Chapter 12
CHAPTER 12
MEKAYLA
I was on a high I couldn’t possibly come down from. Jacob had played a huge role in getting me there. The way his dick had me all lazy and shit didn’t go unnoticed by Jivoni when I picked up LaTee that day. That heifer said, “What kind of therapy yo’ ass been doing?”
I couldn’t help but laugh at her crazy ass. When I told her about Jacob and me, she was in shock. I never mixed business with pleasure. Ever ! I supposed the old cliché was true. There was a first time for everything. My good sense was leaking out of my pussy at this point, because I wanted to pack up and move to Nome because I missed him already, and I’d just seen him two days ago.
That was why I kept my guard up and tried to play hard, though. Once I was in, I was stupid. Jacob had my ass like a na?ve teenaged girl seeing a dick for the first time. I knew I would be introducing LaTee to him really soon, because I just wanted to be near him all the time. Every moment I had alone, I was on the phone with him. I could hear him on that loud ass tractor but still wanted to just sit on the phone with him.
I was already attached. Every therapy session since we’d had sex was filled with passion and lust. It had been a little over two weeks since the first one, and I was sprung like a muthafucka. After I finished cooking breakfast for LaTee, I decided that today would be the day. I would surprise him and take her with me to the diner. It was Saturday, and I believed they had some kind of zydeco breakfast or something there. LaTee would love that.
I wrapped up the breakfast sandwich I’d made for her to eat later and had her get dressed. I needed to see my man. I had a severe case of tunnel vision when it came to him, and I just hoped he didn’t think I was being clingy. As I sat with my thoughts, I realized that was clingy. It was just that whenever I found a piece of joy, I clung to it. I didn’t want it to get away from me.
I lowered my head and played with my nails, debating whether I should even go now. Was I wrong to be so excited? I didn’t know. So instead of surprising him, I decided to text to see if he was busy. It would hurt my heart if I went out there and he didn’t have time for me.
Good morning, baby.
Damn, I just fell into calling him baby all the time. He called me that, but I believed that was just part of the way he talked. I noticed he sometimes called his sister and female cousins baby. That was completely new for me. The only person I called baby was my daughter.
He responded. Good morning, sexy.
My face was so hot. Whenever I read his messages, it was like I could hear him saying it. I could imagine he’d bit his bottom lip and scanned my entire body slowly. I smiled and got to what I really wanted to know. Are you busy today? I was wondering if LaTee and I could visit.
My hand was trembling, and I didn’t know why. If he said no, it would be because he was busy. I knew his family was busy trying to get the town in order. They’d already broke ground on the assisted living slash retirement home they were building. I was wondering if they would also buy out people’s property that couldn’t afford to upgrade their residences to the new codes. His response came through, and I nearly dropped my phone.
Shiiiid, I’m not now. I was supposed to be baling hay but fuck that. What time y’all coming? I’ll get Ace to do it for me since he owes me a favor.
My smile had to cover my whole damn face. He wanted to see me as badly as I wanted to see him. Instead of texting, I decided to call him. He answered on the first ring. “Hello?”
I could hear the machinery turn off in the background right after he answered. “Hey, baby. What are you doing?”
“I had started baling this hay, but shit, I got about ten acres left to do. Whenever y’all are coming, I’ll stop and go take a shower.”
“How’s your ankle?”
“It’s okay. They gave me some antibiotics. The swelling has gone down, but by evening, it still hurts like hell.”
“You may need to see another doctor, baby.”
“Yeah, I know. You got me so damn excited. I get to meet baby girl. This is happening sooner than I thought,” he said, changing the course of our conversation.
“Yeah. I feel so comfortable with you. Jacob… I trust you. That means a lot because I don’t trust anybody, especially not around my baby. I just want you to know how huge this is. You’re my first real boyfriend since she’s been born, and she’s eight. I’m thirty-five years old, and you’re the first man I’ve felt comfortable around in years. Besides Kace and Mister Moses, no one has come close. Please…”
My emotions were about to take me down. I didn’t like being vulnerable in front of people, but Jacob was different. He made me feel so soft… something I had never been allowed or could afford to be. I was falling for him big time. Before I could fully complete my thought, he completed it for me.
“I promise I won’t ever betray your trust, baby. I’m not perfect by a longshot, but I am loyal… faithful to those I love. I’m falling for you, Mekayla. I’m trying to pace myself because I know you need time, but it doesn’t seem I can. Seeing you work through your issues and demons is admirable, and it only makes me want to love you even more. Healing is attractive as fuck, because I’ve had enough trauma my entire fucking life and drama for two lifetimes. You and my daughter bring y’all asses on.”
I burst into tears. Listening to his words had me weak, but him calling LaTee his daughter was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I carried a lot of weight… fucked up baggage. Jacob made me feel like it was okay to drop that shit. All of it seemed to fall like the shackles that fell from the genie’s wrists in Aladdin .
“Don’t cry, baby. Please don’t cry. I’m about to head home and shower. Y’all come on so I can take y’all to the diner to eat and so LaTee can meet her new family. Hell, so you can meet them too. They only know you as my therapist. I need them to know you as my present and as my future. You the only woman for me, baby. Dry your tears, and y’all come on.”
“Okay. See you in about forty-five minutes.”
“A’ight, gorgeous.”
I ended the call and took a deep breath, desperately trying to subdue my emotions. Of course, I wasn’t able to do that before my baby girl joined me in the front room, wearing distressed jeans and a cute top.
“Mama, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I’m extremely happy. That’s all. I’m just happy.”
She glanced around and said, “Oh. I thought you were cooking breakfast.”
“I was. I wrapped it up because I decided I wanted to take you out to breakfast and also to meet someone special to me.”
Her eyebrows lifted. “Who?” she asked somewhat excitedly.
“My boyfriend. His name is Jacob. Are you cool with that?”
She smiled big, just like I was a little while ago. That made my heart feel so good. I knew she longed for a father figure. While she had Kace, he wasn’t hers. He and Keonshay had their own children to tend to, three to be exact. Although they were teenagers and one was almost grown, they were still involved in so many activities. It kept them extremely busy.
“Yes, ma’am! Where does he live?”
“In a little town called Nome, about thirty minutes away. Let me go clean my face so we can go.”
“Okay!”
She had me feeling even more excited. I almost told her that Jacob had called her his daughter, but I decided against that. I wanted their bond to be authentic. If he wanted her to know that, he would tell her. I quickly went to the bathroom and cleaned and moisturized my face then put on lipstick. When I came out, LaTee said, “Okay! I see you!”
I laughed. This little girl was too grown. “You look good yourself, girl! Slay!”
She struck a pose like she was a model, causing me to really laugh. She would be happy to meet Jessica and to know she was a model just like she aspired to be. “Let’s go have fun. Jacob has a big family.”
“Are they nice?”
“Most of them. There is only one that I met that can be rude, but even he is nice at times.”
“I bet you told him off then.”
“Girl, you think you know me.”
We laughed and made our way out to the car. My man was waiting on us. That shit felt good as hell too.
“What’s up, baby?” Jacob asked as soon as he opened the door for me.
He helped me out and kissed my lips then allowed me to lead him around to the passenger side to open the door for LaTee. I’d told her to stay put when we got here. I wanted her to see what a real man was about. I knew Jacob would want to open her door and treat her like the princess she was.
“Hey. We’re both excited about this moment.”
He smiled at me, flashing that sexy ass bottom grill, then opened her door. She stared up at him, her eyes wide as he extended his hand to her. She put her hand in his, and he helped her from her seat. “Hey, LaTee. I’m so happy to finally meet you. You look just like your beautiful mother.”
LaTee smiled big as he closed her door. “Hi, Mister Jacob. It’s nice to meet you too.”
He continued to hold her hand and slid his other arm around my waist, leading us inside. He released me to open the door and lead LaTee inside. When she walked inside, her mouth opened. “Wow! This house is big! Is it yours?”
Jacob chuckled. “Yes, ma’am. You wanna look around?”
“Really? I can?”
“Absolutely!” he said while smiling at me.
He allowed her to lead the tour and ask all sorts of questions. On their way back to the front room where I was, she asked, “Why do you have such a big house if you’re the only one that lives here?”
She sat next to me, and he sat across from us. When his face turned serious, I knew he was about to go there and have me crying all over again. “I want a family one day. I knew I would need a big house so everybody would be comfortable.” He glanced at me, as if asking my permission to continue, and I nodded. “I want y’all to be my family.”
He grabbed her hand as she stared at him. I could see her emotions building. She was just like me… just like I was just like Mercedes. She damn near idolized me. That was why I was extremely careful about the things I said and did in front of her. Mercedes, not so much.
“Umm… you want us to live here?” she asked.
He smiled slightly. “Yeah. Whenever y’all are ready, I’m ready.”
Her skin turned red, and the minute I slid my arm around her, she started crying. She buried her face into me as I did my best to hold my emotions in. Jacob stared at me as he released her hand. His eyebrows were lifted, and he looked as if he were about to apologize. Before he could, LaTee lifted her head and grabbed his hand again.
I lifted my eyes to the ceiling and took deep breaths, desperately clinging to the small amount of restraint and calmness I had inside of me. When I looked back down and saw her kiss his hand, I could no longer contain my emotions. She was so trusting, just like I was as a kid.
“Does that mean you want to be my dad?” she asked through her tears.
Jacob’s skin turned completely red, and I could see the goosebumps that appeared on his arm. He pulled her from her seat and hugged her tightly as he stared at me, trying to keep his emotions at bay as well. LaTee was a beautiful, trusting soul, and I had to protect that innocence as much as I could. I knew she would be this way with Jacob, because I was extremely sensitive and vulnerable around him as well. He just pulled it out of me. She was no different.
When she pulled away from him, she stared into his eyes, awaiting an answer to her question. “I do, but only if that’s something you want, baby girl.”
She threw her arms around him again. God, help me. She was already attached to him and didn’t know a thing about him. As the tears fell from my eyes, Jacob pulled me into his arms with LaTee. “Y’all my girls… my queen and my princess.”
He kissed both our foreheads then asked, “Well, y’all ready to go eat? I’m sure my mama set it off at the diner.”
“Diner?” LaTee asked.
“Yeah. My mama and my aunt own a restaurant here. They’re cooks.”
“Oh! Will it be breakfast?”
“Yes, ma’am, and plenty of music and dancing. They opened about an hour ago, so let’s go join in on the fun. If you feel like there are too many people, just let me know, and we’ll take our food to go.”
LaTee smiled. Jacob would soon learn that our princess loved the limelight. There could never be too many people if she was the center of attention. Jacob smiled at me then stood and pulled me close. I laid my head against him as LaTee smiled. “Mama, y’all look good together.”
“I know we do! You gotta take a picture of us, LaTee. Here, use my phone,” Jacob said as LaTee laughed.
He unlocked it and handed it to her. When she snapped the picture, she stared at it and smiled big. “Mama, you look so happy. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile this big.”
I swallowed hard. This first meeting between her and Jacob was proving to be way more than I expected, but I didn’t regret a single moment. The only thing I could do was pray that this lasted forever. I’d had enough hurt in my life until I was one instance away from giving up on love altogether. I’d put a lot of faith in Jacob, and I could only hope that shit didn’t come back to bite me in the ass.