned back in his seat and said, "I was about to come up there and blow shit up."
"What?" Jersey let out a light chuckle and asked, "Why?"
"You weren't picking up your phone when I called. I thought some shit had happened."
"Oh, my goodness, Malcolm. I didn't answer my phone because I was in the back talking to my doctor."
"Oh." He looked over at Amber, who was busy scrolling through her phone. "I got Amber with me."
"Hey, Amber!"
"What's up, Hershey?"
"I'm sure Malcolm told you. I got bit by a spider."
"Shit. You better watch that."
"I'm going to try. I'm going to make sure my baby stays safe."
Malcolm furrowed his eyebrows but quickly recovered.
An incoming call popped up. Frida was calling her son.
"Hold on, Jerse. My moms is calling."
"Okay."
He switched over, and that answered his mom's call.
"Ma."
"Have you talked to Dock?" Frida asked her son with such urgency. Malcolm knew it had to be something serious. Usually, his mom greeted him before speaking.
"Uh, no, I haven't. What's going on?"
"A lot." Frida pushed out. "A lot of mess is going on."
Amber and Malcolm looked at each other with curiosity.
"Like what?"
"Jersey's cousin had an argument over at Dock and Michelle's place, and the situation escalated. She told Michelle that she's been sleeping with Dock."
Malcolm dropped his head and said, "Oh, shit."
"What the fuck." Amber mouthed while shaking her head.
"Yeah, it's pretty bad." Frida pushed out a weary sigh and continued the conversation. "She kicked Shaye out, of course. Michelle tried to do the same with Dock, but he refused to leave."
"I'm not going to get in their business," Malcolm spoke out with a head shake. "Dock can handle that situation on his own. I don't know what to say about Jersey's cousin. I just don't want her calling Jersey and...trying to get her involved."
"Right, she shouldn't involve her at all." Frida agreed. "This whole situation is just crazy."
"It is. I'm going to wait and let Dock call me instead." Malcolm leaned his head back again and said, "But I'll call you later. I have Jersey on the other line."
"Okay. I just called to tell you that. I have a few errands to run. Tell Jersey I said hi and kiss my grandbaby for me."
Malcolm looked over at his infant son, who was busy being cradled by Amber. He was trying to doze off.
"He's right here, going to sleep. But I'll give him a kiss for you."
▲ ▲ ▲
"Hi." Jersey kneeled to greet the cute little girl. She was dressed in a comfortable blue sweatshirt with matching sweatpants. The toddler wore a curly yet poufy ponytail. Diamond studs graced her ears, and they shined with every movement she made.
"Hi." The little girl replied shyly, index finger pressed against her lips.
"You're so cute."
There was a brief silence, so the mom looked down at her child and asked, "What do you say, Kirsten?"
Kirsten looked over at Jersey and said, "Thank you."
"She's so precious." Jersey smiled while standing up. "Do you want a snack, Kirsten?"
Kirsten nodded her head while looking up at Jersey. She was now alerted since the woman mentioned a snack.
"Oh, she's not going to turn that down," Moonie replied with a smirk on her face. She was busy holding Harlem; the infant looked around, mostly at his mom.
"Come on, follow me." Jersey held her hand out and allowed the toddler to grab it.
They walked inside the kitchen, and Jersey wasted no time opening the pantry. It wasn't a walk-in, but it was a sizeable closet. Kirsten was used to the pantry in her home. She was about to walk inside until she realized it didn't work that way.
"I have chips, candy, and juice in the fridge." Jersey continued to speak to the little girl. She looked over at Moonie and asked, "Is she allergic to anything?"
"No," Moonie replied, shaking her head.
Jersey had all her groceries in the pantry organized. The snacks were accessible since the woman had the chips, candy, and other goodies on the lower shelf.
Kirsten stepped forward and grabbed a bag of Cheetos. They were her favorite. Of course, that didn't stop her from grabbing a pack of Welch's fruit snacks.
"Girl," Moonie called out with her head cocked to the side.
"Leave her alone." Jersey waved her off. "She's so cute."
"And so greedy," Moonie added with her eyes still trained on the toddler. Kirsten looked at her mom calmly. She had no shame in the snacks she picked out. "I just bought her something to eat before we came here."
They moved into the living room and decided to settle there. Moonie had nothing to do, so she decided to text Jersey and see if they could hang out. Jersey responded quickly and accepted Moonie's offer.
Jersey didn't have many friends. She did hang with Amber and socialized with June and her crew, but she wanted something different. The woman wanted to make her friends on her own. She didn't want to build friends through Malcolm. At the end of the day, Amber's loyalty was with Malcolm, not her.
She liked Moonie and wanted to become friends with her. The woman was cool, and she admired her personality and appearance.
Her natural hair looked freshly pressed, and it hung past her shoulders. Moonie was dressed similarly to Kirsten. She wore the same sweater and sweatpants combo paired well with her shoes. A layered necklace decorated her neck.
Jersey's hair had grown out a little, so a bush of big curls graced her head. She wore a regular t-shirt with leggings. She was dressed comfortably, but it was something about Moonie that made her feel a little...insecure.
In her opinion, the woman was naturally gorgeous. She was not only pretty, but Jersey couldn't but realized how curvy she was. Being on the slender side was not fun to the woman, so of course she felt a little envious. Jersey wanted weight. She was happy about the little weight she put on from her pregnancy, but she wanted more. It wasn't enough.
[I am not a Moonie stan.]
[Jersey's physique is be similar to Halle's. (CxH)]
"Did you go to NYU?" Jersey questioned Moonie. They were sitting on the couch, making conversation. She noticed the NYU sweatshirt Moonie wore.
Moonie paused from opening her daughter's fruit snacks to pull on her shirt. She blurted out, "Oh yeah. I did."
"Really?" Jersey pushed toward the edge of the couch. "What was your major?"
"Accounting." She took one of the chewy fruits from the bag and slipped it into her mouth. Quickly, Kirsten grabbed her candy.
"That's a good career." Jersey looked down at her feet. Her black Crocs covered them. Her mind started to run, but she shook away her thoughts to look at Moonie again. "I'm in college too."
"Really? What are you majoring in?"
"Pre-Law." She sighed and pushed out, "I started at a community college to save money."
"You want to be a lawyer." Moonie smiled and nodded her head in approval. I think that's a great field. It's a very demanding career."
"I know...." Jersey trailed off and ended up pushing against the couch. She looked off again, not saying much. Her thoughts were busy roaming her mind.
"I'm thinking about dropping out." The woman blurted out before she could stop herself.
"What? Why?" Moonie looked down at Harlem, who was growing agitated. He moved around, so she gently adjusted him in her arms and rocked him.
"I feel so overwhelmed with everything," Jersey answered honestly while lightly shrugging her shoulders. "I just...have a lot to deal with, and I'm still trying to get used to managing things simultaneously. I have my son; I have to keep this house in order—plus cook. Also, I'm going back to work and...I can't do all of that and attend college."
"There has to be a solution. I don't think you should give up." Moonie replied as she continued to deal with Harlem. He didn't want her anymore, and that was obvious. The baby kept letting out whines until he eventually went into full crying mode.
Jersey removed herself from the couch and collected her son. He didn't stop the whining until she did precisely what Moonie had tried to do—rock him gently. He calmed down after realizing he was back in his mama's arms.
This is new. Jersey said to herself while taking a seat.
"I don't think you should give up," Moonie repeated, getting back on the topic.
"It's not one of my desires anymore." She stated honestly.
Jersey wanted to drop out of college. This was something she contemplated for a while. Harlem wasn't entirely the blame, but he was another reason. She was different, and she felt different. College was not something she wanted to do anymore.
"Well, what do you want to do?"
"I work at Givin' Back. You know that's one of Malcolm's businesses." Jersey stated, and Moonie nodded her head. "I'm the executive associate and...I like the job. I just want to work there."
"Executive associate." Moonie reiterated with her eyes widened. "That is similar to my job. Remember when I told you that I have a real estate business with my husband?"
"I remember, yeah."
"I'm a real estate accountant. I keep the company's financial records organized. Like I make sure everything is on track, such as the reports and accounts."
"Yes. I'm in charge of the finances and the employees' onboarding information."
"So, your job is more like—"
"H.R...Human Resources." Jersey finished.
"Got it." Moonie smiled, showing off her white teeth. "Girl, you have a job, and if you're content with it, that is okay. Do what is best for you."
"I love my job. I've been out for a while due to my pregnancy." Jersey informed her while inspecting her son's head. She was looking for a bite mark. Her dream had her spooked, and she'd recently been bitten by a spider. The woman was being cautious. "It's time to go back, though."
"Yeah, I love being with my kids, but I love going to work. I get that much-needed break from home. Because God knows I need it. My husband and his kids are...aggravating."
Kirsten stood closely by her mom as she ate her snacks like a princess. She grabbed her closed cup from the table and took a few sips from it. Moonie was busy fixing her daughter's bow. Jersey couldn't help but notice to rock that sat on her left ring finger.
"That ring is gorgeous."
"Huh?" Moonie looked up. She was too busy tending to her child to understand Jersey fully.
"Your ring. It's beautiful."
"Oh, thank you." Moonie held her hand out, wanting Jersey to see it from a great view. The oval-shaped ring was indeed gorgeous. Jersey noticed how the diamonds sparkled simultaneously as she moved her fingers around.
"I'm probably being too nosy, but how many carats?"
"I think..." Moonie trailed off, trying to remember. "Like nine carats."
"Oh." Jersey smirked and said, "That is huge. I would be scared to even...wear that in public."
"I don't wear the ring all the time," Moonie informed her. "I usually wear my wedding band instead."
Jersey didn't understand why Moonie would pick today to wear her massive wedding ring. She wanted to assume the woman had plans to throw her diamond ring in her face and gush over her marriage, but she decided to push that pesky thought away. Even if she did, Jersey wouldn't care. She wanted to get married, but marriage was not a factor in her life.
▲ ▲ ▲
Cliff had a thriving landscaping business that did excellent work. Malcolm reached out to his grandfather and asked if he could landscape his new home. As expected, Cliff agreed to do the job. He and his workers would get paid for it.
People were scattered everywhere, trying to get the project completed. Malcolm and Jersey decided to fill their land with fresh soil and grass. A few trees were placed in certain areas as well. The couple had no plans for any flowers.
Slowly but surely, the house was coming together. Jersey had picked out most of the furniture while Malcolm handled the outside work, such as the pavement for the driveway and other important tasks.
"I don't know what to say," Jersey spoke as she held her phone in her right hand. She was busy leaning against her marble counter while looking around her empty home. It would soon be filled with furniture. First, the walls had to be painted before moving her fittings in.
"Your cousin is wrong for that shit." Amber looked over at Jersey and shook her head.
"She is." Jersey agreed without any regret.
She found out about her cousin sleeping with Dock. As expected, Shaye told her about the whole situation. There was a huge possibility that Shaye's baby was Dock's. Jersey didn't say much because she was a little upset about it.
The entire time, Jersey assumed the baby was for Dean. From what she could understand, Dean was the only guy Shaye was sleeping with. However, that all changed after the girl aired her business.
"Dock?" Amber leaned against the counter with Harlem in her arms. "That nigga is old. I know his dick smell like mothballs."
"Oh." Quickly, Jersey covered her mouth and laughed. Amber's comment was unexpected, so she wasn't prepared for it. "Watch your mouth in front of Harlem."
"My bad." Amber looked over at Harlem and kissed his jaw. He seemed content and very alert.
"But you know I'm telling the truth."
"Amber, I do not know how that man smells," Jersey replied with a smirk. "But I'm upset with Shaye because she played me. I paid this girl's rent, and I bought her furniture."
"I know that, and I hate you did it." Amber wrinkled her nose while shaking her head. "You should group your receipts and make her ass pay you back."
"I'm not going to help her anymore. I already told her. She's mad about that."
"So. Let her ass be mad." Amber held a serious look across her pretty face. "I don't like how people treat you."
Jersey waved her off and said, "I'm fine."
"Nah, you're too nice." Amber pointed her out. "Learn how to say no."
"I know how to say no, Amber."
"Well, start saying it more. You told me that Shaye has a degree. Okay, good. She needs to get off her lazy ass and find a job."
"She's pregnant."
"So. She can find a job at home. Her ass better put that degree to work."
"Alright..." Jersey leaned her head to the side and watched as Amber placed her concentration on Harlem. She was busy talking to the infant, making him smile brightly. Harlem loved Amber, and Jersey could tell. The way he looked at her and laughed whenever she played with him.
That made Jersey happy. She wanted to ask Amber to be Harlem's godmother. It had been on her mind for a few months now, but she never got the chance to ask her.
"Hey, Amber."
"What's up?"
"You know...you're good with Harlem."
"This my baby." Amber pushed out gently as she continued to play with the infant.
Jersey smiled and said, "I want you to be Harlem's godmother." Suddenly, she wiped her smile away. "Or...godfather." The woman wrinkled her eyebrows while placing her attention on Amber. "Oh...I'm such a bad friend. I never asked you about your gender. What do you identify as?"
"Yo, chill." Amber looked at her strangely. "I'm a woman, and I identify as that. My pronouns are...she and her."
"I just want to make sure. I want you to be comfortable." Jersey smirked. "So, how about being Harlem's godmother?"
"You know I'm accepting it." Amber cheesed. She was happy with Jersey's decision. The woman loved Harlem and didn't mind being his godmother.
"Good. And you can start by keeping him while we go on vacation."
"Vacation? A vacation to where?"
Jersey held her smirk in and said, "What I'm trying to say is that I want you to be Harlem's traveling nanny. We're going on vacation for Christmas, and I need someone to watch him."
"Damn...Big Harlem." Amber glanced at him and placed her attention on his mom. "I would love to, but I have plans with Kennedy."
"Kennedy?" Jersey rolled her eyes but didn't reply.
"Don't even act like that because whenever you ask me to watch Harlem, I do. I just...want to spend time with my girl. We both agreed to head out to California for Christmas."
"I thought you weren't feeling her like that?"
"I mean...I like her." Amber pushed out. "I'm still trying to get to know her."
"Well, that's okay." Jersey bit down on her bottom lip before speaking. "I was thinking about getting a traveling nanny for him."
"A traveling nanny?" Amber reiterated.
Before she could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by a voice.
"Hey."
Jersey grew alert and realized Malcolm and his grandfather, Cliff, had made their way inside the house. Cautiously, she looked at them. Her home was clean, and she wanted it to stay that way. The men didn't look dirty, so she assumed they wouldn't mess up her floors.
"Hi." Jersey greeted him.
"I'm just going to use the bathroom if that is okay."
"It's fine." Jersey smiled at him and said, "Go ahead."
"I heard what happened to your cousin. The one who was in a relationship with Dean." Cliff shook his head and held a disgusted look. "What the hell is going on?"
"Um." Jersey placed her eyes on Malcolm because she felt uncomfortable. "I'm not sure."
"She doesn't know anything about that situation, Pops," Malcolm spoke up while walking behind Jersey. He leaned down slightly and placed a kiss on her neck.
"Oh. I assumed she would." He looked over at Harlem and gave him a little attention before going to the bathroom.
"You're sweaty, and I hope y'all didn't put dirt on my floors." Jersey looked over at Malcolm with concern.
"I didn't get any dirt on your floors." Malcolm informed her while opening a water bottle.
"A traveling nanny?" Amber questioned her again, catching the woman's attention.
"Yeah, someone who will see to Harlem," Jersey explained. "Malcolm and I want to do some exploring and take our baby with us. It's hard to do both because Harlem is an infant with demands. I figured a nanny would be the right choice."
"I mean...it is, but just be careful with that shit."
"We are."
Amber looked down at her godson carefully. She wasn't thrilled about the traveling nanny, but she knew that his parents would do the right thing.
A few knocks caught their attention. Arthur walked inside and greeted the women. They spoke, and he immediately placed his attention on Malcolm. The husky guy walked over and said, "I need to talk to you."
"Alright." Malcolm slapped Jersey lightly on the ass and said, "I'll be right back."
She nodded her head and placed her attention on her cellphone.
Malcolm and Arthur left the house and decided to speak in a private area.
"I just got information on Byrd."
Mitchell "Byrd" Jennings
Malcolm looked at him strangely and asked, "What kind of information?"
Byrd was a professional hitman. Malcolm had a difficult time trying to find the man.
"I know where he is residing."
"Oh shit, you're serious?"
"I am. We got his ass." Arthur nodded his head.
"Alright, that's good." Malcolm looked off while thinking about his family. He knew that Jersey would disagree with his decision, but he had to finish Byrd. He was responsible for shooting Malcolm. The man almost took his life. He was not going to let him slide.
"I also have some bad news."
Malcolm looked over at Arthur. He knew there was an issue lying somewhere. "Let me hear it."
"Scooter got arrested."
Instantly, Malcolm dropped his head and shook it. He didn't say anything for a while, and that bothered Arthur. He was about to repeat himself until Malcolm responded.
"For what?"
"I'm not sure yet. He called Dock, and they called me since they couldn't get you on the phone."
"My phones are in the truck. I don't have them on me since I'm trying to get my yard straight. Damn, man." Malcolm cursed while thinking about Scooter, his cousin.
"So, what's going on? Is Dock trying to get him out?"
"I think so," Arthur replied calmly. "But he mentioned something about having bank issues or something. I think Michelle did something to their accounts."
Malcolm shook his head. If that was true, his uncle wasn't as smart as he thought. Having a joint account with your spouse is cool. However, everyone should have a personal bank account.
▲ ▲ ▲
Jersey found herself going through the box that Vivienne left her. She pulled out more photos and read a few old notes that Vivienne had written to a lover that she'd never mentioned before. There was even a letter addressed to Terri, but she didn't read it yet.
The woman ran across a letter that was addressed to Vivienne. She didn't want to open it, but something told her to. Curiously, Jersey looked at the papers and found out some interesting information.
According to the papers, Vivienne had a life insurance policy. From what Jersey could understand, the policy was still active for a few more years. She paid over three hundred dollars for a two hundred-thousand-dollar policy.
As stated before, the insurance was still active. Jersey knew her grandmother had left the money to someone. She figured the money was unclaimed, so she was on the mission to get it. The woman looked down at the paper and noticed the insurance company's name. She wasted no time calling them.
"My name is Jersey Coleman," Jersey stated, responding to the agent on the phone. She paced the floors, feeling anxious for some reason.
After giving the agent more information, she was found in their system. The agent confirmed that she was indeed listed as a beneficiary.
"I checked the information that I received from you, and it looks like you are listed as a beneficiary."
"Okay."
Jersey blew out some air from her mouth. Two hundred thousand dollars was a lot of money. She planned on using it to tear down her grandmother's old brownstone. The rest would go inside her bank account.
"However, it looks like there is a situation...with your claim. You are listed as unable to handle funds because of your condition."
"My condition? W-what?"
"I'm sorry, Ms. Coleman, but your funds went to a trust. It was supposed to be divided between you and another beneficiary. We were told you were in a psychiatric hospital, so we made some arrangements with a trustee."
Psychiatric hospital. She knew exactly what he meant.
"A trustee?" Jersey reiterated in disbelief. "The insurance company needs to verify everything before making major decisions. I'm not crazy, if that is what you're trying to say."
"We have to follow certain procedures, Ms. Coleman."
Jersey knew that her aunt had lied to the insurance company. It hurt her that Lisa would stoop this low. The agent didn't believe Jersey, which hurt her more. He made some recommendations, and that was it. The man didn't try to help her at all.
As soon as she ended the call, tears cascaded down her face. Jersey cried, and she cried so hard, she choked. The woman kneeled on the ground and couldn't help but let out all her pain. The tears dropped with every wail.
She felt terrible about her condition, and hearing the agent at the insurance company speak about it on the phone made her feel like shit. Jersey stayed on the floor and cried until she could feel herself heaving. As of right now, the money didn't matter, she was tired of people hurting her.
The woman eventually fell asleep on the floor. When she woke up, she found herself in bed. Slowly, she looked around the room in confusion since she'd remembered being asleep on the floor.
Harlem was fast asleep beside her. She looked over at her baby and watched as his little body rose with every breath. Jersey leaned over and gave him a soft kiss.
She continued to scrutinize her son before Malcolm interrupted her.
"Hey."
"Hey..." She repeated.
"You were on the floor when I walked in. Are you okay?" Malcolm questioned her with concern laced in his voice.
Jersey took a deep breath and said, "I'm fine. I just...had a meltdown."
"A meltdown. A meltdown about what?"
"I um...found out today that my grandmother had an insurance policy and...and I'm a beneficiary."
"Oh." Malcolm looked over at his girlfriend with curiosity. "...she left you more money to ensure you're good."
"I can't get it on my own."
Malcolm stayed quiet and blinked a few times. "What are you talking about, Jerse?"
"My aunt told the insurance company that...I was in a psych ward, I'm not mentally well, and I'm not fit to handle my money. Now, I have a trustee over my account."
"A fucking trustee?" Malcolm frowned while watching his girlfriend closely, "Are you serious? How did she get away with that shit? Most insurance companies check shit out."
"I am and...Lisa is my trustee."
"We have to get this shit straightened out because it's a lie."
"I know. I cried so hard earlier. I was embarrassed about the situation because...I don't want people knowing about my mental illness. It's something I can't help."
"You shouldn't let it get to you," Malcolm commented. "Jersey, your aunt lied. You're not in the psychiatric hospital and you're doing better."
He neared his woman and wrapped his arms around her body. His embrace did make her feel better, and she felt so safe. Jersey closed her eyes, loving the scent of his body.
"Don't cry because...it's going to make me mad." Malcolm continued while rubbing her back. "I'll do anything to protect your happiness."
Jersey looked up at him. She wore a gloomy expression on her face.
"Do you mean that?"
Malcolm looked at her carefully and said, "For you and Harlem, I will."
She pressed her lips against his and pecked it a few times. After pulling back, she said, "It's good to know that...someone cares about me."
After loving on each other, Jersey decided to clean up her mess. She kneeled on the floor and picked up the papers. Suddenly, she realized an orange envelope rested underneath the pile of papers. Jersey managed to pull it from the pile and look inside. She held a confused expression on her face while grabbing the paper inside.
Her mouth gaped as she sat there, surprised. Jersey looked at the document over for the fourth time, ensuring she read it correctly.
It was a birth certificate.
Preach's name was written on it as Laurence Lopez.
Terrie's name was written on there as well as Anthony Lopez.
Who was Anthony Lopez?
▲ ▲ ▲
TO BE CONTINUED
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