He had not been back to Springfield in a minute.

He was back now, closing the deal on the house for his mother, as well as attending lil IceeJay's first birthday party.

Of course, he had to bring Riyah with him. This was a perfect time for her to meet his mother.

"Springfield is sooo...small...and quiet. Sooo like, different than L.A."

"Is it much different from Galveston?"

"Humph!" she grunted. "That place is just as country as it wants to be. And racist. Although there were a lot of Mexicans, and I have some in me, they really hated Blacks and Hispanics."

"Well, Da Field is a little racist as well. Long as they stay in their lane, and we stay in ours, they will leave you alone for the most part."

"You would think with Icee running the city as he does, they would be more cordial."

"They don't care that man have money and a nice big house, his skin is still his skin."

He drove to his mother's old house where she was in the process of packing up everything. He lived in the bad, mostly Black side of Springfield. There were no fancy houses and white picket fences. If you wanted to cop some drugs, this was the area. This was where Icee and most of Fact Iz lived before their fame. His house was not far from the street TA and his sister lived before all the madness.

Their mother was now in a mental institution, gone crazier over losing both her kids.

The new house he bought his mother was on the better side of Springfield, past Battlefield Mall. Four bedrooms, five bathrooms, and even a small pool in the back. He wanted to make sure his mother was nice and safe and would get a security system installed. She lived alone, he would not be there to watch her.

Pulling up to his old house, he felt a little ashamed to show it to Riyah. He wished his mother was in the new house already so Riyah would not see how he lived. The old white house had paint peeling, dirt all over the side, dead trees that never grew leaves, the yard that was never taken care of, and crooked steps.

"This is ...nice," Riyah said looking around the yard. The grass was cut, but it still needed a professional to do some landscaping.

"We didn't have much but we had each other."

"That's nice."

Inside the house was better. They might have been poor but his mother still believed in having nice things. There were a few boxes stacked against the corner, but overall it was a clean and neat living room.

"Momma, we're here!" he yelled out, as he heard the TV going in her room.

His mother walked out of her room, down the hall, and into the living room. It was early in the morning, so she still had her bonnet on, and her old-lady gown even though she was only thirty-nine. She was a bigger woman, he never thought twice about her weight. She held a cigarette in her hand.

"Stop yelling in my house." She took a puff of her cigarette and blew out smoke, Riyah immediately started to cough.

"Momma, you can't smoke around Ri, she's pregnant."

"Oh that's right," his mother said, grabbing an ashtray and putting the cigarette out. "I had to hear about my only child having my first grandbaby from some TV show."

It was a good thing he did not have the video crew follow them along to Springfield. They wanted to, but he knew the time he was spending there was personal and had nothing to do with Riyah and his relationship. Plus, Kitty was not having a TV show crew at her din's birthday party unless they were paying, and the network could not afford her fee.

"Momma, I did tell you before it aired on TV, don't play me." He walked over to hug his mother. "Momma, this is Riyah, my girl...I mean fiancé."

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Kennedy."

"Since you're about to be part of the family, girl come over here and give me a hug." His mother grabbed Riyah in a hug and kissed her cheek. "Sorry, I ain't all dressed up and fancy for you Ms. Hollywood, but Imma just be me."

"That's fine, I love your son, so I love you."

"Aw, suck up to me now. My grandbaby better be as cute as a button with the two of you. Cuz look at this face." His mother squeezed his face with her hands. "And taking care of his momma too."

"It's the least I could do, you raised me all on your own."

His mother worked odd-end jobs, having had him at eighteen. She did not get to attend college or anything, so working her way up to a manager at the post office was pretty good. Once she saved enough, she bought the house and thought they were living large. He wanted more for his mother.

"Y'all hungry? I can make some breakfast or something."

His mother made a big deal out of cooking for them, but Riyah hardly ate any of it. Not being rude, she just did not have much appetite since finding out she was pregnant. That did not stop her morning sickness.

After they left his mother's they headed to their hotel where Riyah wanted to take a nap before the party. He busied himself on his social media, tweeting to his fans and followers. Sarena was on him about keeping them happy. He knew it was what blew Riyah up, but she had people that did most of the tweeting for her.

Once Riyah woke up they got ready for the party. It was a one-year-old's party, a kid that he had not spent much time around, but everyone knew the party was for the adults. He dressed in his best gear, something Riyah picked out for him, and she dressed as if she was about to walk the red carpet at the Oscars.

She was not showing a little bit, but barely. You would think she just ate too much. It was still early in the pregnancy, but he could not wait till she had a big belly.

"Oh, I can't wait to meet Kitty Kelly. I heard she is just all about her business, and I want to be like that. Ooo, and she has three babies! You think she would mind if I asked her about having a baby? None of my friends have kids, I have no idea what to expect."

Riyah was as excited about meeting Kitty as she was about being at the party. He understood that's how he felt when he first met Icee. In big-time fan mode.

He had not been around Kitty much at all. He attended a few events with Nola where Kitty was there but he never got to spend time with her. He did not think this would be the time he would do so either.

They did get IceeJay a gift, but what did you get a one-year-old that possibly had everything and more?

There were a lot of cars pulling up in the driveway, and a slew of valet to take their cars and park them somewhere. The party was outside in their massive backyard, taking up the tennis court, basketball court, and the pool house. There were hella rides for the kids, game stations, and even ponies to ride.

He was one, that baby could not ride a pony.

There was a film crew as well, filming some of the party guests. Riyah loved that. She made sure they got her good angle. It was a big flex to be at this party. He saw Lady J, the ladies of Petite Trois: Ginger, M'Liyah, and Melodie. M'Liyah's big-time actor husband Donnie, as well as Melodie's husband and her kids. T-Zack and Freezy were there, the only other Fact Iz members left, and all of Kitty's sisters, including Nola.

Damn, Nola was here. He knew she would be, it was her nephew after all, but this was his first time seeing her since they broke up.

She looked damn good. Body was nice and fit from all the martial arts she was getting into. She was dressed in tight jeans showing how toned her legs and ass had gotten. He caught himself looking, then remembered he was engaged to someone else.

He stopped glaring at her and focused on the woman he loved right now.

"Hey Ri, you need anything? Some refreshments or something?"

"No, I'm about to go talk to my ladies Petite Trois, we can mix partying with some business."

Riyah walked over to the Petite Trois ladies, and he looked around the party to see who he could hang out with. Nola was holding one of Kitty's babies, not that he wanted to go over there to her. Icee and Kitty were with IceeJay taking pictures as they danced to the music. T-Zack had one of his kids on his lap, so he made his way over there. Freezy was there with him too.

"What's up young blood," T-Zack greeted him.

"Zup."

"Back in da Field, huh? How's that L.A. life treating you?"

"I love it, man, it's growing on me." He sat next to T-Zack, looked around and did not see his wife. He heard something went down with the two of them and they were separated. That was a damn shame. "Michelle have you babysitting the kids?"

"Excuse me? How the hell do I babysit my own kids? Partna you have a lot to learn...and quick since I heard you nutted up and got one on the way."

"I uh...bruh...why ya gotta say it like that?"

"Cuz it is what it is. Here," he handed the big kid, had to be at least three or four to him. He could not tell if it was a girl or boy, it had a wild, curly reddish-brown hair in a fro and was dressed in all black. "You need some practice in."

He held the kid at arm's length. "What am I supposed to do with him? Can't he walk? Go play or something?" There were lots of other kids running around.

"She! And she's anti-social, Erykah doesn't like to play with other kids like that."

"Like her daddy," Freezy said.

"Oh but she and IceeJay gonna kick it together when they get older. They gonna be homies like me and Ice."

He chuckled at that. "But she's a girl...and she's way older."

"They still gonna be tight."

He grinned, thinking about the possibility of his son or daughter, having playmates with Icee's kids. That would be dope.

Seeing how happy and secure Icee and Kitty looked together, with the family they built, he wanted that bad.

"Riyah, let's just go to Vegas and get married. What are we waiting for?"

A/N: No words for Tone 🤦🏾‍♀️

On another note, see the IceeJay and Erykah reference for the future?? I am not saying a thing, I have no clue actually. But I do want to incorporate ALL the kids of everyone through the Kelly sister series. Including Melody's, M'Liyah's, (maybe Ginger 🤷🏾‍♀️), Bonnie's, Tone, and who else?

Oh yeah, read Redemption of a Bad Girl 😈