Episode 169

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" So , " Mother Simms snapped out in a bellowing terse voice as she loomed over her daughter in law LuLu ," where are my grandchildren, Jonah's babies? "

Marcus stood beside his mother with a plate of baked ham , macaroni and cheese, mustard greens and pound cake in his hand. At the words " Jonah's babies" his brown eyes rolled up in his head even as he shoveled food into his mouth.

LuLu lifted her head up and looked her mother in law right in her steely eyes. " I left them with a babysitter. At home. I didn't think a funeral is appropriate for babies as young as they are. I read in Baby Bloom magazine......"

Marcus rolled his eyes again and turned to move towards the long table in a corner of his family's church reception room where his destination was the large crystal punch bowl with the fruit punch drink. That pound cake was too dry , he thought. It couldn't be made by Harriet Duncan or her daughter Keisha. Now they could put their foot in it when it came down to baking and cooking.

At the table he saw Spencer, Aiden and Winston eating the funeral food and talking quietly among themselves as Spencer had Miracle napping on his lap , her little head resting on his chest.

Spencer looked up at him and said," Marcus, I am very sorry for your family's loss. For your brother's passing. "

Aiden and Winston nodded in agreement as they both currently had their mouths filled with ham and buttered rolls.

Marcus put his plate on the table and reached for a plastic cup to get some punch. He glanced over at the man in the wheelchair. He had never met Richard's brother before. Or , he didn't remember if he had before. But the man was very attractive in a nerdy book worm kind of way. Of course he was some kind of bonafide genius or something so. Too bad he was in a wheelchair. Of course, he thought mischievously as he sipped the punch, there were a lot of things you could do while seated. Like blow jobs. For one.

" Thank you for that , Spencer. It is Spencer, isn't it? " He smiled smoothly at the man. " You know ,  I know your brother. Richard. We're....well acquainted. " He winked at Spencer who looked back at him with confusion. " Heard he got shot again. " He laughed slightly. " I would hate to be his insurance company right now. "

Aiden glanced at Marcus to Spencer back to Marcus with narrowed protective eyes and thinned lips.

Winston coughed into a napkin and said in an overly confident voice," Richard's shooting is the main reason that Spencer is running for mayor of Hyattsville. You do know that my half brother here is running for office, don't you? On a gun control platform. With the church being such a positive force in the local community I was wondering if you could....."

Spencer said through gritted teeth," Winston, not now. "

Inside the actual sanctuary of the church Nettie Jean stood in the now empty spot where Jonah's casket had rested earlier , her hand pressed against her still flat stomach , her eyes reddened greatly beneath the long veil.

" I'm going to miss you, Jonah , baby," she whispered softly with trembling lips.

Then she felt a gentle hand touch her arm and she turned around with sight alarm until she saw the very tall , very thin , very nice funeral home man with the kind face and tender eyes looking down at her.

" Are you alright, Miss Benson? Have you gotten any food or drink? Would you like me to get you something? "

Nettie Jean found herself smiling back at him genuinely. " That would be so nice, Mr. Chesterfield. Although I don't think I could eat a bite. "

He smiled back. " Vance. Please call me Vance. "

" And , you , kind sir , may call me Nettie Jean."

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