Page 239 of When Love Takes Root

She nodded against me, holding on for another second.

“You’re not leaving our love, Maya. You’re taking it with you.”

Behind us, Kayden cleared his throat.

“Aight, Langston. Let Pop Siah breathe before you wrinkle his suit. We still gotta take pictures, and I refuse to let my little sister look like she fought the entire senior class.”

Skye wiped beneath her eyes. “You’ve been crying too.”

Zuri nodded. “His big brother voice comes with tears.”

Kayden pointed at both of them. “I’m emotionally supervising. It’s different.”

Maya pulled away and narrowed her eyes at him. “You cried when I got accepted.”

“That was allergies.”

“In December?”

“Hampton Heights has aggressive pollen.”

JJ slapped his shoulder. “Boy, shut up.”

The photographer called for families to gather near the fountain.

Maya moved to the center while everybody argued about height order, good sides, and who had blinked during the test shot. Celeste stood beside her, one hand resting on Maya’s back and the other beneath her belly.

I automatically stepped toward the edge.

Old instinct.

Let the Coleman family have their picture first.

Kayden reached out and caught my sleeve.

“Where you going?”

“I was giving y’all⁠—”

“Nah.” He pulled me closer and pointed beside Celeste. “You go there, Pop Siah.”

Nobody paused.

Nobody looked surprised.

JJ shifted over to make room. Zuri dragged Skye into place. Maya smiled at me through tears.

I stepped beside my wife and wrapped one arm around her, resting my other hand over the twins.

The photographer lifted his camera.

“Everybody, squeeze in.”

Our family pressed closer.

JJ stood behind Celeste. Kayden stood beside me, his shoulder touching mine without hesitation. Maya held her diploma against her chest, while Zuri and Skye framed her from both sides. Mama, Aunt Hilary, Uncle Zeke, Juice, Melody, Lyric, Leilani, Onyx, Jaya, and Jamilah filled in around us until the picture contained more people than the photographer had planned for.

“Everybody ready?”