Terry Richmond x black fem
Summary: Charlie is at her wits end running her household by herself. She just needs one thing and that’s her husband. (Hoping to get better at summaries)
Charlie was at her wits end. She swallowed the hard jump in her throat as she stirred the tomato sauce for the spaghetti. She tapped the spoon on the edge of the pan, then it set it on a napkin. She checked her phone, it read 5:20 p.m, her husband Terry would be home soon. He had gone to pick up one of their twin sons, Terry Jr “Tj” from baseball camp. The other twin was currently staring her down, concerned etched in his face.
“You okay, mama?” He was just like his father-observant and empathetic.
“Im okay Tye, thank you.” She managed to give him a small smile, hoping that would keep him from asking any further questions.
He turned his attention back to building his Lego battleship. Charlie turned the fire down, letting the sauce simmer.After, popping some garlic knots in the oven, she went to check on her other set of twins-girls.
“Callie, Truth? What are you girls doing?”
Callie was propped up on a bean bag pillow, intently watching Bluey, while Truth sang “Girl on Fire” at the top of her lungs, repeating the same line over and over.
“What are you girls doing?” She asked again, her eyes scanned the playroom-it was a mess. Dress up clothes, magnets, pretend food and foam blocks were scattered all over the floor. “Girls!” She huffed, “what did we talk about? You’re not suppose to pull all of the toys out, like this.”
“Nuh uh, Callie did!” She frowned, “You did that Callie, stop lying!”
Charlie had to keep from rolling her eyes. The last thing she needed was breaking up a fight between her toddler twins “It’s both of y’all’s toys, so you two, need to work together.” She clapped her hands “get to it.”
“Hey bubba boy.” She cooed, kneeling down peppering kisses on his cheeks “Ooo, Carter Jay, you stink.” She got him out of the walker, grabbed a diaper and the pack of wipes. She laid him on the couch to change him.
Their living room looked like a nursery. She had just finished cleaning it that morning, and it was almost right back to how it was before. She sighed deeply, feeling the lump starting to form again and the tension build even more in her body. She had just threw away Carter’s diaper when she caught a glance at the camera, neither Truth or Callie were doing what they were told.
“Girls!” She yelled, causing Carter to jump. “I’m sorry bubba.” She chuckled. Her poor baby boy was looking at her like she was crazy.
She placed Carter back into the walker, who immediately stared crying. “You’re okay baby, you’re okay.” She moved to cut the stove off and took the bread of the oven. “Tye, could you watch him for a minute please, while I go check on your sisters?”
“Don’t take him out though, please.”
Back upstairs, After correcting them, she helped the girls picked up their toys, placing them in their designated spots, with a warning to not pull all the toys out again. She grabbed the remote, turning off the television. She scooped up Callie, placing her on her hip.
“We aren’t watching Bluey anymore. You’re going to eat dinner, take a bath and go to bed.”
She slid down Charlie’s body, melting to the floor. Callie was their dramatic child. Carter spotted his mama and started up crying again.
“Great, now I have two kids crying,” she thought to herself as she took Carter back out of his walker.
“Yall go wash your hands for Dinner, you to Tye.”
“Aw man, but I’m not done yet mama.” She shot him a look.
“Yes ma’am” he hopped down from the stool. “Don’t touch my stuff Truth.”
“I’m not going to touch it, bubby, I’m just looking at it.” Her green eyes peeking over the counter.
The garage door opened and Terry and his Jr, walked in. Truth immediately ran to him with her arms outstretched “Daddy!” He happily picked her up, planting kisses and telling her how much he missed and loves her.”
“Hey mama,” Tj wrapped his arms around her waist
“Hey sweetie, how was camp?”
“It was good, and fun! I hit a dinger and got three home runs.”
“That’s my guy.” They high-fived
He had a big smile on his face, showing his two missing front teeth ”Yeah, everybody can just call me Benny “the jet” Rodriguez now.” He hit the griddy dance.
Charlie laughed, pressing a kiss to his forehead “Okay, Benny. How about you, griddy yourself to bathroom and wash up, you’re so sweaty, ugh.” He tickled Carter’s feet, causing the baby to laugh. “I’m gonna get those legs Carter boy.”
Charlie rushed him along “Go baby, quick, quick, quick.”
Terry leaned against the counter, taking in their encounter. Charlie turned toward him and sticking Carter out for him “Here you go, Say, Hi Daddy.”
Terry nibbled on his chunky boy. “Hey baby.” He leaned down, kissing her lips.
“Hi, honey.” She was just about to lean into him, when Callie started up her wailing. Charlie let out a frustrating huff.
“What’s up with her “he nodded towards Callie.
Charlie just looked at him.
Understanding how their child operated from time to time. Callie was no longer crying because of Bluey, but because no one wanted to play with her, although no one was playing but sitting at the table, ready to eat.
He looked at Callie, his sweet little baby twin. Tears streaming down her red cheeks. Out of all his kids, she was most like him as a child, not only that, she looked the most like him, from the skin complexion, to the eyes, even down to the big ears. He looked from his daughter to his wife. She wore a weary expression.
“Baby.” He called out to her
“Hum.” She answered as she put the plates of food on the table for the kids.
He stopped her from making another plate, “How was your day beautiful?” As she looked at him, there, he saw the unshed tears. He pulled her into him.
“I need your words baby.” He said as he ran a hand up and down her back. He adjusted Carter who stopped playing with his ear to look at his mommy. “Talk to me baby.”
She patted his chest. “Not good, but I’ll be fine.”
He’s known this woman for twelve years, and knew that she was no where near fine. He understood that this wasn’t exactly the right time, so he let it go-for now.
He hooked his arm around Tye, who was passing him by. “What’s up son.”
“What’s up dad!” He dapped his father up.
“You ain’t been giving your mama, a hard time, have you?”
“That’s what I love to hear, holding it down while your daddy’s gone.” he kissed his forehead. “Your legos looking good. I’m going it have to check it out after dinner.”
Tye smiled, he was happy that his daddy was home. “I love you dad.”
They sat at the table as a family, well all except for Callie, who was still pouting.
“Callie, are you gonna eat your food?” Tye asked his little sister.
“Yeah, Callie. You gonna be hungry.”
She grunted at her twin, “Leave me alone Truth.”
Truth rolled her eyes and waved her off “whatever.”
Terry and Charlie pressed their lips together to keep from laughing. Charlie shook her head as she broke up Carter’s noodles, then turned back to look at Callie
“Callie, when Daddy starts washing dishes. Dinner will be over and you’re not going to be able to eat,so, if you’re hungry, you need to come eat.”
Callie didn’t say anything, just looked at Charlie.
“Did you hear your mother?” Terry’s calm but firm voice broke Callie’s gaze away from her mother’s. She nodded her head.
“I needs your words Callie Marie.”
“Alright, then. Come eat your food.”
She started crawling on the tile for “Stand up and walk.” She did what her daddy told her and sat down next to her mother. She looked at Charlie for sympathy “I’m glad that you decided to join us. Eat your food please.” She cast a quick glance at her father and did what her mama asked of her.
Once dinner was over and the kitchen was cleaned, Terry helped the boys with their legos. The girls were coloring and Charlie was playing with Carter on the couch.
“Uh oh, ooooo, mommy!” Callie jumped on the arm of the couch and tapped her repeatedly. “Mommy, Truth colored on the wall.”
“What?!” Charlie got up and sure enough, Truth had taken crayons to her newly painted walls, “Did you do this?”
Truth slowly shook her head .
”No ma’am! You know better than that Truth!” She grabbed a soapy rag and tried to scrub it off
“Callie did it too.” She said throwing her sister under the bus.
“Nuh huh!” Callie yelled from the couch
Callie wasn’t being honest. Charlie made out her name on the wall. Where she was practicing.
“Callie, you did, because you tried writing your name. Why would yall do that? Put the crayons on the counter.” She kept scrubbing “How the Fu-it’s not even coming off!” She stood up. “Yall are done for the night! We’re going upstairs,taking baths and going to bed.”
The girls started crying. “No, I don’t want to hear it.” She lead the girls upstairs “Yall knew better. Boys! Yall have thirty minutes with the legos and then it’s showers and bed, you hear me?”
“Yes ma’am.” They looked at eachother, glad that they weren’t on the receiving end of their mother’s frustration.
She got the girls bathed and in their PJs.
“I’m sorry for coloring in the wall
Mommy, I love you.” Truth hugged her.
She sighed.”Tomorrow is a new day, we’ll make better choices.”
They asked for a bedtime story, she declined and they knew better than to start whining, she kissed them good night and left the room. When she made it back downstairs, she noticed the boys were missing and downstairs was damn near spotless.
“Upstairs, showering and getting ready for bed.” Carter was sleeping peacefully in his daddy’s arms. Terry placed him the portable crib.
“Come here beautiful “ she walked into his outstretched arms
“I’ve ran you a bath, go and take all the time you need.”
“All the time, I need. That’s sounds wonderful. Thanks baby.” She kissed him before going into their bedroom. She stripped out of her clothes and sank into the water “oh my goodness, this feels amazing.” The water was just the right temperature- it soothed her aches. She relaxed in the water, resting her head on the back of the tub. She needed this.
Life away from their family was hard. After leaving the Marines, Terry got into the oil and gas industry, which uprooted their family to a city on the outskirts of Houston, Tx. He made good money working in that industry and with her income as a Dentist, they lived comfortably for a family of seven, but this job required Terry to work turnarounds every now and then and when he did, he rarely saw his family. Again? The money was great, but with him being absent and them having five kids, the load fell solely on Charlie. She loved her kids but it could be a lot. That’s the only down side of not having your family near. She did receive help every other weekend from Olivia, a part time preschool teacher but that was bi-weekends. She was thankful for her but nothing compared to doing all of this with Terry and she was glad that he finished his last week of a thirteen week turnaround today.
Charlie finished her night routine and entered the bedroom, hoping to find Terry, who wasn’t in there. She grabbed her Dahlia lotion from bath and body works and rubbed it all over her body and sprayed a vanilla scented perfume named “Skylar” on her neck, wrist and behind her knees. She was feeling like herself again. She dressed in an oversized Whitney Houston t-shirt and a pair of boys shorts before exiting the room to find her husband.
“Baby?” She whispered just in case he still had Carter. She noticed the living room lights were dim. She stepped out further, confused “oh my gosh, Terry!”
Her husband stood there with a bouquet of roses in his hands and a huge bag from her favorite jewelry store-James Avery. She truly was becoming a Texan girlie. The room was lit with some candles, that smelled amazing. It gave the room a nice ambiance. He had a nice little spread of mini pizzas, fruit and champagne on the living room floor. Charlie laughed as tears came down her face. She held her hands clasped under her chin as she looked at her husband, she slowly moved toward him.
“I love you so much, baby.” She kissed his lips multiple times “thank you for this.”
“Anything for you Char. I love you baby.”
Terry handed her the roses.
“Awww,honey, They’re beautiful. I don’t think we have a vase big enough for these.”
“Look at you thinking of everything and thinking of me.”
He kissed her hand “I’m always thinking of you Charlie.” She caressed his face.
“Ahhh!!! My husband is amazing. Thank you Jesus!!!” She whispered yelled walking into the kitchen.
Terry laughed as she went to put the flowers in the vase.
The night was filled with some much laughter and teasing one another. They were enjoying this much needed time together. She leaned against Terry and held her arm out. “Baby, I’m loving this charm bracelet, it’s so me.” She admired the charms. All the things she loved. He knew her so well.
“I meant to ask, Did Carter go down good?”
“He put up a fight, but I had him.”
“He’s just used to mommy’s boobies.”
“Well he ain’t have much of choice tonight, with his spoiled ass.”
“Leave my little chocolate baby alone. He does no wrong. However, Callie, that sweet baby twin of yours, sis, is on another level. I love her but my goodness. She’s literally all you. Had me ready to pull all my hair out.
“What do you call that Picasso art work, miss ma’am did on my wall.”
She snickered “here you go…honestly that surprised me. I wouldn’t have thought, she would do that. Truth is usually in her own world, miss independent. “Sometimes, I feel like a terrible mom.I hate having to get onto them, in that way, it wasn’t fair, I was already frustrated and then those damn crayons and my wall.”
Terry let her vent, he didn’t say anything until he was sure that she was done.
“I know that we’re still adjusting to life here in Texas and with our family and a lot has fallen on you. I’m thankful for all that you do for me and our kids. You hold us down, like no other. I know we don’t have the support we had in North Carolina, but you have made this transition smooth. I love you and appreciate you so much Charlie. I want you to know that I see you. You’re an amazing wife to me and amazing mother to those kids, they adore you! The way the boys were gushing about you, they have such great respect and love for you, baby! You’re the best mother to my kids. Never doubt your ability to mother them. And I don’t ever want you to feel like you’re a terrible mother or hear that out of your mouth, because you’re not and never will be. Im here for you baby and whatever I need to do, to ease this parenting burden for you, I will do it. I know our time has been few and far between but I promise to make it up to you. Because it’s me and you Charlie. We’re in this together. I got you forever, Charlie. Thank you for holding me down.”
Charlie wiped her tears “thank you for always making me feel seen and heard. Just you listening to understand to me, warms my heart Terry. I swear God handcrafted you for me.”
“I pray that I always show up for you and make you feel safe to be vulnerable.”
She turned in her husband arms and kissed him with everything in her. “I needed you so bad, thank you for being here.”
He kissed her equally as hard. “Let me take care of you.”
She climbed on him, wrapping her legs around his waist. “I know, I tell you all the time but I also really appreciate everything you for us. You’re such a man of honor and I couldn’t imagine anyone else loving me and my babies the way that you do. She licked his lips “the best husband award goes to you….now I want you to make love to me. Show me how much you missed me.”
Terry spent the rest of the night, doing just that.
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