Famke entered her apartment and frowned at Bram sitting on the sofa with his headphones on and the video game console lighting up their television. She moved to stand in front of him and he leaned sideways to look at the screen as he pushed his headphones down.
“Did you eat?”
“Not yet. I was waiting for you.”
“Royal and Precious are in town and they want to take us for dinner. Precious wants to go to the diner where I work.”
He paused his game, the controller loosely in his grip as if annoyed she was in his way, “then go. You don’t need me with you.”
The sharp tone made her head pull back, “What is wrong?”
“Nothing.” He stared at her blankly.
“Bram, I’ve known you your entire life. I can tell when you’re annoyed. What gives?”
“They showed up today and suddenly all is well. He called you a couple of times after his family
Famke leaned in the doorway of the room where Precious was curled up on her side as Royal adjusted her blankets again. Despite the fact she had wanted “Mommy Famke” during the afternoon, as the sun had gone down, Precious’s behavior had become more erratic and by the time they had gotten her back to the hotel and into bed, she’d been a cranky hellion who didn’t want Famke anywhere near her.“She’s out, huh?” she whispered as he turned on the baby monitor.“For now,” he sighed as he moved into the living area of the suites. “Since Christmas Day she hasn’t had more than two or three hours of consecutive sleep. She’s played out and I’m hoping she gets the rest her body needs.”“Are you sure you don’t mind me crashing? Will she be upset if I stay? I know you weren’t expecting me to come down with an overnight bag.”“Are you kidding? I’
Famke puffed her cheeks as she exhaled at Royal’s question. “Truth?”“I don’t want anything else from you, not ever,” Royal said seriously.“I’m overwhelmed. Bram was right when he told me today my romantic feelings for you are only a week old. I mean, have I had more than one wicked dream where you featured? Yes. However, the actual relationship part, is so new and I know you’re ready to dive headfirst into whatever this is, but I’m not sure.” She stared at him waiting for any kind of negative reaction but all she received was an encouraging smile. “I can’t tell you I love you, Royal. For all we know tomorrow we’ll be at each other’s throats.”He squeezed her hand reassuringly. “I don’t expect you to love me yet, Famke but I know you will. I know for you it’s only been a week but for me, I’ve had weeks upon weeks of watching the goodness of yo
Famke crawled up the bed where Royal had reclined waiting for her to come back from the bathroom. She was wearing nothing but the white button up shirt he’d left hanging in there and it was wide open.“I thought this might be nicer to sleep in than my fuzzy pjs.”He licked his lips boldly. “That shirt never looked as good on me as it does you.” He smiled as she straddled his hips and sat atop him his shirt draped over her shoulders. He pushed it further open and cupped her breasts. “This body is the stuff of my dreams.”“You’ve said it once or twice.” She smirked down at him as she watched his hooded eyes narrow at her boldness while she leaned into his grasp. She rotated her hips over him and saw his chest puff up with the motion. “I missed you Royal.”“Care to show me how much?” he lifted his hips. “Your lips around my dick would be incredible.”&ldquo
“Hey,” Nyx came into the coffee shop as Famke was winding her apron around her hips. She discretely handed her a white pharmaceutical bag.“Thanks.” She tucked it into the pocket of her apron and made a face.“Did it break or fall off or something?”“Nope. He said he had spillage and it got on his hands, but I can’t take the risk. If it slipped while he was taking it off, then I need to protect myself just in case.” She looked over her shoulder to make sure Keshaun wasn’t listening in, but he was still out back in the kitchen. She could hear him talking to Cesar. “Meh, I better take this now before it gets busy, and I forget.” She pulled the bag back out and sighed with irritation.“Do you think he’d try to baby trap you?” Nyx asked bluntly.“No,” she made a face. “I think he was trying to reassure me and played it off like it was no big deal
Famke looked at Royal as he showed up at the coffee shop near the end of her shift with a very sleepy Precious and, surprisingly, her brother, Bram. When she had stopped by the apartment before her shift, he hadn’t been there. They still hadn’t talked, and she looked to him nervously. It was unlike them to fight.He ignored the line up of people who were waiting for their orders, rounded the counter and hugged her from behind. “I’m sorry, Famke.”She smiled over her shoulder. “Me too. Can we chat when I’m done here?”“Yes. I’ll be over there with the dynamic duo.”“Dynamic duo?”“It’s no damn wonder they have you out of your mind. Dude is smoother than the jazz his father listens to and she’s too cute for words.”She chuckled at Bram’s comment.“I want my mommy!” Precious yelled from the seat where Royal was trying to remove her boots.“Mommy is working, Precious and when she is done, she’ll come over, but you need to wait.” Royal explained with a tone to his voice.“He sounds like he
“Holy cow, Famke. My brother is going to pop his trousers when he sees you.” Jubi burst into the bedroom where she was getting ready for the gala.“This is nothing,” she waved down at the ivory-colored ball gown she had on. “Wait until you see Nyx.”Her best friend took this moment to come out of the bathroom and Jubi staggered backwards her eyes wide with disbelief. “What happened to all your tattoos? Your piercings? Your black make-up? You look, look,” Jubi tried to find a word and floundered.“Normal?” Nyx commented with a snicker. “I do know how to clean up.”“You look so different.” Jubi circled her while Famke watched in the mirror. “It’s kind of eerie. I don’t know if I like it. I mean you’re gorgeous, Nyx. A stunner for sure but it’s,” she made a face, “it’s weird.”“She doesn’t look at all li
Famke was awestruck as she looked around the ballroom. Whoever Royal had hired to do his decorating for the event had done wonderous things. The New Years party was in full swing as she entered on his arm with Jubi, Nyx and Jubi’s friend Nora trailing behind them.“This is insane,” Nyx snorted behind her. “You do know Royal what you spent on this party could feed multiple villages.”“You do know Nyx,” Royal shot over his shoulder with a glint in his eyes, “sometimes it takes spending money to get money. Look at all the suckers in this room ready to open their wallets. What I spent on tonight is a drop in the bucket for what the grand total will be.”Famke slapped his hand warningly, “behave. You two are awful.”“Mr. Robinson,” a woman with her hair pulled back in a severe knot at her nape approached. “Thank God you’re here.”“Patsy, this is Famke.
Famke giggled as Royal danced her in the direction of the exit to the ballroom.“You’re always dancing me away. When we left the nightclub last weekend, you danced me away too.”“Mm,” he nuzzled her neck, “it’s because if I don’t dance with you, I might start fucking you here and now.”She shivered at the way his tongue drew along the curve of her neck. “It’s not even midnight yet. We can’t leave.”“We’re not leaving. We’re going to my private rooms. It’s going to take me time to get ready for the explosive countdown.” He lifted his eyes and stared into hers. “It’s going to be fireworks.”If Famke ever doubted this man’s desire for her, they would have evaporated at the blatant lust on his face. She couldn’t look away from his heated stare, “okay. Let’s go.”“Famke!” Nyx hisse
“Happy birthday, Famke,” Nyx shoved a box across the table.Famke opened the package and took to laughing. “No way.”“Is that my face?” Royal asked his eyebrows meeting in the middle.“Remember when you went to the doctor, and you were complaining how the mood swings aren’t getting better despite the medication adjustments and sometimes you wanted to punch Royal in the face for breathing loudly? Now you can.” Nyx was proud of herself as Famke showed off the children’s version of a stand-up punching bag, she’d specially ordered with Royal’s face on it.Royal took the box from her and grinned, “it’s saying something about my ego isn’t it, when I’m proud of the fact I’ve been made into a toy?” The table laughed at his comment. “You don’t need this, baby girl. We can duke it out anytime you like. Wrestling would be preferred.” His inuendo wasn’t missed by a single adult at the table and he rubbed his shin as the toe of her shoe connected with it. “Or keep the punching bag.”“Mine next,” C
“Precious, come on, let’s go!” Royal bellowed up the stairs looking for any sign of the child.“Just a minute!” she screeched back.“Mommy is going to ring my neck if we’re late.” He looked up and groaned his heart in his throat as she climbed a leg over the banister and slid down the rail with a loud cackle, her Disney princess underwear flashing him the entire way down. He caught her before she hit the knob at the bottom and swung her squealing into the air. “You’re going to give me a heart attack.”She clutched his neck, squeezing it tightly. “Throw me again, Daddy.”Ever since he told her he’d gotten approved to adopt her, Uncle Royal no longer existed. It had been two months since he and Famke gained sole custody of her, and he was thrilled. He was Daddy all the time. His brother was probably rolling in his grave, and it made it even sweeter. He threw her up in the ai
“So what?”“Those apron strings were hard to cut. You were angry when he married Mindy against your recommendations. Yet when he and his wife went through problems, he cried on your shoulder an awful lot, didn’t he.”“Yes. There’s nothing wrong with relying on your family.”“How many times did you say, ‘I told you so’ and make him feel badly for not following your advice?” He paused, “you would give him advice, correct?”“Yes, as any good mother would.” She partially answered the question.“Did you encourage him to take Mindy to Pittsburgh and source out a blonde, white woman to scam similar in size and posture to Mindy and steal their child from her?”“Objection!” the lawyer for Imani was on his feet and the judge agreed.The lawyer waved it off, “When did Prince tell you Mindy lied about being pregnant?&rdquo
Famke took her seat back next to Royal shaking with unbridled rage. The next several witnesses were the doctors and nurses and even the cop who once looked for Prince as a favor to his nurse wife on behalf of Famke. Yet she couldn’t stop the fury in her belly. Being accused of fooling around with a married man wasn’t sitting well with her. By the time the court recessed, she was a quivering mess. Royal pulled her to a quiet corner of the lobby and cupped her cheeks. “Breathe, baby girl.” “How fucking dare, he outright suggest, I was screwing around with Prince? Your mother put this nonsense into everyone’s head and it’s insulting.” “Yes, she did. We knew this shit was going to be thrown out there though. I know it hurts your feelings and your pride but they’re grasping at straws. They need to prove Mom wasn’t part of the kidnapping and they’ll fight dirty. I love you,” he didn’t look away from her. “No matter what the outcome in there is today, I love you.” “I love you too.” She
Famke sat with Royal behind the prosecutions side of the courtroom and bounced her foot nervously. Imani’s sister Amari was sitting across the aisle from them glowering at them.Cliff and Jubilee were sitting with Denny and Mary, Cliff’s parents on the other side of her and Royal and Cliff’s spine was straighter than steel.Famke was called to the stand as the first witness for the prosecution. After going through the spiel about telling the truth and reminding her she was under oath, the lawyer smiled gently.“Ms. Noor, can you tell me how it was you were first introduced to Mindy and Prince Robinson?”“Yes.” She cleared her throat. “My brother was at the Saint Mary’s hospital, in the specialized children’s ward undergoing cancer treatments ahead of a surgery. They were trying to reduce the size of his tumor with radiation and chemotherapy ahead of the surgery. I spent a lot of my time at the ho
A month later they were sitting in front of a judge in a barely comfortable room after the room was called into session. The judge smiled at Famke, Royal and then nodded at Imani. Their lawyers sat beside them, but the rest of the room was empty per the judge’s order. The entire process had been rushed given Imani’s upcoming criminal case and her lawyers wanted it settled before her trial.“I had a lovely conversation with Precious.” Judge Ringer began. “She is a lovely little girl.”“Thank you,” Famke smiled nervously as Royal rubbed her shoulder softly.“She adores you,” the woman looked to Famke directly. “We shared a good conversation about boundaries today. I don’t know many five and half year olds who know the word boundary, let alone have a clear understanding of what it means.”“Therapy,” Famke couldn’t fight the smile on her face. “We’ve un
Famke and Royal were sitting in the dining room of Black Magic after their visit to the lawyer’s office, facing Jubi and Cliff. Royal gripped his ever-present refillable tumbler, filled full of his favorite coffee Keshaun poured for him and he was clutching it like a lifeline.Famke’s heart ached for the three people at this table. They were flipping through the scrapbook after Royal pointed out what the lawyer noticed when she was looking through the photographs in the book. Neither Jubilee nor Cliff spoke for quite some time and Famke knew they were trying to process their emotions.Cliff’s phone rang and he looked at it and then declined the call.“Mom?” Jubi asked softly.“Yes. She hid this from me.” He said his voice cracking. “She knew all this time. It meant she even lied when we talked to her the other day, and she said she knew at Thanksgiving. She knew long before then.”“I belie
Famke sat with Royal in the lawyer’s office feeling dumbfounded. “You’re telling us she has a chance?”“Not a good one,” the lawyer sighed. “Pennsylvania has law which supports rights for visitation for grandparents.”“Even if they’re unfit?” Royal asked, clearly as perplexed as Famke.“Can you prove she’s unfit?”He rubbed his forehead. “Her husband of forty years just left her because she’s off her rocker.”“He left her because she’s unfit?”“He left her because she’s tearing her family apart with this bullshit,” Royal countered, frustration marring his face. “I thought this would be a slam dunk. Famke is her biological mother. I was appointed her legal guardian when Prince died.”“Yet,” the lawyer waived to the papers she was served, “Famke, you said you never intended to be
Famke paced while Royal was furiously staring at his mother’s face on the video call.“You’re suing us for custody?”“Yes. Famke doesn’t want her. She never intended to be her mother. You have banned me from seeing or talking to Precious. I have rights as a grandparent.”“As a grandparent. You forget, I was named legal guardian of Precious in Prince’s will.”“Yes, but it’s invalid because her biological mother is alive which means the legal guardianship is moot. My lawyer checked. Precious’s original birth certificate was registered at the hospital she was born. It lists her as the mother and him as the father. Your claim to Precious doesn’t mean anything since Famke is the listed parent and she’s alive and never gave up parental rights.”“Imani,” Cliff moved to stand behind Royal at the desk in the office. “You are tearing your family apart. Why? You are willing to go to such extremes to get your own way at the risk of losing Royal and Jubi? Me?”“There was a time this family stuck t