22. Gemini Black
Gemini Black
“Wait. Baby, before you go, which color do you think I should get? The light pink or should I just do white?” Amina asked me, as I was about to walk away from her.
We were at a nail salon inside of a mall, and she was sitting in one of the spa chairs, getting ready to get a pedicure.
I’d gotten my pedicure, and manicure already.
Amina’s nails took a while because her ass was picky as hell and wanted to see pictures and videos of everyone’s work before she went to them.
When she finally decided on someone, he was already working on another client, plus he had another client waiting.
You would think that she would have chosen to go to someone else, so she wouldn’t have to wait, but she didn’t.
She waited on him to finish, wanting him to do her nails, and pedicure.
That’s why they were still tending to her, while my services were complete.
“Get light pink. I like that one,” I let her know, walking over so that I could kiss her on top of her head, and her lips.
I let her know that I was going to walk around the mall and would be back by the time she finished. She was cool with that, so I left.
I had the day off today. We got in late last night to New Mexico.
I didn’t have any jobs until tomorrow morning, so I was using today as a free day.
I asked Amina what she wanted to do today, and she told me that she wanted to go to the mall.
That answer didn’t surprise me at all. She didn’t want to go on a shopping spree, but she said that she wanted new pajamas, and shit like that.
We did all of that already, and once she saw that the mall had a nail salon, she wanted to stop there too.
I give her spoiled ass whatever the fuck she wanted.
She even had me in the salon chair, getting a pedicure, and shit too.
Here I was, walking around the mall. I went into a few stores, picking up a few things for myself.
As I was walking, I noticed that there was a Helzberg Diamonds to the right of me.
Big as day. I couldn’t miss that shit. It was right there, and I felt like the sign had somehow become brighter than everything around it.
The letters were glowing even more, trying to demand my attention.
My spirit was talking to me, telling me to take my ass inside that store, and get a ring for Amina.
I’ve been on that truck with her, talking babies, and marriage nonstop.
This had to be some kind of sign. Before I reacted on anything, I stepped away from the store for a little bit, so that I could call my pops.
I knew he wasn’t going to be the one to steer me in the wrong direction, so I walked away, posted up on the wall, and I sat the bags down at my feet.
I went for his number, called him, and he answered on the third ring for me.
“G, what’s up?” he asked.
“Nothing. What you got going on? You busy?” I asked him.
It felt like my heart was racing as I stood here talking to him. This was weird because I’ve never really been the type to get nervous about anything.
“No. I’m headed back to the campus to do my last lecture for the day. What’s going on?” he wanted to know.
I sighed when he asked me that. Sighed, nervously laughed, and picked my hand up, so that I could scratch my head.
“I’m off today. Me, and Amina at the mall.
She’s getting her nails done right now, so I’m by myself.
I just walked by Helzberg Diamonds. Pops, the voices in my head telling me to go in there and get her a ring.
What you think? You think I’m tripping? Tell me something.
I don’t really know what to do,” you could hear my nervousness in the way I was talking.
I could tell that my pops was even surprised that I was nervous because he started laughing.
“Ay, first off, you need to calm the fuck down. You sweating already and you not even standing at the altar. Ain’t no harm in going in there and looking at some rings.
What’s your plan though? You just going to look, or you plan to buy?
If you buy, then what’s the plan after that?
You going to propose soon? Let me know something,” the way he was firing these questions off back-to-back was making me even more nervous.
He just told me to calm down, but he stressed me out even more with the questions that he just asked.
“Man, if I go in there, I ain’t going just to look. I want to purchase a ring. Pops, this my final stop man. I love that girl. I want to get her a ring and ask her to marry me. I already know that’s the plan. I was just calling you to ask you if I was tripping,” I let him know.
“Nah. You not tripping. You being a fuckin man. You being the man that I raised you to be. Real men don’t waste women’s time and allow shit to get dragged out.
You make your mark, put claims on it, and you lead and commit.
You not tripping. You found the one, and your heart is at peace with your decision.
Go buy the ring, son. Call your sister first, so that you can get an idea of the kind of ring that Amina may want.
Don’t just walk your ass in there, and buy some shit because it looks good, and its’ pricy.
Go through Gianna. That’s her best friend, so I’m sure Gianna will know,” he told me.
“Aight. Ima do that,” I said.
“Oh, you need to call Amina’s mama first. Her dad isn’t here, so you can’t go through him to get his blessing. You gotta go through her mama. That’s important. If she gives you her blessing, then go in there and get the ring,” he said.
“Aight. Don’t tell ma. Let me be the one to tell her,” I let him know.
“I got you. I won’t say nothing to your mama. I’m proud of you man. Any man can stick his dick in plenty women, with no desire to ever commit. It takes a real man to find him that one woman, and be about her, and only her. I did well. I raised you well. I love you, man,” he told me.
“I love you too pops,” and after that, I hung the phone up.
I quickly went for my sister’s contact. I dialed her, and she answered on the very last ring.
“Gemini, I’m in a meeting with my staff. Is everything okay? Where’s Amina?” she asked, firing off question after question.
“She good. Why every time I call you, you immediately start thinking the worst?” I asked her.
“I only do that when you randomly call me. We spoke already this morning. You’ll usually call again in the evening. Whenever you switch up your routine, that’s when I get nervous. What’s up?” she wanted to know.
Again, out of nervousness, I picked my hand up and scratched my head. I knew Gianna was going to be very overprotective of Amina. She didn’t play when it came to Amina. The two of them loved each other deeply and were both overprotective of each other.
“I know you and Amina are best friends and ya’ll have ya’ll little girl talk. Has she ever told you what her dream wedding ring is?” I asked, and immediately, her ass screamed in my damn ear. She was so fuckin loud that I had to move the phone away from my ear.
“Ay man, what you got going on?” I shot.
“Gemini, you’re going to propose to her?” she asked me,
“We’re at the mall. I’m standing outside of Helzberg Diamonds.
Amina is on the second floor, getting her nails done.
I already called pops. He told me to follow my heart.
I gotta call her mama next, just to get her blessing.
I’m coming to you because I know she tells you everything, and you know the kind of ring she’ll like.
Pops told me not to just pick up anything just because it’s nice, and flashy.
Do you know? Has she ever told you?” I asked.
Gianna didn’t answer my questions because I could hear her crying on the other end of the phone.
It made all the fuckin sense in the world why her and Amina were best friends.
Both were emotional as hell. Amina cries so much that it’s times I have to ask her if her head ever hurts from all the crying that she does.
She just had a moment this morning on the truck because we saw a dead dog in the middle of the road.
Granted, it was sad, but she carried on like she personally knew the dog.
“Gianna, please bruh. I’m trying to hurry up so I don’t get my ass caught,” I said to her, and through her tears, I could hear her laughing.
“Gemini… I’m sorry. I’m just so happy. My big brother is getting ready to marry my best friend. These are happy tears,” she let me know.
Even though I was pressed for time, and ready to get inside the store to purchase the ring, it did put a smile on my face, hearing my sister tell me that she was happy that it was in my plans to marry Amina.
“Okay. Okay, so yeah I know the kind of ring that Amina wants. We’ve been talking about our wedding rings since we were kids.
Amina likes classic rings. Something that’s intentional.
Not to bring up her ex, but I remember when Jacob proposed.
She was happy, but she told me in confidence that she didn’t like the ring because it was huge.
She felt like he got her the opposite of what she’d told him she liked.
She just wants a simple, elegant ring. Something that isn’t overly loud, and flashy,” she told me.
“She likes nice things though. I would expect her to want a nice ring,” I stated, and that made Gianna laugh.
“Oh, big brother, the ring definitely has to be nice, She just doesn’t want something big, bulky, and something that she could tell you got because of the price tag. You have good taste Gemini, so I know you’ll choose wisely. Send me pictures and videos of the options,” she went on.
“Aight. Don’t tell her shit. I know ya’ll like to get on the phone with each other, and tell each other everything, but don’t even mention it. I’ll fall out with you,” I threatened, and like I was bullshitting her, she laughed.
“Gemini, duh! That’s common sense! I know not to say anything!” she snapped.