HARDAWAY | trilogy

V3 - Chapter Eight.

𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐖𝐍 𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐒𝐎𝐍

               Gabriel Aman Watson. Aman being the name of my late Grandfather. After long and hard thinking I'd finally given my baby boy a real name aside from only calling him Boogie. I wanted to wait until Carmen reappeared so we could name him officially together. But the longer I've waited, I feel discouraged because it's already been a full year and five months and the Moreno's seem to have no interest in releasing her to anyone. Not even Profit. She birthed our beautiful son into this world. Could possibly be all we were destined for.

Currently, on the cloudy and humid afternoon of June, I stared into the chocolate eyes of our son as he rested on his stomach laying on my chest while babbling loudly and slobbering on the teething chew toy in a Nike baseball graphic tee and shorts. He averted his eyes from mine as his face scowled, while his lifting head and outreaching his chubby arm towards my neck.

"Whatchu reaching for, hm?" I asked as his tiny hand grabbed my rope chain around my neck. "Don't break Daddy chain."

He babbled, while tugging softly on the gold chain.

"I ain't playin' either."

"Daddy, I need to go to Walmart." Ashanti mentioned while stepping off the staircase and entering right into the living room where I sat. She garbed herself creme colored cami tank top and burgundy cargo joggers with Nike sandals.

I remove my chain Boogie's hand to keep from out his mouth and asked, "Walmart for what? Where the twins?"

"Upstairs and because it's something I want to get and food for you to cook."

"Whatchu tryna eat?"

She shrugged, grabbing Boogie from on top of my chest. "Just food. A hot meal."

"A hot meal." I reiterated with a low chuckle, "you cookin' this hot meal?"

"I will. Just get the ingredients."

"Coo. Aurora! Junior!"

"What!?" Nashawn shouted from the second level of the house.

"Don't what me! Bring yo ugly self downstairs!"

Shortly, I heard footsteps on the floor before coming down the stairs.

"I ain't ugly. I'm handsome." Nashawn uttered as he and Aurora walked into the living room.

"Whatever, boy. Slip on y'all shoes by the door."

They race over to grab their shoes when Aurora asked, "where we going?"

"Store. Yo sister cookin."

"Whatchu cookin' bald head?" Nashawn asked as he laced his Nike's.

"Nothin for you cause I'm leaving you starving, ugly." She bumped him with her hip as she held Boogie and approaching the door.

"I oughta—"

"Nothin," I intervened, which made him stop from hitting her. "You hit her, I'ma hit you. Get to the car."