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“ M ommy and Dad about to cry again.” I heard Titan Jr. tease from the backseat of our rented SUV as Titan parked in the crowd of trucks and moving vehicles, who were here for move in day at Howard University.

“Shut up, TJ. You were crying too this morning at the hotel,” Torian, our second oldest, yelled back and I smiled. Torian was my ride or die and was always ready to hold someone’s feet to the fire.

“I was not!” TJ yelled back.

“Yes, you were. I thought I was going to have to call Uncle Devin to come see if you were ok because you were in the bathroom so long sobbing.” Tyrese, our youngest triplet, piped in, and I had to hold back my laughter. He was always an instigator.

“You all were crying.” Tamia, our baby girl, said, turning her head to look at them in the backseat, and they all got quiet. She was our boss baby, and she definitely knew it. She was two years younger than the triplets, but she was always there to keep the boys in check, and I loved it.

After a few moments of silence, they all talked about something else, and I looked over at Titan who had been quiet as he drove into the madness of cars and trucks while clutching my hand like he needed me to help keep him grounded.

“You ok baby?” I asked, running my thumb over the back of his large hand.

“No,” he whispered, and I gave him a sympathetic smile.

Him and I have been an emotional wreck. We’ve been in D.C for two weeks helping the boys prepare to be away from home.

I had no doubt they would be fine because I had faith in the values and discipline we instilled in them since they were able to walk.

What also helped was that me and Giada kept our promise about our kids being best friends, and they were now going to college together.

Her twin boys have just finished their first year at Howard and have been waiting on pins and needles for the triplets to join them on campus. They were all in the same dorm, and thanks to Titan’s donation, they were across the hall from each other.

“There goes Auntie G and Uncle Dev!” Torian yelled when he saw Devin’s blacked out Suburban at the curb, and I laughed because Giada was mean mugging and flipping off anyone who was getting rude with her, when they tried to park in the space in front of Devin that she was holding for us.

Titan saw it too and laughed and tooted his horn.

Devin and Giada waved at us, and Giada pretended to be a traffic cop as she pointed to the space she reserved for us.

As soon as we parked, the kids were out of the SUV and running to be with their friends.

I rolled my window down and held my hand up, so they knew we were going to be a moment, and they nodded in understanding.

I turned to face my husband who was aging like the finest wine I ever tasted. This man was still as fine as the day I met him, but he looked stressed, and he was barely keeping it together.

“Baby, they will be ok; you know that right? And they know that the moment they call us in need we are coming. I’m going to miss them too, baby. Giada and Devin just closed on a condo not too far from here. Maybe we can do that too?” I asked.

I was calm on the outside, but on the inside, I felt like Titan, but what good would it do if both of us were a wreck? That’s what I loved about our marriage; how we naturally balanced each other.

“I already did; I just purchased the condo across the hall from them,” he said, looking at me to gauge my reaction and I just burst out laughing. I can’t even say I was surprised.

“This will be the longest three of our four babies will be out the house. Remember how bad I was when all four of them went to summer camp for two weeks?” He asked, and I laughed at the memory.

Titan was in bed for at least three days staring at their baby pictures, eating ice cream, asking me why do they grow up so fast?

“I remember but we have to know they will be fine. ” I emphasized squeezing his hand and he kissed it before giving me a kiss on the lips that immediately made me want to climb over the arm rest, and into his lap.

“I’ll ease your mind later,” I said, giving his soft lips one last kiss.

“You know I’m gone hold you to that,” he said, pinching my hard nipple through my “I’m a Howard Mom sweatshirt.” Ever since Titan got his vasectomy after Tamia was born our sex life went up another notch, and I loved that for us.

When we exited the truck, the kids damn near had all of their stuff unpacked and onto the carts, wheeling them in the dorms. I talked and laughed with Giada as Devin gave Titan pointers on how to cope with the kids being gone.

It took us almost half the day to get the boys situated, and once we were done, me and Titan walked out of their dorm hand and hand. Tamia was staying the night with her brothers, so me and Titan were going to hang with Giada and Devin later.

As we walked down the hall, I thought about an article I read that said if you make the goodbye quick, it won’t hurt as much. We were halfway down the hall when we heard a door open behind us.

“Aye, what’s wrong with y’all?” TJ’s voice echoed down the hall; he sounded so much like Titan it was scary.

“Yeah, no one last hug?” Torian cosigned.

“No, I love you or nothing ?” Tyrese and Tamia shouted.

Fuck that article , I thought as me and Titan raced down that hall and hugged our babies so tight they might pass out.

When the boys bent down, I kissed each of their identical faces; they were each over six feet tall right now and still growing, and they looked like Titan…

just in different fonts. When I finally stopped kissing and hugging them, TJ came back and hugged me again.

“Mommy, I was crying this morning. I’m going to miss you so much.

Promise me you’re going to FaceTime me every Sunday.

” He squeezed me and the tears came flowing harder; me and TJ were early risers and always spent Sunday morning talking about everything while we waited for the rest of the house to wake up for breakfast.

“I promise, baby. I love you, so much, you look after your brothers,” I whispered.

“Always,” he said. kissing my cheek and letting go. We waved until they closed the door.

“They’re going to be just fine,” Titan said, and this time I know he believed it.

“They are,” I agreed, walking down the hall, but I stopped when I noticed he wasn’t behind me.

“What are you doing?” I looked over my shoulder confused.

“Looking at how that ass jiggle in those jeans,” he said, biting his lip and adjusting himself as he walked toward me, and I laughed when he smacked my ass so loud the sound echoed down the hall.

“Let me get yo’ fine ass back to the room before I get arrested for indecent exposure for showing these kids how to really please a woman,” he said, and I laughed; this man was a trip, and I loved him.

“I love you, Mr. Browning,” I said as we walked onto the elevator.

“I love you more, Mrs. Browning,” he said, giving me a kiss, and my heart sped up like it always did anytime he looked at me like he was falling in love all over again.

This man owned me. He owned my mind, body, and soul, and I had no regrets.

Titan Rutherford Browning, the Titan of my heart.

T he End