Carmen Royal #2
I could tell she had never in her life had guidance before, but I didn’t mind helping her. Before I could say anything else, Mrs. Delores’s voice boomed again. “Come get this baby, Marlon. I’m about to steal all of her time before she leaves so you better get in where you fit in.”
Everybody turned toward the center of the room where Amour was sitting on her lap, giggling, with sticky hands and a bright smile. Mrs. Darlene was feeding her fruit like she was royalty.
“Grandma, I want another one,” Amour said, reaching for more grapes.
Mrs. Darlene chuckled and kissed her forehead. “You can have the whole damn bowl, baby. Grandma don’t say no to that face.”
Pops leaned down, laughing under his breath. “Don’t let her spoil that child Dique.”
“Too late,” Dique replied, grabbing Amour and tossing her gently in the air. She squealed, laughing so loud even Mrs. Darlene’s smile got bigger as she watched. “You hear that, baby girl? Grandma already got you wrapped up.”
“Grandma the boss,” Amour said proudly.
Mrs. Darlene snapped her fingers. “You damn right I am!”
I took a seat on the arm of the couch next to Dom.
He was leaned back with a calmness in his eyes and a black tee hugging his chest with his chain glistening under the light.
It just made no sense for one man to be so damn fine from head to toe.
He looked up at me when I sat down and automatically placed his hand on my thigh like it belonged there.
That small touch alone made something inside me melt.
Mrs. Darlene must’ve noticed, because her head slightly tilted to the side and her eyes shot from me to Dom, then back again.
Her smile started slowly, looking mischievous; one of those almost knowing kind of smiles.
“Mmhmm,” she said, tapping her nail against her glass. “That glow right there ain’t from no spa treatment girl.”
O’Shynn’s eyes widened, and her mouth was already half open. “Oh no…” she started.
Mrs. Darlene pointed straight at me, grinning like she’d just won a bet. “Don’t play with me, Carmen. That’s a mama’s glow if I ever seen one.”
The whole room got quiet, and everyone’s eyes landed on me.
Dique froze mid bite waiting to see what was up.
Pops raised a brow, waiting for confirmation and even little Amour looked up like she understood what was happening right now although she had no clue and could care less.
She was just being a kid. Dom rubbed his jaw.
I looked at him, with my heart skipping and he gave me that small head nod as if to say I might as well tell them.
I exhaled, smiling softly. “She’s right.”
The room erupted. Mrs. Darlene jumped up with her hands to her chest, shouting, “I knew it! I knew it! Lord, you done blessed me again!” She grabbed Pops’s arm, shaking him. “You hear that, Marlon? We gon’ have another grandbaby!”
Pops laughed, deep and proud. “I heard her, woman. You ain’t gotta shake the walls down.”
Dique clapped his hands, laughing loud too. “Boyyyy, look at you, Dom! The Miami King really out here buildin’ an empire! Congrats my King.”
O’Shynn got up and hugged me so tightly I could barely breathe. “Again, I’m so happy for you!”
I laughed, overwhelmed by the love swarming around me because they were truly the family that I never had the chance to have. Mrs. Darlene had tears in her eyes now, smiling wide as she cupped my face.
“You deserve this, baby. You’ve been through enough storms to earn some sunshine,” she said softly. “That baby is going to be blessed, you hear me. Blessed.”
I nodded, trying to blink back my own tears. “Thank you, Ma.”
Dom stood behind me, with his hand sliding to the small of my back.
When I looked up, Pops was watching him and not with suspicion, but pride.
It was the kind of pride that came from seeing your son finally become the man you raised him to be.
He knew Dom was all man, but he was ready for Dom to have a real family.
Mrs. Darlene sniffed, then laughed again. “I can’t believe it. A Royal baby on the way and look at y’all, acting like you weren’t going to tell me.”
Dom grinned, with his voice steady. “Was waitin’ till things calmed down, Ma.”
“Well, they calm now,” she said, still wiping her eyes. “Ain’t no news bigger than that.”
Pops chuckled and walked over, pulling Dom into a brief hug, clapping him on the shoulder. “You done made me proud, son. That woman right there…” he nodded toward me, “she’s good for you. I can see it.”
Mrs. Darlene quickly nodded. “She keeps him soft in the places he needs to be while keeping him on his toes. He needs that, and she does it so well. I’m happy.”
Everyone was smiling, Keondra was beaming from the couch like she had been a part of us forever and she wasn’t wilding out either. O’Shynn was still all giddy, and Dique was busy trying to convince Dom to name the baby after him.
Pops raised his glass. “To family,” he simply said.
Everyone lifted theirs… some with juice, some with liquor but I didn’t have one. “To family,” we echoed. This was about to be a whole new chapter.