Perfectly Mixed (13 page)

“Is Mommy coming to get me?” Grayson mentioned as he played with his toy truck. He enjoyed being at Larissa’s condo, their new home. She spoiled his son with toys, clothes, and attention. “Daddy.”

Shane leaned against the doorframe. Larissa went over and beyond decorating Grayson’s new room. His son now had a car bed, and all of his bedroom furniture was blue and white. She hung a picture of Shane and his little boy by his closet, and a painting of an angel with wings wrapped around a little boy above his bed. “Yes.”

“Is Mommy coming to get me?” He gazed up at him.

“No, buddy,” Shane strolled into his son’s room and sat on his bed. “What Mommy did to you isn’t…” he had to be sensitive in the words he chose, like Larissa did last night. He really wanted to say that fucking bitch will never see you again, but in the past year he’d learn to bite his tongue. Liza was his mother no matter what she did, and his son would always love her. Grayson waited for him to continue, staring at him. “Mommy is getting help.”

“What’s wrong with my mommy?” Grayson stood with shining eyes. “She okay?”

Shane messed his son’s hair up with his fingers. “Mommy is fine, but what she did to you was uncalled for. No one is supposed to hurt you like that.”

Grayson frowned, “I was a bad boy.”

“You’re not a bad boy because you love Rissa, you can love anyone you want to as long as they treat you with love,” He picked up Grayson and placed him on his lap. “I will always be here for you. I will protect you until the end.”

Grayson smiled, “Until the end.”

“Yes, me and you.” Shane kissed his forehead.

“Me,” Grayson pointed at himself. “You,” he touched Shane’s chest and then pointed out of his room. “And Rissa.”

“Yes, Rissa and I will always put you first.”

He grinned. “I happy, Daddy.”

Shane placed him on the floor, “Let’s go see what Rissa is cooking, it smells delicious.”

“Rissa, something smells yummy.” Grayson walked out of his room.

Shane shook his head standing up, listening to the music echoing from the kitchen.

“Rissa,” Grayson said looking at Larissa as she cooked dinner.  “Do you know the whip… nae?”

Larissa chuckled, “What do you know about the whip or nae nae?”

“My cousin show me,” his little boy started dancing, waving his hand in the air from side to side, and stepped back and then forth.

“The what?” Shane watched them both, “What are you guys talking about?”

“Your daddy’s old school,” she turned down the stove, and moved toward the middle of the kitchen. “The only dance he remembers is the electric slide and the cabbage patch,” she chuckled. “Let’s get him up to date,” Larissa picked up her phone and started going through it. “Come on, Grayson, let’s show Daddy how to dance the whip, nae nae, and we can also show him how to hit the quan.”

“Hit the what?” Shane cocked his head and his eyebrows drew together, making his little boy laugh.

Grayson smacked his forehead, watching Shane. He got down low, and swung his arm.  If only Liza could see him, she would have a fucking heart attack.

He shook his head, Larissa was having too much fun watching his son shake his little hips. Music blasted from her phone, and they both started moving from side to side. “Go, Rissa,” Grayson’s eyes gleamed; he couldn’t stop smiling.

Grayson bent his knees with his legs shoulder length apart in a front stroke motion; he brought his right arm in with his fist clenched. Larissa joined in, “Watch me whip,” She stuck out her right arm, “Watch me nae nae,” they both bent their knees, and brought the whip arm above their heads, and rocked their bodies from side to side. Grayson kept up gracefully with Larissa. They swayed from side to side, and then did some other crazy moves as they both continued to dance. “Shane, come on don’t be a prude,” Larissa laughed. “Watch me. Do the stanky leg.”

“Now were talking,” he strolled in the middle of the two most important people in his life, and lifted his right heel up slightly, leaning his body in the opposite direction, and moved his leg in a circular motion. Grayson was having fun without a care in the world. Though he asked for his mother a couple of times, Shane and Larissa explained to him that his mother was getting help for what she did to him, and each time he would say okay. Shane and Larissa discussed taking Grayson to counseling too. It would do them all some good.

“Go Daddy, go Daddy.” Grayson chanted. “Break leg, the bop.”

Shane’s cell phone rang, and he walked out of the kitchen to the living room. He picked it up and stared at the caller ID, it was Janice. His heart sped up as he swiped his finger against the screen. “Hello.”

“Good afternoon, Morgan,” Janice’s bubbly voice echoed through the device.

“You can call me Shane,” he sat on the edge of the sofa, dreading what his lawyer had to tell him. Larissa and Grayson were still dancing and laughing at each other. He was having fun, no hurt or pain.

“Shane,” he could hear papers shuffling in the background. “I have good and bad news, which one do you want to hear first.”

He swallowed, “Janice, are they taking my son from me?”

Janice chuckled, “Didn’t your brother tell you I’m the best at what I do? You have been awarded full custody.”

Shane hadn’t noticed that he was holding his breath until she said he was awarded custody. He took a deep breath, “When, how?”

“I asked for an emergency hearing and it was granted. Ms. Hall is one crazy cookie. She has some secrets that your brother helped me uncover, and then there are those charges she has against her from your fiancée and the state, so I pleaded with the judge to give you custody until all those charges are resolved. CPS started investigating and they interviewed Barbara Hall and Ned Flemings. They both agreed that your son should be with you. Mrs. Hall had some serious allegations against her daughter which weren’t shared with me.”

“Ned’s her on and off boyfriend,” Shane was surprised that he took his side; once upon a time they were close friends, or so he thought. Ned came to his house trying to get Grayson, and now he wanted him to get custody. Regardless of his intentions, whether good or bad, it helped his case. Shane wasn’t going to question himself about that idiot.

“Yes, but he said the boy’s future was more important than keeping her happy.”

“Thank you, Janice,” he said, and then he paused. “Hold up, what’s the bad news?”

“It’s only for about six months, but I know for a fact you will be granted permanent full custody. Ms. Hall might be given supervised visitation. The judge that’s handling this case believes in second chances with regards to giving the accused parent a chance to do better. The mother of your child will have to attend counseling, and anger management classes. I’ll keep in touch with you in the meantime. Please keep yourself out of trouble, your record is squeaky clean, keep it that way, Officer Morgan.” 

Shane felt like a brick was lifted off his shoulders, and he started smiling. “Yes ma’am. You can mail me the bill.”

“There’s no bill,” she was silent. “Now you owe me a favor, and believe me I cash them in, ask your brother. Just take care of your son like you’ve been doing.  I chose family law because it gives me pleasure to help anyone who wants the best for children.”

“Thank you,” Shane said, and couldn’t control his happiness. “Rissa!” he yelled.

Larissa ran into the living room with a wooden spoon in her hand. “You scared me half to death, what’s wrong?”

“That’s what you choose for a weapon?” He chuckled watching her, “I got you a gun.”

She placed her hand on her hip, and tapped the floor with her foot. “Grayson’s in the house. I wouldn’t put his safety at risk.”

“We got custody!”

“What?” she squealed, dropping the spoon on the floor.

“Janice called,” he stood.

Larissa jumped in his arms. “I told you everything would be fine.”

“Yes you did,” Shane inhaled her strawberry scent. “It’s only for six months until all of her other charges are resolved.”

“It’s still temporary?” Larissa watched Grayson in the back patio.

“Janice assured me that it’s not.” He cupped her face. “I can finally give my son a stable and happy home with you.”

“We can give him a happy home,” she repeated. “I’m thinking of proposing getting a job for a few months, and then staying home with him until the hearing.”

“Are you sure?” He tucked a lock of her hair behind her hair.

“Yes,” she smiled. “I have money saved, and I need a break. I’ve been working since I was sixteen.”

“You don’t have to fucking worry about money, woman, I got you.” Shane caressed the side of her neck.

“Who would’ve thought I would be a stay at home stepmom?” Her mouth curved into a smile. “Grayson been praying for something for months.”

Before he could ask Grayson entered the room, “I want a baby brother.”

Shane glanced between Larissa and his son. “And what did Rissa say?”

Grayson guffawed, “She say,” he shook his head. “One day.”

“Yes,” Larissa strolled back into the kitchen to finish cooking dinner. “Maybe sooner than that.”

Shane gazed at Larissa looking back at him with a cocked brow, “What’s that supposed to mean?” He asked as his heart sped for a few seconds. Was she pregnant? She was on birth control, he saw her take it every morning.

“It means nothing, babe,” she yelled from the other room. “I’m just messing with you, but if it were true would you be happy?”

“Over the moon, babe,” he didn’t hesitate to answer. Larissa was his one and only, a child with her would be a blessing, and company for Grayson. He bent down and picked up his son. “What do you think? A baby boy or girl?”

“Boy,” he grinned.

“I was kidding!” Larissa yelled from the kitchen.

Or was she? Shane chuckled. A little Rissa running around the house made him smile more, then wonder  ‘
Can the world take another mini me?’
The night he met Larissa he remembered telling her,
make sure you pick the right person to have a child with
. Thank God she chose him. The more he thought about it, a child with the woman he knew he was going to spend his life with, would bring them happiness, sealing their love. He couldn’t wait to make her his wife.

“Are you nervous?” Larissa smiled, enjoying watching him sweat. Shane wiped his forehead with his sleeve. He spoke to his sisters and brother almost every day since they’d found out about him.

“No,” he squeezed Grayson’s hand. “Buddy, are you ready to meet your aunts, uncle, and cousins?”

“Yes,” he answered excitedly. “Me ready,” he fixed his little black bow tie.

They heard steps on the other side of the door, and Olivia, Shane’s older sister swung the door open. She was taller than what she looked like on video chat. Her black hair, with a few sprinkles of gray, was flowing down her shoulders. Her green eyes were glued to Shane and then Grayson. “Hey,” she bent down to his level. “I’m your Aunty Olivia.” She wrapped her arms around Grayson and showered him with kisses.

Grayson giggled, and hugged her back. “Hi, Aunty Olivia.”

“Oh my God!” Vickie yelled waddling to the front door. “Shane,” tears ran down her cheeks. She finally reached them and circled her arms around Shane, bumping her belly on him. “Welcome,” she kissed his cheek, and then cupped his face. “We look like twins.”

He smiled, “Yes we do.” 

Abby and Diana came to the door too, and Abby surprised Larissa by hugging her. “You’re more beautiful in person.”

Diana moved Vickie out of the way and hugged Shane. “Yes,” she tipped his chin watching him at every angle. “You are a Morgan.”

“Sweetie,” Olivia stood. “This is your Aunty Diana, Aunty Abby, and Aunty Vickie.”

“Aunty Vickie having a baby,” Grayson pointed at his aunt’s stomach.

“Yes,” Vickie answered patting her belly. “Xing will be here any day now.”

“What kind of name is Xing?” Abby shook her head. “Why can’t you give him a common name like William?”

“Because I’m not a common woman,” Vickie snapped her fingers, “and my kiddos aren’t either.”

Larissa smiled, Vickie and her will get alone well. Like her, she liked being different.

“I don’t know where our sisters’ manners are,” John strolled up too. Larissa hadn’t seen Shane’s brother. The man was handsome just like Shane, and looking at his siblings she could see the resemblance. John was wearing a white dress shirt, black slacks, and black shoes, with a stud in his ear. John, Olivia, and Abby had green eyes, and Diana and Vickie had gray eyes, but they all had black hair and similar smiles. “Come in,” John extended his hand. “Larissa, it is finally nice to meet you.”

She smiled, shaking his hand. “Thank you for everything your family has done for Shane and Grayson, and our wedding.”

“No thanks necessary, that’s what families are for.” John opened the door wider, and they all strolled in. The living room was filled with people. “Everyone, this is my brother Shane.”

“Our brother,” Diana corrected.

John rolled his eyes at his sister. “As I was saying this is Shane, his fiancée Larissa, and his little boy Grayson.”

“Hi,” everyone waved their hands. “Welcome.”

Olivia took over, “This is Johnny and Amber, John’s kids, and this is Tuy, Vickie’s husband,” and then she strolled over and pointed at each family member. “This handsome man is my husband Terrence, and my kids Ava, Casey, and Aden,” they all waved. She took a few strides. “This is Diana’s husband Lance, and their kids Lance Jr., and Mika, and this is Abby’s little girl Candice.”

There was a moment of silence. Larissa could tell that Shane was uncomfortable; his grip on her hand was tight. “It’s nice meeting all of you.” She raised her hand in greeting. Shane stood there observing everyone in the room, and she wondered what was going on in his head. He went from having just one cousin, to having a room full of family. Larissa was happy for him, he needed to feel more than her love, to know that he was enough, and she could already tell he was more than enough to his brother and sisters.

“Grayson,” Johnny said, “do you want to play in my room?”

“Yes,” Grayson grinned. “Can I play, Rissa?” He looked up at her.

“Have fun, buddy, play nice,” she smiled. Kids were so innocent, he wasn’t uncomfortable at all, he was just happy to have someone to play with.

“Yes ma’am,” he giggled running after his cousin.

“Mika, Aden come on,” Johnny threw his hands in the air at the little girl and boy.

“Shane, what’s your favorite football team?” Tuy asked him as they watched ESPN on the big screen TV, breaking the ice.

“I’m a Cowboys fan,” Shane shared.

John shook his hand, “My man.”

“What? A Cowboys fan,” Lance chuckled. “The Eagles are the best team.”

“Hell no,” Terrence voiced. “Redskins all the way.”

The men started discussing football and basketball teams, and why one team was better than the other. It’s funny how one simple conversation about sports could make you feel welcomed. Shane started laughing and joined in.

John handed him a beer, “Welcome to our crazy family,” he clicked his drink to Shane’s.

“I’ll fit in perfectly,” Shane grinned.

“Why can’t we watch something all of us like?” Abby asked and walked away. “I hate sports.”

Vickie placed her arm through Larissa’s. “Let’s talk in the kitchen.” They ambled toward the kitchen. “How’s Grayson doing?”

“He’s doing better, he has his days where he misses his mom though,” Larissa replied and pulled out a stool next to the island, and sat.

“I plan on visiting that woman,” Diana said. “We know first hand what it feels like when the person who should be loving and watching out for you is the one hurting you. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.”

Larissa already loved these women. “Liza will get what’s coming to her. She will not be able to hurt him like that again.”

Vickie smirked.

“Vickie, what did you do?” Olivia walked over to the stove, grabbed a spoon, and started stirring the contents in the pot.

“Why would you think I did anything?” Vickie cocked an eyebrow.

“Because we know you,” Abby said coming in the room. “You’re freaking crazy.”

Olivia stared at Larissa, “John was married to an alcoholic, she made his life miserable, putting Johnny in the middle, but she never hurt him. Our brothers surely know how to pick them. I mean the first go around.”

Vickie’s laughter disappeared. “Sophia was a sweetheart though.”

“Who’s Sophia?” Larissa hadn’t heard of her.

“John’s second wife, Amber’s mom. She was killed last year,” Abby said taking a sip of her drink.

“I’m so sorry,” she didn’t know.

“John has grieved, and hopefully he has moved on,” Diana added. “He disappears every weekend.”

“What John does is his business,” Vickie defended her brother.

“You’re right,” Abby said. “Larissa,” she made Larissa glance her way. “Shane, how is he handling everything?”

“Is he okay?” Diana asked.

“Shane is doing better now that he found out he was granted full custody,” she sighed.

“Really?” Olivia said excitedly.

“For six months, until the trial,” Larissa answered.

Vickie wobbled over to the refrigerator and opened it, grabbing a bottle of water. “There’s no question Shane will be granted full custody.”

“How do you know that?” Abby crossed her arms over her chest.

“Because I do. Janice is the best family lawyer in town, and I’ve been helping her get some dirt on that bitch,” Vickie replied.

“Vickie,” Olivia eyed her. “Watch your language.”

“She’s a bitch,” Vickie took a gulp of her water. “He’s just a little boy. I remember how it felt, and Larissa I hope you beat her ass.”

Larissa smiled. “I did.”

“See, you’re my favorite sister-in-law,” Vickie said with a grin on her face.

“She’s your only sister-in-law, crazy,” Diana mentioned. They talked for hours it seemed, and finally they started discussing the wedding.

“The dress you picked out is beautiful,” Olivia said. “Why didn’t you let us help?”

“My mother wanted to purchase the gown,” Larissa enjoyed going dress shopping with her mom, it was last minute but they had so much fun.

“Your parents wouldn’t take no for an answer about us paying for the wedding,” Olivia covered the pot. “Your mom drove down and helped us with all the planning and arranging.”

“What? She didn’t tell me,” Larissa was surprised she didn’t even know her mother talked to her soon-to-be in-laws. “I hope she wasn’t too pushy.”

“Pushy is good when it comes to your only daughter,” Olivia mentioned. “Your day will be what you always dreamt of.”

~~~

“Shane,” John watched him. “Can I talk to you for a second?” He stood, and waited for him to stand.

“Sure,” Shane stood, and followed John. He opened the fancy glass doors toward the backyard. “What’s up?” He walked out, and closed the doors behind him.

John shoved his hand in his pocket and pulled out a white envelope. “You nervous about tomorrow?”

“Nah… I’m marrying the girl of my dreams,” Shane glanced into the kitchen window looking at Larissa and his sisters’ talking, and then they all started laughing. Larissa was everything he wanted in a woman, she loved him to the moon and back, and she had his back regardless of the consequences. She was his ride or die, he couldn’t ask for a better, more loyal woman. She made him believe in happy ever after. “How’s Sophia?”

John inhaled and then exhaled, “She’s getting impatient. Sophia hates being stuck in that cabin,” he sighed. “I couldn’t keep my little girl from seeing her mother. Amber’s talking more and more each day, soon she’ll be the one telling people that her mommy is alive.”

“Sophia should be safe now, but Jerome and the team want to make sure they have taken down each one of those motherfuckers that worked for Marcus. I’ve looked into all the cops he associated with, making sure they weren’t corrupt.” Shane watched his brother grab the back of his neck.

“Marcus had more allies than we thought,” John said raking his fingers through his hair. “I want my wife home with me and our kids.”

“We can make it happen, just say the word.” Shane took a couple of strides, and stood next to his brother. “She will be watched around the clock for a couple of months, and if we don’t see any movement we’ll back off.”

“We have some time until the baby is born. You’ll be the first I call when we’re ready. Sophia’s safe, that’s all that matters now.” John stared at him. “This is for you,” he handed him the envelope.

Shane accepted it, “What is it?”

“Open it and you’ll find out,” John smiled.

He gently opened the envelope, and pulled out the document inside. His jaw dropped, and then he glared at his brother. “I told you, I’m not here for a fucking handout.”

John smirked, “This isn’t a handout. This is your part of our inheritance.”

Shane scrunched up his face in confusion.

“I was twenty-one,” John grabbed a lawn chair and sat, “when I received a call from a lawyer, stating that he’d been searching for me and my sisters for years. He said that our grandmother had left us her life insurance. She took out that policy before you were born. It was five hundred thousand dollars, and he had split it five ways between us, one hundred thousand each. We didn’t know you existed; the lawyer said there were no other grandchildren.”

“Are you serious?” Shane stared at the figures on the check; it was a hundred and twenty five thousand dollars.

“Yes, this is your part.”

“This is twenty five thousand more than my share,” he stared at John. “I can’t accept this,” he tried to hand it to John.

John pushed the paper away, “I’m not asking you. We’re fucking giving it to you, no questions asked, baby brother. Each one of us gave you five thousand to add to what was due to you.” John placed his hand on Shane’s shoulder. “Call this a pre-wedding gift.”

“You sure?” He stared at the check.

“Yes,” John squeezed Shane’s shoulder.

“I can get Larissa’s job back, just say the word, and I’ll visit her employer.” John watched him.

“Naw… Larissa wants to stay home with Grayson until the trial, and I agree. It will be good for my son to have her around,” He smiled, “and this right here will help us out.”

“If you change your mind, let me know.” John cracked his knuckles. “Granny always wanted the best for her grandchildren.”

“Granny came through for me after all these years. The only person James ever listened to was gone when she died, I didn’t stand a chance then.” Shane didn’t expect this, he just wanted to meet his family. He didn’t know his grandmother had life insurance. “Her funeral was the only time I’d ever seen that man cry. James only loved two women in his miserable life, Granny and your mother.”

“You don’t love with your fists,” John placed his hands in his front pocket. “My mother loved him too, but she loved her children more. Granny thought about her, about all her grandkids until the end. That’s your money.”

Shane placed the envelope in his back pocket, and gave John a bear hug, “Thank you.”