Page 48 of Royce (Atkins Family Saga #1)

Nineteen

Royce

L osing Aunt Rhema hurt, but losing Mama Rose broke me in two.

It had been two weeks since she passed, and I still hadn’t been able to deal with the family.

Went through the funeral and didn’t say a word to my folk.

I had so much anger and blame to place that I avoided everyone.

The only people I wanted close to me was my wife and kids.

They seemed to be the only ones giving me peace.

“Hey baby, I brought you some breakfast,” My Baby voiced walking through the home office door. I hadn’t had an appetite since I left the nursing home, but she brought me a plate of food three times a day.

“’Preciate it. Where my babies?”

“In the theater room. CJ’s watching Cars for the umpteenth time and Essence is in her swing watching with him.

Your mother called and said Yonnis is on his way over to the house to read Mama Rose’s will.

Are you going?” she inquired as sauntered around the corner of the desk.

She took a seat on top of it to my right.

I could smell her soft perfume instantly.

“I really don’t give a fuck about it. She don’t owe me shit, and I don’t care to take anything from her. She can give it to whoever she feels deserve it, but I’m cool,” I responded meaning every word I said.

I wasn’t pressed to inherit a damn thing. I loved and took care of her because I wanted to. She got anything she wanted out of me plus more. I didn’t spare a dime when it came to her. I didn’t need her to pay shit back tenfold. I was good off all that.

“If you care to hear my opinion, I think you should go. Ain’t no telling what she put in that will.

I know you don’t care to take anything, but it could legit be more than just her giving away her life’s earnings.

Plus, you haven’t given your family any time since she passed.

Maybe seeing them could bring you a little joy. ”

“I doubt it, but I’ll go. Ain’t none of them go see Ma the way I did.

Hell, if it was up to me, I’d write off all that shit to my kids.

I was the only one doing any and everything for her.

Pops really ain’t shit now that I think about it.

Him and Uncle Ryan had everything to do but be there.

They a fuckin’ joke in my eyes,” I answered.

That anger had yet to subside and most of it was targeted toward Pops and his brother.

They were her only living kids and gave her lil’ to no time.

They didn’t deserve her if I was being honest. She lit up whenever she saw me thinking I was my Pops, and his busy ass couldn’t give her more attention. I was furious. I couldn’t cap.

“Don’t be mean baby. We ain’t got to stay long. Let Yonnis read what he has to and we can come back home or take the kids to the park if you want to get away from the compound.”

“I’m with that. Let me know when he gets here and we’ll walk over.”

Nodding, she leaned over and gently caressed my face before pecking my lips.

She’d been here for a nigga emotionally and that alone made me want to give her the world.

She knew how to reciprocate actions and that meant everything to a nigga.

Most women were self-centered, but My Baby knew how to love beyond herself. That was all I wanted from my woman.

She finally stepped into her place as my wife and was doing the damn thing.

It was no more I or my from her, everything was we or our.

It felt damned good having her by my side, I couldn’t lie.

Never had shame when it came to a damn thing I did even down to showing vulnerability.

She saw that side and comforted me in my time of need. I couldn’t thank her enough for it.

She got a call from Cojak’s people about his death, and she played that shit off so good, I laid dick twice that night.

She gave his folk Oscar winning tears and dried her face as soon as the call was disconnected.

Much like his broke ass, they wanted to use My Baby for her money.

She kindly declined, gave her condolences, and blocked they ass.

Klarity handled that shit exactly how she was supposed to.

Looking at the tray, I bypassed the hearty meal and picked at the grapes that sat in a bowl to the side.

I wasn’t hungry but would put something on my stomach to keep her from worrying.

I went back to answering the many emails I left unattended for the past two weeks.

Business didn’t stop regardless of what I had going on.

The Oath still had things to do, and the streets were still thirsty. Being the head was never easy.

Thirty minutes had passed by the time I finished, and it made good timing. My Baby was yelling out about Yonnis seconds later. I released a deep breath of annoyance. I was over the shit before it even began.

“Knock, knock.”

Looking up, I saw Heidi crossing the room with a small smile on her face.

She had her times of disappearing then resurfacing.

It scared me when she did it, but I understood why she did it.

The things she been through granted her those moments.

With her being back in town, I was grateful to have her support as well.

Her and Klarity’s presence could heal the most broken men.

“Wassup Heidi.”

“Just coming to check on you. I’m sorry for not being here for Mama Rose’s funeral. It was too much for me. You know she was the first one besides you that showed me kindness. I didn’t think I’d ever be without her.”

“You and me both. Yonnis ‘bout to read the will. You coming?” I asked draping my arm over her shoulder.

“You know I am. How the babies? CJ didn’t even notice me when I walked in. I skated right pass his little behind.”

“They straight. You see how big my baby done got. She throw that breastmilk back like they shots. She getting chunky on a nigga. I love that shit ‘cause she was tiny as hell coming home.”

“Yeah, she was. And your wife? Is she doing what she supposed to?” She was hinting at being my support system. Heidi took a big step back once I brought My Baby home and only showed up every so often. She didn’t want to overstep or create problems.

“She’s much like you, you know. She knows how to be there without suffocating someone and she have this peaceful presence to her. She caters to a nigga without making me feel like she doing it just because she owes me. She being a wife. You can rest easy bestie,” I jested on that last comment.

“Cool. Let’s go see what kind of chaos Mama Rose ‘bout to create from the grave. I’ll grab CJ, you get baby girl,” she said brushing my arm off.

Her and CJ was locked in the minute he saw her. Klarity walked in with a smile on her face wrapping her arms around my waist. “You ready?”

“Not for real but I’m ready to get this shit over with. Come on y’all.” I pecked her lips and scooped up my baby. We walked out the house as a unit heading over to my parents’ crib.

The distance between my shit and theirs was a two-minute walk.

Right next door to me but with some land in between.

CJ had a ball driving his lil’ motorcycle from here to there.

Today he was attached to Heidi’s hip though.

He loved her down. You could see it from the way he looked at her that she was his lil’ crush.

Once we stepped through my people doors all you heard was laughs. I guess they had gotten over Mama Rose’s death. I shook my head out of frustration but kept my comments to myself. I was the only one that cared so I expected nothing less.

We followed the commotion and ended up in the family room.

All eyes shifted to us as conversations faded.

Every Atkins was in attendance and those close to the family.

Striker sat in the back holding up a glass to get my attention.

My crew stayed close behind letting me lead.

We took to the back with my brother refusing to say a word.

The glass he held was extended to me and I immediately took it throwing the shit back. I wasn’t in the mood for none of them.

“Can I hold her, Junior? It’s been a couple of weeks since I saw her.” My mama was the first to approach.

I ain’t really have no beef with her but since she was married to Pops, I kind of threw her in the mix. However, I handed baby girl over to her and I saw the relief on her face when I allowed it. She took her and sat on the other side of me. I was glad she knew not to go too far.

“Aye, what’s taking so long, Yonnis?” I spoke up. The room had plenty of life before I got in here now it was quiet as a mouse.

“Don’t come in here with that, Junior,” Pops chimed.

“Don’t say shit to me nigga. I was talking to Yonnis, the hell.” I was pissed and ready to do Pops in. He really ain’t have to ignore my granny like that and that shit was fresh on a nigga chest. I had all the smoke for him and Uncle Ryan, too. He knew not to say shit to me.

“ Unt uhn, unt uhn, unt uhn . Not today. Junior, I get that you’re upset and hurt but that is still your father. Senior, let my son be. We not here for that,” my mama stood nipping the bullshit in the butt immediately.

“Read the will, Yonnis, so I can get the fuck on,” I voiced. I was ready to get the hell up out of here already.

He nodded and pulled out the documents. “My apologies y’all for it taking so long. I was trying to locate the other parties mentioned in the will. I got no response, so I figured they wanted nothing to do with it. Here we go.”

Yonnis began reading the will and Mama Rose split up her properties and belongings between her two sons and grandkids. However, he caught everybody’s attention with that last section, especially mine.

“To my grandson, Bentley Atkins, I leave you your mother’s life insurance payout of ten million dollars and her farm home located in North Brooke.

To my grandson Genesis Atkins, I leave you my shares of Kinfolk Galleria, and life insurance payout of fifty million dollars.

My love for my blood is all I had so I hope you all do what I couldn’t and be one without worries.

That concludes the reading of her will.”

I know like hell this ain’t the same Bentley that took my shit. I mean, how many niggas is named Bentley out this muthafucka.

Before I could even get a word out, my mama went from zero to a hunnid quick.

She offered a sinister laugh that had everybody looking at her like she was crazy.

When you heard that shit, you knew she was getting ready to give it out without caring who thought what about her.

I was just waiting to see who the hell she was ‘bout to turn up on.

“Junior, take my grandbaby,” she ordered. I reached for Essence with the quickness. The only times I saw my mama get like this was when she really felt disrespected. “You got me all kinds of fucked up. Muthafucka, when I said get rid of that bastard ass baby that’s what the fuck I meant nigga!”

Everybody in the room looked at Pops. It was obvious who she was talking to then.

For some reason, my conversations with Mama Rose were the first thing that came to mind.

Every time she mentioned that girl or having a son she wasn’t speaking on me, she was talking ‘bout Pops’ outside kid.

If Bentley was Aunt Rhema’s son, that left Genesis being Pops.

I was already ready to do Pops in for the treatment of my granny but learning their separation of my parents was because he not only cheated but made another kid was making me want to dust his ass right then and there.

“That’s my son, Iris. I wasn’t ‘bout to take his life to make you happy. I made a mistake, but he had nothing to do with it. He was innocent in this adult shit,” Pops responded.

“I was innocent in this shit. You cheated on me and made a fuckin’ kid. What? You been taking care of them this whole time, too?” she shouted.

He nodded, and I released a hearty laugh. Pops really wasn’t shit. I stood with my daughter in my arms and said, “Aye, whatever you decide to do, Ma, I’m with you. If you part of me, let’s roll. I ain’t sticking ‘round for this bullshit.”

Heidi, Striker, Klarity, and lil’ CJ followed me out the house. If it wasn’t one thing, it was another. A nigga just wanted some peace around this muthafucka. I was getting hit with blow after blow and the worst thing about it, it was all coming from family.

“What the fuck is going on right now?” Striker asked the million-dollar question.

“Once you find an answer to that shit, tell me. Find out if that’s the same Bentley. This can’t be no coincidence. Shit, find out what you can ‘bout my lil’ brother, too. Genesis can’t be too far. I know Pops, and he like to keep shit close and on the low,” I ordered.

“You got it. What you ‘bout to do?”

“Go spend time with my fuckin’ family. You welcome to come. My household ain’t got to be around all that rah-rah. I’m still grieving Mama Rose and not letting that fuck shit piss me off even more.”

“I’ll catch up with y’all in a few. Let me make some calls and whatnot to see who these folk is. Y’all be easy,” he said heading in the direction of his crib.

“Baby, are you okay?” My Baby questioned grabbing a hold to my arm.

“I’m cool. You still down to take them to the park? I could go for a picnic right about now.”

“I’m down. Maybe we should skip the picnic and just go on vacation. This is too much,” she suggested.

“I’m with that. I owe you a wedding anyway. Aye Heidi, I know you just got back but you down?” I looked her way, and she was already nodding. “Cool. Hit Striker for me and tell him to pack for Paris. We getting the fuck away from this dysfunctional shit.”