Brotherhood Brief Intermission #2 (Freebie Episode)

Stacie Newman

I sat across from my mother early Sunday morning as I took the butter knife to spread across the biscuit. The small breakfast cafe was just quiet enough to where we could hear one another but busy enough to be thankful we had a table.

We were just up against the window overlooking downtown Marietta, wearing all black as it is appropriate for wives like us. Marsha was the last person we were waiting on but we both decided we were too hungry to actually wait.

“You know Pat is trying to get my attention as well,” she said with a dignified tone as I took a small bite of the biscuit. I pushed my sunglasses up and looked out the window, watching people walk by. “She’s been trying for over a year now. Always mentioning your husbands…and where are they…what do they do in their free time… Tuh,” she huffed. “She was the main one talking mess about Deuce and now look at her…Everyone is trying to find outside men now. Now everyone wants to be a part of my household name… A Newman woman is the perfect woman under the guidance of the truest mother.”

“Yes ma’am,” I agreed. “High praise.”

“Most High,” she smiled just as she looked up. “Honey, you’re late–––”

“I know, I know. I couldn’t find parking…”

Marsha looked a bit disheveled as she grabbed a chair to slide to our table and sat down. Her hair seemed all over the place, black clothes wrinkled and possibly a day old and her nails chipped as she reached in the basket for a biscuit.

“I see you ordered without me anyway–––”

“Where are you coming from?”

“Mother, I have kids and two husbands that refuse to get along and take it out on me and the kids… Don’t ask me where I’ve been…”

My mother and I made eye contact as I quickly signaled for the server to take our orders.

“What’s this meeting about anyway?” Marsha asked, wiping her chin with the napkin. “Why are we meeting up like this? We never do.”

“I try to but you girls don’t ever seem to want to be in the same space for long without getting on each other’s nerves…”

“Perfect Stacie Newman…” Marsha mocked with a nasty tone as I rolled my eyes. “How could anyone hate Stacie Newman–––”

“Please do not start. I have been sitting in your shadow, living and thriving in it most of my life––”

“It’s where you belong if you ask me–––”

“Mother,” I cut in with a warning tone.

“Does mother know you go out to clubs… You smoke, you drink–––”

“Not when you smell like the very thing you’re accusing me of…Why would she worry about me when you reek of it?”

“Enough!”

We both stared at our mother before settling down as she rolled her eyes.

“God, I don’t even know why women still ask… I brought you both here because there is another male wanting to be apart of our home…”

“Let me guess, Stacie?” Marsha said as I pursed my lips.

“Yes… His name is Cameron of the Williams household… His mother and I have been talking. He’s refusing to do Meet and Greets. He wants his first home to be his last and that is apparently with Stacie. I told her, I said,” reaching in her bag to pull out a few papers, “my daughter has enough on her plate already. She’ll be preparing for children soon and she just went on and on about how good her son is with kids… How he can cook–––”

“Omega’s food is the only food I’ll eat,” I stated. “I barely trust restaurants these days…”

“Apparently, he’s a better cook and wants to prove that to you…”

I could tell Marsha rolled her eyes while I looked over the papers that had everything about this man. This wasn’t traditionally how it was done but it had become so political about who goes where and why that we had to sneak around the customs and traditions.

“So he wants to replace my Omega?” I asked. “Is that his angle?”

“No, but he wants to add to it. He’s coming to dinner tonight at your house. I’m not sure how your husbands will react but they need to be on their best behavior. Cameron comes from a well put together lineage. He is someone you could possibly consider giving children to as well–––”

“Alpha and Omega are the only ones who want….I really don’t need a 4th husband but I will hear what he has to say…I’m not opposed to it but it will disrupt everything I’ve built. It’s like starting over again. They won’t take to him…the childish antics, the bullying…do you not remember I came to you crying because Deuce wasn’t fitting in well and I thought I made a mistake…”

“Yes but you’re older and you know how to handle your home better, Stacie… Just hear him out…”

I sighed.

“Why am I here again?” Marsha asked.

“Well, apparently he prefers to go with Stacie but he is also open to your household as well Marsha. He could possibly be the third you need to whip your two in line and pick up the slack where its needed.”

I could see the wheels turning in Marsha’s head.

“I get so many offers about you two girls that I barely know what to do with myself. We’ll have service and then dinner tonight and you’ll see… You’ll see how he is… A true gentleman.”

“Its not him I’m worried about,” I sighed.

Service… Sunday service. It was a must in my household now. Deuce was still a bit on the childish side so most of the time I made him stay home but I needed all three with me today because we were going to meet my potential 4th. An informal greeting outside of the Meet and Greets. I was dressed in my Sunday best as we all got out the truck with Omega taking my hand to help me step down from the back seat. Deuce had his locs tied up as he adjusted his suit while Alpha came up behind me with his hand on my lower back.

“Why you so nervous and anxious right now?” He questioned. “What’s going on?”

“The dinner,” was all I said. “You know…the dinner with my Mother and sister always makes me…antsy…”

“You need me to go back to the house for the other earring?” Omega asked, gently pulling my hair back to see I was missing one pearl stud.

“No, no… It’s fine,” taking the other one off to slip into my purse. “I’m fine without it.”

“Nah, something else got you on edge, baby,” Alpha accused as his hand slipped around my waist for a moment before pulling back. “What’s going on?”

“Stacie!”

I looked back to see Mrs. Williams waving with her son Cameron standing beside her with his head down. I shouldn’t even notice how attractive he was but I could tell by his build he was a fine man without having to see his face.

“Y'all, please do not–––”

“Stacie dear! We saved you a seat! I want you to come sit with us!”

She walked over, giving me no time to prep my husbands who immediately lowered their heads and kept beside me.

“I wanted you to meet my son tonight for dinner but while we’re here,” she said, easily letting the lie slip through her tongue, knowing damn well this was planned.

“Oh isn’t this lovely,” I heard my mother say as I looked back seeing my mother walking towards us. “Of course we’d meet during service,” she laughed. “Is this your lovely son?”

“This is mine,” Mrs. Williams said proudly as she gave him permission to look up. His eyes immediately fell on mine with a smile as I smiled back. He was handsome. Light brown eyes, chiseled features, pretty smile and appeared older than I remembered. Why hadn’t he been attached before?

“Cameron Williams,” he said, voice deep as he extended his hand towards me. I reached out and before I could say anything, he brought his lips for a gentle kiss on my hand as I smiled.

“Nigga, what the fuck…” I heard Deuce say as Alpha cleared his throat.

“These are my husbands… Alpha,” I said putting my hand on his arm with a firm squeeze. “Omega, and Deuce…”

“How are you all doing today?” Cameron asked coolly with a smile.

None of them responded. Deuce chucked his chin up, looking him up and down with his nose turned up. Omega simply stared, but it was the icy cold stare you never wanted to cross and Alpha simply smiled but didn’t speak.

“They are…protective,” I said with a nervous laugh. “Maybe protective isn’t the word…”

“I understand that completely. As your soon to be 4th and final husband, I wouldn’t expect anything less. I’d be the same.”

His mother smiled, proud at his declaration while Alpha laughed. Here we go…

“What’s funny?” Cameron asked, clearly with the shits.

“Deuce, you heard that?” Alpha asked, still laughing. “4th and final husband…”

“Okay…” I said quickly as Deuce began to laugh. “Let’s go ahead and find seating and let the men sort it out,” I said just as I heard Omega’s deadly tone address Cameron behind us.

“You’ll find out soon enough who really runs this household…”

The rest of the ongoing series is on Amazon Kindle Vella. You can read the first 3 episodes for free... then grab your free tokens to read the rest. This episode will NOT be on Vella and will remain on this blog for free. Enjoy.

https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/story/B0B6G3SB6M