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Robyn carefully placed her children's lunches on the table, ensuring everything was just so. She was running a bit behind schedule for work, but she had already warned her boss that she would be late, so she wasn't too worried.
As she poured her freshly brewed coffee from the pot into one of her favorite brightly colored mugs, she took a moment to savor the rich aroma.
Emerging from downstairs, her two sons stood to her, their outfits immaculately put together. "Look at you two!" she gushed, her eyes widening, her coffee mug paused mid-air, as she took in the sight of her boys and their handsomeness.
Jacobi, the youngest, flashed a bright, toothy grin at his mother, his eyes shining excitedly. Meanwhile, Mehkai, the oldest, stood with a scowl, clearly annoyed at the prospect of heading to school.
"Aww, I know, baby" Robyn cooed, trying to coax a smile from Mehkai by playfully pinching his cheeks. But he was too "gangsta" to crack a smile, he remained stubbornly serious.
Robyn glanced at her watch and announced "Alright, kiddos, we need to hit the road! I'm dropping you off at your father's today." The boys gathered their belongings, following Robyn's lead as she collected her things.
As she prepared to buckle Jacobi into his car seat, he looked up at her with a puzzled look. "Mommy, I thought you were taking us to school today?" he asked.
"I was, sweetie" Robyn explained "but I'm already running late for work, and I can't afford to be late. You don't want Mommy to lose her job now, do you?"
Jacobi nodded understandingly as Robyn secured him in his booster seat. "Okay then" she whispered, closing the car door and sliding into the driver's seat.
Mehkai sat in the passenger seat, his eyes glued to his phone. "Hey, what's wrong?" Robyn, noticing his distance.
Mehkai shrugged, trying to brush off her concern. "Nothing, mom. Just chillin'." But Robyn knew better. She gave him a knowing look, which he met with a faint smile.
"Oh, I'm not buying that shit," she said, pulling out of the driveway. "We'll talk later, young man." Mehkai laughed, and Robyn smiled, happy to see a glimmering smile on his face.
She hated that he always wore a serious expression, and she often reminded him that it was okay to let his guard down and smile.
Robyn pulled into Derrick's driveway and stopped the car. She got out and helped Jacobi out of his booster seat, and the three of them walked towards the door.
