Stone de la Bru Familia (8 page)

"Good morning," she greeted breathlessly, smiling with perfect white teeth. 

"Good morning yourself," he replied, wanting to ask why it was that black women wore purple eye-shadow. It only made her look like a carnival character. He wanted to tell her that she didn't need it. 

"This is for you," she said, handing over the plain manila envelope she'd been pressing against her small breasts. "That's two birth certificates. One man. One woman. Mid-twenties just like you requested." 

Stone opened the folder and found two birth certificates and social security cards. 

"And here is what you need for Serena." She now handed over a blue folder. "There will be a court date in two weeks. Here I will give my testimony as to whether or not I think Serena is currently living in a safe and stable environment. Just a formality," she assured him. 

Stone flipped through the official documents. There were forms to fill out which named him as Serena's legal guardian and guidelines to his rights and obligations pertaining to guardianship. 

"Is that what you wanted?" she asked. 

"Exactly. Thanks." 

"You mind if I ask you a personal question, Mr. Sweetwater?" 

"What's that?" 

She peered into his eyes. "Why is Serena so important to you?" 

Stone looked to the branches of the high tree at the curb. A slow breeze swept through them, brushing the limbs gently. He turned slowly to the woman before him. He wondered what made her ask the question. He thought of the pictures he saw of her cavorting with a man that wasn't her husband.  

It was obvious to him that what the social worker cared for most was  herself. This was why it was so easy to blackmail her into ensuring that he got custody of Serena and providing him with a fresh identity for Brock James and his woman, Traci. 

"She just is," he responded before taking a step towards the door. "See you at court," he added. 

"Is my secret safe with you?" she wanted to know, looking up at him as he stood at the screen door, his hand on the handle. 

"Mrs. Cartwright… As long as you do as I say." He said this with a straight face, knowing that she misjudged his youth and connections. 

"Fair enough. Can I call on you when I need you?” 

Stone gave this quick consideration. It was always good to have a friend with access. "Holla if you need me," he replied with a head nod. 

Mrs. Cartwright smiled, her cheekbones rising to make her eyes tight. 

"Thanks. Have a great day! Give Serena my best!" she called as she stepped away from the porch with a jaunty stride. 

Serena was at the kitchen counter when Stone walked back into the kitchen. She looked to him with a tight smile, her lips not allowing her mouthful of scrambled eggs to spill out. He could tell she was swinging her legs beneath the counter because the top half of her body rocked subtly with the joy of a good breakfast. 

"Your tummy ache gone?" he asked, handing the folder off to his mother, who stepped away from the plate of sausages, eggs, hash-browns and biscuits she was preparing for him. 

"Aunt Lillian  gave me some medicine. It wasn't nasty!" she teased, glad of the taste. 

"It was nasty to me," he replied as he moved to the sink to wash his hands. 

"Is it official baby?" Mabel asked, looking from Stone to Serena with a glowing face. This alerted Serena to some new development that involved her. 

"Well, we got a court date in two weeks. Social worker says she'll make a recommendation for Serena to stay here and…" Stone was interrupted by Serena's loud shriek of joy.  

She hopped from her chair and ran across the counter, ignoring Mabel's plea to be careful and stop running, to jump into Stone’s arms and bury her face into his neck. She hugged him tightly. 

Tears streamed down Lillian’s face as she looked on from her seat. Mabel followed suit with her own tears. It wasn't until Serena leaned back to ask if Stone was telling the truth that she noticed his eyes were watering. 

"Don't cry," Serena said as she wiped a falling tear from his face, her own eyes bubbling over with fresh tears of joy. 

It was truly a pleasure offering this story separately as an introduction to the full novel, S’Murda at Sweetwater Manor,  that will feature the handyman of Sweetwater Manor, Nutcracker, and the dynamic women introduced here, solving the murders of Candi and Misty.  

Stone again shows up in S’Murda at Sweetwater Manor, amidst the sexual shenanigans of his tenants. Nutcracker is under pressure to stay out of prison, pushed to the breaking point by a suspicious wife and a teenage girl who watches his every move.  

When Misty is murdered, Nutcracker is seduced by a beautiful tenant of Sweetwater Manor into helping find her killer, hoping there’s something in it for himself.  

Join the ladies of Sweetwater Manor as they move with desire, motivation and dedication for peace, power and position. 

S’Murda at Sweetwater Manor is now available in paperback and free for kindle unlimited.  

Thank you for joining me on this literary journey. I invite you to sign up on my VIP list at 
www.petermackpresents.com
 

Also, you can find my social media links, other Peter Mack titles, including the PEN American Center book prize winner, FILTHY; along with radio interviews,  pictures, bio and more at  
www.petermackpresents.com