Smoke and Mirrors (DE)

72. New norm

"As sure as the sun shines all over the earth— you're one of God's most precious works," Joseph sang along to Avant- Don't take your love away lowly in Grace's ear as she stood over the stove making breakfast for her now family of four.

Grace giggled, closing off her neck as Joseph held her from behind, swaying them back forth. "Stop I'm trying to cook!" Grace whined, scrambling the six eggs she'd cracked mixed with a little milk for added fluffiness.

Joseph palmed Grace's rounded rear from behind, squeezing her ass in his large hands whilst pressing himself against her and kissing along the side of her face.

"Stop— Kash," Grace whispered through clenched teeth, elbowing her husband in the stomach in an attempt to make him back up.

Joseph kissed his teeth. "He ain't even looking— he on his tablet,"

They both simultaneously turned around to look at Kash who sat at the kitchen island indeed staring right back at them.

"See— move!" Grace exclaimed with a laugh pushing him off her.

"Kash what's good nigga— you got a problem with me hugging my woman?" Joseph asked, puffing up his chest and making Kash laugh.

"That's my auntie!" Kash exclaimed territorially, feeding into the morning madness.

"She was my woman before she was your auntie," Joseph argued back.

"No she wasn't!"

"Well she mine now," Joseph said, roughly grabbing Grace's face and kissing her sloppily making her giggle infectiously and try to push him off.

"Stop!" Grace exclaimed with a laugh growing slightly frustrated. "Let me make the plates,"

Sometimes she felt like she had three children because Joseph didn't act any better than the kids did— he was the enabler.

Joseph smirked, throwing his hands up as he backed away and leaned up against an adjacent counter watching her walk back and forth through the kitchen making plates. Grace had now grown into this 'grown woman body' she used to always joke about when she was younger and Joseph was infatuated— he couldn't keep his hands off her.

Cataleya sat in her chair on the counter quietly, watching her parents goof off while using her own fist to sooth her aching gums.

Hearing a familiar song begin to play from Grace's phone, a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips— their wedding song. He pushed off the counter grabbing Grace's hand gently and pulling her back into him.'"Dance wit me mommy," He said, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Just real quick," Joseph added lowly before she could protest.

She rolled her hazel eyes playfully, draping her arms around his neck allowing him to rock them back and forth through the kitchen to the same song they shared their first dance as a married couple to. Grace couldn't help but giggle as he sang along to the music she turned on to cook, stealing sweet kisses between each verse.

Memories of their first dance as husband and wife began to flood her mind as they swayed back and forth, back when it was just them two— now it's them plus two. For the first time Grace felt a sense of calmness and peace over their lives. It really felt normal this time— no more chaos, phone calls all day and night, turn-around business trips or violence. Joseph seemed to have changed even more since bringing Kash home— he was fitting into his role as a father and finally getting the hang of it.

"Look Kash— this how you make a woman fall in love wit you— you dance wit her like this," Joseph said, as he slowly rocked himself and Grace around the kitchen.