Free Stone de la Bru Familia by Peter Mack

Don't question why. Only the Lord knows." 
    Stone stood at the edge of the kitchen. The dining room was two steps to his left and then another left turn would lead him into the hallway where the bathroom was. 
    "I don't think  Coretta is really happy with it," he noted in a low voice. He didn't want Lillian to hear this. She would badger him and try to get into the whys and why nots. 
    "Wait. Are you asking me if you're doing the right thing in marrying Coretta or adopting Serena?" 
    Stone hesitated before he replied. "Both." Mabel turned to pluck the remaining sausages from the frying pan. 
    "Coretta," she said as if to herself. "She's a nice enough girl." She looked to him now after cutting the flame off under the pan. "Is she the kind of woman you could see yourself growing old with?" 
    He shrugged. "Yeah. I mean… She's everything good in a woman…" 
    "But?" 
    "Momma," he intoned. "I'm a little grimy. Sometimes I might have to get low and she don't really understand that side of me." 
    Mabel nodded in understanding. "You think she's a little jealous of the other women in your life and your dedication to them?" Mabel knew exactly what the business was. She also understood that Stone wasn't the type to have many girlfriends, but he did have plenty women friends that could easily be seen as sisters and business partners. 
    "EXACTLY!" Stone whispered through clenched teeth. "She'd be on me about who and where and all the details! I be like… Am I supposed to feel like she's in my business or do she have a right to be in it like that?" 
    Mabel took a step in Stone's direction as the  doorbell rang. "Have that conversation with her. Tell her how you feel. And see how she responds son. It's all about communication. She loves the fact that you’re loyal. She just needs to be reassured that she is enough for you." 
    "I'll get that momma. I'm hungry," Stone said, placing his hand in the crook of her elbow as she tried to move by him. He leaned over to kiss her  hot cheek.  
    "That's real talk right there." he said before spinning from her and striding through the dining room and living room. On the way he yelled for Lillian to grab the medicine out the bathroom cabinet. 
    "Stop that helling in my house!" Mabel called back from the edge of the kitchen as she watched Stone reach the front door. 
    Stone wondered if his mother was applying for some type of insurance when he opened the front door and saw a fat white man in a suit. He stood looking out to the street, unaware that Stone had opened the  door. 
     He couldn't see Stone behind the one-way white grated screen door. Stone studied him closer and finally placed him as a detective. The blonde Army-cut and patent leather tasseled loafers gave him away.  
    The pasty faced white man looked blindly towards the screen door, his eyes squinting for a shadow or outline, when Mabel asked who was at the door. 
    "Who is it?" Stone asked suddenly. 
    "Um… I'm with the Los Angeles Police Department." He was at a disadvantage because he could not see who he was talking to. He reached into his pocket, exposing the butt of his gun, to lift a small notepad from an inner pocket. He flipped over several pages before he settled on one. 
    Stone looked to his mother and said, "It's the police." 
    "Yes. Here we go. I'm looking for a Mr. Stone Sweetwater," the policeman said. 
    "Who's looking for him?" Stone asked just as Mabel stepped beside him. She'd taken off  her cooking apron and smoothed away the loose strands of long dark hair, tucking them into the body of her ponytail. 
    "Yes," the white man smiled to the white screen. "I'm Detective Briggs. This is concerning one of his, Mr. Sweetwater's tenant at the apartment building he owns on Robertson Boulevard." He stopped to see if this bit of information would open the screen door and give him a visual of who he was talking to. His eyes moved in a way that was hopeful, yet