Chapter 20 #2
“You have her number?” he asks and she laughs.
“Is that a problem?” she counters, still laughing at the incredulity in his tone.
“Nah… No, of course not. My family is your family. I just didn’t know y’all talked like that,” he says.
As he speaks, he nods, internally approving of the woman he loves having a relationship with his mom.
Things with Debrah and Charis were merely cordial, no real bond or relationship beyond him or Quise.
“She gave me her number at the beach house before they left; so I called and asked about the sausage. She told me where she ordered hers from and I ordered too. I have a case in the freezer. I might try her red beans recipe one day.”
“You master that, you might fuck around and get pregnant,” he says before kissing her neck again. When he does, he notices how frigid her body gets. She stiffens in his arms and something in him doesn’t like it. “You good?” he asks.
“Um…ye-yeah,” she stumbles out, honestly surprised at her reaction to him mentioning pregnancy. He wants kids with me?
“You sure? ’Cause you just got stiff as a board.”
“I don’t know why I just did that,” she says while slowly shaking her head. “You want to have kids?”
“Yeah, I do. I love Quise and he is mine but I’ve always wanted more children. You don’t?” he asks.
This answer deserves his full attention, so after cutting off the grill pan, she turns the grits down to simmer and places a napkin over the bowl of eggs. Then she turns to face him and steps forward, causing him to back away from the stove.
“I stopped considering what I wanted a long time ago. It didn’t matter any way,” she begins somberly. “Growing up the way I did, I just learned that dreams don’t always come true so I stopped dreaming. I stopped wanting.” Her head drops and she shrugs. “It’s just how it is.”
He places his hand under her chin and lifts her head.
“Not anymore. Dream all you want and tell me about them so I can make them come true,” he says, as if it’s that easy.
Life has taught her that it’s anything but, so she merely shrugs again.
“Sunjiya, bae, I’m serious. Whatever you want, tell me and I’ll do what I need to make that shit happen,” he says with so much surety she feels it under her damn skin. “Tell me.”
“I want babies. I want the perfect family—two kids, a boy and a girl—with my man, their dad. I want to pack lunches for school. I want to take them school shopping then summer clothes shopping during the break. I want a big ass Christmas tree filled with too many presents underneath for them. I want to paint and hide eggs for Easter for my babies. I want to pop popcorn and make hotdogs so my family can veg out in the living room watching movies until my kids fall asleep. I want their dad, my husband, to carry their sleepy little bodies to bed. I want to spoil and love them too much. I want it all. I want everything I never had as a child,” she admits, letting her heart’s desires fly out.
“Anything else? Give me something hard,” he says, as if what she just detailed is minor. A huge ass smile spreads across her pretty face.
While grinning and shaking her head, she asks, “How can I love you any more?”
“I don’t know but it’ll be fun watching you figure that out.” After pulling her into him, he adds, “I’m serious though. We can have everything you just said. I’ll make sure it happens plus more.”
“And if you do all of that, what do I do?”
“Just love me and be honest,” he admits and her heart stops for a brief moment.
Honest.
I’m honest with my feelings for him, she rationalizes as thoughts of her twin flood her mind. Ending their childish game of switching is the best decision she ever made. He will only have me.
“That’s all I need,” he says before kissing her lovingly. “Tonight, let me take you on a date. We gotta start somewhere.”
“I’ll go wherever you want to take me,” she admits.
Since Sunjiya loves seafood, prior to reaching the final destination for their date, Akeem makes a stop.
When he turns on West Gibson, she gets an idea of where he’s headed but because she hasn’t been in Austin too long, so she isn’t positive.
However, the minute he pulls into the parking garage, she knows exactly where they are and her excitement can’t be contained.
It’s immediately followed by questions when she looks down at her distressed and ripped jeans and one-shouldered graphic crop top.
“Perla’s? Why did you tell me to be casual and comfortable? You know I can’t wear this in there?” she stresses.
Totally ignoring her excited state, he leaves his truck running, leans over the console, grabs the back of her neck, and kisses her. “It’s a good thing you ain’t going inside,” he says with a smirk before getting out.
“Akeem,” she calls out but he doesn’t answer.
All she can do is smile. Deep down, she knows whatever he has planned is going to be incredible.
He’s been close-lipped about the date since he mentioned it this morning and she’s fine.
After his words to her, their beautiful breakfast on the patio, and the way he demonstrated his love for her by pleasing every centimeter of her body in the living room and their bedroom, she has no doubts about this date.
Today has been beautiful, so naturally, tonight will be perfect.
The only threat to perfection is the tiny voice in her head screaming loudly. Honesty is yelled over and over. Although she’s trying hard to silence the unwanted noise, she has been less than successful.
All he wants is my love and honesty.
Can my love overshadow my lack of complete honesty?
Does it count that my whole truth would only hurt him?
My love is real, raw, and completely honest. Can I make that enough?
If not, can he still love me if he knows the entire truth?
Of all the thoughts plaguing her mental, the last one is the loudest and scariest. It’s the one that keeps her quiet. Losing Akeem isn’t an option; the thought alone cripples her. After experiencing a love like his, she can’t imagine not having it in her life. It’s not a conceivable option.
The vibration of her cell pulls her from her thoughts, so she removes it from her tote. She immediately regrets it when she sees the preview of the text on her screen. There has been no contact from her twin sister since Antigua.
“Shit,” Sunjiya sighs before looking around for Akeem. When she doesn’t see him returning to the truck, she opens the text.
305-392-1311: Since you are using my name, how are you celebrating our birthday?
It takes Sunjiya a minute to determine if she should respond.
Her sister’s slick ass, condescending tone is loud and clear.
Plus, her birthday hadn’t even crossed her mind.
For the past two years, she hasn’t celebrated it anyway.
It wasn’t a day she treasured. On her born day, she had been given away.
She could count on one hand the number of years her day was even acknowledged, and lastly, the last time she celebrated, she’d met Marcelin.
Celebrating her birthday is the last thing on her mind and getting drawn back in with her twin is the next to the last thing.
No contact is best for them. It has to be all or nothing because any inch given to her twin always converts to a mile and Sunjiya can’t risk her past or lies interfering with here and now.
She deletes the message and places her cell back into her tote.
Her timing is perfect, because not even a minute later, Akeem opens the back door and places two, large, white to-go bags on the floor.
The umami smells fill the truck instantly and her damn mouth waters.
“You did get Perla’s,” she gushes when he slides into the driver’s seat.
“We have to eat on our date,” he tells her.
“Now I’m really curious about where we’re going,” she admits.
“We’re close.”
“How close?” she asks but he doesn’t answer. Her excitement amuses him and he really wants to keep it a surprise until they actually make it to the spot. Akeem backs out of the parking spot and exits the garage. Five minutes later, he pulls next to a parking meter. “Where are we?”
“The parking is limited. We have to walk a little. You cool with that?”
“Yes. I’m just ready to see where we’re going,” she says eagerly.
He gets out and opens her door then grabs a small duffle from the trunk before grabbing the food bags. After latching her arm around his free one, Akeem leads them to their destination, a river-like reservoir on the Colorado River, deep in central Austin.
Lady Bird Lake is a popular recreation spot open to the public.
He’s surprising her with a dinner boat ride on one of the popular retro boats.
When they pass the park and walking areas to reach the dock, Sunjiya’s eyes widen at the sight of the different boats.
Aside from several small retro boats, there are also huge cruiser boats for large parties.
“Are we going on a boat ride?” she asks.
“We’re taking Edith,” he tells her before leading her over to a rare 1958 dull light green retro, electric Glass Slipper boat.
Of the retro boats, it’s the most eclectic looking and rarest. Only about twenty Glass Slippers were made in total between 1958 and 1959.
This one has been restored and is fully operable.
Sunjiya’s excitement is contagious and he finds himself smiling along with her as she rushes toward the boat.
When they reach it, a tall man walks over and confirms Akeem’s identity.
After Akeem places the duffle and food bags on the back seat of the four-seater boat, the man gives a quick and brief intro of the boat’s operations and rules.
“Edith is electric, equipped with life jackets under the back seats, GPS, two paddles, an anchor, horn, and lights. The key is tricky. It’s magnetic.
Now, if it falls off the throttle, just place the handle in neutral, and insert the orange key where it fits like a puzzle,” he says and Sunjiya’s eyes get big.
“We’re driving it?” she questions.
“Yes. It’s easy, and because it’s electric, it doesn’t go over five miles per hour,” the man assures her.
Then, he hands Akeem a laminated piece of paper.
“This map is for shallow areas and boundaries, but if you just stay close to the middle of the lake, you’ll be fine.
It also has my number, just in case. You have two hours to enjoy yourself and the beautiful views of downtown,” he adds before dropping the tricky key into Akeem’s hand.
The moment he walks off, Sunjiya wraps her arms around Akeem. “This is so beautiful and sweet. Thank you,” she gushes before kissing him passionately.
“You ready?”
“Yes! Can I drive too?”
“You want too?”
“Yes. You can drive out and I’ll drive back. I at least want to try. The boat is so cute,” she says before kissing him again.
“We can do that,” he says before helping her into the boat.
Once she’s situated in the front passenger seat, he eases into the driver’s seat. The key isn’t as tricky as the man said but it’s definitely magnetic. It slides in easily and Akeem starts the boat. When it starts to hum, Sunjiya places her hand on his leg and simpers.
“This is going to be perfect.” She sighs as she takes in the fresh night air, quiet still water, and the backdrop of downtown. “I want to eat right in the middle of the lake. The lights from the buildings can set the mood.”
“I got you,” he says before pulling away from the dock.
The ride is slow, steady, and perfect. Between the smooth ride of the boat on the still water, the dark sky illuminated by city lights, and him, Sunjiya is in heaven on earth.
It looks and feels like a scene from a romantic movie, and to enhance that, another boat a few feet from them across the water plays music.
The smooth melodic voice of the R&B singer Yara can be heard.
“You hear that?” Sunjiya asks.
“Yeah. I think I know that song,” he says as he drops the anchor. They’ve made it to the middle of the lake.
“I know all the days won’t be perfect,” Sunjiya sings along softly. “It’s Yara’s remake of ‘Can You Stand the Rain’. I love her voice.”
“Yeah. That New Edition classic.”
“What you know about New Edition?” she teases.
“They helped me out a few nights. Girls of all ages love them. A candle and New Edition was player,” he says and she laughs. “C’mere,” he tells her and she gladly climbs over the armrest between them and straddles him. “See it worked again,” he says, then smirks.
“What?”
“’Can You Stand the Rain’. It’s playing and it’s got you over here all over me.”
Smiling, clearly amused, she says, “You said New Edition, not the song.”
“Same thing. Just kiss me,” he says.
When their kiss breaks, she lovingly stares at his handsome face then runs her fingers through his trimmed beard.
Yara continues to provide the soundtrack to their moment, and when she asks about weathering a storm, Sunjiya’s situation comes to the forefront of her mind.
Without thinking, it partially falls off her lips.
“Can you weather a storm?” she asks.
“What, bae?” he counters, unsure if he understands her question and seeming change in mood.
“Weather a storm. Like the song says. Through the good and bad times, will you be here?”
“Of course. Always,” he assures her. “Always.”
“Okay. Okay,” she says, nodding. Then, she kisses him again, slowly and lovingly. “Please don’t ever stop loving me,” she whispers, almost too low for him to hear.
“I promise I won’t.” A gush of wind sweeps across the lake and her wild, natural hair covers her face. After he pushes her hair back, he asks, “You ready to eat?”
“I am, and if you have their seared scallops in that bag, I might have to do some things on this boat.” She squints as she runs her tongue across her bottom lip sexily then asks, “What’s in the bag?” A knowing and salacious smile spreads across his face. “My scallops,” she gushes.