Chapter Text
May 20th, 1933
Stack is sitting on a stool in front of his couch, Ellis in his arms suckling on a bottle. Smoke stands above him with a razor as he lines up his hair, a towel draped over his shoulder to collect any hair that falls.
“You ready for this”, Smoke asks?
“To marry, Rosie? Been ready for it”, Stack replies.
“Hmm. That ain’t how I remember it. You played with that girl's feelings since she was twenty one . Now all of a sudden you're ready”, Smoke says teasingly.
“Believe it or not, I knew before we left that she was it for me. Just couldn’t leave Mary alone”, Stack says when Smoke’s hand rests on his face and tilts his head to shave off the extra hair that he’s been growing on his face since he’s been back.
“Ugly ass beard. Don’t know why you grew that shit out”, Smoke says.
“Nigga is you going to talk about me the whole time you do this shit”, Stack asks?
Smoke chuckles to himself when a soft cry comes from across the room, he is quick to set the blade down before walking over to the bassinet where Kalani has woken up from her nap.
Her eyes filled with unshed tears as she kicked her tiny hands and feet. She is in a white gown with a matching hat with frails on her head.
“Hey, lil mama. It’s ok. What’s wrong with papa’s baby, huh”, he coos as he rests a hand on her stomach. Kalani cries soften into a whimper as her bottle lip trembles.
Smoke leans forward and scoops his baby girl into his arm, gently shushing her as she starts to fuss until she settles down against his chest.
Stack looks at his brother as a father and feels his chest tighten up, if anyone deserves this more, to be a father and husband it’s Elijah.
Hell, he raised Stack pretty much and now he gets to raise his little girl with Annie. He honestly believes that if Kalani didn’t make it, Smoke wouldn’t have made it either. He remembers how hard Kawaii’s passing affected his brother. He spent nights crying with him.
Ellis being the menace that he is, nudges his bottle out his mouth and starts wiggling in Stack’s arm.
“Aye, aye. Cut all that extra stuff out. Yous done, I know”, Stack says as he looks down at his son and sets the bottle on the table. He brings Ellis up to his shoulder to burp him, listening out to see if he chokes.
Annie and Scarlett disappeared with Grace a few hours ago and left the twins with the babies. Kalani is two months old while Ellis just turned a month old. The twins were not ready for how much work having a baby would be, they had expectations but they have surpassed those.
Kalani is a calm spirit, like Annie while Ellis got fire under his butt. He’s just like his father; loud, excited and dramatic. But if you put them down for a nap at the same time, in the same place; the cousins gravitate towards each other naturally. Like they can feel each other.
Annie says they were most likely twins who got separated, so they chose to each be born to a pair of close twins.
“Aye, hand me her bottle”, Smoke calls out and Elias reaches forward to grab the bottle with a pink nipple off the table and toss it to his brother.
“There we go. Yeah, I know. Your mama left you the good stuff”, Smoke says as he feeds Kalani.
Both women have chosen to breast feed and they use the glass pumps to preserve milk and refrigerate leftovers in case they have to travel somewhere and need to heat it up.
“What time did lil Sammie say he would be here”, Stack asks?
“It’s only twelve and ya wedding ain’t til four. He said he’ll be here by two. Calm down”, Smoke says.
“I just want to make sure he got time to set up”, Stack says as Ellis lets out a burp against his shoulders.
“That uncle’s boy right there”, Smoke says proudly.
“Don’t let his momma hear you say that”, Stack says as he brings Ellis back into his arms and rocking him.
After the twins get both babies to quiet down, Stack ends up with both Ellis and Kalani in his arms as Smoke finishes his hair.
“Have you heard from that Beau”, Smoke asks?
“No, hopefully he got the message to leave Scarlett alone. Her carrying my son wasn’t enough to leave her alone, but I bet marrying her and her having my last name will”, Stack says.
“Oh wee. Sounds like that boy getting soft on me”, Smoke says.
“Boy, shut the fuck up and get my niece. My arms falling asleep”, Stack says.
“Here, weak ass can’t even hold two babies. Give me my baby back”, Smoke says as he dusts off the extra hair on Stack’s shoulders, pushing it backwards so it wouldn’t fall on the babies.
Once he is done, he sweeps up the excess hair off the floor before washing his hands and grabbing Kalani back into his arms.
The babies have fallen back asleep after their feedings, and are laid side by side in the bassinet but on opposite ends so their feet are side by side.
“Come on, let me fix that line. You look unkept and it’s not a good look for me”, Stack says.
“Yous the one who likes to over exaggerate on looks. I am fine with how my hair is”, Smoke says.
“That’s your damn problem. You have my face so imma need ya to start acting like ya care about how we look. Just sit still and let me do this”, Stack says as he picks up the razor and pours alcohol on it to clean it.
By the time two pm comes, the babies are still asleep and the twins are relaxing on the couch while drinking a beer as the radio plays blues and jazz music.
Louis Armstrong currently is playing, both twins are tapping their foot along to the beat, the music isn’t too loud to awaken the babies but also not too low where they cannot hear it.
A heavy knock at the door brings the men out of their stupor and they both look at the door and then each other, since Elias is closer to the door he stands up and heads that way while Elijah moves over towards the bassinet.
“Who is it”, Elias asks?
“It’s me, Sammie. I got my dad with me too”, Sammie says and Elias eyebrow furrows before he unlocks the door and opens it.
He looks at Sammie before turning to look at his uncle with a frown on his face. Both of them are in three piece suits, similar to what Sammie wore the night of the juke joint a year ago.
“Sammie, why’s he here”, Elias asks?
“I drove him. I wanted to talk to ya, to the both of ya”, Jediah says.
“It’s been over ten years, you ain’t wanna talk to us then? Why you wanna talk to us now”, Elijah asks?
“Can I come in”, Jediah asks?
“Try anything funny and we won’t hesitate to put ya down”, Elias says before he steps aside and lets the father and son in.
Jediah steps in and looks around the living room at the place that Elias calls home, it’s more modernized than his home. There is a radio sitting in the corner by the grandfather clock, some color contrasts here and there. There is also a coat rack by the door and some women's slippers rests by them, the home has a familial and women’s touch to it.
“House is nice. But then again, I can see money is not a problem for you two. Heard that Juke Joint of yours is somethin’”, Jediah says as he turns to face the twins.
“Yeah. Ole Sammie and Slim, keep up busy most nights. Sure, he told ya that though”, Elijah says.
“That he did. When he told me that he was heading out, I asked him where to. Imagine my surprise when he told me that you, Elias, was finna get married. To Scarlett Rose, no less. Great woman you got there”, Jediah says.
“I know”, Elias says.
“Hmm. Your mother…she was a great woman too. You two look like her, got my brother’s eyes but those dimples. Those are blessings from your mother”, Jediah says.
The twins look at each other and then look away, their mother is still a sensitive subject for them. They were deprived of a mother’s love and touch due to death knocking on her door and that led to them being deprived of a father as well.
“Yeah. Wish we could say we know, but we aint seen that woman a day in our lives”, Elijah says.
“Oh, here. I actually have a photo of her. Josefine Washington, met your father in 1894. They were married a year later and then two years later, she was pregnant with the both of ya”, Jediah says and he goes in his pocket and pulls out a black and white, wrinkled photo of a woman in a black dress, an apron and her hair pinned back with a cotton wrap around her head.
Elijah comes closer and steps beside his brother as he looks at their mother, they inherited their father’s round face but those dimples are all her. They also has her nose.
“She was beautiful”, Stack says.
“Oh, she wasn’t no fair faced girlie. All the mens in the field wanted her but she only say Jebediah Moore. Just knew they was to marry. Yous can keep that photo now”, Jediah says.
“Why you giving us this? After all of these years? Why now”, Smoke asks?
“Cause I figured you should have a piece of your momma on this day. I won’t lie and say it don’t hurt looking at you boys, knowing what happened to my brother. I know he was putting his hands on ya, knew he had a drinking problem. He went from a new husband to a widower and a father of twins in under two years. It was a lot. I helped as best as I could but that pain of losing Josefine and then you boys looking just like her…it was too much”, Jediah says.
“That don’t make him almost killin’ my brother right”, Smoke snarls.
“It’s not. I ain’t saying what he did was right. I’m just telling you the story. I came here today to do what I should have done a long time ago. To step up and help this family. I got busy with the church and I didn’t see how far my brother has fallen until it was too late. Yall started fighting back”, Jediah says.
“Aint have a choice. He pulled a gun on me once and I told him, he’ll never get that chance again before I put one in em. He didn’t head my warning, he touched my brother. That was the end for him”, Smoke says without any remorse in his body.
“I wish I would have been as a good of a brother to Jebediah as you are two are to each other. Maybe things would have been different for all of us”, Jediah says.
A whimper fills the room and all four hands snap to the bassinet in the corner.
“That was probably my boy”, Stack says and heads over to the bassinet.
“You have a son”, Jediah asks?
“Yeah. Annie and Smoke had a baby girl a month before”, Stack says as she gently pats Ellis’s back as he sleeps.
“I know the loss you two suffered and you have my condolences. Even if it is eight years too late”, Jediah says.
“Thanks. You wanna see em? Our babies”, Smoke asks?
Jediah sees how his nephews are extending an olive branch, inviting him into their family and he is grateful that it is not too late.
“I would like that a lot”, Jediah says.
“Come on but be quiet, they’re asleep”, Smoke says as he walks over to stand beside his brother while Sammie and Jediah follows.
“This is my baby girl, Kalani Rose Moore. Named after her sister and aunt, Scarlett Rose”, Smoke says as he gently rubs Kalani’s back and her knitted boot feet sends a soft little kick out.
“This is my little solider, Ellis James Moore. In honor of his dad and uncle”, Stack says while still rubbing his son’s back as he is lured back to sleep.
“Both of them are beautiful”, Jediah says.
“Thank you. Well, the girls should be coming back soon. Sammie lets get you set up in the back”, Stack says. He makes sure Ellis and Kalani are both ok before he leads Sammie towards the back door of the home.
“I best be headin’ out. I won’t overstay my welcome, just know I’m sorry. Take care of my boy”, Jediah says.
“Always do. Thanks for the picta”, Elijah says with a gruff filled voice as he holds it in his hands with care.
“It belongs to you two. I just kept it for safe keeping. Pass my hellos to the missus”, Jediah says.
Elijah sniffles and clears his throat before nodding his head, Jediah looks at his nephew once more before walking out the door.
-X-
Sammie is sitting off to the side on a stool with his new guitar in his hands, one foot on the ground and one foot resting on the side bar of the stool as he drums a blues filled song and hums to it.
Elias stands at the altar with Elijah by his side, Grace, Bo, Little Lisa, Cornbread, his wife and daughter sitting in the few chairs. Elias and Scarlett wanted a simple wedding with the people they care about only.
My head is above water but my life is going under.
My life ain’t been easy, body is full of sin and the devil’s whiskey.
Till I saw this pretty young thing, she really opened my eyes
Had a fight with the devil, nearly lost my life
But that pretty young thing, oh she kept me alive.
Oh, I say she kept me alive
Annie steps outside the back door and everyone turns around to look at her, Elijah’s turns his head up as he stared at the voluptuous curves on his wife, Kalani’s has made her mother’s body even curvier and he is like a moth to a flame whenever she is near him.
She is wearing a white ankle length dress with a bouquet of lilies in her hands, a flower crown framing her head like a halo. Her hair is pinned up into a natural bun and a shining smile is across her lips. The Mississippi sun hitting her skin, giving her body a soft glow as the dress has her arms out and she has a matching scarf draped over her shoulders.
“I know it’s your wedding, but I’m definitely going to be fucking Annie like it’s our wedding night”, Elijah whispers to his brother.
Elias looks over his shoulder at his older brother, because that’s nasty as hell and he didn't need to imagine him and Annie in their bedroom.
“Ya know, it’s best to keep shit like that to yoself”, Elias whispers back.
“My fault”, Elijah says and reaches forward to pat his brother’s shoulder.
Elias turns back to watch Annie finish coming down the aisle but slightly steps away from Elijah and gives a small glance back over his shoulder which makes his older brother laugh.
Keep my hand on the blade, she got hers on the trigger.
She dont have to watch her back, because she knows im witta.
Im engraved in her bones, she engraved in my spirit.
Sweetest little angel, while I'm the devil inside.
But she keeps me live, oh yes, she keeps me alive
Sammie continues to play his original blues song he made just for Stack and Scarlett about their journey and love. The beat is upbeat and catchy, just like Lied to You was and Sammie’s vocals are still a sight to be seen and heard.
Elias' eyes fill with tears when he finally sees Scarlett step outside the back door. She has on a shape flattering white dress, same material that Annie’s was made of, soft satin. Except she hers doesn’t have any straps or sleeves, there is lace trailing behind her from her veil that is connected to a clip in her hair.
Her natural hair in loose curls that are pinned up with some in the front to frame her face on either side, her golden skin glistening with a slight layer of sweat and Elias feels his heart is racing. Not because he is scared, but because after ten long years, he is finally getting what he always wanted with Scarlett.
A family.
He knows he don’t always do right and he knows he robbed her and Mary of a good life without him, but seeing the smile on her face as she walks down the aisle at him is worth all the hell they've been through together.
When she gets closer, Delta Slim steps up and holds his elbow out to finish walking her down the aisle, since she has no father figure.
“Thank you”, she whispers as she squeezes her fingers in the crease of his elbow.
“Yous a mighty fine gal and got this knucklehead to finally settle down. Only right, I walk ya to him”, Slim says and they stop right in front of Stack. Slim gives her a quick kiss to her cheek before moving back to the head of the altar as he will be marrying them.
Elias holds out his hand and Scarlett lays her smaller one in, smiling at him the entire time, tears filling her eyes once she sees how strongly he is looking at her with pure love in his eyes.
“Yous all can sit now”, Slim says and Sammie stops playing the song as everyone takes a seat.
“We are all here today to witness the union of Elias Moore and Scarlett Bigget. Together these two share a son as a testament of their love. They have also have their own vows, Scarlett you may go first”, Slim says.
Scarlett keeps one hand on her bouquet while the other one keeps Elias’s hand in hers as she peers up to look at him. Even in her small, three inch heels he is still taller than her.
“Elias. I have never felt more seen until you saw me. I was the girl in passing, the girl who drifted in the shadows until that day on Annie’s porch over ten years ago. You barely spoke to me before that day, too focused on other women. Yet, when you saw me crying, you didn’t hesitate to make me feel better. From that day, you never gave up. Even when I pushed you away, you kept showing up. I know I’m hard on you and I close up sometimes but be gentle and easy with me. I’m trying. I gave you my heart years ago, now I’m giving you all of me. I love you until my dying day and then after. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life as Mrs. Moore and I am so honored that you chose me”, Scarlett says as tears roll down her rounded cheeks.
Elias reaches forward with his free hand and wipes them up, before going back to stand straight up.
“Scarlett. The rose with a thorn. We have had some hard times. I wanted this for us since I came back and saw you at that train station but I wasn’t sure we would get here. I done some fucked up shit to you, I hurt you, lie to ya. Said some shit too. None of that is a reflection of you, it was me still growing into the man worthy of the woman you are now. As I stand here, showing you that I am that man now. I always got you, our son and our family. We’re about to take over the whole damn Delta, baby. The day I gave you my momma ring, it’s like I knew we would be standing here one day. I just wanna love you. In private, out loud. As long as you have me, I’m yours”, Elias says with conviction and his voice cracks at the end as he becomes overwhelmed with emotion.
Scarlett exhales as the emotions overwhelm her as well, out of the corner of her eye, she can see Grace and Cornbread’s wife dabbing their eyes with tissues. Even Annie has tears in her eyes as she knows their love story and what they took to get here.
“Elijah. Annie”, Slim says.
“Oh, right. Here you go”, Elijah says and reaches forward to slip their mother’s ring into his brother’s hand, Scarlett stopped wearing it once they got engaged and she said she would use it as her wedding band.
While Annie hands Scarlett a simple black band, but the initials ‘E.S.E’, are engraved in it. The initials of their family. She also grabs Scarlett’s bouquet and holds it in her hand.
“Repeat after me, Scarlett. With this ring, I be wed”, Slim says.
Scarlett takes Elias’s left hand and slips the black ring on his finger.
“With this ring, I be wed”, Scarlett says.
Elias then grabs Scarlett’s left hand, bringing it up as he slowly slips his mother’s ring on her hand. He then raises her head against his lips, inhaling her scent for a few seconds before moving it back down and holding both of her hands in his while repeating the same thing back to her.
“Well, shit. That’s it. I now pronounce you man and wife. Kiss ya bride, nigga”, Slim says.
Elias doesn’t have to be told twice, he steps forward like a wave against rocks and frames Scarlett’s face with his hands and pulls her in against him.
Scarlett’s hands rests on his waist before moving to rest on his back, their chests pressing against each other’s as he runs his tongue across her bottom lip and she slightly parts hers to grant him entrance as everyone claps around them.
“Damn. Alright nigga, save that shit for tonight”, Elijah calls out to them.
Scarlett laughs as she pulls away from the kiss, Elias eyes hazed over and filled with want and need.
“I now pronounce you, Mr. and Mrs. Elias Moore”, Slim says and the claps get louder.
Elias and Scarlett turn to face everyone with smiles on their face, when Annie tosses a straw broom in front of them. Scarlett mentioned this to Elias that she wanted to honor her African ancestors with this tradition and even though he doesn't fully believe in it, he agreed.
The two tighten their grip on each other's hand before jumping up and over the broom.
Sammie starts back up playing their song as they walk down the aisle, grinning and still holding onto one another.
-X-
The sun has started to set by the time everyone leaves, Scarlett and Stack are standing in their bedroom with Ellis in his bassinet in his room as the new bride and groom dance together. There is no music playing, it’s just them and their love.
“How are you feeling, sweetheart”, he asks as he spins her under his arm before pulling her closer against his chest and locking his arms around her back while her arms go up over his shoulders and one gently grasps the back of his head and rubs it.
“I’m happy. Today was perfect. You were perfect”, she says as she leans up, since she is now barefoot and presses a kiss against his full lips. Chasing the taste of alcohol, mint and chocolate from their cake on his tongue.
“I love you, Scarlett. I loved you before and you know that. Now you’re officially mine, so every nigga before me ain’t got a chance and if anyone nigga think he’ll be after me, I’ll cut his throat without a flinch”, Stack says and Scarlett blames it on the wine she had but hearing him mark her and threaten men who admire or want her, turns her on a little bit and she tugs at the skin on her bottom lip.
“Mhm hmm. You are looking mighty fine in this suit, Mr. Moore. I wanted to drop to my knees at the altar then and there”, Scarlett says and Stack groans as he rocks their body side to side.
Scarlett has a side to her, he is glad he was able to unlock it. She is a lot more sensual and freakier in bed then people would think because of how shy and timid she is.
She leans forward and presses her lips right against the pressure point of his neck and he tilts his head backwards to allow her more access as her hands run down in between them and cusps him through the material of his pants.
“Fuck, Scar. You trying to make me put another baby in you”, he groans and moves his neck out of her reach.
“Uh uh. I done told you now, Stack”, she says and he looks down at her before raising a hand and slipping it up her neck. He applies slight pressure that makes her breath stagger slightly but her grip on him doesn’t falter.
“Yeah. I know what you told me but I have a way of letting your other set of lips give me what I want”, he says and Scarlett feels that pressure build in between her thighs and she clenches them together.
“Take this shit off. I want you to see and touch you”, Scarlett says as she finally moves her hand and works on his black vest he is wearing.
Elias is quick and grabs her hands, stopping her movement before locking them in one of his hands and using his other hand to grip her waist and turn her around so her back is against his front.
“We got all night for you to touch and see me. Let me taste it first”, he says in her ear as he gently blows on it and he can feel the shudder that her body does.
“We got up until our son wakes up needing to be changed or fed”, Scarlett whimpers as he runs his free hand down her body, starting at her neck and working his way down across her dress.
“We got time then. I can make you drench my face twice before he wakes up”, Elias says and Scarlett doesn’t even bother trying to hide the whimper that escapes her.
“I wanna see it”, she whispers and Elias stops his movement and looks at her confused.
“See what”, he asks?
Scarlett looks over her shoulder, feeling feral and confident at what she is about to say to him. She locks eyes with him so he can see her true desire.
“I wanna see you feast on me like I’m the best meal you ever had”, she says.
“Take that damn dress off and get your ass on the bed”, he growls before releasing her body and placing a hand on her back, nudging her towards their bed.
Scarlett giggles to herself as she follows his instructions and goes to crawl on the bed but he grasps her ankle and stops her. She pauses with her hands on the bed and one foot up before turning to look at her now husband.
“The mirror is that way”, Stack says and points across the bed towards the window where her vanity and the wall mirror rests.
“But I won’t be able to see you”, she whines.
“Don’t worry, you will”, he says before landing a soft hit against her clothed bottom and letting go of her ankle.
Scarlett was already curvy, not as much as Annie but she definitely had a figure and their son filled her out even more. Her hips are wider and her butt has gotten bigger, he is definitely grateful even more for their son now.
By the time Ellis cries fill the hallway, Scarlett just had climbed off of Elias and was lying on her back trying to catch her breath. They had not been intimate since the day Kalani was born because she started having faux contractions and Elias was scared to send her into early labor.
She doesn’t know if it was because of them having gone almost two months without sex or the fact that it was their honeymoon night but she and Elias could not keep their hands off of each other.
Every time she tapped out after a round, he was right there to start another one. She was to make sure they use condoms as well, otherwise she is sure that she would have gotten pregnant tonight. That is why she is breathing hard now, heart race and sweat covering both of their bodies.
“You look like you need a second. I got my little man”, Elias says as he pushes the sheet off his body and bends down picking up his underwear and sliding them on before walking out their bedroom while Scarlett wipes away the tears off her face and the drool from the corner of her mouth.
She turns her head towards the bedroom door once she stops hearing her son’s cries, shortly after Elias walks back in their room with their son in his arms. He is humming a song but she can’t make out what it is. His bare chest has faint red scratches from her nails and his neck and chest are full of love bites and bruises, she is sure she has her own as well.
Elias crawls into bed and shifts under the covers, he slips Ellis against his bare chest and gently pats his bare before looking over at his wife who is looking at him fondly.
“Why you looking like that”, he asks?
“I just picked the right man to get pregnant by is all”, she says.
“Picked? You say that like you had options other than me”, he says.
Scarlett snorts and rolls her eyes at him and his logic, gently waving him off.
“Gone on with that”, she says.
“Nah. You had options? Who else going to eat that like me? Who else is going to fuck you into submission”, Stack says and Scarlett feels that familiar pressure start up again at his words but he has their baby in his arms so she doesn’t react as much as she wants to.
“I’m not doing this with you. I am going to go take a bath. I’ll be back”, Scarlett says and slips out of bed.
“Whew, your momma got a wagon on her. You got her looking nice”, Elias says to Ellis.
“Elias, don’t taint my boy”, Scarlett calls out as she walks into the hallway and towards the bathroom.
“I’m just telling him how pretty my wife and his mother is”, he calls back.
Elias looks down at Ellis who takes that time to gently turn his head and press his cheek against his father’s chest which makes Elias damn near cry until that same, sweet child lets his milk from earlier come out his mouth and onto his bare chest.
Elias had to stop his reflexes from damn near throwing his baby away from him before he stands up and walks over to the other side of the room where a baby towel is, he picks it up and wipes off the baby’s mouth and his chest.
Ellis, deciding to be a demon, lets out a vibrated fart and then the noise that follows and his body scrunching up lets Elias know that his son also just pooped and then once Ellis is done, he has the nerve to smile against his daddy’s chest.
“Ain’t this some shit? You couldn’t wait for your momma to hold you before you did all this”, Elias says to his baby boy who has just fallen back to sleep.