Chapter 40
Greystone International Airport
One month later…
I was on my way to Trill-Land and I had Couture by my side. Even though everything around me felt calm and put together, my mind had been runnin’ in circles ever since we booked this trip.
We was finally goin’ to celebrate My’Love’s birthday, even if it was a lil’ late, and I couldn’t help but think about why it got pushed back in the first place.
Pluto almost lost her life bringin’ her baby into this world, and that alone had changed everything for everybody.
Wasn’t nobody in they right mind worried about balloons and cake when that shit happened, so the fact that we was even able to come together now and celebrate felt like a blessin’ in itself.
I sat at the airport with my legs crossed, scrollin’ on my phone while Couture handled the boardin’ passes. Every now and then I would glance up at him just to take him in for a second.
He was so calm, so intentional with everything he did.
Couture ain’t come in my life rushin’ me or tryina force nothin’.
He came in clear about what he wanted, and from day one, he made it known that he wasn’t interested in playin’ no games.
When he said he wanted me, he said it with his chest, and as soon as I finally gave in, he backed that shit up with actions that didn’t leave me guessin’.
It had been two months since we made it official, and in those two months, he had been consistent in a way that made it hard for me to second guess anything.
He checked on me without me havin’ to ask.
He showed up when he said he would, and he made sure I felt seen in ways I ain’t even realize I had been missin’ before.
There wasn’t no confusion with him. There wasn’t no space where I had to sit there and wonder what I was to him or where I stood. He made it clear. And after everything I had been through, that clarity meant more to me than anything.
I leaned back in my seat while he walked over and handed me my boardin’ pass, and when I looked up at him, he smiled down at me.
“You ready to see your family, baby?” he asked, his voice low and calm.
“Yeah,” I replied, smilin’ back at him while I grabbed my bag. “I been ready.”
We made our way through the airport together, and I stayed close to him, my hand brushin’ against his arm every now and then until he finally reached for it and laced his fingers with mine.
That was another thing about Couture. He paid attention, and noticed the little shit. And he responded to it without me havin’ to spell it out.
By the time we got on the plane and settled into our seats, I felt myself relax a lil’ more, leanin’ into him while he rested his hand on my thigh and rubbed it absentmindedly.
I turned my head and looked out the window for a second, watchin’ everything move around us while my thoughts drifted somewhere I ain’t really want them to go.
I knew I was gon’ eventually have to face Renza, and I kept tellin’ myself I ain’t owe him shit. Hell, when he stayed with Reni, and was barely respondin’ to me, he was basically tellin’ me he ain’t owe me shit either.
Me and him had started off so strong that it almost felt unreal, and for a minute, I really thought that shit was gon’ turn into somethin’ solid.
The way he was on me, the way he made me feel and the way we just clicked without effort had me thinkin’ maybe I had finally found my person. But then life did what it always did.
Reni popped up pregnant, and everything changed in a way that I couldn’t ignore no matter how hard I tried to play it cool.
I watched him choose where his attention was goin’, and even though he wasn’t wrong for bein’ there for her, it showed me exactly where I stood without him ever havin’ to say it out loud.
After that, everything between us started feelin’ different. The calls slowed down, and the energy changed. What I was left with was a few texts here and there, good mornin’, good night, and nothin’ in between that made me feel like he was really tryna build somethin’ with me.
I wasn’t the type to chase no man down or beg for clarity when his actions already told me what I needed to know. So, I stepped back, and while I was steppin’ back, Couture stepped up.
I shifted in my seat and looked over at him, and when he caught me starin’, he raised his brows a lil’ with a smile.
“What?” he asked.
“Nothin’,” I said, smilin’ back at him before I leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Just lookin’ at you.”
He laughed under his breath and shook his head, squeezin’ my hand a lil’ tighter, and I just smiled to myself before leanin’ back in my seat while the plane took off, tryna settle into the moment instead of lettin’ my thoughts run too far ahead of me.
The flight itself was easy, and smooth enough for me to sit here with my head restin’ back while I looked out the window every now and then.
By the time we started gettin’ closer to Trill-Land, I could feel all them emotions creepin’ in whether I wanted to deal with them or not.
I was happy to be goin’ back. I was happy to finally see my people and be there for My’Love and my godbaby Isley.
I was really lookin’ forward to holdin’ my baby girl in person instead of just seein’ pictures and videos, but underneath all that, there was still somethin’ sittin’ in me that I couldn’t just ignore no matter how much I tried to focus on the good parts of this trip.
It wasn’t just about showin’ up to a party.
It was about everything that came with me bein’ there, everything I had left behind when I walked away and everything I might have to face now that I was comin’ back around it.
I moved a lil’ in my seat and turned my head to look at Couture, watchin’ how relaxed he was sittin’ next to me.
That alone grounded me ’cause he had been consistent with me from the start.
It mattered enough for me to remind myself why I made the decision I did.
I straightened up a lil’ and adjusted my hair, refocusin’ myself on what was in front of me instead of what I had already left behind.
After we finally landed and got off the plane, Couture handled the rental.
I sat in the passenger seat watchin’ him move while I scrolled through my phone again, checkin’ messages from Toni about the party and everything they had set up.
We dropped our bags off at the room, keepin’ it quick since we already knew we was runnin’ a lil’ behind, and after he grabbed the gifts we had got for My’Love, we headed right back out.
The drive to the party felt longer than it probably was, and the closer we got, the more I found myself sittin’ up straighter in my seat.
Couture reached over and grabbed my hand again, bringin’ it up to his lips and pressin’ a soft kiss to the back of it before settin’ it back down on his lap.
“You good?” he asked, glancin’ at me for a second.
“Yeah,” I replied, givin’ him a smile before lookin’ straight ahead again. I kept that same expression on my face even though I knew I was doin’ more convincin’ than actually feelin’.
I guess on paper, everything about my situation was exactly how it was supposed to be, and I had a man sittin’ right next to me who showed up for me without confusion.
I moved my hips in my seat and reached up to adjust my hair in the mirror, takin’ a quiet breath.
Right now, I was pullin’ up to my baby cousin’s birthday with a man who chose me.
Couture squeezed my hand again before lettin’ it go so he could park, and when the car finally came to a stop, I sat there for a second.
“Come on, baby,” he said, smilin’ at me while he got out and walked around to my side.
When he opened my door and held his hand out to me, I looked up at him for a second before placin’ mine in his and lettin’ him help me out.
I smoothed my outfit down once I was standin’, then looked toward the party, hearin’ the music and the laughter before we even made it all the way up.
“This gon’ be nice,” I said softly, more to myself than anything.
Couture grabbed the gifts, stepped beside me and wrapped his arm around my waist, pullin’ me close while we started walkin’ toward the entrance together.
“Long as you good, that’s all I care about,” he said, pressin’ another kiss to the side of my head.
I smiled at that, leanin’ into him just a lil’ more while we walked in together…