“I’m sorry,” Giselle whispered, feeling like a little lost girl in that moment against her aunt, a woman who was pivotal in her upbringing.
Remi might not have thought so, but Giselle valued her words, even when she didn’t always listen. She carried them withher all the time and knew it was the reason she often pushed through.
“You’re Grandma Remi!” Heir declared, causing Remi and Maisie to chuckle.
The old woman’s expression softened when she finally took in the twins.
“Close enough. You want something to eat?” she asked, hiking her brows.
“You got chicken nuggies?” Harlee queried.
“Better than that. Come on.” Remi waved them toward her. “Maisie, take them to the kitchen and get them settled at the table. I’ll be in there in a minute to make plates.”
When the three of them left, Remi turned to her niece and looked her over. Distressed skinny jeans hugged her hips, while a yellow crop top over a white tank top clung to her breasts, and yellow and white sneakers graced her feet. Although still very pretty, Remi could read the weariness on her as she reached out to smooth some of her hair back into her ponytail. A habit when she was nervous or uneasy.
“You look tired. Not city tired. Worn out tired,” she clarified.
“It’s been… a lot,” Giselle muttered, doing her best to hold it together.
She had to keep it tight for her kids, even though she had every reason to fall apart. The last thing she wanted was for them to see her crash out. She could do that in her own time.
“It always is when you do things the hard way,” Remi recited.
The words stung. Remi’s tone wasn’t cruel, just factual. Years of disappointment distilled into one sentence.
“I fucked up.” Giselle shrugged, and her hand slapped against her thigh. “I didn’t mean to shut anyone out. I just…”
“Right now, I don’t care about your intentions. You want to be a part of this family, you’re going to have to earn your spaceback. Those kids, that’s what matters. We deserve to know them, and they deserve to know us.”
Silence filled the room, but the laughter of her children from the kitchen warmed Giselle’s heart. For the first time in years, she felt something like solid ground beneath her feet. Her roots were there.
“You hungry? I fried chicken, made mashed potatoes and gravy, broccoli and cheese, and cornbread. Apple pie is in the oven,” Remi listed off.
Giselle’s stomach rumbled. McDonald’s on the drive and a few snacks in between were all they’d had, so she was indeed ready for a real meal.
“Yeah. Starving.”
“Well, come on,” Remi encouraged, removing the towel from her shoulder.
Giselle joined the kids with Maisie in the kitchen, just as the back door opened, and Crew came strolling inside. With him were Oz and Solo. The two were back in town on business and were at Maisie and Crew’s spot, getting lit. When Oz mentioned being hungry, Crew had them walk across the alley to Remi’s spot. She always had something cooked, and there was usually plenty to feed any and everybody, which she never had a problem with.
“Oh, shit. G!” Crew rushed to scoop her off her feet into a hug before planting a sloppy kiss against her cheek.
“Ugh, Crew, you smell like a pound of weed right now.” She nudged him off, playfully annoyed as she pulled her chair out beside the twins.
“When you get here?”
“Not long ago.” Giselle reached for a cornbread muffin while the twins took in the table full of food.
She was no stranger to cooking. Over the last three years, there had been a lot of trial and error. She even took a cookingclass to get better. While she was no professional, she could make a decent meal for them. It was nothing compared to what Remi could whip up on a random day, though.
“Y’all say hi to your uncle Crew,” Giselle told the twins.
“Nigga, you had kids!” Crew examined Heir and Harlee seated side by side.
He went into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a wad of cash.
“Aight, here go some money for you.” He tossed a few bills on the table.
