A/N: Surprise! Another update!

Disclaimer: I do not own Boondocks. All right are reserves to the rightful owners.

Blended Together

Chapter 11

"Oh it's freezing!" Jazmine said as she got another blanket for the kids as they sat down to watch a movie.

Christmas went off without a hitch and they brought in the New Year with two sleeping kids who couldn't stay up. Jazmine wished that she could have done more but the kids loved it and Huey didn't complain so it wasn't a big deal. As she tuck the kids under the covers she couldn't help but remember it could have been the best Christmas she had yet.

:::::

"Mama, wake up!" Rosa said excited as she jumped on Jazmine's bed. Jazmine didn't get much sleep lately because she didn't like sleeping alone. She figured that she would be use to having the room to herself now but that wasn't the case.

"Rosa, let mama sleep for a few more minutes," Jazmine said covering herself with the blankets.

"It's Christmas mama it's Christmas!" Rosa cried out.

"I know baby," Jazmine said getting up. She wasn't going to get that much more sleep so she figured that it was a good time to get up.

"Go get Malcolm and I'll make us some breakfast," she said giving her daughter a kiss.

"Okay mama!" Rosa said as she jumped off her bed and ran back into her room to get Malcolm.

Jazmine stretched all of her achy muscles and grabbed her robe. She couldn't blame Rosa for being so excited because she figure she did that a lot to her parents when she was younger. Thinking of her parents made her heart ache. She hadn't talk to them in years and they knew nothing of Rosa. She always wanted them to know her but they wanted nothing to do with her because of what happened. Jazmine still remember the shame she felt when she told them that she was pregnant. The first Christmas without them was the hardest. But this year, she knew it was going to be different because not only did she have Rosa, but she now had Huey and Malcolm.

"Wake up Malcolm," she heard Rosa said coming from the bedroom.

"Go away!" she heard. Jazmine got up because she figured that they were going to be fighting soon.

"It's Christmas it's Christmas!" Rosa cried out as Jazmine just walked into the room. Malcolm was slowly waking up but Rosa kept bugging him to get out of bed.

"Rosa, go meet me in the living room please," Jazmine said. The girl ran out as Malcolm didn't look to happy about being woken up.

"I'm sorry Malcolm," she said picking up the poor sleepy boy, "I thought you were already awake."

Malcolm just stared at her with a not to happy look on his face.

"Do you want french toast for breakfast?" she asked as they walked into the living room.

"Yeah," he said softly.

"Okay little man," she said putting Malcolm on the couch so he could wake up more.

"Mama!" Rosa cried, "open presents now?"

"Not yet you need to eat breakfast," Jazmine said, getting all of the things she needed to make breakfast.

"What's with all the noise?" Huey asked as he came out from the basement.

"It's Christmas!" Rosa cried.

"Oh," he said getting a bottle of water.

"Sorry about that," Jazmine said, "I didn't think they would be this excited. Well Rosa at least."

"Give him a few minutes," Huey said taking a sip.

Once Jazmine had everything ready, the kids started eating really fast.

"Hey guys slow down," Jazmine said laughing, "those presents are not going anywhere."

"I think you should let them open them up first next year," Huey said.

Jazmine raise her eyebrow at him, "How are you so sure that there will be another one?"

"I know," he said staring right at her. Something about his stare was different. But it was like Huey wanted something…her?

"Mama all done!" Rosa said showing her clean plate.

"Can we Jazz?" Malcolm plead with his eyes.

"Alright go over there until I get the dishes," Jazmine said.

"I'll do it," Huey said, "go spend time with them."

Huey started gathering the dishes and headed over the sink. Jazmine stared at him. He had been acting strange since Thanksgiving. Helping her out more, spending a lot of time with the kids. She wasn't sure what was going on.

"Huey what's going on?" Jazmine asked walking into the kitchen.

"I'm doing the dishes," he said.

"No I mean what is going on with you?" she asked, "you been acting strange."

"Jazmine," he said, "just go and spend time with the kids. We'll talk about it later."

Jazmine raise her eyebrow at him.

"We'll talk," Huey promised.

"Jazz hurry!" Malcolm said getting impatient.

"Go," he said.

Jazmine figured that she would drop it for now because she kept hearing the kids call to her.

"Alright alright my babies," Jazmine said, "I know you all are so excited."

"What we get what we get?" Rosa chanting as she grab one of the presents.

"Rosa hold on," Huey said coming into the room, "let your mom open one first."

Jazmine stare at the bag Huey had handed her.

"I thought you said you weren't going to participate?" Jazmine said taking the bag.

"Yeah well… It's for them isn't it?" Huey said not looking at her.

Jazmine shakes her head but opens it to find a new phone with a great camera build it.

"Oh Huey," she said touched by his gift.

"I know your another one died last week," he said, "I figure I get you a better one."

"Thank you."

Jazmine took the pictures as the kids open the presents from herself. When Malcolm opened his gift finding the little army jacket, he gave the biggest hug to her she had ever felt. This was why she wanted to celebrate.

"Help me?" he ask trying to put it on.

Jazmine laughs and helps him, taking a picture because he was so cute! He didn't take it off as they finish. Cindy was nice enough to get them some new shoes she wanted to buy them but they were a bit out of her price range.

"I guess that's all of them," Jazmine said cleaning up the wrapping paper as the kids played with their new toys. But Huey wasn't in sight. Where was he?

"Malcolm. Rosa," Huey said, giving them two more presents.

Malcolm and Rosa grabbed them out of Huey's hands and quickly said thank you before tearing into them.

"I thought that you weren't interested in Christmas?" Jazmine teased.

"You're right," he said, "but there were some pretty good deals and I thought this was a good idea."

Huey ended up getting them Leap Frogs tablets. Jazmine shakes her heads but laughs. Only Huey would give them some that was educational.

"Oh Daddy!" Rosa cried out. Everyone freezes when Rosa said that. Even poor Rosa who realized what she said.

"Oh I said a bad word," Rosa said sadly.

"Rosa it's okay," Jazmine said trying to calm Rosa down from a meltdown.

"No no NO! I said a bad word," Rosa cried out and ran into the kid's bedroom.

"ROSA!" Jazmine called out. She had a feeling this would happen again.

Malcolm sat quietly on the floor, looking like he was ready to cry.

"Malcolm what's wrong?" Huey asked.

Malcolm sat there wiping the tears from his eyes, "I wanna mama."

Just like Rosa, Malcolm followed Rosa into their bedroom, leaving Huey and Jazmine speechless.

"I knew it," Huey said, sitting down putting his head down.

"Knew what?"

"That this would happen again," Huey said.

"Huey you couldn't have known-"

"No Jazmine. Because I question it the last time we talk about this," he said, "it's not that I don't want Malcolm to have a mother but I am worried that anyone I'm with will abandon him."

"What you think I would?" Jazmine said offended.

"I know you would never," he said, "but like you I have to protect my son."

"Even if he is heartbroken," Jazmine said.

"You think I want to?" Huey asked.

"No good parent wants that," Jazmine said, "like right now I have to let her know what she said wasn't a bad word."

"Calling me dad?"

"Yeah," she said, "I'm not sure what to do."

"What's wrong with Rosa calling me dad?"

"What's wrong with Malcolm calling me mom?" Jazmine asked.

"You said it yourself that it wouldn't bother you," Huey said.

"It doesn't," she said, "but you can't have her call you dad if Malcolm can't call me mom."

"I know that!" Huey snapped, "I know that."

Jazmine never saw Huey look so put out. Like he knew that this time it was going to be different.

"Huey," she said, "the choice is yours and it always has been because I would never abandon Malcolm. You do what you have to do and I will do the same. Because as I see it Huey, you are the only father Rosa knows."

"What?" Huey said looking at her.

Jazmine took a deep breath in, "I don't date because my ex had two woman in his life. Me and the woman he married."

Huey's eyes widen at her confession. "Jazmine I-"

"We were together for three years. I met him at a college party as he was going to become a doctor and how he wanted to be with me. I fell in love. I didn't realize that I pulled away from everyone until it all went to hell," she said as the tears started to fall.

"When I found out I was pregnant, I also saw his engagement announcement. I told him I was pregnant and knew about his engagement, he was pissed off. Everyone turned against me and he destroying my reputation. My parents couldn't believe that I was the other woman and told me that they wanted nothing to do with me. Even when they met him, told them I was his girlfriend," Jazmine said crying, "I was so humiliated, ashamed and hurt. I left and came to Chicago. I don't trust men because of it Huey. The only man I can rely on is you because I know you won't pull that shit on us."

Huey finally understood why. No one should have gone through that and Rosa got mixed up within it.

"So if you were-"

"If you are going to ask that we were living together than yes," Jazmine said calming down, "but he lied to me Huey. I looked for anything kind of signs that he was unfaithful, lying or manipulating me. I found nothing, until that day."

"I was going to ask if something happen with our arrangement, you will be there for Malcolm?" Huey said.

"Like you Huey if I decided on something than I stick to it," she said.

"I know," he said, "and I'm sorry you went through that."

"I've learned from it and I have Rosa. So it wasn't all that bad because she was worth it," she said softly. Jazmine couldn't believe that she confess that she was the other woman. To Huey of all people.

"Jazmine I don't think you are the other woman," he said as if he was reading her mind, "I think he took advantage of a situation and you got stuck in the middle of it. And you're right, you have Rosa out of it all."

Jazmine allow the tears to flow, thankful Huey didn't see her as a harlot. Huey allowed her to cry because he knew that was weighting heavily on her for a long time.

"Fuck I couldn't have killed Cairo doing that to me," she said.

"Is that Rosa's father?" he asked.

Jazmine nodded her head, "Cairo Jefferson."

So Huey now knew the name of the man.

"What a Christmas," Jazmine said laughing and crying at the same time, "because I just wanted my kids happy."

"I know," Huey said, "and I have to agree. You are the only mother Malcolm knows."

"What about his mother?" Jazmine asked, "wait you don't have answer that."

"No," he said, "you told me your story and I am going to tell you mine."

Huey took in a deep breath in knowing the memories were haunting, "I met Adrianne Stewart at a rally. We were into the same thing, human rights, political power. She was from New York and I started attending classes with her when she went back. We were together for two years when I found out she was pregnant. But the rallies were starting to get more violent and I stop going. But Adrianne kept going. We fought all of the time because I wanted her safe. The day she was killed-"

Jazmine gasped at that.

"She was shot twice and I watch it go down. They had to preform a c-section to deliver Malcolm during her surgery. She didn't make it," he said, "but Malcolm was born fine."

"I'm sorry Huey," she said holding his hand. He didn't remove it.

"When I was in New York, her cousin Tia told me something I wasn't ready for," he said, "she wasn't interested in becoming a mother. She was going to sign her rights away. I was going to end up being a single father either way."

"Huey," she said not sure what to say. How could anyone do that?

"That's why I am so protective," he said, "that's why I don't want to date anyone because I don't want Malcolm to remember that."

"I understand," Jazmine said, "I really do."

"But I know you would never," he said, "never abandon my son or will I abandon your daughter."

"We really only have each other huh?" Jazmine said sadly.

"Yeah."

They sat in silences thinking about what the other had said to each other. How they went through all of it without anyone to help them.

"Dad?" Malcolm said coming into the room.

"Come here buddy," Huey said pulling Malcolm into his lap.

"Mama?" Rosa said wanting to be with her mommy. Jazmine pulled her baby close.

"Mama I'm sorry," she whispered.

"For what baby?" Jazmine asked.

"Wanting a daddy," she whimpered, "saying a bad word."

"Oh baby," Jazmine said kissing her forehead, "you didn't say a bad word. And there is nothing wrong with wanting a daddy."

Rosa was crying but didn't say anything. It broke not only Jazmine's heart but Huey's as well.

"Rosa," Huey said getting Rosa's attention.

Rosa's big violet eyes were on Huey's wine colour eyes. She was listening.

"You're mom and I talked about it," he said, "and we decided that it's okay."

"What is?" Rosa asked.

"Malcolm go to Jazmine and you come here," he said redirecting the kids. Once Malcolm was in Jazmine's lap and Rosa's in Huey's, he asked them something.

"What do you both really want for Christmas?" he asked.

Jazmine was wondering where he was going with this.

"A mama," Malcolm said softly.

"A daddy," Rosa agreed.

"And you want Jazmine to be your mama?" Huey asked. Malcolm nodded his head, Jazmine finally see where he was going with this.

"And you want Huey to be your daddy?" Jazmine said following along. Rosa nodded her head in Huey's shoulder.

"Than okay," he said.

"Huh?" the kids said confuse.

"Malcolm, Rosa," Jazmine said getting there attention, "it's okay if you call me mama and Huey daddy. There are not bad words."

"You're my mama?" Malcolm said in shock.

"I want to be if you want it to be," she replied.

"Mama?" Malcolm said testing it out. Jazmine just smiled and allowed him to say it again.

"Mama."

Jazmine smiled wider, "MAMA!"

Jazmine kissed his forehead as his little arms wrapped around her neck.

Huey knew that he had made the right decision this time but notice that Rosa seems sad.

"Go ahead Rosa," Huey urged her following what Jazmine did for Malcolm, "it's alright."

"You my daddy?" she asked.

"If you want," Huey replied.

"My daddy," Rosa said. And with Huey nodding his head. Rosa gave out a bit scream and hugged Huey with all of her might.

Huey and Jazmine gotten the truth from each other and the kids got the parents they truly needed.

"Anyways, I need to start Christmas dinner," Jazmine said. It was still Christmas and she was going to make sure that both of her babies have the best time.

"Mama can I help?" Malcolm asked.

It was worth it.

"Yeah baby you can help me."

::::

It was the best Christmas in Jazmine's opinion but they still haven't talk about what was going on with herself and Huey. But currently they were freezing in a cold house in January. Jazmine managed to get the kids into warm clothing as Huey was finding the source of their heating problem.

"Do you both want some hot chocolate?" Jazmine said thinking that a cup of tea would warm her up.

"Yes mama," Malcolm said. Hearing him say that always seem to warm her heart.

"Please mama," Rosa said, tucking herself deeper into the blankets.

Jazmine turned on the kettle to get some hot water going. Huey came up from the basement looking not to happy.

"Tea?" Jazmine asked.

"Please," he said as Jazmine got a cup ready for him.

"So?"

"We need a new furnace," Huey said, "and maybe a new air conditioning unit."

"Oh man that sound expensive," Jazmine said.

"It isn't cheap," he said, "so we could be out of heat for a few weeks."

"Weeks?" Jazmine said as the kettle whistled.

"Sadly yes. I am going to call them about finding a payment plan," Huey said looking stressed out.

"Well than we will do what we need to do Huey," she said putting a cup of tea in front of him, "and I got some beeswax candles, that may help us as long we stay in certain parts of the house."

"And I want you and the kids to sleep in my room tonight," he said.

"What?" Jazmine shrieked as she almost dropped her cup of tea.

"I have the warmest room in the house," Huey said, "and it's suppose to be an extreme cold night. I don't want you or the kids sick."

"So what do you need me to do?" Jazmine asked.

"Get the blankets from your room and the kids," he said, "we can at least fight it off somewhat."

"Okay," Jazmine said bringing the hot chocolate to the kids.

"Guys," she said softly to him, "I need to get your blankets and bring them to daddy's room."

Jazmine knew that Huey was rolling his eyes at that but she didn't care. They were his kids now too.

"Why mommy?" Malcolm asked.

"Because it's too cold," she said, "so we are going to camp out in his room for the next few nights."

"You too?" Rosa asked.

"Yes me too."

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KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Huey and Jazmine groaned at the knocking. They managed to get stay warm for the last few days by taking short hot showers, warm soups and breads and having the beeswax candles only in the living room. Jazmine manage to keep the kids spirits high as they were going through all of this.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"Alright I'm coming," Huey said getting out of the warm bed.

"I wonder who that is?" Jazmine said as Malcolm and Rosa shifted in the king size bed they were all sleeping in.

"Don't know," he said getting dressed, "but I'm going to check on it."

"Kay do you want some coffee?" she asked as the kids were waking up.

"I would like that thank you," he said.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Huey opened the door and a blast of cold air came through, standing there was a couple of service men.

"Are you Huey Freeman?" one of them asked.

"Yes and what's this about?" Huey asked.

"We're here to fix the furnace," he said, pointing at a brand new one, "and a new air conditioning unit."

"Uh I haven't been able to get a payment plan going with your company," he said.

"It's already paid for," the man said, showing the bill. Huey read the bill and indeed it was paid for for this address.

"Come in but let me call the company about this," Huey said letting them in.

"Huey who is it?" Jazmine asked handing him a cup of coffee.

"The furnace guys," Huey said, grabbing his phone off the counter, "they said it's already paid for."

"Oh maybe Rita did it," Jazmine said, "I told her about the situation. I'll give her a call."

Huey made the call to the company about the bill and it was indeed paid for. Everything, including a bigger hot water system from their sister company.

Huey thanked them, hanging up as Jazmine just finished her phone call.

"They say everything was paid for," Huey said, "in full."

"That's strange because Rita said she didn't pay for it," Jazmine said.

Something was going on because first they needed new appliances and now they needed a new furnace. And they got what they needed.

Huey knew something was up and he was going to find out.

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