Page 39 of Standing In The Sun
It was already more than Apple wanted to admit.
* * *
Stephanie moved around the kitchen like she belonged. Like she wasn’t an unexpected guest ‘cause wherever her grandkids were, she would be. As an absent mother, she made up for it with her grandbabies.
She smirked when Apple rounded the corner. “Oh chile, I wouldn’t be anywhere near a man whose people jumped on me.”
Her words stopped Apple in her tracks. The cute little pajama set fit loosely on her body, telling a story that wasn’t true. She looked liked a woman vying for Lunar when now, she was just a girl loving on a friend in his time of need.
“Bae,” Griff - Stephanie’s husband chastised. “Stay out folks business.”
“When it comes to Little Lunar, itismy business.” She pursed her lips, her hand on her hip looking like an older version of Luna but feisty like Solar.
Apple plastered a smile on her face. “Good morning, Ms. Stephanie and Mr. Griff.”
“Good morning, Apple.” Griff smiled, adding protein powder to his morning smoothie.
Griff was younger than Stephanie but the perfect person for her. He knew how to handle her while loving on her sternly.
Stephanie was a handful even on her best of days.
Life and her mistakes had hardened her. She couldn’t go back in time and make things right with her kids. Luna and Qamar had long forgiven her. Maybe Solar did too, but she still kept a wall up when it came to the woman she felt let her down.
“Good morning.” Stephanie greeted, going back to putting the groceries she’d picked up on her way there.
It was like she had a magic power of knowing what her grandkids needed without them having to ask. When she wasn’t traveling the world with her husband, she was spending time with her grandkids. It was why she had Luna and Javen’s kids with her now.
They were out in the pool like the day hadn’t just begun.
“You sleep good?” Stephanie eyed Apple from head to toe. “Yea, you did.”
Apple shook her head, moving towards the fridge to grab a premade bottle for Kamari. “Yea, the guest bedroom felt like an expensive hotel,” she revealed. “I’m not here to win Lunar back, Ms. Stephanie. I’m only here for a friend.”
“A friend?” Stephanie huffed. “What kind of friend?”
“Step!” Griff grabbed her hand, his eyes glaring down at her, warning her to back the hell down.
Apple snickered, moving around the kitchen like she belonged. It wasn’t her first time at the Jade City house, so she was familiar. It was her first time in a sparring match with Stephanie though. They had always been cordial but she could tell everyone was Team Ahvi when Lunar didn’t even understand how Ahvi had weaved her way into his heart.
“You do too damn much!” Jaci, Luna’s oldest child fussed, walking into the kitchen soaking wet.
“Language!” Griff fussed.
Jaci sighed. “Sorry papa but JJ pushed me in the pool when I told him I didn’t wanna get my hair wet.”
“It’s a pool… you get wet at the pool,” JJ was trailing behind her. He was taller than his big sister even though he was younger by two years. He had his daddy’s height while Jaci was short like Luna.
“Facts,” Halo, his twin sister cosigned - always one to back up her brother. The two of them were like Luna and Lunar reincarnated with their daddy’s height and faces.
Jaci mushed her. “Girl, please. He don’t need your help but I can take both of y’all so I dare you to try me.”
Apple had been saved by the bell, quickly squirming out the kitchen to get dressed and leave.
“Keep your hands to yourself, Jaci,” Stephanie chastised. “’Cause when they jump on you, I ain’t helping.” She pushed a kitchen towel towards her. “And watch your damn mouth, you ain’t grown.”
“By the law’s standards, I’m eighteen, granny,” Jaci smirked. She was always trying to school everyone on all the things they already knew. She had a dream of being a lawyer and reminded them of that every day.
“Girl I will hurt you behind that one,” Halo pointed at Stephanie.
