Page 112 of Senior

“Cause y’all niggas don’t listen,” Deuce defended.

I glared at him.

“My bad, Ma.”

I kissed my teeth as I approached Dax and Sevyn, gently squeezing their shoulders.

“Dax, Sevyn, let me introduce everybody because they get so easily distracted.”

“Y’all got ADHD, too?” Daxon asked, causing everybody to laugh.

“This is Jaeda. That’s Kerrion, everyone calls him Steel or KD. That’s Mia, Maceo, of course Devin, and this is Stanley Jr. Everybody calls him Deuce.”

They all took turns hugging the kids. When it came to Deuce, Daxon dapped him up and gave him the biggest hug. Sevyn stood back with her arms folded as she looked up at him.

“Ms. Stephanie said I remind her of you,” she said, looking him up and down. “I don’t see it.”

Deuce chuckled. “That smart mouth is a start. You gon’ give me a run for my money, ain’t you?”

Sevyn shrugged. “Maybe. I heard you were bossy and I don’t like being bossed around.”

“I might be a little bossy, but as your oldest brother, I’m never gonna steer you wrong. I’ll probably be the most protective of you two⁠—”

“And do the most,” Jaeda added.

Deuce shot a glare are her. “Be that as it may… that’s my job as the oldest. I might fuck with you, but I’m never gonna let anybody else fuck with you.”

I reached out and balled up his lips. “Stanley, watch your mouth! Jesus!”

“I’m just saying, Ma! You see how she does the most and wonders where I get it from?” he jested to Daxon and Sevyn. “Anyway… welcome to the family. It’s a lot of us. Like this ain’t even the tip of the iceberg. But you’re in good company. Most of all, you’re safe. You understand, me? Both of you are safe. Nobody is ever gonna hurt you again. I put that on my mama.” He looked up at me with a grin. “I guess I should say our mama.”

Sevyn draped an arm around Daxon and stepped back. She surveyed the room for a moment before speaking.

“I’m very protective of my brother. I wasn’t even worried about me getting adopted as long as he went to a good home with good people. I know Ms. Stephanie and Mr. Stanley are good people and I’m sure you all are too just… I’m not like Dax. He’s gonna fit right in, but I might need some time. I’m trying.”

“Take all the time you need,” Deuce said. “We ain’t going anywhere. You stuck with us, baby girl.” He extended a hand to her and she hesitantly took it. “Now… everybody else got a hug but me. I know you’re gonna like me better than these niggas, so I’ma need that.”

While his siblings protested, that pulled a slight smiled from Sevyn.

“Give him a hug, Sevyn,” Dax said pushing her forward. “This is gonna be our family. That’s what we wanted, right?”

She smiled softly as she rubbed his head. “You’re right.”

“You don’t have to be scared, okay? I’m bigger now and I can protect you too.”

I just wasn’t any good at this point. Tears were streaming down my face, and I had to cover my mouth to hold in a cry. Shelly had done a deep dive into their file with us after our last visit and some things were just heartbreaking. It killed me hearing how she would offer herself up to save him from abuse. I told Senior I wanted the heads of every person that harmed these kids.

He promised me he would get them.

Sevyn placed a trembling hand in Deuce’s and he pulled her into his chest, hugging her tightly. He would never admit it, but his protective instincts had already kicked it. He held her like she was Mia or Jaeda. He didn’t play about his brothers, but he really didn’t play about the women in the family. Sevyn didn’t know it, but she’d just met her best friend.

I sat back watching Sevyn and Dax with the family, specifically the kids.

The little Dillingers were fascinated with them. When they learned they were an aunt, uncle, and new cousin, they wanted to show them everything and ask a million questions. I could tell the Sevyn had a soft spot for kids because she was smiling more with them than I’d ever seen her smile. I could also see her, Nayelli, Korri and Jaiden being fast friends. When she could get away from the trail of kids running behind her, the four of them were ducked off talking like they were now.

My eyes searched the yard for Dax and found him sitting with my boys, going to town on a plate of food. I chuckled to myself because my boy could really put it away. My mother was going to love feeding him.

“Damn that boy can eat,” she said, from the seat next to me.