19. New Beginnings
Mia
A year and a half later
“Mom, why do I have to talk to the judge? You are already my mom and everybody knows. Daddy knows it, Papa and Grandma knows it, Uncle Bryce knows it, Aunt Kindness and Glamour Auntie Stacie knows it...”
I smiled as I brushed Harley’s hair into a high ponytail and bow.
Today, the judge signs off on the adoption papers, but Harley must speak with her first.
“Butterfly, everyone knows you belong to me. But we want it to be legal as well,” I said.
Harley shrugged, mirroring her father when they didn’t stress over things.
As one of the babies whined, she jetted from the room.
Harley had been the biggest help with the twins, Marley and Marcus Jr.
She was my extra hands when my parents weren’t staying over.
I went into labor a few weeks earlier than expected.
For two months, our fraternal twins stayed in the NICU.
It was rough with Marcus still grieving and training camp, but our village showed up.
Stacie was the biggest help of them all, but the team wives and girlfriends stepped in as well.
We pushed back the wedding to after the Elite Bowl, which worked perfectly for Kindness and me.
Last month, on a perfect day in May, I walked down the aisle to my husband.
We were surrounded by family, friends, and teammates.
I turned off the light and walked downstairs to my family sitting on the couch.
Marcus Jr.
kicked his feet and giggled as Harley dangled his binky over his face.
“Tell Mommy I want another round of twins,” Marcus said to our daughter Marley, and she giggled with her hands in her mouth.
A few years ago, I didn’t think this was possible.
I was broken and unwilling to entertain any man.
But a twenty-two-year-old single father entered my life at the right moment.
He blessed me with a daughter, twins, laughter, trust, and sexual freedom.
“We want more,” Marcus said as he bounced our daughter on his leg.
Leaving the courthouse, my heart was on the brink of bursting.
Harley was officially my daughter.
We stood as a family in front of the judge, holding a printed adopted sign.
As Marcus drove, I posted a picture on social media.
One with us as a family, and one of Harley and I, cheek to cheek with the caption saying officially mine.
“And the judge asked how you treated me. And if I wanted you to be my mom?” Harley said from the back seat.
“I told her you were already my mom, and I love you. This was for the legal stuff. I got aunties now and me and Grandma were creating a sunglass business. Grandpa said I can have another pony,” she said.
I peered over at Marcus as he smiled.
He never complained about how my parents spoiled our children.
“And I told her about my plans to be a radio host, doctor and a farmer when I grow up. Grandpa said I’m super smart with a trust fund and I can do anything I wanted to do.”
Every time she meets someone with a cool profession, she adds it to her occupation list.
With the twins asleep, Harley continued to talk.
Since we enrolled her into therapy, my little butterfly came out of her shell.
“I bet Granny was proud today,” Harley said.
“I bet she was, too,” Marcus replied with a hint of sadness.
I kissed his hand for comfort.
A few blocks from home, I received a private message on my social media.
I opened it and my mouth parted.
Thank you for doing what I wasn’t given an opportunity
to do.
I don’t want to cause any trouble.
Please keep posting her milestones.
It’s my way of loving her from a distance.
Don’t tell Marcus.
I know he is upset with me.
If she ever wants to meet me, I’m willing.
She uploaded a picture of her with Harley in the hospital bed.
I clicked her profile to find Sierra Jackson.
She was an accountant living in California with a husband and son.
I peered over the seat to see the similarities between her and Harley.
The high cheekbones and eyes.
I hearted her message and closed out the thread.
“Baby, what is this?” Marcus asked as we pulled into the driveway filled with cars.
A large Congratulations banner swayed with balloons outside our house.
“You know we had to celebrate the adoption. Shouldn’t you still be happy, Mr. Two-time Elite Bowl Champion,” I said to smooth things over.
“Christina!” Harley yelled as Ed’s daughter ran to the car.
Marcus unlocked the door after he heard Harley struggle with the handle.
I stayed on Marcus about connecting with the team, which led to Harley gaining a best friend.
“I’m on a high from you carrying my last name. But you owe me two more kids, Mia Allen. We amping up the sex,” Marcus said.
We exited the car at the same time to retrieve our babies.
An awakened Marley slobbered on her hands and kicked as I removed her from the car seat.
Kissing her cheek, I said in baby talk.
“You want to tell Daddy it’s too late.”
Marcus’s brows pinched together as he lifted Jr.
from his seat.
I shut the door with Marley in hand and walked toward the house.
“Mia!” he screamed, and I continued to move with the knowledge he finally caught on.
“Congratulations,” Kindness said as we hugged each other.
Bryce kissed my cheek and Marley reached for him.
She loved her Uncle Bryce, and he enjoyed rubbing it into Marcus face.
“Marley, he has Sincere right now,” I said as I bounced her up and down.
She continued to reach for Bryce and he gave in, hoisting both babies – for now, at least.
The outdoor patio door being opened allowed for the pool to be visible.
The scent of smoked meat called to my stomach as it lingered in from outside.
“Mia,” Whitney said and extended her arms toward me.
We embraced with warmth.
“Marcus’s strawberry shortcake is in the fridge,” she said.
“You just started an argument between the guys,” I said and we both laughed.
Marcus
“Jr. your momma out here pregnant and ain’t said nothing,” I told my sleeping son.
Making it into the house, I searched for Mia because I need more confirmation about this baby situation.
I knew something was up during the Elite Bowl because I couldn’t shake my headache.
Bryce and I still connected for two touchdowns on the repeat.
Stepping inside our house, it swarmed with people from the living room to the pool.
Bryce was already holding my daughter, Marley, and his daughter, Sincere.
Marley knew her Uncle Bryce’s voice and reached for him on sight.
We both were trying to figure out fatherhood.
I struggled with having a partner this time around, and Bryce didn’t know what the hell he was doing.
Kindness’s stomach was rounding, with them expecting a new baby.
“The girls want to do a sleepover at my house,” Ed said as he approached me and we slapped hands.
“I’m cool with it,” I said as I patted my son’s back.
Being wrong about Ed was something I owned up to.
He showed himself to be a good friend.
Bryce and Mia forced the situation, but I’m grateful they did.
The way Whitney and Stacie took care of Harley with the twins in the NICU pushed me to let my guard down.
“Did your wife bring that strawberry shortcake?” I asked Ed.
“It’s in the fridge. I want a piece,” he demanded.
“Hold on,” I told Ed.
“Whitney, Ed is trying to make me share,” I yelled into the kitchen.
Ed glared at me and I smiled.
“You dirty,” he said.
Whitney appeared from around the corner and stared him down.
He knew better than to ask for the cake she bakes only for me.
I walked over to Mia and handed her Jr.
and kissed Kindness’s cheek.
Sincere reached for me and I removed her from Bryce’s arms.
“You miss your uncle Marcus, don’t you,” I teased.
“They’re both spoiled,” Kindness said.
I’m not sure how it happened but our daughters appeared to love their uncles more.
Bouncing Sincere, I noticed Marley pulling on Bryce’s diamond stud earring.
“Baby, don’t pull on those. Daddy can’t afford to replace them,” I said, and Bryce cackled.
“Didn’t you just get an early extension deal?” Kindness asked and then snickered.
I shrugged before I cackled.
With her being the owner, she made the numbers work to keep Bryce and I together for the foreseeable future.
“Nosey. He spends money on Mia, but not himself,” Bryce said to his wife.
“He better,” Mia said, and I shook my head.
Scanning the room full of lineman eating trays of food, music playing outside, my daughter with her best friend laughing, the twins healthy, I smiled.
This was the livin’ my grandmother wanted for me.
Every day I choose to face my trauma and be better, I was honoring her legacy.
“Give me my baby,” Stacie said, as she pulled my son out of Mia’s arms.
“Well, hi,” Mia said.
“You were a wrap when my babies were born,” Stacie said, and Kindness laughed.
Surprising both women, Stacie stepped up, helping with the kids.
“Your momma put you to sleep because she knew I was coming. She is jealous of our bond,” Stacie whispered to Jr.
as he rested his head on her shoulder.
Mia rolled her eyes as Kindness cackled.
“Family!” Roundtree yelled from the front door, eating a sandwich.
“How you eating before you get to the BBQ?” Ed asked.
Roundtree approached us, and we slapped hands.
I followed his eyes to Stacie, which soon grabbed the attention of Bryce.
“Stacie, we need to talk, as in now!” Roundtree requested, and we glared in his direction.
I knew it was going to come back and bite him.
“Stacie!” Mia and Kindness screamed, and she rolled her eyes, walking away with my son.
“Stacie!”