Page 32 of Beacon Grove Chronicles 1: Hassan & Sylvia

“And that it’s not our fault.” Selene chimed in with that bubbly way of hers. Her hair was braided up into two big space buns. She’d inherited my thick hair and I refused to have to deal with it daily. Selene had let her big brother talk but she clearly wanted to make her feelings clear.

“When did you guys grow up?” I was smiling but inside I was kinda sad because it felt like time was moving too fast.

“Granddaddy already told us that dad might do this so we were prepared for it.” Selene grinned big as hell like she was proud to have remembered what her granddaddy taught her.

I had to roll my eyes because of course my daddy had told them that. He was messy as hell and I knew he was toeing the line of parental alienation. Dave clearly didn’t need much help with that.

“Is that where we’re going now? To granddaddy’s house? We know you’re going out tonight.” I’d talked to them a little about Hassan because I didn’t want them to hear rumors and not know what was going on. They spent their days with friends or at one of the local rec centers so I knew people would talk.

“About that—”

Dorian was shaking his head before I could even get my sentence out. “Nope. We not about to be the reason that you miss out on having fun.”

My mouth dropped open at the vehement way that Dorian objected. “Boy, why do you act like I don’t do anything.”

“Mama, you don’t. You spend time with family and Auntie Bug comes or you go down to Savannah for your girl’s weekends but that’s about it. You need a boyfriend.”

My mouth dropped open because I was offended. “Who said that?”

“Granddaddy.”

They answered me in innocent unison and I was definitely going to have to get on my daddy about how he moved around my kids.

“No you’re not going to your granddaddy’s house.”

“Then uncle Tank or Uncle Spoon?” Selene was happy because that meant she could go play with her cousins. I was sure that Dorian would be happy but my brothers treated him like he was a their peer instead of a child.

“Neither. Mr. Hassan has requested that you all come with us tonight.”

“Nobody wants to see you and some old man trying to mack and kiss and stuff.” I was offended by multiple parts of his statement because who told him Hassan was old? And if that’s what he just assumed did that mean his lil long headed ass thought I was old? Unacceptable.

“Mack? Who said all—”

“Great granddaddy.” Again their shared cadence would’ve been cute if it wasn’t at my expense. But clearly I needed to speak to the old man about how much he was talking to my kids about my business.

“Y’all can’t go by your great granddaddy when you don’t want to go to the rec center anymore. That man stopped being a judge and has lost all sense of decency.”

“He just wants you to be happy, mama, and so do we.” Selene had always been my mini me so I wasn’t surprised that was her reaction.

“I have y’all so I’ll always be happy.” I felt myself getting emotional again but I needed to hold it together for them.

“But we’re gonna get bigger and then you’ll be by yourself. If Mr. Hassan is a good person then you can have him come around. We won’t mind sharing you with him.”

They were speaking so sincerely I had to wonder if my daddy had put them up to this. For some reason he felt as though Hassan was a good choice without even having spoken to the man in decades.

“We’ll see how this goes and worry about the later when it’s time, okay?”

They nodded and Selene came over to give me a hug. “That’s fine. But just know we aren’t going to be bratty like some kids are. Unless that gets us presents. Then—”

“Selene, why are you trying to manipulate this man already?”

“Not manipulate. They can just be helpful suggestions.”

I cracked up because she was dead ass and I wondered how Hassan would deal with my kids. He said he wanted to handle it and I’d promised to stop doubting him when he didn’t deserve it.

“We’ve got a little bit of time so y’all can relax before we head out.”

I’d never thought I’d be having a family date but Hassan was again showing me something new.