Page 41 of Our Mother's Sons

Our Grandmother walked the remaining steps and entered the plan with a frown on her face and hand on the dip of her back. Coming in behind her was Melissa who looked like she wanted to cry, curse, and kick my grandma’s ass all in one.

“Ms. Mitchell. Let me escort you back home,” Deuce attempted to unsnap his seatbelt and stand.

“You think I came all this way to be sent back home? Just like I told this Peperoni pizza-loving creature, I’m staying. Now sit down!”

Deuce plopped back down in his seat in a hurry. That nigga wasn’t scared of shit and I’d seen him kill muhfuckas for less. However, Joanna Mitchell had him snapping his seatbelt back on and going mute.

“I’m just saying, Grams-“

“Let her stay. I got her,” I spoke up.

Joanna approached me and kissed my cheek before sitting in the recliner chair facing the TV. I watched her until she flagged down the stewardess for a drink.

Melissa mumbled shit under her breath but the moment my grandma snapped her head at her she gave us her attention.

“The flight should take no longer than two hours. An hour and thirty minutes tops.”

“Where we going again?” I asked. My head was all over the fucking place. All I knew was that we were ending this shit.

“To see your grandfather.”

“That slave master ain’t my fucking grandkids granddaddy. Their Papa been dead a long fucking time.”

“Joanna, please. It’s not the time. Biologically, he is their grandfather. The only reason we are even allowing you to tag along is because this is a friendly visit. I believe my father when he says he has nothing to do with this, but I need to look his men in the face to see if I can get an inkling who might be going against my daddy to get at my sons.”

“You ain’t let me do shit. But you can let me mop this plane with your saggy face ass-”

“Grams. Chill.” My brother put that deep voice on like he was scaring somebody.

“Oh I forgot, you still got the titty in your mouth,” she pointed at Jeo before facing the tv and sipping on her cocktail. If I wasn’t so pissed I would be laughing at her in her bright white dressed just like she was headed to a wedding on the beach. The rest of us were in all black, including Melissa, yet Joanna stood out like a sore thumb. I had to school my grams on Murderville 101 because she was fucking up already.

“Since we all here, I may as well get this shit out. I don’t know what the fuck will happen when we land but I want y’all to know when I get back to Ausnor Beach, I’m throwing in the towel.”

Jeovanni was speaking to everyone, but he was looking right at me.

“This street shit? It was fun while it lasted. But I got a family now. Everybody on this plane has made enough money to be set for life. And if you haven’t, you can get in on some of these investments I have lined up. I can’t do this shit. It ain’t worth the woman I love and damn sure not worth the kids she and I created. I’m out.”

The entire plane was quiet with only the engine's hum filling the silence.

Melissa cleared her throat. She’d taken a seat closer to us and far away from my grandma, which was for the best.

“Joanna, I know you hate me, but I appreciate you so much for raising my boys.”

“I didn’t do it for your ass. I did it for my son.”

Melissa swallowed, “I know. I know you loved Jonah more than anything, and that’s why you were the only person I trusted with my children. Our children. When I walked away from the mafia, I knew that meant walking away from my twins. But I couldn’t stay away forever. I would pop in and watch you boys. I watched you turn from boys into men. I watched you demand the respect of everyone who doubted you. When I couldn’t take not being in your lives anymore, I made myself known. I knew you would only accept if I came to you with a proposition. That’s why I gave you the drug connect. If I could make my boys richer, I would do that, but overall, I just wanted to be a part of your lives. I didn’t care if that meant I was going to be killed. I needed to be a part of your lives.”

This was my third time seeing Melissa cry and each time that shit broke my heart. I gave her ass a hard time but, no matter howe bad I treated her, she never stopped trying. She was persistent as hell and adamant on making it right.

“I only gave you the connect to spend time with you. I have more money than I can spend and cannot wait to let my grandchildren run through it. Even when I’m gone, they’ll have it. I want to be a part of your lives even when the shipments stop. So, if you want to walk away, I understand—just as I told you, Jeovanni. I respect your decision. But if you’re done, so is your brother,” Melissa’s eyes drifted to me.

“That’s the problem, Melissa. You’re selfish. You want the world, and sometimes you just gotta be okay with having a continent. You should never have approached my child, knowing your family was racist. But you did. AND now look. I can’t keep the twins away from you even though I tried my damndest. You have them now. You have your sons, and where is mine? He’s in a grave.”

We all let my grandmother’s words marinate. My father was dead. We couldn’t bring him back. But had he and my mother not procreated, we wouldn’t have been here. Shit happens for a reason. Just like there was a reason I took Fine Shyt home that night. There was a reason I didn’t turn Girl over. Shit is divine timing. Our father’s sacrifice gave us a life beyond our wildest dreams. I would trade all this shit to let my old man slow dance with me at my wedding but, I couldn’t do that. What I could do was live for now and make the best of this shit – after I eliminated threats.

“I’m out too.”

Everyone’s head snapped to me. Jeovanni’s thick ass brow rose.

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