The Unusual Suspects Book 2

Tony

We were on our way home with the baby. These were the defining moments for real. After preparing for this moment for what feels like forever, we are finally in the moment to really live it. I drove carefully back to my house since we decided this is where we'd be until our house is completely furnished. I am working on that though, because this is that time for us to be on our own. No one was asking that of us though, but in my mind, this wasn't a befitting situation in all actuality. Both sets of parents told us we could stay as long as we liked though. I was thankful for that type of attitude, because usually this is grounds to get put out of the home. But not us, here we are. When we pulled up, she grabbed her bag and I grabbed the car seat to bring him in. I did walk a little slower to make sure he was okay and also to make sure she was fine too. Toya was doing good with walking around and doing stuff on her own even though she just had a baby. That snapback is gonna be real. I'm just excited she will get to make her Valedictorian's speech and walk with us at graduation. She was worried about that and look at how this played out. We are literally 4 days away from graduation. This is wild for real, but I'm so ready for it. When we came in, everyone was sitting in the kitchen just waiting on us.          "Alright, my turn." My dad said as he took him from me. I expected nothing less from him. We all sat around the table while he held him and took a long look at him. I looked over at Toya, then my mom, and then Adrianna. They all had their eyes glued on them as well though. Next up was Jose, he held my son and I looked over them both. Man...Jose was so different now. I really thought about how this would be had he have not gotten in that situation. I'm just glad the tragedy brought about this rebirth in him. I wasn't exactly sure how to take him, but I'm glad I got my little brother back from them streets for real. 
"This is beautiful you two. God definitely bestowed upon you a wonderful blessing." he said as he looked up at me and Toya.                         "Thanks bro, I really appreciate that." Toya said to him.                                                 
"So...I was right from the beginning. I should've bet you." Adrianna said.        
"Huh?" I said confused.                             "Remember I said he and you said yall didn't know what she was having yet. I told you it would be a boy." We all laughed at her, but she was right.          
"Yeah, you should've bet him and ran them pockets." Toya said and they all laughed for a moment. I reached in my wallet and grabbed a $20.                          
"Here you go lil con artist." I said and her eyes got big as she accepted it.        
"That's my baby!" My dad said. "Now let's teach you a lesson in life. There's a tax going on around here. I need $2." My dad said and we all burst out laughing. 
"You must be a Republican." I said.          "Independent son, independent." We continued the laughs.                                   
"Wait, are you serious?" Adrianna asked and we laughed again.                                   
"No baby girl, that's all you." he said  to her and her smile returned back.              
"I think he's falling asleep." Jose said.   
"Let me take him then. We agreed to not spoil him by holding him all the time." Toya said as she took him and started up the stairs to put him in the crib.                  
"Okay! I like how she's running things. That's what the baby needs most, structure. I see how yall doing it." my mom said to me and I smiled.    "You know me, I always chose right even if I didn't do right." I said and her and my dad both nodded.                              
"Agreed you only brought two lovelies home. I'm glad it is her that you stuck with though. Have yall heard from Autumn?" my mom asked me.        "I haven't personally, but maybe Toya has." I said as Toya walked in with the baby monitor in her hand.                         
"Maybe I, what?" she asked me.              
"You heard from Autumn?" I asked her.  
"Yeah, she actually called yesterday to give an update and check on us."           
"Great! Glad she's okay." my dad said.   
"Me too." Toya admitted as well.              
"That's what's up." Jose said as he got up from the table.                                            
"Where you headed mijo?" My dad asked him.       "I have a date." he said calmly.                   
"Excuse us, who is this young lady?" my mom asked and we all looked at him.     
"Right bro, spill the tea." Toya said.          
"She's a girl in my Environmental Science class." he said.                                   
"As long as yall not studying anatomy, I'm good with this." My dad said and I nearly spit my water out as we all laughed at that. "And don't try to feed me that celibacy bull. You became a Christian, but I know you're not abstaining." my dad added to that.         
"Papi, how you know? I could be living a complete wholesome life." Jose said.      
"You came from me, right?" he shot back at Jose and my mom hit my dad.
"Stop it!" she said to him.                             
"La esposa...don't be like that. We know what it is." he said in his defense.             
"They don't want to hear that nonsense." she said to him.                          
"What? Tony has a baby so he already knows. We know what Jose be doing, it happens here in the house mi amor. Stop that." he said kissing her cheek.   
"Ewww." Adrianna said as she excused  herself from the table.                                   
"It would be worse if she really understood the context of this conversation." I said and they laughed.  
"Thank God she doesn't." Jose said.     
Back to you, who is she?" Mom asked. 
"Her name is Brandi." he said to her.        "Nicole's little sister?" I asked and he nodded.         "Aww she's beautiful Jose. Okay then!" Toya said hyping him up.                               
"Lordt I'm gonna be a grandpa again, aren't I?" my dad exclaimed.                       
"Please! Tony will be on his second or third before I have one." he said.             
"At least he'll be married though." Mom said defending me.