I could tell she was thinking about what I said by the way she twisted her lips to the side. One thing I loved about Grai was that she was never one to hate criticism. She always handled it well, especially when it came to the boys. For example, I’d told her to ease up on showering Ace in affection. She hated the thought of it, but she noticed he was more comfortable around her when she didn’t force him into doing shit he didn’t emotionally yearn for. On those special occasions when life was kicking his ass, he always reached out, and she was there to comfort him every time. I loved that shit.
Grai was an amazing mother. A lot of people counted her out, but every time I saw her with them, it made my heart stutter. I always said that when I had children, I wanted them to have a mother like Grai. She was nurturing, gentle, and kind. She loved to spend time with them and could be patient. Even when things made her question herself, she kept pushing forward. It was a beautiful thing to witness.
She sighed heavily, allowing her head to fall backward. “Okay, okay. I guess you’re right. I didn’t realize he genuinely hated it. I thought he was just being difficult.”
I chuckled. “Nah, he be big mad about that shit.” I watched her finally begin to put Ace’s questions to the back of her mind when her posture slackened. It wasn’t something she neededto worry herself about right now. She was fresh out of a toxic relationship with a bitch ass nigga who wanted to ruin her. She only needed to focus on healing her heart, and those beautiful boys sleeping peacefully upstairs. “What you about to do?” I questioned, trying not to think about that kiss and suggesting we do more of that.
She shook her head. “Nothing. Maybe organize some of my things.”
“Wanna watch some TV?”
She twisted from side to side before nodding. “Yeah, sure. Why not?”
I loved the sound of her slippers lightly dragging across the floor as she followed behind me. When we got to the living room, I plopped down on the couch. She tried to sit on the loveseat, but I pulled her down beside me. “Stop playing.” She rolled her eyes but stayed her ass right next to me.
Reaching for the remote, I used it to turn on the TV, but I paused to gauge her mood. “QT?”
She nodded. “Please.” Her voice was so quiet. I knew that meant she wanted to watch our movie, and there would be no talking. I nodded, knowing nothing else needed to be said as I turned onThe Wood.
We settled in as the intro began. Grai ended up lying on her side with her head resting on my lap. I didn’t even think before I began to massage her scalp. She sighed heavily, sinking deeper into her Zen state. Leaning back, I got lost in the movie and Grai’s presence.
Her laugh throughout the movie brought a smile to my face. And like clockwork, when we got to the wedding scene, she cried. Like always, I leaned down to kiss her shoulder. I didn’t know how this became our movie, but we’d seen it probably a thousand times, and it never got old.
The start of this ritual was when she found out she was pregnant with Shiloh. She was nineteen and had just given birth to Ace six weeks prior. Drey was already showing signs of what was to come, and in true fuck-boy fashion, he reacted terribly to the news, as if Grai had made the baby all on her own.
Grai called me, bawling her eyes out. She was broken because she wanted to get rid of him, but the thought made her physically sick when she looked at how perfect Ace was. All I could think of was to make her laugh. I ended up reciting a line from the movie, and she began cracking up on the other end of the phone. Since that day, anytime one of us was going through something, we weren’t ashamed to say we needed QT, and we always watched that movie.
OnceThe Woodwent off, we turned onLiving Single. Halfway through the first episode, I heard Grai snoring lightly. Shutting off the TV, I stood up gently, then scooped her up without waking her. She was so exhausted she didn’t stir at all as I carried her up the stairs to her bedroom. I lay her down, then tucked her in, just like I’d done the boys, before placing a kiss on her forehead.
After closing her room door, I headed back downstairs to be sure the house was secure for the night. My house was tucked away down a gravel driveway and surrounded by trees, but I couldn’t be too careful. When I was sure it was safe, I headed out the back door to go to my shed. I planned to spend the rest of the night starting on new keepsake boxes for the boys. We’d started a new chapter in their lives, which meant it was time for a new box to hold all the special memories and moments to come.
Chapter 7
Lyrix
“Hey, baby. Would you like me to make you a sandwich?” my mama asked Grai when she came in from the front porch. She’d been out there since she woke up, sitting in one of the rocking chairs, going back and forth while staring at the sky.
She shook her head, avoiding eye contact. “No, ma’am. I’m not hungry.” Without waiting around for a response, she headed upstairs. My eyes looked after her, even after she’d disappeared. Something was definitely up with her. She was not normally this antisocial with us.
“She okay?” my mama asked. “I heard her on the phone early this morning, and it sounded pretty heated.”
I pulled my chin hair with my arms folded over my chest. “I’m not sure, but I’m about to go find out.” I nodded to the ingredients on the counter. “Could you make her a sandwich? I’m going to make her eat.”
She laughed with a shake of her head. “You swear you somebody’s daddy,” she teased before doing exactly as I’d asked.
While she made the sandwich, I went to the fridge to get Grai a ginger ale. My mama handed me the plate with a bagof Cool Ranch Doritos, and I tucked the soda under my arm before heading upstairs. I knocked on Grai’s bedroom door and patiently waited for her to respond.
“Yes,” she called out softly.
“It’s me.”
There was a tiny pause before she replied. “Come in, Pop.” I smiled, twisting the knob to let myself in. I found her sitting on the floor in front of the Juliette balcony. She always loved this view when it was just a guest room, and she would be visiting. I wasn’t shocked when she chose it as her room when they moved in.
I set down the plate of food, then walked over to where she was. I leaned against the wall, looking at the view of Mount Jasper in the distance. The sun was high in the sky but hidden by heavy, menacing-looking clouds. Almost on cue, I noticed a drop of rain on the railing.
“What’s wrong, Bubbles?”
She shook her head and mumbled, “Nothing.” I watched her pick at the carpet with her chin on her chest.
