Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 35957 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35957 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
“I already know her name, Uncle Crew. Geesh, that’s Ms. Serena. Mom and Dad told me. Plus, all the aunties did, too. It’s so cool that there are more girls than boys in our family now.” I’ve lifted her up in my arms, and now she’s wiggling to be put down. What I don’t expect is for her to move right toward Serena and say, “It’s so good to meet you. Come with me, please.” Briar takes my woman’s hand and guides her through Luke’s apartment, leaving me in the dust.
“It’s like that, is it?” I tell Jagger as he comes up to me, patting me on the shoulder as I shut the door.
“It is. She’ll be fully entrenched, added to the group chat, and the girls will have her roped into some kind of vigilante kick like when Shae had that issue at Luke’s office.”
“Christ, don’t bring that up again. The girls will look for their next victim.” Luke comes up. Shae was with him, but she veered off the path to join the girls. They’ve invaded the kitchen, rounding the tables full of the tex-mex food that’s been catered in, an array of dips, salsa, queso, and guacamole with chips are set up. I imagine Briar is looking for the desserts, a treat she’ll see later with the hot fudge sundae bar Shae has at the ready for the sweet tooth girl. A gift she gets from her mother, and it’s only expanded throughout the group.
“Lennie is always up for a good time.” Asher comes over with his twin girls. They’re able to sit up a bit more now, and it doesn’t take us any time at all to relieve him of Lily and Rose.
“Time for some practice,” Tysen states. His woman is the next one up as far as delivery dates go, then it’ll domino to Winnie, Johnny’s wife, Kenny, Trent’s wife, and Shae, Luke’s future wife. As for Lyric, well, I think she and Jag are still trying. The rest of the group hasn’t said either way what they’re doing in the children department. I do know Jude adopting his younger sister, Rory, hasn’t been easy, but he’s made it as seamless as possible. Of course, that probably has a lot to do with his woman, Ronnie. She and Rory are two peas in a pod and have no problem ganging up on him in order to get what they want.
“Same goes over here. It’s been a long time since I held a little one besides when I’m on the job and have to do the hard shit.” Trent works as a police detective, and he’s seen some shit on the job.
“No kidding,” Johnny states as Sebastian, his and Winnie’s adopted nephew turned their son, comes up to him, a harmonica in his hand, a hat on his head, and looking like a rock and roller with a band shirt, jeans, and Chucks on.
“What’s up, little man?” I pump knuckles with Seb once he’s settled in Johnny’s arms. It won’t last very long. He likes to motor around like the Energizer bunny after he shows off his new musical instrument Johnny picked up for him.
“Hi, can I play?” Sebastian asks, looking at his Uncle Asher for reassurance.
“The girls are wide awake. The floor is all yours.” The kid has talent when it comes to music. His preferred is classic rock dabbled in with some of Jude’s favorites.
“Cool.” Jude’s head pops up the second he hears the gentle hum floating through the room.
I can’t figure out what the song is at first, and it isn’t until Serena slides her shoulder beneath my arm that I do.
“Journey?” she asks the group. Johnny nods his head in answer, and the song comes together when I realize it’s Who’s Crying Now. Poor Winnie, she’s more of a country music girl, and Seb has taken to Johnny’s still, for now.
“I hope with all of the children the group will have, we’ll get a little garage band action,” Shae adds in.
“I have no doubt we will. Johnny’s already looking at houses. We’re slowly outgrowing the penthouse apartment.” Winnie takes a sip of the non-alcoholic margarita in her hand.
“Aunt Lettie and I can be the backup singers,” Briar offers up Lettie, and from the look in her eyes that are as wide as saucers, it’s clear Bri knows more than Lettie has told the group. Interesting, very interesting.
We spend the rest of the evening chatting, drinking, and eating. When it’s time for us all to say goodbye, it takes twice as long as usual, and everyone is prolonging the process. The girls are already planning a brunch without their male counterparts, and I’m more than happy my woman is enjoying our group.
15
SERENA
“Serena, can you come to my office, please,” Crew says when I answer my desk phone. It hasn’t rung the entire time I’ve been at my small cubicle-like office all week. Truth be told, I hate being out in the open where everyone can stop on their way to and from. It’s also super nosey and makes me want to wear headphones non-stop.