Life After Dark: Book Two of the Dark Series

Chapter 104

~ No Holds Barred ~

The anger and tension in the large room consumed everyone, including the small child who didn't understand what was happening. He felt the mood change and it frightened him. He wanted his Dada and his Ma Ma now! With arms outstretched towards Jason and Keesha, Michael squirmed again and began to wail.

"It's okay, Michael," AJ murmured gently. Moving away from Jason and Keesha, AJ bounced the baby as he tried to comfort him.

One glance at Jason's and her nephew's faces was all it took for Emily to stand her ground. Marching up to her oldest brother, she said, "Give him to me."

AJ shook his head. "No, Em."

"So, you'd rather listen to him cry than give him to me or Jason."

"No!" AJ's hazel eyes flashed at her. "What a stupid thing to say! Of course, I don't want my son to cry. I'd rather he knew me, and my presence would silence his tears!"

"Jason, do something!" Emily implored as Michael's cries increased.

Jason's grip on Keesha's hand tightened. He wanted to go to Michael and hold him close to his heart, but he couldn't. It wasn't his place and besides, he knew that AJ wouldn't let him anywhere near the upset baby. Instead, he made a suggestion. "Give him to Em, AJ. Don't let him cry like that-"

"No." AJ shook his head again. "Eve, would you mind?"

As she came forward to take Michael from AJ, Carly moved to intervene. "You're not giving my son to some stranger, AJ! Give him to me."

"As if you're not a stranger to him, too," AJ laughed humorlessly as he gave him to Eve. Eve held the crying baby close to her and quickly left the kitchen, followed by Sonny with Emily right behind them.

"That's not my fault!" Carly said, casting one glance at Eve's retreating back before she looked from one brother to the other.

"Nothing ever is," Keesha replied.

"I've had just about enough of you! You don't know anything so why don't you just shut up!" Carly told her.

"Why don't you shut up!" Keesha asked her. She released Jason's hand and moved to stand face to face with her nemesis. "That's your biggest problem. You talk too damn much. If you would just shut up and listened for once, you might surprise yourself and learn something."

"You never change, do you?" Carly looked down her nose at Keesha. "You're always on some high horse, or at a podium, preaching to the masses. You know, you're the one with the problem."

"Oh really? And what problem might that be?" Keesha asked, her voice heavy with sarcasm.

"You're jealous of me," Carly told her.

The eyes of the two brothers widened in shock and simultaneously, they both looked at Keesha for her reaction. They knew she would not disappoint. And they were right.

Keesha laughed. She laughed so hard her sides hurt and her breathing became labored. After the tears subsided and her breath returned, she said, "That was funny Carly. I haven't laughed like that in ages. Come on, tell us another one."

"Fine, Keesha, laugh it up in front of them, but only a fool couldn't see it. I mean it was obvious when my son called you 'mama'! Why would my son call you of all people 'mama' if you hadn't told him to? And I won't even go into how you've grabbed on to my leftovers." She pointed at AJ and at Jason. "Is Tony next on your list?"

"First of all, I never taught Michael to call me that. In fact, that was the first time he'd ever done it, so don't be mad at me for being the maternal figure in his life. You had the opportunity, and you blew it, Carly. You!" Keesha pointed her index finger into the other woman's face. Carly slapped at her hand, but Keesha was too fast for her and rotated her wrist, keeping her finger in Carly's face. "And leftovers??? Are you trying to say that Jason and AJ were yours first?"