Page 104 of Senior

“Senior can handle it for sure,” Maddie said. “I’ve been in the field with him. I’ve seen him interact with children that suffered from sexual abuse. That’s a whole other side of that man. What you can’t handle, he’ll teach you. I’d be happy to help if need be.”

I smiled. “Thank you, Maddie. I’m sure I’ll need my own support in supporting them. I can be a mother in my sleep, but I don’t know what kind of behaviors we might be up against. Honestly, I don’t care. I’ll take whatever comes with these kids.”

“You’ll be great to them. That much I know. Hell, maybe Bronx and I will take a page from your book and adopt too. I’ve always wished I could have had more kids. Now that I’m married, I’d be open to a child with my husband. I don’t think I’d want an infant, but I’d take an older child.”

I nodded. “I was looking at the statistics and they are less likely to be adopted. Sad, but true. It breaks my heart to know that they have probably gone through this so many times. Then add the abuse on top of it. I want to find these people and do them in myself.”

Maddie covered my hand with hers. “If that’s what you want, I’m sure the kids can handle it.”

“Speaking of the kids, how are they feeling about new siblings?” Tavia asked.

I smiled as thought back to the conversation we had after Sunday dinner. Most of the grandkids were knocked out and most everyone had gone home. For some reason, all of our kids stayed back a little longer to chill with Grams. Probably because she made extra sweets and because the kids were asleep, they didn’t have to fight them for it.

We were all in the massive kitchen, laughing and joking around. I was sitting on Senior’s lap, my new typical spot. He placed a soft kiss to my shoulder and gathered everyone’s attention.

“Aye, we have something to tell y’all,” he said, causing everyone to quiet down and give us their attention. “Steph and I⁠—”

“Y’all finally getting married?” Smoke asked. “You know it’s about damn time. How did all your kids get married before you, old man? Especially those two.” He pointed at Jaeda and Mia. “One was damn afraid of her own shadow when it came to men and the other was in a toxic situationship with this nigga.” He pointed at Titan.

Jaeda scoffed. “Excuse me, Grams. Devin, shut the hell up because all of you were whores before y’all met my sisters and they turned y’all into husbands.”

“The biggest whores!” Mia agreed. “And don’t worry about me and Jaeda. We good over here. Both of our men could take your big ass. Right, baby?”

Titan grinned. “You know I got you, mamas.” He dapped Quaid.

“I’m on what you on, friend.” Jaeda’s ass was over there blushing as he kissed her cheek. “By the way, my wife isn’t shy anymore. She knows who coming behind her and how I’m coming, right, beloved?”

She couldn’t do anything but grin and nod as he cupped her chin, then he leaned in to kiss her lips.

“Are y’all done?” Senior asked. “This was about us, not y’all’s asses.”

Smoke opened his mouth to say something, but I cut him off.

“Devin, I swear to God. Don’t make me get up.”

He grinned and lifted his hands in mock surrender.

“Go ahead, baby,” I said, kissing my man’s cheek.

“Thank you, love. Now, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted. Deuce and Kerrion already know, but Steph and I are adding to the family. We’re adopting.”

“Adopting what?” Smoke asked. “Better be a puppy because I know it ain’t a kid.”

“Two kids,” Kerrion stated.

“Two!” Deuce exclaimed. “How y’all went from one to two?”

“The same way Smoke went from zero to two to five,” I answered. “It just happened. We went to a meet and greet and fell in love with two very special children. His name is Daxon and he’s eleven. He loves sports, particularly basketball. Very talkative, but the sweetest little boy. Her name is Sevyn and she’s sixteen. Guarded, doesn’t play about her little brother, very no nonsense.” I looked at Deuce. “She reminds me of you.”

“Oh God!” His siblings all groaned.

“One is enough!”

“That means she finna do the most.”

“If that’s the case, bet she thinks she’s somebody’s mama.”

Deuce looked around at them with a frown. “Just wait until we aren’t in mixed company and I can say what I really wanna say. When is this happening, Ma?”