06

Menique walked into the home she was once kicked out of and recently moved back into since her estranged husband got himself arrested and then decided to use her as his alibi. To found her eldest son, King, isolated in his bedroom while the twins were in the living room playing with their father.

''Hey buddy.''

King had been away for the past week spending it with his cousin at his uncle Aalam's house as he had gotten into an argument with his dad. Which they had been having a lot of since she had left. His uncle thought they needed sometime away from each other and decided to invite him to spend a week with his family.

''Mommmy!''

King jumped off the bed and leaped into his mother's arms. It was a tear jerking moment as Ethan watched from the end of the hallway. Mimi was not King's biological mother but he loved her more than he loved his biological mother and she loved him as her own. She had raised King since he was a year old as his mother was not ready to be a mother. She was King's mother even before Ethan and her were an item.

''You're really too old to be still calling me mommy,you know.''

''No. You are my mommy ,I really don't care what anyone thinks. So when did you get back?''

''About four days ago.''

''He asked you to comeback?''

''Baby it's complicated but let's forget about that,let's go watch tv.''

''Fine but I am not watching those shows where women throw drinks at each other.''

''Fine we will watch shows where boys kick each other in the scrotum.''

''It's called balls mommy,balls.''

Monique playfully scolded him for using that term as they entered the living room. The twins were unaware of their mother's or brother's presence in the house so they jumped onto them screaming as soon as they noticed the two.

''Ba-Mimi, I made.... I mean dinner is ready."

The twins ran ahead while she stayed behind begging King who was reluctant to sit around the dinner table with his father but after enough pleading from his mother he agreed.

''Baby how are your aunt and uncle doing?''

Menique noticed how quiet the table became after the twins finished chatting about their day at school.

''Aunt Roxy says she hasn't seen you in a long time but they are well still dealing with a new baby and her chemo treatment."

''It must be hard for your aunt. How is she holding up?"

King's jaw tightened when his father spoke to him. Mimi noticed this and grabbed his hand to soothe him and he put his attention on her.

''They are not dealing with it very well."

He replied still looking at his mother. Ethan did not say anything after that. Father and son continued to eat their dinner silently. She knew King was angry at his father for kicking her out and she was going to try help them mend their strained relationship. She took the twins to watch television then ordered the men to address the elephant in the room.