13. Malik
TWO WEEKS LATER
R hythmic knocks on my office door pulled me from the charts and patient files I was going over.
I had a light day today, well, more like an admin day.
I tried to take one, once a week. When I looked up to see a massive edible arrangement and what looked like a gourmet lunch bag, I had to do a double take.
“Dr. Holloway?” The delivery guy checked his clipboard. “Got a special delivery from a Ms. Holloway.”
I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face as I signed for it. Chocolate-covered strawberries, pineapple daisies, and melon arranged like flowers, my woman knew exactly what would make me smile.
The card was tucked between the fruit, written in her neat handwriting:
Thank you for believing in me. Today’s the big day! - Your future, Dr. Holloway
I smiled so damn hard, I blushed. I bit the inside of my jaw to calm down.
I sat back down and reclined in my chair.
Today was her first day back in school, and she was nervous as hell about it.
We’d talked about it over breakfast this morning, her worrying about being older than the other students, about whether she belonged there, about balancing everything with Samaj’s continued recovery, which was also going great.
He was out of his cast and slowly strengthening that leg. I was proud of him.
I’d kissed her forehead and told her she was exactly where she was supposed to be. Now she was out there proving it.
The lunch bag held all my favorites from Sheena’s, mac and cheese, fried chicken, green beans, and cornbread that I could eat with every meal.
“Somebody’s got it bad,” Moniece’s voice came from my doorway, but I didn’t look up from the arrangement. She’d been on some hating shit lately, and I was trying to be cool about it, but her snide remarks and attempts at getting in my business had run their course.
“Don’t you have patients to tend to?” I asked, making eye contact with her. “Mo, you’re never getting the dick again. Let’s just settle this shit now. Move on and mind your business.”
“Just saying, never seen you this happy. She must be special.”
She was. Is . More special than Moniece or anyone else would ever understand.
Sametra had this way of making everything brighter, making everything make sense.
Even the most stressful days at work felt manageable once I got to see her.
She even sent me to work with lunch. Dinner would be waiting in the microwave; she made time for me.
She checked on me. Took care of me. Sametra was a good woman, and I was glad I’d found her.
I also couldn’t wait for my mama to meet her, which I hoped would be soon.
And the pussy was so fucking good, I’d been fighting the urge to ask her to move in.
I was tryna be in the pussy anytime I could.
My phone buzzed with a text.
LT: Hope you like the surprise. Heading into my first class now. Nervous but excited.
Me: I love it. And I love you. You got this, baby.
LT: I love you, too. See you tonight?
Me: Wouldn’t miss it.
“Was there something else? And again, let’s be clear, if it ain’t about work, keep it in the group chat or your diary.”
Moneice stormed off, and I was glad she was out of my damn face. It had never been serious, so I was confused as hell with her antics. But I refused to have my moment ruined. I brought my mind back to what mattered. Sametra.
I leaned back in my chair again, looking at the arrangement. I couldn’t believe I had someone who’d take the time to thank me on their day.
I shook my head.
Two weeks of being official, and it felt like we’d been together forever.
She’d started leaving little things at my place, a hair tie on my nightstand, a bonnet, her favorite coffee creamer in my fridge, and a few T-shirts in my drawer.
I’d done the same at hers, and it felt natural.
Right. We kept it respectful, not throwing it in Samaj’s face.
I didn’t want him to be uncomfortable, but he seemed cool.
We’d play the game while Sametra cooked or cleaned.
I actually liked being at her place more than mine.
Her house had soul, laughter bouncing off the walls, and warm meals that required me to go harder in the gym the day after.
Mine only felt the same when she brought her warmth into my space.
As much as I was enjoying our time together and where we were, there was a shadow hanging over everything.
Two weeks of silence from him, but I wasn’t naive enough to think he’d just disappeared.
Men like him didn’t give up that easily, especially when they were desperate.
I’d been thinking more and more about going to HR to see what the ethics protocols looked like.
I needed to get ahead of whatever he might try to pull. Better to control the narrative than let him hold it over our heads.
Rex had hit me back within 48 hours like he promised with the basics. Ashe owed fifty grand to some serious players in Atlanta, gambling debts, the kind that came with consequences. But Rex wanted to dig deeper, saying something felt off about the whole setup.
I grew up around desperation, and it made you do some wild shit for your next meal, hit, or whatever your struggle might be.
I especially didn’t like how he was playing with Samaj’s feelings and emotions.
He was a good kid, a damn good kid that Ashe had missed out on tremendously.
He was funny, he loved his mama, and although they’d hit a rough patch, he knew she loved him, and he loved her back. I saw it every time I was around them.
“Fuck that nigga,” I muttered.
But today wasn’t about him. Today was about my woman chasing her dreams and me being proud as hell to support her.
I pulled out my phone and started making calls. If Sametra thought an edible arrangement and lunch were a surprise, she had no idea what I had planned.
My thoughts were always on her, but one particular thought was bothering me. I hated keeping the shit with Ashe from her. I just didn’t want her to worry, but something was telling me that I needed to tell her, and soon. The last thing I needed was for her to think she couldn’t trust me.
I packed up my stuff and locked my office before heading out.
I stopped at her favorite bakery and got her a cake, card, and some balloons.
I also swung by the bank and added her name to my accounts.
Thankfully my bank wasn’t tripping, and they provided me with a card right on the spot.
Fifteen minutes later, I was in my car when my phone rang.
Mama’s name lit up the screen, and I smiled as I answered.
“Hey, Mama. I miss you, little girl.”
“Why you always trying to get on my nerves?” She hated it when I called her a little girl, but it was just our way of playing. “You only call me that when you’re in a good mood.”
Leave it to Yolanda to pick up on my mood through the phone. “I’m happy. Real happy.”
“This about that firefighter you told me about? Sametra was it?”
I laughed, merging onto the highway. “Yeah, it’s about her. And it’s serious, Mama. Real serious. It’s official like a ref with a whistle. You’re one step closer to having a daughter-in-law and a grandson.”
“How’s her boy doing with his recovery?”
“Samaj’s doing great. Out of his cast, getting stronger every day. And today’s Sametra’s first day back in school.” I couldn’t keep the pride out of my voice.
“That’s wonderful, baby. But Malik, you listen to me good.” Her voice took on that serious tone I knew meant business. “Love makes you do foolish things sometimes. Don’t let your feelings cloud your judgment, especially when it comes to your career.”
“What you mean?”
“I mean protect yourself, son. Make sure everything you’re doing is above board. I didn’t sacrifice everything for you to throw it away behind some woman you just met, no matter how much you love her.”
Her words slightly offended me, but I would never let her know that.
She didn’t know Sametra, but I wanted her to take my word for it.
Sametra was worth living off my investments if that’s what I had to do.
I felt like everyone was more worried about my job than I was.
I could always work in the private sector. I’d been thinking about it anyway.
“I hear you, Mama.” I sighed, kissing my teeth. “But you haven’t met her. You don’t know her.”
“Uh oh. You didn’t like that, son.”
“Nah, I didn’t, Ma. I thought you’d be happy about me settling down. And I love Sametra, she’s the one, not just some woman. I need you to trust me on this one.”
“Oh, baby, I am happy you found someone,” her voice softened.
If I was in front of her she’d be reaching to brush my cheek.
“Malik, I’m so happy you aren’t doing life alone.
But, look, you know I’m a realist, and I love, love, for you.
I can tell you’re happy and being well taken care of, but reality is you two have blurred the lines and need to make them clear quickly before someone gets hurt or things get too far away from you. ”
“Yes, ma’am. My bad for getting offended.”
“Hush, you supposed to stand up for your woman. I just want you to be careful, baby, that’s all. Square?”
I was quiet for a moment, letting her words settle.
My mama wasn’t wrong; she never was. But she also didn’t know Sametra the way I did.
Didn’t see how she put everyone else first, how she’d built a life from nothing, how she made me want to be better just by existing.
Still, Mama’s concern came from love, and I respected that.
“Square.”
“Good. Now, when am I meeting this woman who got my baby ready to check his mama?”