NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
BRADLEY HUGHES,
Bradley opened up the door to her home, allowing Genovah and Mimi in. Like promised, she made time for the two so they could all spend some time with each other. With the twins about to enter the world, Bradley truly wanted no ill feelings or animosity with anyone, Genovah being one of the main people she felt like she needed to resolve things with. Her and her sister were able to stay cordial and play nice, but it was clear that their underlying issue had yet to be solved. She was hoping with some time, and a good talk, things could begin to work out.
"You look so cute pregnant," Genovah gushed as her hand gravitated to Bradley's stomach.
A smile displayed onto Bradley's face. "Thank you. I'm ready for them to be out already," Bradley sighed lightly causing Mimi and Genovah to chuckle since they both were aware of the feeling.
"When do they think you're going into labor?" Mimi asked after thanking Bradley for appointing her a seat.
"Uh, my midwives think they'll be here in the next week or two. Yesterday we found out I'm a centimeter dilated so now we're just playing the waiting game," Bradley breathed out as she eased into her seat with a ton of pillow supporting her back. Honestly, Bradley was no longer nervous about the arrival of Blake and Jace. She wanted them out and in her arms. Against Rashad's dismay, she had been trying to figure things out that could help her dilate quicker. Rashad didn't want any thing to kick start Bradley's labor just because she was anxious to have the twins. He wanted things to be organic and his kids to come out on their own time.
"Well I'll be here," Mimi beamed assuring Bradley.
Bradley perked up in excitement. She was set on simply having Paige and Rashad present while giving birth to the twins. Knowing Mimi would be there as well gave her another level of comfort. "Will you really?"
Mimi chuckled. "Of course! You really think I'll miss my favorite girl having twins?"
Bradley squealed in slight excitement holding her arms out for an embrace from her grandmother which was granted. "Thank you so much,"
"You're welcome," Mimi assures, kissing Bradley's cheek.
"I'm happy for you Bradley, I genuinely am," Genovah sighed out in a content manner before she smiled at her younger sister.
Bradley mirrored the smile. "Thank you. A lot of things are still surreal. I never saw this life for myself," Her smile discarded her face as she settled in her thoughts. She couldn't help but to drift back into her past.
Bradley feared reflecting on her life a lot simply because she didn't want to dwell on what use to be. Her past came with a lot of darkness that she didn't want to taint her present and future with. "I believed in you," Genovah stayed.
Bradley's face screwed up. "Hard to believe. You terrorized me up until I left,"
Mimi pursed her lips as she shifted her eyes between both of her granddaughters. Genovah let out a sigh. Bradley always expresses how she felt so she should have expected how outward her sister would be. "I was young, I lost my mother," Genovah shrugged.
"I was young too—younger than you actually, and quite honestly I feel like I should be using that as my excuse far more than you should. I lost her by being alive. At least you got to meet her," Bradley shrugged her shoulders, expressing her truth to her sister.
Genovah nodded. Usually she would manage to find a way to rebut her sister's statements and feelings, but Mimi gave her a long lecture about actually listening to Bradley instead of arguing with her. "Well I'm sorry," Genovah apologized.
Bradley sighed letting a dry chuck exude out of her. "Don't sound so passive about it. Even you know that wasn't sincere," She pointed out.
"This is what I'm talking about," Genovah let out a huff of frustration while looking at her grandmother.
Bradley smacked her lips. She didn't expect the conversation to go left so soon. Genovah attained a crude trait from Devon which happened to be her swiftness in getting frustrated. If she felt like she wasn't gonna get the upper hand in the argument, she quickly disconnected. Bradley hated that about her. Genovah always managed to end every argument in her favor, no matter what it was. "What were you talking about?"
"How impossible you are to please. Bradley it's been almost ten years. I'm trying to let bygones be bygones but you're making it very hard," Genovah let out another huff of frustration, this time coming her fingers through her hair.
Again, Bradley twisted up her face. See, this was a prime example of Genovah trying to end the discussion off in her favor. Bradley was always to blame and some how Genovah always ended up victimized. "Bygones be bygones? Girl you're acting like I hurt you? Clearly you have things mixed up,"
"I get it, you were hurt, but can we move in from that already?" Genovah let out a dressing sigh
"People can't move on without talking things out," Bradley reminded.
Genovah let out another sigh. "So what do you wanna talk about Brad?" She shrugged her shoulders leaving the conversation in the hands of Bradley.
With a sufficed smile, Bradley adjusted her posture, folding her legs Indian style. A chance to speak her frustrations was all she wanted. "Growing up, you've openly admitted that you hated me on multiple occasions, and you also treated me like you were superior. It's like you knew that I was the sore thumb of the family and you basked in that. I get it you were young, but that doesn't excuse the way you treated me when you were well aware from right from wrong. The stuff you said and did to me still bothers me to this day, however I really can't find it within me to blame you solely. You father was pretty horrible to me as well and you just picked up on it," Bradley shrugged.
"Bradley you have to realize that I was grieving. I lost my mother just like you did. I lashed out on you because at the time, I blamed you for her loss. I went from a two parent household to now just having to deal with dad—" Bradley interjected Genovah.
"He's not my father," Bradley corrected her.
Mimi sighed before turning to face Bradley. "Farrah why don't you just hush and let the girl speak?"
"Because he isn't my father. Everyone knew except for me up until this year," Bradley shrugged. As selfish as it may sound, Bradley simply did it care for what Genovah had to say. She was sure her sister was trying to circle herself out of a well owed apology that needed to be issued to Bradley. "And honestly we all know how Genovah is. She's gonna manage to talk her way out of being wrong. She does it all of the time," Bradley rolled her eyes.
Genovah was trying her best to remain respectful to her sister. After all, she was in her home and Bradley was days away from labor. She took in a deep breath and attempted to revert the conversation. "As I was saying—"
"If it's not an apology, I really don't want to hear it," Bradley shrugged in all honesty. Beating around the bush wasn't the affective way of getting what you needed, especially from Genovah.
"This girl is unbelievable," Genovah sighed out.
Bradley shook her head. "No, I'm fed up with everyone trying to downsize what they have done to me so I can feel sorry for them. Your father did it once so I'm not gonna let you pull one over on me just like him," She explained with a slight shrug of her shoulders. "At the end of the day, I'm having kids and I could've never imagine treating either of them the way you and Devon treated me. Also, I'm sure if my fiancé's son was still alive I wouldn't treat I'm differently despite the fact that I didn't give birth to him. What you and your father did was vile. Then to add insult to injury you guys managed to blame the whole situation of me leaving Houston on me being a rebellious child."
"The same week I left, Devon kicked me out because I walked home from work instead of calling him to come get me so I could sit in a car with him to listen to how much of a disappointment he thought I was!" Bradley stressed.
Counting off on her fingers, she listed a few things off. "You all fail to realize that Bradley gets fed up too, Bradley is also grieving the lost of her mother, Bradley was also young and dumb. Stop trying to take away the fact that I'm the hurt one,"
A silence rendered between the three woman after Bradley opened up how she felt about the discussion at hand. After all was said, Genovah still couldn't find it within her to just feel sorry for Bradley without feeling sorry for herself. The pain and loss of Sanada and not having a mom around was just as hard for her as it was for Bradley. Just like Bradley felt like Genovah was downsizing her pain, Genovah felt the same way.
"You're not the only hurt one Bradley," Genovah pointed out.
"You're right, but let's not forget, you lived a great life while I—"
"Dealt with minuscule shit every rebellious teenager dealt with, with their father!" Genovah snapped no longer being able to contain her true feelings about the situation.
Bradley's eyes widened a bit. "Bitch—"
Mimi interjected quickly. "Bradley calm down,"
As hard as it was to get her heavy self up off the couch, Bradley mustered you the strength to do so. "Yeah, you could go. Clearly you're still not understanding where I'm coming from," Bradley spewed up, ushering Genovah to the door of the home. The sisters were like two wild fires that always managed to merge together and ignite into something even bigger. No matter how many apologies were issued, and attempts to move forward, the sisters always acted as if they had some sick underlying hatred for each other.
"You're just hormonal," Genovah muttered as she followed Bradley out.
Bradley took in a sharp breath trying her best to remain calm. She opened the door and to her luck, Rashad was at the front door about to use his key to enter. When the door whipped open Rashad was shocked a bit, but he quickly softened his face into a smile once he caught sight of Mimi and Rashad. "Shad step aside, Genovah was just leaving," Bradley ordered him.
Rashad raised a brow, confused on why the two sisters were both irate an annoyed with each other. "What happened?" Rashad looked down to Mimi.
Mimi shook her head with a defeated sigh. "These two are always like this. Just get Farrah to calm down," She advised Rashad as she dragged Genovah out before she could retort anything to her sister.
Rashad sighed as he entered the home, shutting the door behind him. "What the hell happened? You two were just cordial at the shower," Rashad asked, still confused how things ended up spiraling as such.
Bradley shrugged. "I don't know and I don't care," She muttered out.
"Brad—" Rashad attempted to utter output was interjected by Bradley.
"I'm so damn tired of her! She always finds a way to make herself gain pity from others! I'm always the one who has to take the high road with everyone and I'm sick of it! I was really trying to be nice! I invited her to my shower, welcomed her into my home, everything! And she still tried to downplay my feelings and emotions to victimize herself! Rashad they blame me for everything! I'm the reason my mom died! I'm the reason Devon had to be so hard on me! I'm the reason why Genovah treated me the way that she did! I'm the reason why I moved to a completely different state at the age of eighteen! They paint me out to be some horrible ass person who has had nothing but a great life, but still isn't grateful for it! I'm not that person!" Bradley fumed out. Rashad could tell that she wanted to let all of that out while Genovah was present, but something had held her back. Tears scorched her eyes as she tried to refrain herself from crying. Rashad had come to terms that Bradley's family situation was one that required a lot of work and patience. Bradley however still hadn't come to terms with that. She expected one conversation to start the rebuilding of her and the family'a relationship, but they needed far more than just one conversation.
Instantaneously, Rashad opened up her arms and pulled Bradley into an embrace. There, she cried into his chest as Rashad comforted her. "Bradley, sometimes things are best when they're left alone," Rashad began. "You guys need time, patience, and understanding of not only each other, but yourselves. Clearly you guys have the same pain, you two are just arguing about who was hurt more when in reality it was the same pain. Sanada was both of you guys' mom and she passed. Both of you have to live life knowing that she's never coming back. I know you may hate to hear this, but Bradley sometimes you have to realize your issues with Devon shouldn't be put on anyone else but Devon. Genovah was a child just as you were, he was the adult in the situation so he should have known better. If God has a will for you two to speak again, the conversation should only consist of the issues you have at hand with Genovah. Start with an empty slate there, then work your way into talking about the treatment you got from Devon. It may take a day, a week, maybe even a year—but it'll eventually happen," Rashad kissed the top of her head.
Bradley remained in Rashad's arms, thinking over what he had just said. It sounded well rounded and thought out rationally, but she was of course still angry. "No," She seethed out. "I don't want her in my life at all. She'll never meet my kids, and she's also not invited to the wedding," Bradley finalized as she brushed his arms from around her so she could march towards the stairs.
Lately Bradley had been having her little mood swings and her tantrums so Rashad knew she was just in her feelings. He expected it. Once he heard the bedroom door slam shut, he sighed and shook his head. "God please give me my nice and loving fiancée back," He mumbled out as he began striding up the stairs following her. "Brad," Rashad sighed as he opened the bedroom door seeing her laying in bed with her back faced to him.
"Leave me alone," She ordered. "Clearly even you are siding with her," Bradley scoffed.
Rashad let out a light chuckle as he made his way over to Bradley. "You think I'll side with her over my wife? You're crazy," He took a seat at the edge of the bed, closest to Bradley. He placed his hand on the side of her stomach, caressing it. "However, I need you to know when you're wrong baby. I'm not gonna allow you to be out here feeling entitled to anything," Rashad explained.
Bradley smacked her lips. "So you're saying I don't deserve an apology? Rashad get out,"
Rashad chuckled knowing he should have chosen his words more wisely. "Okay let me rephrase that. I want you to know when you should chill out a bit. You have this tendency of only thinking about your point of view. When we go at it, I always stress the fact that we have to look at the situation from both standpoints. It's hard, especially when you have years on top of years of pent of anger, but it helps. I just don't want you coming off as angry and impossible to deal with all the time. Cause I know my baby is the queen of compromise and selflessness,"
Bradley tried to fight the urge to smile but failed. A light smile peaked through her scowl causing Rashad to laugh a bit. "Seriously though, you're about to be a mom of two. You have to lead by example. Just take what I said into consideration," Rashad leaned over, applying a kiss onto her cheek.
"I will," Bradley murmured out.
"C'mon let me take you somewhere to cheer you," Rashad offered with a convincing smile.
Bradley averted her eyes to him. "Will there be—"
Rashad groaned. "Food. Yes you'll get some food," He confirmed causing her to do her little happy dance. "That's all you care about? I literally just cleared my entire schedule for you today, and all you're worried about is food, damn shame," Rashad shamed her with a twisted look on his face.
Bradley laughed as he helped her with getting out of bed. "Thank you babe, I really appreciate you procrastinating your schedule for me,"
"Procrastinating?" Rashad raised a brow playing as if he were offended.
"I'm joking," Bradley assured him.
Rashad left Bradley to finish getting ready as he went downstairs to take a call from Jerome. "I just got the papers for me and Kim's divorce and she coming for half of everything I got," Jerome stressed as he slammed the divorce petition down.
Rashad let out a breath. Sometimes he really missed not having to manage neither of his brothers. "Jerm why are you calling me? Call your lawyer," Rashad advised him.
"Nigga I don't have a lawyer. My lawyer was Brandon's lawyer and right now I don't feel comfortable being represented by a dude on his payroll," Jerome explained causing Rashad to shake his head. His brother had a point, but that did it justify the fact that he was just now telling him of this.
Rashad ran a hand down his face. "You wait now to tell me this?"
"Yeah. I didn't think Kimora would have it in her to try to come for half of everything," Jerome scoffed. "She got some nerve, after cheating on me,"
Rashad pulled free phone away from his ear with his face screwed up. He had to make sure he was hearing his brother correctly. "Do you not remember cheating on her throughout the entire duration your marriage?" Rashad questioned his brother.
Jerome smacked his lips. "She forgave me for all of that. We were working on us then she wanna pull some low shit like that. I was on my best behavior since I found out she was pregnant with Saint. The whole text situation in LA was a misunderstanding. She jumped to conclusions and on the next nigga dick," It was pretty evident that Jerome was blaming Kimora for the divorce. In his opinion, what she forgave him for was ridded from their marriage and they started fresh once she got pregnant with Saint. Jerome really had been on his best behavior, he honestly enjoyed no longer cheating and attempting to hide it from Kimora. He no longer had to stress about hurting her and making up for it. Plus, he started falling in love with Kimora all over again. After the ESPYS Jerome didn't expect Kimora to pull a him on him. After the party he really had intentions on apologizing to Kimora about the argument and explaining the obscene text that popped up on his phone. However Kimora had other plans.
Rashad couldn't help but find Jerome amusing. It was funny seeing him fester in anger from Kimora doing what he use to do to her all of the time. "Son, find you a lawyer and I'll check them out for you,"
"I gotta find me a lawyer?" Jerome cocked his brows. "What I pay you for?"
Rashad chuckled. "Alright bitch, I'll hit you when I find one, just drop the papers off at my place later and I'll look them over," He assures Jerome.
"See this is why I like you more than Alex, you work for me," Jerome jested with an obnoxious laugh.
Rashad smacked his lips. "Alright bye dumbass," He hung.
Bradley finally came down, ready to leave. "Brad, I know that ain't my shirt," Rashad frowned once he noticed his graphic tee on her. With her rounded stomach bigger than it has ever been, it peaked through the bottom of the shirt slightly.
Bradley rolled her eyes. "Man, ya girl cant fit a thing in her closet. I barely got my round ass in this shirt. Deal with it," She held her hand up to his face yielding him of complaining about her taking his clothes without his permission.
Rashad chuckled. "I'm gone let you slide cause you dropped that neck the other night," He smirked as he rubbed his hands together cockily.
Bradley exalted out in laughter before pushing him slightly. "You're so annoying," She told him as they exited the home.
"You're annoying all the time," He waves her off. Rashad locked up the home before he led the way to the car. There was no way he would be getting Bradley into his truck so he was left with driving her car. After assisting her in comfortably and getting in himself, the two were all set to go.
"Where we going?" Bradley asked as she reclined her seat all the way back.
Rashad smirked a bit. Rashad thought it would be nice for the two to enjoy some time and food at Southern Hospitality since that was where they held their first conversation with one another. With the twins coming soon, Rashad knew their life would be complete different as they juggled parenthood and their growing careers. This outing signifies their last time having each other to themselves. Blake and Jace were about to give them a run for their money, time, and attention so they needed this time together. "No where special, just Southern," He informed her as he kept his attention on the road.
Bradley nodded her head, enjoying the rest of the ride. As always, conversation flowed organically and so did laughter. Once they arrived, Rashad helped her out of the car and the two entered the restaurant hand in hand. Bradley scrunched her face up at the sight of the line, she was not about to wait. Instead of Rashad leading the way to the back, Bradley did which caused him to laugh since she had picked up on his bad habit. "Brad I think you skipped the line," Rashad teased.
Bradley looked up at him, her face screwed up in a look which read, are you dumb? Bradley continued the way to the back, Rashad towing right behind her. "Mama!" Bradley entered the kitchen just as Rashad would causing them both to fall into hysterical laughter.
They managed to catch Mama's Sonya's attention immediately. She faced the couple with a scowl on her face and her hand over her heart indicating they gave her a good scare. "Rashad!" She scolded him.
Rashad's mouth widened in shock. "It wasn't even me this time," He quickly pointed at Bradley who had her hand tucked underneath her stomach while she laughed.
"You convinced her to do that shit. Next time it's your ass Rashad, I'm serious," Mama Sonya warned him before swatting his shoulder. Rashad shook his head at how she still managed to blame him. "Now what brings you two by?" She asked while reaching out and caressing Bradley's stomach.
"Your food, ain't nothing else good enough to make me drive from my house to here," Rashad continued heckling his grandmother as he always did.
Momma Sonya cut her eyes at her grandson before reaching up and smacking him upside the head causing Bradley to laugh. As she fixed them a plate of anything they so pleased, she chatted to Bradley about the birth of the twins. "So you sure they won't drown in that water? I don't too much like the idea of my great-grandkids having to know how to swim at birth," Mama Sonya twisted her face up causing both Brad and Rashad to both laugh hysterically.
Still in laughter, Rashad said goodbye to his grandmother before leading Bradley out to the front. Luckily for them, the table where Rashad followed her to was getting cleaned by Tyson. "Spot reserved just for y'all," Tyson smiled once he wiped down the table once more.
Rashad dapped him up thanking him. "Preciate it Ty," He thanked the young teen who nodded his head in response.
Bradley glanced over at Tyson who smiled lightly once before making his way to go clean up the rest of the tables of the restaurant. "He's a good kid," Bradley referred to Tyson.
Rashad nodded his head agreeing. "Really is. He reminds me a lot of Duke," Rashad pointed out before taking Bradley's hands to pray over their meal.
"This was cute," Bradley praises Rashad's sentimental date idea. "Sitting at this table gives me nostalgia,"
Rashad smiles thinking back to the day where he pulled the little phone trick which had her eight and a half months pregnant with twins, and planning a wedding now. "Me too. Back when you were slim in the stomach and your ass was on stupid fat," He licked his lips reminiscing on Bradley's body prior to the pregnancy.
Bradley laughed before balling up a napkin and tossing it at him. "I swear Shad, you better get my body back, if you don't I'm going under the knife," She warned him knowing how much he hated the thought of her getting any type of cosmetic surgery. He considered that the easy way out.
Rashad smacked his lips before side eying Bradley. "I know I can train you into getting your body back, it just depends are you willing to put in the work," He tapped his temple with his index finger as if he had just spit some major logic.
Bradley let out a groan. "Ugh I just wanna go back to being the bad bitch you fell in love with,"She pouted.
Rashad chuckled. "Ha, that's what I told you the first time I laid the pipe," He recalled causing Bradley's face to heat up a bit since she too remembered.
"We had some good times kid," Bradley sighed out in which Rashad agreed. It was always great vibes with each other. It truly felt like they've known each other all of their lives.
"Can I tell you something?" Rashad looked up from his food with a questioning expression etched on his face. Bradley nodded his head telling him to proceed. Whatever he was about to say was weighing down on him, she could tell just by the shift in his demeanor. "You actually fill in that emptiness I've had since loosing my brother. I was sold on no one knowing me as well as he did, or understanding me, but then you popped up in my life. Before you, I use to wake up wanting to just get my life over with so I could be with Cedonni again, but now that's changed. You give me—"Rashad paused for a moment before shrugging his shoulders with a relieved sigh. "purpose, I guess."
"Awe, babe," Bradley leaned over the table peppering kisses on his lips.
Rashad chuckled at the amount of kisses Bradley was bestowing upon him. He finally got her to sit back down and no longer want to peck her lips all over his face. "Seriously though," He assures her with a pair of soft eyes. "You're really the shit," He stuck his hand out dapping her up causing them both to laugh excessively. "Like can't nobody ever come for you as a girlfriend, wife, business owner, or mom. None of that," Rashad continued to inflate her ego.
With a beaming smile on her face, Bradley thanked him. This was happiness. Rashad not only made her laugh, but also made her feel good. He never kicked her when she was down—except for that whole Kenya situation while she was mourning Cinney—but Bradley got him together quick. Bradley knew it would be far fetched to call him perfect, but damn was he close to it.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
RASHAD FAREWOOD,
"C'mon Kim, some of the things you want out of this divorce are a nonnegotiable no," Rashad spoke into the phone trying his best to get his soon to be ex-sister-in-law to loosen the grip she had on the reins of the divorce.
It's been a few weeks and Rashad was finally able to get through to Kimora for a conversation.
Kimora let out an uninterested sigh. "I don't care. He's lucky I didn't take it a step further and request full custody of Saint," She spewed out venomously. Jerome had finally met the beast he poked out of her for all the years of emotional and mental abuse. Kimora was being ruthless. Kimora really didn't like the fact that her son had to be handed off like he was some toy they were sharing, but she dealt with it nonetheless.
Rashad knew that his baby brother deserved everything coming at him, however Jerome was the one signing his checks so he had to do things in the best interest of him. "Whoa, that's going to far. He may not have been the best to you, but he's a phenomenal father. You know that Kim," Rashad came to his brother's defense pertaining to his fatherhood. Saint seemed to be the only person that could actually get through to Jerome. His son was his purpose now, which had him moving completely different along with smarter.
"Why am I even having this conversation with you? Tell him he either agrees to what I ordered or the alimony, nothing in between," With that, Kimora hung her phone off causing Rashad to let out a deep sigh.
"What she say?" Jerome asked as he sat before Rashad in their mom's kitchen. Jerome knew if Rashad had set Kimora on speaker he wouldn't be able to contain himself and they would end up in a full argument.
Rashad eyes his brother with a defeated look. "She says it's either this," He pointed over to the divorce decree with all of her wants. "or alimony. No in between,"
"Now she wants alimony?" Jerome screwed her face up. "She's acting like as soon as we divorce I'm just gonna leave her high and dry. She's my baby's-mom. She really take me as some whack ass dude," Jerome didn't understand why Kimora was demanding so much. Hell would freeze over before he let Kimora struggle financially with his child. He didn't expect their divorce to be nasty. Kimora usually hated confrontation and liked taking the easy way out of things. She threw Jerome an entire curveball.
Rashad shrugged his shoulders. "Honestly I feel like it's in your best interest to at least try to compromise with her. She's threatening to get full custody of Saint. At the end of the day, your kid is far more important that the money she's after," Rashad advised. He knew Jerome didn't want to give Kimora all that she wanted especially since in his deranged mind Kimora pulled the last straw of their marriage, however his little brother needed a reality check.
Jerome mugged his brother. "Now she wants to take my son? See Brandon been peeped game about Kimora, but I was too pussy whipped to see all the red flags," He shook his head with a look of disgust sprawled all over his face.
"Chill out, she wasn't a bad person. She's just playing dirty and sadly things may go in her favor," Rashad shrugged.
Jerome twisted his face up. "For fucking what? She shouldn't have grabs at my earnings when she's the one who filed for divorce after cheating. I was gonna wait it out to see if we could work shit out, but clearly she ain't want shit to do with me. Now I gotta pay for it? Why I always gotta get the short end of the stick?" Jerome has been use to getting his way since birth. Brandon spoiled him rotten and it had corrupted him into adulthood.
Rashad eyes his brother shaking his head. "You're not getting the short end of the stick, you're finally getting the consequences you deserve. You cheated—a lot bro! She came back and did what you did to her. You're just hurt cause you underestimated her—hell we all did," Rashad shrugged. "And honestly, you don't pay me enough to be your therapist as well,"
Jerome scoffed at his brother before rolling his eyes at his last remark. "I don't need no damn therapist, I know what my problem,"
Rashad smirked amusingly. "Oh you do? What is it then?"
Jerome looked down at his hands sheepishly before glancing up at his brother. "I have a sex addiction," He murmured out causing Rashad eyes to widen. A silence fell upon them for a moment, before Rashad broke it by laughing hysterically. At his brother's reaction, Jerome smacked his lips in irritation. "See this is why people don't tell you and Alex shit, y'all always think shit funny," He jeered out defensively.
"My bad, my bad," Rashad continued his laughter, trying his best to settle it. "I just didn't expect that," Rashad held his sides as he rested his head down on the island of the kitchen in hopes of ceasing his laughter.
"I'm serious though," Jerome ran a hand down his face. "The only reason I stepped out on Kim so much was cause she couldn't keep up with me. I had to fuck other bitches to keep me satisfied. I'm not trying to use that to justify what I did, but damn can someone understand where I'm coming from?" Jerome was really taking this as an opportunity to confide in his older brother. He really had no one else to tell this to now with he and Brandon no longer being on good terms, and Kimora not wanting anything to do with him. At this point, Jerome wasn't okay. Physically he looked fine, mentally and emotionally though, the man was disturbed.
Realizing that his little brother was really touching base on something that bothered him, Rashad quickly stopped laughing. "Jerm, how long has this been a thing?" Rashad asked.
Jerome shrugged. "I don't know, for about like three years now," Rashad was able to put two and two together and realized around that time is when social media began blasting Jerome for his infidelities.
"This goes past some sex addiction Jerm, it's something you're not telling me," Rashad bore his eyes onto Jerome hoping to get a little more out of his brother.
Nothing.
Jerome remained silent, brushing the conversation with Rashad off. Before Rashad got the chance to drill Jerome with anything else, they could hear the tumbler of the locks to their mother's home interchange before the door was opened up. "Rashad move that big ass redneck truck before I fuck that shit up like Rayven did!" They heard Alex exclaim as he shut the door behind him.
Rashad smacked his lips. "Why do you still have a key to this house?" He scoffed as Alex entered the kitchen.
"Cause I'm ma's favorite. Y'all wouldn't know anything about that since y'all were oops babies,"He cackled obnoxiously as he opened up the fridge to grab himself a bottle of water. "Where's mom anyways?"
"She went to something in Miami, I was half sleep when she said goodbye," Jerome explained with a shrug. "She texted me that she landed and shared her location with me so I know she's good,"
"You still freeloading here? I thought you and Kimora would have made up by now," Alex snickered as he slid into a seat next to Rashad.
Jerome cut his eyes at his little brother. "Nigga ain't nobody freeloading," He spat. "And no we're never making up, she cheated,"
Alex twisted his face up at Jerome just as Rashad had done prior. "Okay, she jumped on the wrong dick one time, but you my friend! You damn near fell into some new pussy every other day. I'm surprised you ain't catch nothing. Prolly did and too embarrassed to tell somebody," Alex said in disgust.
"You cheated too!" Jerome highlights Alex's infidelity to Iris. "Hell we all have,"
"Woah, slow your roll nigga. Rashad don't get down like that," Rashad disclaimed, wanting no parts in this cheating conversation. For the past year and nine months, Bradley was the only one he's been with, slept with, and kissed. For some reason he felt like if he cheated on Bradley, his days would be numbered.
Alex chugged down his bottle of water before setting it down on the counter before glancing to Jerome. "See we cut different. You cheat—meaning it's an ongoing problem. I cheated—meaning I fucked up and did something I shouldn't have and promised to never do it again. That's why I still have my girl and you don't," Alex preached to Jerome.
"Iris doesn't even know," Jerome retaliated with a scoff.
Alex nodded his head indicating that Jerome was correct. "You damn fucking right she don't know and I'll kill both of y'all if she find out from anyone else but me. First 48 gone be out here for a double homicide," Alex threatens both of his brothers.
"So when are you gonna tell her?" Jerome asked.
Alex smacked his lips not liking the fact he was being put on the hot seat. "Nigga when are you gonna move out? When are you gonna go get your shit checked? When are you gonna finally make it to the finals? Will you ever be and All-Star? Nigga we all got questions that need to be answered,"
Rashad doubles over in laughter at Alex's antics while Jerome simply stale faced them both since he was the butt of the joke. After laughing at Jerome for a while, Alex and Rashad finally grew serious. "So she really filed for divorce?" Alex asked.
Jerome nodded his head. "And that's not even what pisses me off, it the fact that she wants half of everything or alimony?" He explained to Alex.
"Shoulda' got a prenup," Alex shook his head shaming Jerome's senseless decisions.
Jerome ran his hands down his face regretting his decision of not getting a prenup. He was young and senseless. "She was with me before I had my career so I thought she wouldn't do something like this,"
Rashad shook his head. "That's the worse case scenario, she feels entitled to it now cause she stayed down when you didn't have it," Rashad explained to his younger brother.
"Welp, lesson learned. Now Rashad knows to get a prenup," Alex concluded.
Rashad screwed his face up. "Man what?" He raised a brow. "I don't need no prenup,"
Both of his younger brothers eyed him as if he were stupid. "Boy do you not see what Jerome is dealing with? Talking about you don't need no prenup. I'm about to prenup Iris ass and we ain't even married yet," Alex scoffed, waving Rashad off as stupid.
"Nah," Rashad shook his head. "I know my fiancée and she won't go after what's mine,"
"She may not have before, but now you own a multimillion dollar training facility. You're a cash cow," Jerome reminded Rashad.
It was nothing personal against Bradley they just wanted to protect their brother and his assets. A prenup wouldn't even be all that bad for the couple since Bradley had her own things she may want to be protected. "Listen my soon to be wife got her own, plus Brad and I aren't getting a divorce," Rashad finalizes with a shrug of his shoulders.
Alex smacked his lips not finding what Rashad was saying smart. "You sound like a naive little bitch. We love Brad, she's basically our sister now, but at the end of the day if shit do go left with you two, it'll save our relationship with her in the long run. She cool as shit,"
Rashad waved his brothers off. "I know she cool as shit that's why I'm marrying her. We're not getting a prenup and that's final," Rashad shrugged off.
Alex and Jerome glanced at each other in defeat before they shrugged their shoulders. "Okay. I hope you're right. I felt the same way about Kim,"
"We're different, I don't cheat," Rashad reminded. "And my fiancé was well established before I came into the picture. I'm sure once she has the twins it'll be another grand opening for Allure 3.0 or some shit she come up with. Finances is the last thing I'll ever worry about if me and Brad call it quits. My main priority will be how often I see my kids if anything," Rashad stated just as he received a text from Bradley.
"Yeah, yeah nigga, always wanna be the perfect one," Alex waved Rashad off.
Rashad opted out on responding to Alex, he laughed instead as he navigated through his messages to reply to Bradley.
Mrs. Farewood 💍
— I think my water just broke...
Received 6:34 PM
Rashad's eyes widened as he reread the text. "Why the fuck would she text me instead of calling?" Rashad groaned out as he sent an outgoing FaceTime call to her.
"What happened?" Jerome asked Rashad.
Rashad sighed as he grabbed his keys and raised from his seat. "She thinks her water broke," Rashad responded to Jerome just as Bradley answers the phone. Rashad looked down at the device and was met with Bradley with a frown on her face. "Brad do you think or do you know?" He asked as he made his way out of his mother's home without saying a proper goodbye to his brothers.
"Babe I don't know," Bradley panicked. "I was on the phone with Usiah and Posh, they made me laugh so I ended up peeing myself. I got in the shower and while I was in there I felt a little pop then something cold trickle down my leg," She explained to Rashad as she took a seat on the chaise lounge before their bed.
"Brad did you really think it was a bright idea to text me instead of calling?" He sighed as he backed out of the driveway to make his way over to their house. Luckily they only lived fifteen minutes out and Bradley didn't sound to be in any sort of pain
Bradley let out a sigh. "Sorry, I just don't want this to be a false alarm," She caressed her stomach. She was praying that tonight was the night and Blake and Jace weren't on any games. The fact that she managed to get this far along with the twins was surreal within itself, so for them to naturally rupture her water would just be a win-win for them.
"I understand, but even if it was, I still need you to call me," Rashad asserted. "You in any pain or discomfort?" He recited the questions he was told by their midwives to ask.
Bradley smacked her lips at Rashad. "Nigga just get here. I gotta call Monsé and Koren," Bradley told him so she could get off the phone to call their midwives.
Rashad chuckled before nodding his head. "Alright, love you, I'll see you in a few," He assures her before they said their goodbyes.
Rashad let out a nervous breath. If Bradley's water truly did break, then the twins would be arriving two weeks earlier than they were expected too. Rashad wasn't worried much about their arrival since his anxiety plus Bradley's anxiety meshed together caused them to be overly prepared. The twins' car seats were already strapped into the car and ready to go as of two days ago, the nursery was ready, and their labor plan was fool proof.
Rashad drove pretty fast to his house, once he got there he jogged to the entrance of the home. "Brad!" Rashad called out for her setting his keys on the small table stand they had in their foyer.
"I'm upstairs babe!" She responds.
Rashad followed her voice and jogged up the steps and into their bedroom. Bradley now stood in the center of their bedroom, dressed in a pair of yoga pants along with a tank top. She seemed to still be on the phone so she held her finger up at him halting him from having conversation with her so she could continue conversation with whoever she was on her phone with.
"No I don't feel any pressure or pain. I feel pretty normal," Bradley responded to her midwife Monsé as she pointed her finger over to the two bags they packed for their labor and delivery at the birthing center, one for Bradley, and one for the twins.
Rashad grabbed the bags and hung them from either of his shoulders. "So my water did break is what you're saying?" Bradley tried her best to contain her excitement.
Rashad chuckled finding her excitement amusing. As instructed, Rashad went ahead and put the bags in the car. He made his way back upstairs grabbing the bag he packed for himself a while back just for this. "Okay, we'll meet you there. Bye," Bradley let out a sigh before ending the phone call.
"Everything okay?" Rashad asked before leaning down to peck her lips lightly.
Bradley nodded her head. "Earlier than we all expected, but it's okay. Just two weeks," Bradley shrugged her shoulders. "Where's Paige?"
Rashad nervously rubbed the back of his neck. He hadn't gotten around to telling Bradley that they may be riding solo for the birth of the twins. Since Blake and Jace were arriving early, Mimi had managed to head back to Houston so she could come back closer towards Bradley's actual due date. Paige also ended up booking a few meetings out in Miami since she didn't think the twins would be arriving so soon either. Rashad sighed as he peered down at his fiancée who seemed to be managing labor pretty well. "She's in Miami baby, no one expected for your water to break today," Rashad explained causing a deep frown to embed onto her face.
"Call her and tell her we need her back here," Bradley demanded. Going into labor with Paige by herself would relieve a ton of concerns. She gave birth to twins naturally herself, so Bradley trusted her judgement.
"Baby let me get you in the car before I get to calling everyone," Rashad suggested as he cupped her hand into his. Bradley agreed as they exited their bedroom. Before they could begin going down the stairs, Bradley halted them.
"Wait. I have to see the nursery before we go," Bradley turned herself around, waddling her way towards the nursery next door to their bedroom.
Rashad followed her as she opened the door of the nursery letting out a deep breath. "When we come back, we'll have two babies," Bradley cupped her stomach as Rashad stood behind her.
Rashad smiled before pecking her cheek. "I appreciate you for bringing life into this world," He expresses his gratitude.
Bradley looked up at him with a smile. "Thank you for making this the easiest pregnancy ever," She expresses her own gratitude, meeting him for a kiss on the lips.
They both let out a sigh. They were fulfilled and content with how everything was falling into place. "Alright, lets go do this," They high fives each other with a light laugh.
Exiting the nursery then heading downstairs, they mentally prepared themselves for the dramatic change that was about to take place in their lives.
They were about to be parents.