Disclaimer: I own nothing. Aaron McGruder owns it all. If I did, Huey would be POTUS.

Reviews:

LavenderLuvER18: Luv you know I had fun writing Ming's part. I feel she's like me in some way, and I'm just there at the table taking notes for my fanfic LOL. Yes, I love Huey being the way he is with Jazzy. I love them all, Kenzie, Adie, Mimi, Laurie, Auntie Cinny and Auntie Jazzy, and Zari, and the guys and just all of them. They're all so much fun. Yeah, I'm starting to not really like Cairo. I don't know. I'm hoping he gets a good beat down or something. But I agree on slightly hating him, but there are so many to hate as well as to love in this story LOL. Anyways, we talk. Thank you for being part of my life.

Greenpeace1990: LOL I smiled from ear to ear when you said you got some withdrawals. Thank you. I love Chicago too, just Chi-Town in gen gives me good vibes, so, I decided to put this out there…I guess like that short part during Christmas. Hope you like it.

CHAPTER NOTES: This is slightly, mildly, predominantly, so I can stay active and keep moving forward with the story.

CHAPTER 43:


I exhale some relief, being here, inhaling some worry, and I hear that giggle.

I feel my smirk, feeling my exhale possibly longer this time, hearing them talking, knowing that Jazmine head was right about the phone calls not being enough, feeling that relief, and hear her say, "Well thank you angels for telling me more about Ms. Lola because my brother only tells me she makes his lazy self walk, makes him eat better like I've been telling him to do for years, and works at your school making sure you all have classes together."

I hear that inhale, feeling her turn, feeling that excitement in that leg, and I look over at her.

I see that body turn around, looking at her sister in the backseat, and I hear her say, "Sis I knew it, I knew it, so Ms. Lola's the reason we get so many classes together, but."

I see her exhale, pushing that thigh down some, making sure she's safe knowing others distracting the driver is one of many reasons for car crashes, wanting to push that thick thigh down for many selfish reasons, and I see her sit back down.

And I hear Cindy say, "Know sis, can't even say thanks to her cuz we ain't supposed to know she's helping us on the side."

I see that face, see her looking down with those full lips pursed, and hear Aunt Cookie say, "Well just from what you all told me, how many times she's helped this sweetheart defend you angels and my two boys and then asking Cindy and that friend of yours to help at that school so much I can tell I'm going to just enjoy her company if I get to go visit, seeing as my brother already told me she can't get a plane."

I feel my eyebrow rise, seeing that smile on those full lips, feeling that thigh moving with that excitement, thinking about what Aunt Cookie just said, feeling myself look over at her, and hear my brother voice my thought, "For real Aunt Cookie, you finally go visit us?"

I hear that giggle, that laugh, feeling that soft hand going over my own, exhale, feeling my smile, possibly, not seeing her because of her height, knowing she's driving with both hands on the steering wheel, and hear Aunt Cookie say, "Well, we'll see baby, for now I want you all to enjoy your time here and I made sure to buy some of that vegetarian pork Jazzy didn't eat enough of and some of the chicken Cindy said she wanted me to get again, so I want you all to get your fill when we get to the house with some pancakes I'll be making and coffee already made."

I exhale, knowing I should be used to this, how she prepares for us coming, and hear Sarah say, "Thank you Aunt Cookie but we ask, please, that after breakfast you lay down and we will clean up and after today my daughters and I also do not want you cleaning a single room while we're here."

I exhale, hearing my brother and possibly Grandad exhale too, and hear that voice say, "And I get the bathrooms and the living room," feeling my eyebrow rise, looking over at her, and hear Cindy say, "And I got dishes and the kitchen table entire time and I'ma be pissed if anyone takes them from me."

I see her giggle, squeezing that thigh some, hearing Aunt Cookie laughing, and hear Aunt Cookie say, "Thank you sweethearts but with only the front and backyard left, knowing my boys will want to take care of the cleaning there and what they find needs fixing around the house, what am I supposed to do?"

And I see that mouth open and hear her, her mother, and sister, all start naming things off from reading to taking baths, watching T.V., visiting friends, cooking for fun, playing with the kids around the neighborhood, starting a book club, working on her knitting, and hear Aunt Cookie starting laughing.

I exhale, feeling it, going down to that cheek, smelling one of those buns by her neck today, not caring why she has her hair in that hairstyle so long as I know it's soft, soft like her, smelling her, after letting me hug her on the flight, no longer having fucken nightmares, making sure to keep her safe at the airport from those idiots that were looking at her in that grey sweater she decided to wear with those tight blue jeans and those pink converse, wanting to drop kick many idiots at the airport, keeping an eye on her when she was running to Aunt Cookie, hearing my brother exhale as I did at those two running off when we told them not to even if they are safer here, her entire family is safer here, from that disgusting piece of shit, feeling that thigh under my hand just enough to know she is here, laughing into that bun that smells like her, hearing my brother possibly laughing hearing him say he'll help with the kitchen, and hear Aunt Cookie say, "Thank you angels."

I move away from that bun and that neck, looking over at the driver's seat again, see Grandad put his hand on Aunt Cookie's shoulder, and hear him say, "Cookie I can drive."

I exhale, knowing he's only gotten worse, knowing I can drive if she's tired, hearing a possible sniffle, feeling my eyebrow rise knowing that sniffle came from the driver's seat, and hear Aunt Cookie say, "No Robert, I'm fine, just fine, just haven't heard my boys laugh like that in a long time and wanted to thank those two angels but I can drive, and if anyone driving us home it will be that sweetheart and not you who I know is the reason that car of yours has those dents you keep blaming on my boys."

I exhale irritation, knowing he does blame me regardless of the fact that those dents only appear after he's used Dorothy, only making it so I have to fix those dents, some I keep telling him cannot be fixed because it has to do with the paint being damaged from the snow when he forgets to put Dorothy in the garage, Dorothy that we left in Woodcrest, a car I won't need because if those alarms go off she'll be here with me.

I exhale, trying to not touch her more than I have, knowing where we are, hearing her laughing with everyone else, and hear Grandad say, "Ms. Lola thinks I drive damn fine."

I exhale and say, "She drives most of," and feel my eyebrow rise, shaking my head with my smirk, knowing my brother and I said that at the same damn time, hearing everyone laughing.

And I feel that kiss on my cheek, feeling my smirk possibly get bigger, and hear Aunt Cookie say, "And that's how it's gonna stay with either my sweetheart Sarah, my boys, these angels if they want, or myself driving, and not you Robert when I know you're here to rest too and I expect you to rest you hear me?"

I exhale, nod, knowing he's not that much younger than Mr. Willis, how little, if any, he's taken care of his health most of his life, knowing some of those ways he's eaten, not dieted, and not exercised until recently, cannot be reversed, and hear that voice say, "And Ms. Lola told my mom and sister Grandad needs to walk at least once a day and when he doesn't we're letting her know."

Fuck it. We're surrounded by family. I look over at the face, seeing that face again, hearing them laughing possibly at Grandad saying he doesn't need to be checked on, and move back in.

I put my face back into that neck, putting my arm around that small waist, bringing her into me, hearing her inhale, and hear Sarah, sitting next to the body I'm holding, say, "Robert it's not about being checked on by anyone, it's because people, Ms. Lola, all of us, care about you, and I'll make sure to walk with you every day and hopefully Aunt Cookie you can join us when you can."

I exhale, hugging her, what's mine, fuck what idiots in Woodcrest, here, anywhere, that know nothing think, knowing I want to be here, here in Chicago, with her, where we could live one day, and hear Aunt Cookie say, "I know my boys keep telling me I need to walk more and with these two angels doing most of the housework I could have it in me to go on those walks, so yes sweetheart, I might start walking with you and my dumbass brother I love and missed no matter how much I rattle those cobwebs."

I exhale, hearing them talking, putting my head on that smooth shoulder, leaning on the seat, feeling that arm going around my shoulders, and exhale longer, moving down some.

I feel those hands making those shapes, whichever she wants to make, on my head, letting her hug me, here, on our way home, and inhale, knowing my brother and I did not grow up in that house. We lived in our parent's apartment, then in Grandad's apartment, and finally in Aunt Cookie's first house before moving to Woodcrest, at which point Aunt Cookie's in-laws died and she bought this house. But I just called this house, the one we're driving to, home, remembering that thought about us possibly living here one day, feeling my smile, and see Aunt Cookie looking at me through the rearview mirror. I see her possibly look behind me at my brother, hearing him telling Cindy that too much of that chicken could hurt her athletic capabilities, seeing Aunt Cookie's eyes water, and I see her look back at the road.

I feel that heart that soft finger is drawing on the side of my head, and know, that house we're driving to could also be home, just as much as those suburbs of Woodcrest.

I exhale, knowing it doesn't matter, not a damn bit, as long as she's there, not giving a fuck how lunatic or obsessed that sounds or what idiots here, in Woodcrest, or anywhere, that know nothing think about that.


I inhale, knowing the amount of food on the stove, the counter, and the table, is too much damn food, and feel that squeeze on my thigh.

I exhale, continue eating the fruit and whole grain toast, dry, knowing it's the most efficient way to eat bread, knowing she bought it for me, and hear that voice say, "Aunt Cookie do you have some jam?"

I exhale at that Jazmine head and her sugar in take, hearing Aunt Cookie say it's in the fridge. I hear Jazmine stand up and hear Aunt Cookie say, "And when are my other boys gonna get here so I can feed them too?"

I continue chewing, knowing the answer, and hear Sarah say, "Leo said within two weeks but hopefully sooner, it just depends on the security set up of the store, and training the temporary manager, but knowing him and how much he worries it could take longer, so in the meantime we're going to try to set up at their apartment."

I look up, see Sarah smiling at my brother, and she says, "Yes Riley I'm sure you and Huey will want to go and help but really it's just some furniture he said he's renting that will be delivered that day and between myself and my babies I'm sure we can manage it but if you'd like please come along."

I exhale, knowing this vacation isn't just selfishly for us and what we want or what I'm assuming my brother wants, and say, "We'll stay for the delivery and leave you three to set up and then pick you up."

I hear him say, "Huey, the fu," and I turn to him, see him inhale looking at me, possibly remembering whose house this is, trying to relax myself, and say, "Riley, listen, we are here, not there, and they possibly want to spend time without us around and we'll stay close, very damn close."

I exhale, see him thinking, wondering if he's thinking how close, how long, and why the hell we're acting like this, and hear Aunt Cookie say, "You all mind telling me why you're acting like you have the devil chasing you and can't leave Sarah and these two angels to go by themselves when I know that old apartment Leo had and thank goodness had not been taken up by anyone is only ten minutes away on the bus, close enough I can get there to take him a cake before it gets warm?"

I inhale, looking at that face, that soft face that's looking down at the table, standing next to me, possibly looking at something on the table she's preoccupying herself with, that soft face I've known for years, not long enough, and I hear her say, "Before we left my," I see those eyes blink and before I can grab her she says, "My father who never did anything to me, never, but we found out he did want to do things to me when I met him at the police station last year, we think he followed us when we went to visit a friend two months ago, and then, since May I think, I don't know, I kind of don't think about the time, but I think since May he hasn't used his credit cards so we don't know what he's doing, where he is, and it doesn't matter, it doesn't, because we're okay, but Huey's worried he's coming back soon, maybe even to try and take me even if he can't do that, my mom and sister are worried about that too, Riley's worried because my sister loves me and he cares about me, and Grandad and my mom need to have a vacation, here, and stop worrying about that because it isn't good for their health, and I'm okay, I am, and I don't care who's here that doesn't want me here because I want to be here with my sister and Huey and Riley to have fun and I'm not letting that girl or Tom take that away from me no matter how cold it feels."

I see that face turn to me, see that small smile, and she says, "Eat this please?"

I see that face, that look, and say, "Don't go far," or I'll follow.

I see that blush, wondering if she possibly heard that last thought, and she says, "I know bestie, eat."

I nod, grabbing whatever she's handing me, taking a bite, and look down at that toast, feeling that hand on my shoulder, feeling her sit back down, looking at the toast that taste better, much better, knowing the taste from when I kiss her after having breakfast, what she taste like after breakfast, strawberry jam on toast.

I take another bite, feeling that hand on my thigh, and hear Aunt Cookie say, "Well that right there proves I was right and you sweetheart have been a strong mother and guide because only someone like you could raise daughters to not fall apart talking about something so horrible with one of your angels there holding down my nephew who when he gets angry, scared, hides it with anger, he does, he just storms out of the room, not good with emotions, and the other angel here forcing my other nephew to eat when I know he's thinking about how to probably lock the doors here even if they're all already locked, and he knows that one of the reasons I go by Cookie is that's my family's name for me, not my real name of course, and it would be mighty hard for anyone who doesn't know me as Cookie and what my real name is, that I use both names, one to be called by and the other for everything on paper, to find out where you're all staying, something that would be even harder to figure after I married Howard, changed my name to Williams, in some part to never let other people find me, people I left in their misery, people that were also looking for me and I had to hide from after I left them because the divorce, the restraining order, all of that, would not have stopped such a cruel horrible man from killing me all because I left him."

I inhale, looking over at that mother figure, knowing this information, how I've never looked for him only because she asked us not to, had us swear we never would, hearing Sarah ask her if she can have his name, see Aunt Cookie smile at her, and she says, "Sweetheart the only reason he's not dead or in jail right now, knowing I could've sent him to jail the many times he put me in the hospital, is because my brother and nephews know I could not live with myself knowing I was somehow part of causing misery to anyone even if he did all he did to me, it's just not in my heart, one of the reasons Howard said he loved me so much, said it was because I forgave someone like him, even if he never deserved forgiveness, but."

I see Aunt Cookie exhale, feeling those nails digging into my jeans, wondering if that Jazmine head is angry or understands what is happening at this moment in this room, and hear Aunt Cookie say, "The things that cruel man did, he did to me, not to a child of mine, and I don't believe I would have it in my heart to forgive anyone trying to hurt my child, any of my children, but more so a daughter, knowing my boys can take care of themselves, mostly, but need love, so much love these boys still need to make up in some part for losing so much when they were just boys, but daughters, even if they have not lost anything like a mother or father, and I might say this because I possibly dreamed of having a daughter when I was younger, daughters need to be protected from all sorts of evil, they must be, the reason God sent these two angels to you, because he just knew you would take care of them, and he knew if anyone ever hurt them you would not be one to forgive such a person, as I believe you shouldn't, and if you see that man again you forget you were ever married to him, as I did a long time ago, forgetting I was married to a cruel man because of those things he did, but unlike me where I forgave because those things were done to me, you don't forgive, you do what you can to make him pay for ever hurting your babies, even if that was only making them know he wanted to hurt them, that's 'nough I tell you, that is damn well 'nough to kill a man for even thinking of doing anything to your babies, and you have my permission, for all it's worth, to kill such a man if you ever see him again, and only then, only then, do you let that go, only after making him pay."

I exhale, remembering Grandad saying all of that with less self-revealing information, knowing only two dead people, my brother, Grandad, and myself had this information on Aunt Cookie before today, feeling those pieces falling into place, into the organ this society calls a heart, if I believed feelings, emotions, came from that organ, feeling that soft hand possibly moving that ring around my finger, feeling that lightness regardless of the conversation, the subject that is people that should die for ever laying a hand on my family, a woman like Aunt Cookie or Sarah, any of them, possibly getting closer to her. And I feel her put that heavy head on my shoulder, see Aunt Cookie smile at that Jazmine head, and hear that voice say, "I'ma shank him first."

I feel my eyebrow rise, look over at Cindy, see her smirking possibly at her plate, and hear that voice say, "Only after I restrain him with the law and physical violence because he'll be unconscious before he touches either one of you, seeing as he is a little bitch, and I'd shank him several times, multiple times, with any object in my reach before he does touch either one of you, no homo."

I feel that body next to me possibly stiffing, moving my hand behind that lower back, bringing her into me, feeling her moving because she's giggling, feeling my smirk possibly knowing she is giggling, and hear my brother say, "Ms. S, did you just say bitch, shank, and no homo all in one sentence?"

I hear that giggling turning into laughing, see Sarah smile at my brother, with Grandad, Aunt Cookie, and Cindy possibly laughing, feeling myself laughing, and hear Sarah say, "I did Riley but do as I say and not as I do as a curse word, like little bitch even when referring to one, can turn your brain into mush and I'd rather you all remain as intelligent as you are."

And I feel that soft face turning into me, looking down at her, seeing that soft afro in those two buns by her neck, a hairstyle I possible like, maybe, hearing her laughing with them, with me, knowing I'm laughing because I'm happy, being here, in Chicago, with all we have planned, and I'll kill anyone outside of this room before I let them try to hurt the process of those pieces falling into place, those pieces falling into the organ this society calls a heart.


Tiny snippet of a chapter. I will continue writing on, promise. Thank you for the reviews. They really do help me.

-Bulma's Ego.