Building Trust Through Our Issues

Chapter Twenty Four (Part II)

Them! 👆🏽☝🏽Majority of y'all wanted me to change Demarcus but leave Austin the same so, there ya go.

Jerome POV:

Since I wasn't flying out with the team to New York, I decided just to come to church with the rest of the family. My flight is leaving tomorrow morning at five. We don't play until tomorrow night anyway, at least I'll get there in time for the team breakfast, practice, and shoot around.

Mookie was at the front of the church about to sing with the praise team for praise and worship. Ms. Danielle and Pops were both sitting beside us. She was holding Christian's fat ass, who was drinking a bottle and Pops was holding EJ.

Brandy had to work today so Alayshia came to church with me too. She was sitting beside me coloring in her little Doc McStuffins coloring book. The twins were sitting with Leilani and Rashad in the pew behind us and Jr. was on the other side of me, sitting by Aireka. Today was Chris's shift to be at home with Aaliyah and Marcus. So I was stuck with all the kids during church. I just prayed they behaved.

Usually I have Justycee here to help me with the kids, but she flew out to Texas. She wanted to be with our step Pops for his birthday. So her and Jeremy are supposed to be taking him out to dinner sometime this week.

"Stop Arianna." I hissed. She kept trying to hit the lady's hat that was sitting in front of us. She reached for it again, so I grabbed both of her hands and held them in mine. She started squirming and whining trying to get away from me but I wouldn't let her hands go.

I was trying to keep her quiet so she wouldn't make a big scene because it was devotion and the deacons were praying, so the whole church was quiet.

"Let go! Daddy! Let go!" Arianna yelled making me sigh. Armoni turned around and looked around until she spotted us.

"Your Mama wants you." I whispered to Arianna who was still squirming around, trying to get down and whining loudly.

"Stop it now!" Armoni mouthed to her as she gave her a stern look. Arianna pouted and settled down but as soon as Armoni turned back around, she was back acting like a fool.

"You finna get a whopping. Keep on." I whispered in her ear, making her shake her head. "Your Mama is about to come whoop you." I laughed.

"No! No! I don't want a whooping!" She yelled loudly. The deacons were still praying and it was quiet so everybody could hear her. People turned to look at us and I gave them an awkward smile. I looked up to see that Armoni coming towards us. She had that look on her face so I knew Arianna was about to get it. My poor baby.

"Get up." She hissed to Arianna as she grabbed her hand. Arianna knew she was in trouble so she started crying and fighting to get away from Mookie. She put her hand over Arianna's mouth and carried her out of the sanctuary.

A few minutes later, they returned back into the sanctuary. I could already tell that she got a whooping by the look on her face. Arianna's cheeks were tear stained but she wasn't crying.

"Take her out the next time she starts getting loud." Mookie whispered to me before going back up to the front of the church. Arianna crawled into my lap and laid her head on my chest.

"Mama whooped me." She whined.

"Good." I mumbled as I gave her, her pacifier. She settled into my lap and got comfortable as she sucked her pacifier.

Just as Armoni got to the front, the last deacon finished up with his prayer and everybody said amen. The musician began to play while the praise team got on their microphones.