The Rider Girl

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Naomi read the letter. It brought tears to her eyes. "Mama what's wrong?" Raelyn asked. Naomi wiped her tears. She shook her head. "I'm good baby girl. Just reading a letter your daddy wrote me." Naomi said. She put down the letter. "Come here Raelyn. Mama gotta talk to you."

*

**

***

****

"Jay! Jay! Jay! Come see! Hurry!" Janelle shouted from the dining room. He walked in to see Maddison trying to walk. She was eighteen months. He smiled. "Come on Maddie! You can do it!" Janelle cheered. Jay went to go grab the video camera. He begin recording Maddison. She took some steps towards Janelle. Finally she reached her. Janelle picked her up. "Yess my baby did it!" Janelle said. Jay cleared his throat. "Umm you mean our baby. " Janelle chuckled. She carried Maddison to the front room. She whined to go Jay. Janelle handed her to him. She walked off to the kitchen. Maddison started giggling. Jay kissed her cheek. He lifted her up and down. She giggled more. Jay loved hearing the sound of his baby giggling. Janelle stood in the kitchen door watching. She beginning to feel tears fall from her eyes. She wiped them and started smiling. She started looking at the pictures of Ja'Quan, Jadien and Jacelyn when they little. She walked down the hall and found one of Jacelyn on Jadien back. Then one of Ja'Quan and Jadien posing with Jacelyn in front of them. She chuckled at that one. Then there this one picture that she adored the most. It was Ja'Quan, Naomi, Jacelyn, Jacques, Alexis, Devon and Jadien. The whole thing was off guard. Ja'Quan was a sophomore in school while Jadien, Devon, and Jacques was freshman. Alexis and Jacelyn was finishing up their last year in middle school. Naomi stood behind Ja'Quan posing while Jacelyn and Alexis were in the middle of a conversation. Her boys were smiling. Tears started falling more down her cheek. That's when Jay walked up. "You okay baby?" he asked. He realized she was looking at the pictures of their kids. "Memories huh? I know you miss them! I do too." he said hugging her behind her. She turned around and hugged him tighter. She beginning crying. Jay held her. She lifted her head up smiling. "I love this picture right here! Only the boys was picture ready. Plus Naomi!" she said laughing. Jay chuckled. "He would've made a good father to Raelyn. Even though he had a head like mines, but Naomi would've got him straight like you did me!" he said hugging her. She chuckled. "Baby quit it!" she squealed. Jay stopped. He placed a kiss on her lips. "I love you Janelle West!" he said. Janelle smiled. Maddison started getting fussy. "We love you to Maddie." They walked to the living room and watched TV.

*

**

***

****

"That's your daddy right there!" Naomi said. Raelyn looked at the picture. "He look like me!" she shouted. Naomi chuckled, "No you look like him. On the side of him is your Uncle Jadien. He got shot trying to save your Aunt Jacelyn." Naomi explained. Raelyn seen her mama was about to cry. "I miss your daddy!" Naomi sobbed. Raelyn hugged her. "I miss daddy too!" Raelyn said. Naomi smiled. "C'mon we bringing you to Aunt Jacelyn because mama gotta go to work." Naomi said grabbing her keys. Raelyn grabbed her bag. They walked out the door. Naomi locked the door to the house. They climbed into the car. Naomi drove to Jacelyn's apartment. She honked the car. Jacques came to the door. Raelyn got out the car. That's when Kelsey ran out the door. "Raelyn!" Kelsey shouted. Raelyn hugged her. "How you know my brother's girlfriend?" Kelsey asked. "She's my daddy's sister." Jacelyn came to the door. "I see you two know each other." Jacelyn said. They smiled. "She's my best friend! We share the same birthday!" Raelyn said. Kelsey nodded. "Hold up how is you Raelyn?" Jacques asked. "Nine!" Raelyn said. "Next month you will ten." Naomi said. Raelyn nodded. "Dang its been that long!" Jacques said. Jacelyn nodded. "Ja'Quan got shot when he eighteen. I was sixteen. Jadien was seventeen. Naomi got pregnant at sixteen going on seventeen." Jacelyn explained. "How old you is now Naomi?" Jacques asked. "Twenty-two!" she said. "I thought she would've been around JaMarcus age." Jacques said. Naomi shook her head. "Y'all gotta remember I was a little bit older than Jacelyn and Alexis but younger than Ja'Quan!" Naomi said. She looked at her phone. She was running late. "I gotta go! I'm going to be late for work!" Naomi rushed to the car. "Bye Raelyn. Have fun!" she said driving off the parking lot. Raelyn and Kelsey went into the house. Jacelyn and Jacques followed.