Page 36 of Obligated

I chuckled under my breath, shaking my head. Still loud. Still bossy. Still Ms. Evie. But changed too. Rehab had humbled her in ways none of us thought possible. She hadn't gambled and they'd cleaned up all of her debts. Saint stayed by her side. They were working it out slow, piece by piece, like two folks stitching together a quilt that had been ripped clean down the middle.

And Thiloux?

It was breathin'. Growing'. Storefronts opening'. Kids laughing'. Old folks posted up at the park benches watching' the world turn. It wasn't just a front anymore — it was real. Real legacy. A stamp in the dirt .

I sat on cushioned deck seat, letting the warmth of the sun melt into my skin as the boat gently rocked against the dock. The air smelled like salt and sweet southern heat — a scent I had come to love, a scent that smelled like peace. My hand drifted instinctively to my belly, the small but certain swell there grounding me in ways words never could. I smiled to myself. Seemed like every time I got on this damn boat, I left off it pregnant.

The sound of small sneakers slapping against the deck made me lift my head, just in time to see two little bodies sprinting toward me full speed — pure joy on tiny legs. Chi'lo (Key-Lo) and Chi'nari (Key- Nari) My wild little hurricanes. We had the twins 2 years ago. Chi'lo, all dimples and defiance, was the spitting image of his daddy — right down to the way he cut his eyes when he didn't get his way. Chi'nari, though? My twin. Big bright eyes, stubborn chin, quick to smile... but boy did my baby have a temper.

They raced toward me, their laughter louder than the seagulls overhead, their little hands sticky with what looked suspiciously like powdered sugar from the beignets we brought aboard earlier. Behind them, movin' a little slower but smilin' just as wide, was their daddy. Same low swagger. Same dangerous grin. Same eyes that held a whole lifetime of promises he made good on every day. "Y'all slow down before y'all bust y'all asses," Juste called after them, his voice carrying over the water, half-laughing, half-fussin'.

I opened my arms wide and they crashed into me, both trying to climb into my lap at once. "Mommy! Mommy!"

"Guess what! We saw a crab! Daddy almost stepped on it!" Chi'lo yelled, waving his arms so hard he almost smacked his brother in the face. Chi'nari huffed, shoving him. "No, I saw it first, Chi'lo! You was cryin'!"

"I wasn't cryin'! You lyin'!" he yelled back, face frowned up . I laughed, pulling them closer, breathing them in — sweat, salt, baby powder.

"Aye, break it up, lil' gangstas," Juste drawled, dropping down beside me. He leaned over, brushing a slow kiss against my temple, hand sliding protectively over my belly next to mine. "You good, baeeby?" he asked low, the way he always did when he needed to check the temperature of my soul. "I'm good," I whispered back, meaning every word. More than good. I was whole.

He leaned back, pulling me against his side, his arm draped over my shoulders. Chi'lo climbed into his lap, still fussin' about the crab, while Chi'nari snuggled closer to me, yawning without even realizing it. The sun started to set slow over the water, turnin' everything gold and soft, like the whole world was around us. I closed my eyes for a second, listening — not just hearing, listening. The twins giggling. The boat rocking gentle against the dock. The heavy, steady beat of Juste's heart against my ear. The baby stirring quietly in my belly.

I had been through some hell to get here. But standing on the other side of all that pain... I wouldn't trade a damn thing. I opened my eyes and caught Juste looking at me — not saying anything', just looking. Like he knew. Like he felt it too. "I love you," I breathed. He smiled slow, that lopsided grin that still made my knees weak after all this time. "I know," he said, his voice deep and sure. "I love you too, baeeby."

And right there, with the sun setting over the bay, our babies between us, and another little life growing inside me... I knew. This was it. This was the life I dreamed for. The life we built.