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twenty-four

Christmas Day

“O ur pajamas are way cooler than yours,” Messiah gloated, standing in front of Ciyani and I with blue and white snowman pajamas.

“Man, get out of here. Everyone knows black Santa trumps a snowman every time.” Truthfully, I hated the idea of wearing pajamas, but the ladies outvoted us.

“Both of those suck compared to ours,” Loyal chimed in, spinning around to show off his green plaid pajama pants with the matching shirt showcasing a picture of their family in the middle.

“I won’t lie, these are dope, foreal.” Messiah admitted.

“They really are. I guess being a photographer has its perks.” We dabbed one another up. Ciyani and I were staying at a hotel a few blocks away, so we spent our wedding night tearing up those people’s good sheets. We were scheduled to leave for our honeymoon in two days and we wouldn’t be back for a week. The both of us decided to spend as much time with our family as we could because once our plane took off our phones would be turned off as well.

Our family gathered together often, but rarely were we all in attendance. Even Auntie Elantra and Big Moe showed up. They recently revealed that they had eloped while accompanying Rule on tour in Vegas. All of her children were happy for her because she truly deserved this. The hearty laughs and sounds of children running around reminded me of how blessed we were. Our family had grown so much over the last four years, and it would only continue to grow more and more.

“Let me go wash my hands so I go snuggle my babies.” Ciyani squealed. The moment Wisdom and Janae walked in, most of the woman ambushed them before they could even get in the house all the way. Both car seats were plucked from my brother’s hands, and he stood there shaking his head. They wore what appeared to be red pajamas with snow globes on them. Once he spotted us, he swaggered our way.

Normally, we held dinner at one of our houses, but granny had seen a viral video where all the family hosted a big sleepover, so she requested a Graham family sleepover where we all dressed in pajamas, ate Christmas dinner together and slept under one roof. The cabin we rented has six bathrooms and twelve bedrooms. It also included a pool as well as a hot tub. The older kids were going to be sleeping in the living room. The couch turned into a pull out, but we purchased several air mattresses as well. Granny rarely asked anything of us, so of course we went of our way to make this happen for her.

“What’s up, family?” We greeted Wise then shortly after Serenity, Charity, Rule and the rest of the family came out of their rooms to join us. My aunt Faith and uncle Omar walked in an hour later with their son’s O2, Oh’Shun and of course Freedom trailing behind. It was a blessing to have him here with us after the scare he’d given us a few months ago. I checked on him weekly to make sure he was straight, but it warmed my heart to see him in the flesh. Life was short and you truly never knew when your last day would be.

He'd recently landed a supporting role in a reoccurring TV series, and we had thrown him a party to celebrate. Breyoun and Onyx were here as well, but I made sure to get his approval before inviting them. Their relationship was getting better and from all the pictures and videos I’ve seen lately, he’d been spending a lot of time with Sincere when he wasn’t in Cali filming.

We spent an hour catching up and enjoying everyone’s company. The women of our family prepped most of the food yesterday, so it only took an hour for everything to be done. I hired a team to set up the tree, decorations and dinner tables to give us less tasks to do. I’d even hired a few ladies who specialize in gift wrapping.

Normally, the kids would wake up to a bunch of gifts, but since there were so many of us, we agreed to wait until after we ate dinner to open them. It’s only one in the afternoon, so technically, it wasn’t too late.

***

“O kay, Mama, now that the family has eaten and opened their gifts, we’re going to ask you to speak a word of encouragement over us. It’s rare that we are all together, and we want to hear from the matriarch of this family.” Aunt Faith suggested. Granny seemed unusually quiet today, but I chalked it up to her being tired from all of the wedding festivities from yesterday. She stood up from her seat in the center and began looking around the room.

“When Proctor and I got married all those years ago, I never imagined that we would create such a powerful legacy. We worked our hands to the bone to make sure that we could provide a good life for our children in hopes that they would be able to live happily and comfortably with their own families one day. I think it’s safe to say that we did a good job.

"As I look around this room, I can’t help her thank God for the many blessings that he has given me. Not only to watch my children grow but to watch their children and their children's children come into this world. Death is the only thing that is promised in life and if I were to leave here today, I would leave with a content heart. We celebrate the birth of our Lord and savior, but this day represents so much more to me.

"Seeing all of my family together in one home is a dream come true. A lot of families grow old, and they grow apart, and I thank God every day that we still have a solid foundation built on love, loyalty, and unity. I may not get another opportunity to say this, so I want to let you know that I am proud of each and every one of you. Every family has their own dysfunctions and drama, but being a part of this family gives me strength and unbelievable joy.

"Our good days have always outweighed our bad days, and I pray that God continues to show favor upon this family. Watching you all grow and thrive and make names for yourselves warms this little heart of mine something serious. We all make mistakes and prayerfully, we all learn from those mistakes. We may not always like each other, but the Bible says that we must always love one another. I know you all asked me to pray, but there are some things that I need to get off my chest, and what better time than now?

"To my children: Truth, Faith, and Prosper. I love you more than words could ever express. I know growing up, I may not have told you as much as I should have, but I tried my best to show you. You all have done a fine job raising these children. I remember when you guys were younger, you used to get so mad at me for being so hard and strict. I’m sure you understand now, why I pushed you the way I did. This world we live in is cruel, and it will turn you every way but loose, if you’re not careful. Being your mother has been an honor, and although a couple of you gave me a run for my money, I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.” She gave Uncle Prosper the side eye, making the whole table laugh. I miss Knowledge with all my heart, but I cherish the moments that I have with the rest of my children. A parent’s worst nightmare is having to bury a child. While I do not question God, I can be honest about the pain I feel in my heart.

"Truth, I’m so proud of you. You might be the baby, but you’ve held it down as a leader in this family when your father passed. Lord knows, some days I could barely think straight, but you held us together. Faith, thank you for being the caregiver and cook for this family. It does my heart good to know that when the Lord comes to take me home, there’s someone here who still knows all our family recipes. I’m proud of you, daughter. Prosper,” Tears welled in Granny’s eyes.

“Your brother came to me in a dream last night and told me that you were keeping something from me. He said you wanted him to tell me so that I wouldn’t be so upset. I had to laugh because that’s how it has always been. You would get into trouble and then make him tell me in order to lessen the blow. And even though you were older, he still went along with it.” She laughed while wiping the tears from her face. It broke my heart to see my granny cry, but I couldn’t imagine what she was dealing with. Losing a parent is hard enough, so I would not be able to fathom what it must feel like to watch your child deteriorate before your eyes.

“I know you’re ready, but my heart isn’t, and it never will be. Your brother said that he was waiting for you, and as much as it breaks my heart, I have peace, knowing that you will be in the hands of the Most High. Thank you for bringing laughter to our family. There were so many times I wanted to wring your neck when you were younger. You’ve always been my most adventurous and courageous child. You’ve never been afraid of anything that came your way, no matter how big or small it was. Your father used to say you had the heart of a lion, and I believed him.

"You have always been a warrior, and it hasn’t changed. I know that you have fought your hardest and I’m grateful for every day I get to have you on this side of Heaven. I’m proud of you and I will love you in this life and the next. I can’t say goodbye because you will always be a part of me. However, I want you to know I will be okay. You have raised some incredible children, and I know they will pick up the torch and run with it with the same passion you always have.” She walked over to him as he sat in his seat. I’d never seen Uncle Prosper cry a day in my life, but as Granny held his sunken cheeks in her hands, he broke down. Ms. Tammy rubbed his back while they had their moment.” A series of sniffles resonated around the room. As I looked across the table, I saw Freedom comforting River. We were family, and we needed to stick together.

Last night, Uncle Prosper, danced the night away with his walker in tow. I was glad that we were able to spend this time together and have these memories for a lifetime. The doctors were only giving him a few more weeks to live, but we were praying for a different outcome.

“To my grandchildren, I love you so much. when I look around this table and see how much love is in this room, it gives me joy. Most families don’t blend well when new members are added, but I am grateful for the additional blessings that have been brought into this family. Relationships and marriage require a lot of hard work and a few sleepless nights but when you have the right partner, it makes the journey worth it.

“No matter how hard it gets, don’t stop fighting for one another. Not just because you have children, but because of the love that you have for one another. I have watched these relationships blossom into beautiful love stories, and I pray that God honors your union and your efforts. Make sure to seek advice from wise counsel. Sometimes, your little friends don’t understand what it takes to have a successful marriage. That’s why it’s important to have mentors around you who can tell you the truth.

"Life is short, so never give up on your dreams, no matter how scary they may seem. Failure is a possibility, but success isn’t unless you try. I’ve prayed over this family for years, and God has honored my requests. I pray this family grows bigger and stronger in the years to come. I pray our love for one another brings about healing, forgiveness, understanding, and endurance.

"We are powerful as individuals, but together, this family is unstoppable. We have paved the way for so many children and young adults in this community and fed countless families. The name Graham represents honor, loyalty, unity, love, and respect. It’s the reason Proctor and I chose to name you all the way we did. You are royalty amongst the people, and while many will praise you for all your good deeds, there will always be snakes lingering in the distance, waiting to watch you fall. Don’t let them. That’s why it’s so important you all have each other’s backs. Even when we don’t agree with one another, the love in our hearts must be the anchor that holds us together. When I’m dead and gone, I want this family to be as strong as it is now. No fighting, no separating, and no hatred or I’ll come back and haunt each and every one of you.” Granny pointed her finger out around the table.

“Momma, you’re going to outlive us all,” My father spoke up. He hated it whenever she spoke about dying.

“Oh, hush up. I may very well live many more years, but I want to make my requests known openly so none of you can go back and say I never told you. I want Sunday dinners to continue when I’m gone, and I’ve already started prepping these ladies on how to prepare my recipes. I don’t want y’all falling apart when I leave. I’d like to enjoy my mansion in Heaven with my fancy robe and slippers.

“Anyways, I’m going to say one last prayer before we continue on with our evening. I’ve got a couple of grandchildren who think they can beat me in Spades, so I need to put them in their place once and for all.” She snickered.

“Put your money where your mouth is, Granny!” Messiah yelled out, but Granny waved him off.

“Boy, I hope you brought your big pocketbook with you tonight, Grandson!”

“Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for bringing our family together. Thank you for allowing us to see another day that was not promised to us. We know all of our blessings come from you, and we thank you for showing favor to our family. We ask you to grant us with strength for the journey ahead of us. Comfort us on the days when we are weak. For we know that when we are weak, you are strong. Lead us on the path you desire for us and guide us along the way. You know the desires of my heart, but in all things, let your will be done in our lives. Continue to bless us richly and protect us from any harm. We ask these in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.”

“Amen,”

I agreed with everything Granny spoke because there wasn’t another family out there like ours. We were truly one of a kind and I prayed the love would always remain the same. My brothers and cousins were my first introduction to friendship and as we’ve grown, nothing has changed. I know if I ever needed someone to you have my back, they would come running with no questions asked. We were a dynamic group of powerful men and women and I prayed for continued success for everyone one of us. There would never be another family like ours and I’m grateful for that.

“You seem to be in deep thought husband of mine.” Ciyani came and sat in my lap.

“I’m happy to have the family all together. Plus, I’m still thinking about how dope our wedding was and how I get to spend the rest of my life loving your pretty ass.”

“Never in my life would I have imagined that trip to the grocery store would have led me to my forever home. I love you so much and I can’t wait to spend the rest our of lives together. Thank you for seeing me and choosing me to be your wife.”

“You were made for me, baby girl. You always have been, and you always will be. This is only the beginning for us.”