Chapter 20 Ghana
The Wedding
I had been staring at the test results for almost ten minutes. Autumn sat to the left of me, Kenzi sat across from us, and baby Nizara was in her carrier, kicking her chunky legs and making spit bubbles on my right.
We were in Kenzi’s dressing room at The Garden House while she, Autumn, Willow, and Weslei got ready for the wedding.
Since we got the test results that morning, I had been trying to ease the tension I felt inside.
As bad as I didn’t want to believe it, Nizara was indeed mine.
I knew from her looks alone that she belonged to me, but I just needed confirmation.
She didn’t carry the mole trait like we did, but I guess it could skip a generation.
I hadn’t even held her yet, but Kenzi and the ladies had been gushing over her since Kaylani dropped her off to me this morning. I looked over at her and set the paper down.
This is your baby, nigga. Let go of the bullshit and give her the love she deserves.
I reached inside the carrier and lifted her out. I could feel everyone’s eyes on me as I cradled her in my arms. I looked into her big brown eyes, and when she smiled at me as if she was waiting for this moment, I broke down and pressed my lips to her forehead.
“I’m here now, princess. I promise to try for you,” I whispered to her. She grabbed my beard and pulled my shit hard as hell and slapped me in the face while laughing. I surmised it was payback for what I did to her at the hospital.
“Oop, she’s a violent one!” Mrs. Sonya exclaimed, laughing as she entered the room with Taylor and another woman trailing behind her.
“Don’t say that, Mama Sonny,” I said, calling her by the new name I gave her.
“It’s okay, Ghana. God knows what He’s doing. This should be refreshing for you. You get to see just how good a father you can be. Let go of those fears, baby boy. Nobody’s perfect, and you’re going to be the best father to this little angel.”
“You think so?”
“I know so.”
“She’s right, brother. You’re going to slay this fatherhood thing . . . and be the best uncle ever in about seven more months.” She giggled and rubbed her stomach.
“No way!” Willow exclaimed. “Ah! Finally!”
“Oh my God! Congratulations, bestie!” Autumn wrapped her arms around her. “I guess that makes two of us.”
My head snapped over to her, and I frowned. “What?” I asked. “You pregnant?”
She nodded with a big smile on her face. “I was going to wait to tell everyone after the wedding because I didn’t want to steal my bestie’s shine, but I missed my period . . . twice.”
“What the fuuuck?” I dragged, feeling myself getting over-fucking-whelmed.
“Language, Ghana,” Mama Sonny reprimanded.
“Excuse me if I just got punched in my shit with this information, Mama Sonny.”
“You’re not happy?” Autumn asked solemnly.
“I-I mean, hell yeah, but . . . an almost two-year-old, an almost one-year-old, and a newborn? How the hell are we ’bout to do this shit, Ros?”
“You’re going to do it, and she’s going to help you,” Mama Sonny said, pointing to the lady who stood quietly behind her, smiling.
“This is Nona Wiseman from Helping Hands. She’s y’all new nanny.
I already did a background check and hired her yesterday because I knew this weekend would be a little busy, and I wanted to get you all some help for Taylor.
But I see there is another precious gem in the mix, and now I know I made the right decision.
” She turned to Nona. “This is my daughter, Autumn, and her hopefully, real soon, husband, Ghana.”
“Pleasure to meet you both. I don’t want to take up too much time on Mrs. Kenzi’s special day, but we can sit down and talk after everything is over.”
“That would be perfect. Thank you, Nona,” Autumn said.
Mama Sonya smiled at me. “Okay, we’re going to take the babies and see you guys after the wedding.”
“Gha-Gha,” Taylor said, reaching for me. I shifted Nizara to my left arm and received Taylor in my right. “Baby,” she said, pointing to Nizara.
I smirked. “Yeah, pretty girl. Your baby sister.”
“Siter,” she repeated. I kissed her forehead and Nizara’s, then handed them over to Mama Sonny and Nona.
They left the room, and I turned to Autumn.
I yanked her over to me and drove my tongue into her mouth.
I could tell she was caught off guard, but she leaned into the kiss and wrapped her arms around me.
“Can y’all, like, get a room and get out of mine?” Kenzi asked while the ladies and glam team snickered.
“That’s the same thing we be saying when you and Mekai be sucking faces in front of us,” Weslei said.
I ignored them and pulled away, looking into Autumn’s eyes. “You got some explaining to do, Lucy.”
“I got you, Ricky.” She pressed her forehead to mine.
“I don’t know how we’re about to do this shit, but I’m wit’ it,” I said.
“We got this, baby,” she affirmed.
“Twenty minutes, Ms. Kenzi,” the coordinator announced.
“Let me go check on my homies.” I pecked Autumn’s lips. “See you out there, Baby Sis. I’ll be waiting to walk you down the aisle.”
“See you, Brother. I love you.”
I winked at her. “Love you more, my baby.”
Three Days Later . . .
We had been in Accra, Ghana, for two days now. While Kenzi and Autumn slept to catch up on the time zone, Ruger and I rented motorcycles and rode through the city. Everything about Africa was dope—from the food, to the people, and the culture.
Shit was a whole vibe.
When we touched down, I got a call from Kaylani, telling me that Nichelle had committed suicide. She told me they found her body in a hotel a few miles from where they lived, with a note saying she couldn’t take living anymore.
I didn’t know how to feel about that, but I knew I wasn’t going to dwell on that shit.
Nichelle made her choice—a bad choice, no less, which ultimately led her to end her life.
I knew it sounded bad, but I’d rather have her be dead than to be living on this earth, leaving her daughter behind as if she didn’t exist. Either way, she was selfish as fuck for doing it, reminding me that she was no better than Ashanti, and I dodged a bullet with her ass.
I did, however, send them money for her funeral arrangements, and would take Nizara there to say her final goodbyes.
Since I couldn’t sleep, Ruger agreed to come with me to find a bike shop and decided to go for an evening ride. This nigga swore he was faster than me and was trying to show out by popping wheelies until I showed his ass up, doing some tricks of my own.
We ended up at the beach, just sitting on the bikes and watching the sun go down.
I didn’t know how to feel, being here.
I wanted to keep cool, knowing that we were here to celebrate my sister and Ruger, but my mind kept wandering to seeing Ashanti after all these years. I didn’t know what I’d do, seeing her face, hearing her voice, or her damn excuses.
“Shit crazy, Ru. I feel like I’m in a fucking twilight zone.
From Nich and her bullshit, the nigga Nico coming for me, then the baby actually being mine.
I’m about to have another baby. Then I’m here, in fucking Africa, about to see a woman who made my life a living hell.
Like, the Big Homie gotta be playing wit’ me, man. ”
Ruger chuckled. He didn’t speak right away. It was something he always did when he was choosing his words carefully.
“You want to know the beauty of all of this, though?”
“What?”
“You got a woman who loves you and cares about your mental state. Not only did she come with a baby of her own, but you’ve been doing yo’ shit with her for months, treating Taylor like she came from your loins.
The Big Homie ain’t playing games with you, man.
He’s telling you that no matter what you think of yourself, He sees the best in you and knows you got this shit.
As far as ya moms, your sister had to help me through a similar situation.
I have no doubt Autumn gon’ get you right through this situation with yours. ”
I nodded. “She really do keep me calm, man. I always said God put her in my path through Kenzi. He definitely sent a nigga a lifeline when I felt myself drowning.”
“Take that with you, fam. When you get ya answer, think of the good shit that’s been happening around you. Don’t even focus on why she did what she did. It starts with forgiveness, Grue. You could have been worse off, but you kept ya head for your sister, and look at you now.”
I smirked. “I gotta give props to you too, Ru. You really helped me focus when I was all over the place. Even after Mr. T died, you were the next person I looked up to. So, I agree. The Most High has definitely been looking out for a nigga.”
“Indeed.” He held his fist out, and I gave him a pound.
“You got this shit, Ghana.”
Nigga never called me by my real name, so I knew he was serious.
“Appreciate you, my baby,” I said as we continued to watch the sun set.
Kenzi and I sat in the rental car, looking at Ashanti Abara's home.
We had been sitting outside of her house for over thirty minutes, and I had already gone through two blunts.
“I don’t know if I can do this shit, Sis.”
“You got this, Ghana. We need to close this chapter of our lives, no matter how much it hurts. Let that shit bleed so it can heal.”
I sighed. “Fuck it. Let’s do this.”
We climbed out of the car and walked up to the house. Her shit was laid, and I had to wonder how she could live so comfortably without her fucking kids.
Kenzi rang the doorbell, and we waited with my heart beating fast in my chest. The locks twisted, and a woman appeared. She looked younger than Ashanti should look but older than Kenz and me.
“Naweza kukusaidia?” (Can I help you?)
“Tuo hapa kuona, Ashanti,” (We’re here to see, Ashanti) Kenzi said.
“Wewe ni nani?” (Who are you?)
“Wake Watoto,” (Her children) Kenzi replied. The woman looked at us with wide eyes, then held up a finger, telling us to wait. I popped a piece of gum in my mouth, something Autumn had me do when I felt myself getting anxious.