Jay

I checked myself out in the mirror one more time and rubbed a hand down my face. Tired was an understatement.

Nina came up behind me and wrapped her arms around my waist, leaning her head on my back. "You ready to go?"

I spun around and kissed her forehead, then cheeks, then lips. "Nah, not feeling it."

She laughed and pulled away, making me follow behind her to the living room. She grabbed up her purse and tossed me the keys to my car. "Yeah, whatever. You drivin'."

Today was the first of many court dates for the week. My lawyer and Sierra's would be making the case on which parent should have custody. Since there wasn't too many ongoing cases in family court, we'd be closer to knowing who would get custody of Correy by the end of this week.

I was anxious as hell. I couldn't lose my son, I wouldn't. It felt like he was one of the only things I had left in this life. Even thinking about the weeks we've spent apart during this custody battle was enough to bring tears to my eyes. I just wanted to see the lil nigga, take him to school, bring him to the shop. I wanted to do all the shit we normally did if his momma wasn't tryna take him away from me.

Being lost in my thoughts, I missed the highway exit and let out a sigh. Nina placed her hand on my neck and used her thumb to gently massage the tension I held there.

"It'll all work out. You'll get him back."

And I hoped it was true.

The judge flipped through a few papers in the file on his podium, then looked at both me and Sierra. My palms were sweaty as fuck, but I tried my best to calm myself down using the techniques I learned in therapy. The breathing and allat other shit was actually... helpful.

"Your Honor, my client would like full custody of her son as the defendant has tried in the past to kidnap her child and violated their joint custody agreement."

My lawyer waved a hand at me, seeing how my breathing went from steady to erratic. The audacity of Sierra to keep bringing up these lies in court. Maybe I do need to let Wren whoop her ass.

"Your Honor, the kidnapping charges posed against Mr. Green were dropped and have absolutely nothing to do with this proceeding. The plaintiff has no evidence stating that my client was attempting to kidnap the child, or harm him in any way. If I may?" My lawyer stepped from behind the table we sat at and onto the court floor.

She placed a few documents in front of the judge and gave him a second to look over them. "I've just provided you with documentation that shows that Ms. Howell recently became employed by Linus Trading Co., with her new position being based in New York City. Now if anyone should be charged with kidnapping or being a flight risk, it's Ms. Howell. What's stopping her from abducting the child and fleeing to New York without giving my client a heads up?"

I nodded, knowing that's exactly some shit Sierra would do.

He lifted up his thin rimmed glasses to scan the papers in front of him, then looked up expectantly at Sierra and her lawyer. "Your Honor, while that may show my client receiving a job offer in New York City, it does not prove whether or not she has accepted the position yet. Which I will clarify that she hasn't, and will not until the outcome of this custody case has been decided."

Judge Coolidge let go of his glasses and gathered the papers, clasping his hands together like old white men do. "Counselor Newsome, I believe you had an agenda for today's meeting?"

My lawyer stepped up once again. "Yes, your Honor. We are requesting that the joint custody agreement go back into effect during the duration of this trial, until it has been decided in whose care the child will be placed. My client is a pillar of the New Orleans community, a thriving business owner with significant ties to the state of Louisiana. He is not a flight risk and has proven himself to be a great father, as there are no outstanding complaints on his parenting by Ms. Howell."

"Aht, aht," the judge shushed Sierra's counselor who was getting ready to interject. "I'm going to have to agree with Counselor Newsome. There is no reason why Mr. Green shouldn't have access to his son. Based on that fact and the evidence presented today, I am not granting the previous joint custody agreement be restored."

I shot to my feet, almost unable to clamp my tongue and not yell at him. Everyone in the courtroom eyed me, pissing me off even further. If they thought I wasn't gon fuck this nigga up--

Wait, nah. If I didn't calm down soon, I'd ruin this whole case and lose my son forreal. I simply closed my eyes and lowered back down into my seat, my lawyer nodding back at me.

The judge continued, slightly excited at my show of emotion. He cleared his throat and continued. "I'm granting that the child temporarily reside full time with Mr. Green, until Ms. Howell and her defense present their argument as to why she should obtain sole custody, when it seems as though she's the one ready to pack up and leave."

An audible oop came from the spectators behind me, and I tried my best to keep quiet despite how relieved I was to hear that.

"Correy Green-Howell is to be returned to his father's home effective this evening. That's all for today, folks. Don't look so sad, we've got the rest of the week to sit up in here and argue." He banged the gavel, chuckled, and waddled off to his chambers.

A bit of the pressure in my chest released, and I let out the biggest smile I had in a while. I turned around to see Nina smiling right back at me in the back of the courtroom. Wren, Flora, and Harley were sitting back there with her too. Harley looked excited as fuck to see lil man, and so did Flora and Wren. They wasn't beating me out, though.

My son was coming home today, and wasn't shit Sierra could say about it.

"You ain't stopped smiling since we left. I'm so happy for you, baby." Nina stood on her tip toes and planted a kiss on my lips.

She was right. I was overjoyed.

Even just sitting here and waiting for the knock on the door had me anxious and happy in the best way possible. And her presence was only making my mood even lighter. I hugged her tightly and rested my head in the crook of her neck, closing all the physical distance between us.

"You my personal good luck charm," I said. She was the one who called it that I'd get him back soon. And even though god living arrangement wasn't permanent, it was close enough for now.

"Me?"

"Mhm. Thank you, Nina."

"Why you keep sayin' that, 'thank you'?"

"Cause you ain't left my side during this whole thing. You got so much other shit to be worried about; you didn't have to show up to any hearings or do everything you've done. But you doing it anyways. You don't know how much I appreciate that."

She pulled back, shaking her head and smirking. "Nah, I think you do a good job of showing me appreciation." Hell yeah, I be in between them legs almost every night. I haven't laid it on her yet though; I'm saving that for something special. Plus, I know she not ready for this. Imma have her ass running from me in the bed.

I chuckled, imagining that sight as she turned around, grabbing some waters from the fridge. I gave her ass a quick smack before following her out to the living room.

"Finally, miss girl. Y'all two back there playing house and my ass was over here about to choke and die--"

"Shut up," Flora cut Wren off. Wren side-eyed her and took the water out Nina hand.

"Always tryna put me in my place in front folks," Wren mumbled.

After the hearing, Wrenden, Flora, and Harley came by my house because they wanna be here when Correy comes back. It's been most of the usual bickering between them two and then Harley looking up from her phone to say something smart. Nina normally sits back and watches them, grinning and acting shy. Lately they been asking her all these questions, tryna see what she about. I don't mind though cause I like hearing her responses.

But I wasn't following the conversation they were having, I was deep in my thoughts thinking about everything that had brought me up to this point. Moving from Monroe to New Orleans, haven't shit changed. Something bad always following me in this damn state. Maybe after we settle the custody issue, I could move somewhere else and have a fresh start. Open up another Bizzy store in a different city, maybe LA. Somewhere far. A place that doesn't constantly remind me of everything I've lost, everyone I've lost.

I shoved those thoughts to the back of my head, knowing how dangerous it would be if I ever said that out loud. I'd hate for Sierra ass to have another reason to try and snap on a kidnapping charge again. Maybe a few years from now I'd revisit the idea.

Harley jumping on me snapped me outta my thoughts. I turned my attention to her calling my name. "Unc Jay!"

"Mm?"

"Can you let go of Ms. Nina, please?" I looked over at my arm still wrapped around Nina. It was just natural for me to have her close, I sometimes forgot I was even holding her.

"Why? You tryna break us up?"

"No, Unc. I want me and her to go make sure Correy room is ready for when he come back!"

"Cariño, did you ask Ms. Nina if she wanted to go with you?" Flora cut in, eyebrows raised.

"Oh, sorry," Harley moved from my lap to standing in front of Nina. "Ms. Nina, you wanna come wit' me?" Nina nodded and smiled letting Harley take her hand and drag her down the hall. I heard them erupt in giggles as soon as the door closed.

"That lil girl some else," Wren said, sipping some of her water.

"Don't do my niece. She seems to like Nina, just like her uncle do."

Flora sighed, sounding sad. "She reminds me so much of her. She's so much like D, I can see that every time we talk. She got the same big heart, the same ambition. All of it." I just nodded, knowing it was the truth.

"You still the same nigga. You got good taste though," Wren chuckled.

"Nah. I didn't appreciate D when she was in front of my face. Only when she was gone I knew what I missed. I think that's why I'm a little clingy wit' Nina: I don't wanna make that same mistake again."

"You won't, Jay," Flora grabbed my hand. "I hate that it ended the way it did but Domonique forced you to learn how to be a better man, a better partner. She taught you shit about yourself. And anyway, Nina doesn't seem to mind how close you've gotten. She's matching your energy too, with her shy self."

Even though she could be reserved at times, I think Nina just wanted to observe how me and them interact. Wren, Flora, and Harley were literally my only other family left in this world. They knew about my past, which I haven't exactly told Nina about in full.

But since they watched me grow up and saw me through everything with D, we had a different dynamic that I always found Nina looking at rather than engaging in. When I asked her about her shyness before, she said it wasn't that she was being shy. It was that she was happy to know I had people to lean on, and she wanted to learn more about our weird ass family just by listening and watching. "Don't worry, I'll jump into the mix real soon," Nina had said.

And eventually she did start speaking up more around them and telling a few jokes. I appreciated both of them for being so cool with her, and Wren especially for not starting off by whooping her ass like she planned to.

"How's therapy going?"

I shook my head, not wanting to get into that. I barely made it to and through court today because of what happened last week. Again, Dr. Mally saying its the PTSD and the anxiety and stress allat shit that's making me imagine things.

I kept it short. "Usual shit. It's helpful though."

"Mhm. You seen her again?"

"Nah, but I heard her voice."

Both of them looked at me eyes squinted. "Well... I didn't hear her voice. I didn't hear nothing. Don't worry though, definitely talked through it in therapy."

"You sure you okay?"

"Nothin' to worry about, y'all. I'm fine."

In our last session I told Dr. Mally that I thought D had called me. I didn't hear nothing on the other end of the line, and even if I did I was pretty sleepy. I doubt it was her, but I wish it was. I'd do anything to hear her voice again.

After we discussed it though, I realized I definitely made that up. It did feel good to get it off me and think about the reasons why I thought I was seeing her again.

Half an hour later, a sharp knock hit the door, sending us all into motion. Harley zipped out the room, dragging Nina by the hand. Wren and Flora stood up quickly, but not as fast as me. I damn near ran to the door and snatched it open.

A Black woman, looking about 40 years old with light brown locs stood in front of me, seemingly empty-handed. "Mr. Green, I have someone here to see you," she smiled.

From behind her legs, Correy jumped out and yelled "Daddy!" smiling and showing some teeth that had fallen out since I last saw him.

I scooped him up, fighting back tears, and hugged him tight. I didn't even wanna hear the rest of what the lady had to say, I just took him inside.

I think Flora grabbed his stuff from the social worker that brought him and let her inside as well. It shoulda been me taking care of all that, but I was just too focused on my son who I hadn't seen in what felt like a lifetime. "Daddy missed you so much, lil man."

"I missed you too, Daddy! Did you forget about me?" His lips poked out in a pout and I could see his eyes getting ready to water. That right there broke my heart, but I didn't want him to see me sad or think anything was wrong.

"Of course not, Correy. I could never forget about you. Never, ever, ever." He rubbed his eyes and nodded, laying his head on my shoulder and wrapping his arms around my neck tightly.

"I missed you so much, Correy. I..." I trailed off, at a loss for words and unable to get my thoughts together. It was times where I thought I'd never be able to hug him like this again. It was all just feeling like too much, going from almost losing him to having him in my arms again, but still feeling uncertain about the outcome of the case.

"You didn't have nobody to play wit'?"

"Exactly! I didn't have no one to play wit' while you were gone. It made Daddy a lil sad, but I'm all better now that you back. Now you can take care of me."

"We take care of each other, Daddy!"

"Yes, Correy. I got you and you got me."

The social worker inspected the house to make sure it was childproof and safe for Correy. After talking with him for about half an hour, Wren, Flora, and Harley packed up to head home. Even though Harley wanted to stay and play with her cousin for a little longer, I could tell lil man was tired and needed some sleep.

He still had his arms wrapped around me, and he fell asleep in the same position. I knew he was gon drool on my back but I didn't care. I held him like that as Nina gathered her things and was also getting ready to leave.

"I'll do a proper introduction once he's settled in, if that's okay with you?"

I scrunched up my eyebrows. "Not even a question. He gon know who you are." Once he's rested, he'll probably recognize her from the daycare. He'll also notice that she be around here a lot, too. I'm not worried about her hurting him or being a bad influence on him, and that thought never crossed my mind. The way she deals with Harley and the other kids at the daycare, she'll be fine with him.

"Y'all get some rest, ight? And text me if y'all need something."

"Mhm. You too. Don't be up all night writing essays and shit, it's been a long day."

"I make no promises. Goodnight." She stood on her tip toes and kissed me one last time before grabbing her keys and heading out the door. I wanted to walk her to her car but I had Correy, so I watched her from my doorway.

Once everyone was gone, I did my best to give Correy a bath while he slept. I put him on some pajamas and laid him in his bed, which was freshly made by Nina and Harley.

As I put him down, he woke up immediately and started to cry. "Wait, Daddy! Don't go, please. You leaving me? Don't, please Daddy I'll be good." He started crying harder, the tears getting caught up in how tightly his eyes were shut.

I picked him back up and rocked him. "Shh, Correy it's okay. Daddy will never leave you, ight? You stuck wit' me," I wiped his tears and snot, and rubbed his back. He hiccupped a little, but slowly calmed down. "You wanna sleep wit' me tonight?" He grinned sleepily and nodded.

I picked him up and carried him to my bed, making sure the pillows was fluffed enough for him. After I showered and got into bed, I just watched him sleep, his chest rising up and down. His cornrows were fuzzy and old, and I needed to redo them. He had a little finger in his nose and his mouth was wide open, drool spilling out.

My mini me. My world. He looked just like me in this position, which made me laugh. I loved being a father. I loved having this time to just watch him sleep, simply because I could. I needed to protect my fatherhood so I could always be there for him. Anything I needed to do to make sure we'd never be apart, I'd do it.

"Daddy loves you, Correy."

a/n: late update, i know! but finals had to get done loves😭 glad that's over!! but yessirrrr correy back with his dad🥳 love that for them. let me know how y'all felt about this one. vote + comment for me

since this prolly the last update for the year, just wanna wish y'all a happy holiday season and continued blessings into the new year💗🥂 many more chapters to come🤞🏾

-ColeWoorld