Page 101 of Betrothed To Love

“My feelings were hurt the minute I learned of the affair. The hurt has passed; the anger just hasn’t but it will. As for your sister, she’s innocent. I’m glad y’all are getting to know her. You should and you don’t have to worry about me when it comes to her. One day, who knows, I might want to meet her… Maybe.” She shrugs then steps to me. Her little hand pats the side of my face. “Lying to me and keeping things from me hurts. That’s it. I’m stronger than you boys think.”

“I know, Shuga. My bad.”

A smile spreads across her pretty face then she says, “I know. Now let’s go.”

“You want to come over for dinner? Mireya texted. She picked up something.”

“No, baby. I’m good. I actually feel like painting and I have some black eyed pea soup at the house. Kiss both of them for me and I’ll see y’all Sunday.”

We leave the conference room and exit the courthouse. After I watch her pull out of the parking lot, I text my brothers.

Me: Who told Shuga?

Tre: Not me.

Shiro: Me either

Ace: Me.

Deuce: Of course. Ace is a Shuga’s boy.

Ace: Fuck you.

Deuce: That’s some wild shit.

Shaking my head, I start my ride and head home. There’s five o’clock traffic, so I don’t make it home until almost forty-five minutes later. My wife’s Range is parked on her side of the garage, so I park on my side then exit my ride. When I enter through the small foyer that leads into the kitchen, the security system announces my entrance and seconds later, I hear little feet shuffling on the floor.

“Daddy, we got legs,” Niya squeals as she rushes to me. “You hungry?”

“I am. Are y’all waiting on me to eat?” I ask.

“Yes, we been waiting.”

“Let me put my things down and change first,” I tell her.

“But no bath. Mommie said we bathe after we eat,” she says and runs off but I can’t move.

Mommie? Did my heart and mind hear the same thing or am I tripping? I hope like hell I’m not. Mommie?

It’s just one little word, but for Niya, for me, it carries the weight of a thousand. I can be a lot of things to my baby girl: her provider, her protector, and her father. But mommie is the one thing I could never be. Never. A mother’s love and presence in a little girl’s life is needed and how comfortably and naturally Niya just said Mommie has my whole chest swelling with a love I didn’t know I could have or feel.

After taking a few moments to process the one word, I pull my shit together then step into the kitchen. My wife walks in from the small hall at the same time. Like she does every time we occupy the same space, she steps into mine and wraps her arms around my neck.

“What?” she asks with curious eyes. “Why are you smiling so hard? Things went well with Asali?”

Real shit, I forgot all about Asali and his no-show stunt once Niya said Mommie. That’s the only important thing in this moment and I’m dying to hear it again just to make sure my ears really didn’t just hear what my heart wants.

“I’m home. First, my heartbeat greeted me, and now, I have my heart in my arms. Of course, I’m smiling,” I admit and she simpers. Her soft lips press into mine and I give her what she wants and deserves by kissing her lovingly.

When our lips break, she rests her hands on the sides of my face. She stares at me as if she’s trying to decode or decipher me. “The meeting must have been really good,” she says.

“It was nonexistent actually,” I tell her and her smile drops. “He didn’t show. He told Shuga some shit about not wanting to discuss things in front of me. It’s him trying to have the upper hand.”

“Oh no. How did Shuga take it?”

“Better than me,” I admit.

“She’s so strong. I just love her spirit and resilience. She’ll get through this and anything else he tries just fine.” After kissing me again, she says, “Go take this suit off. Niya is ready to eat these crab legs. I got the sailor’s feast with extra corn and sausage from her favorite.”