Chapter 31 Perfect
Perfect
Nickoi pauses the game. The screen freezes.
“Zara… come yer,” he says, voice low. I turn from the mirror, the pen still in my hand.
I was writing the last bit of our reunion yesterday in my journal.
I close the book and walk over to him. I sit next to him, eyes flicking to the paused Need for Speed game, then back at him.
He looks serious. His hand rubs the edge of his shorts.
“I’m sorry ‘bout yesterday,” he says. I watch him for a second.
“What exactly you sorry for?”
He hesitates. “The way mi talk to yuh. The way mi act… mi did… outta line yuh know?” I nod slowly, the weight of his words settling in the space between us.
“So…” I start, biting the inside of my cheek. “When yuh seh yuh woulda lick mi inna mi mouth, did yuh mean it?” His eyes meet mine.
“No,” he says, no hesitation. “Mi never mean it. I was just… Jah know.” I tilt my head slightly, watching his face, trying to read him deeper.
“Be honest, Nickoi. Would you ever hit mi?” He exhales hard through his nose, then speaks softer.
“You notice mi never dweet? Mi vex, yeah. But mi coulda never bring miself fi hurt yuh. Not in that way.” He pauses.
“Mi nah cross certain line. Mi never grow up fi be that kinda man, mi a try everyday to not be my father, at least not in that way.” I nod, feeling something in my chest loosen.
He continues, “It nuh mean mi right still… but mi sorry, and mi a go do better. Compose miself more. Not just fi me, but fi you… and wi youth dem.” I glance down at my nude nails, the ones Wendy did yesterday. I smile a little.
.
“Mi love these,” I say randomly. “Longest I’ve gone in my short nails journey.”
He finally smirks. “Dem look good.” I smile back, just a little.
“Mi accept yuh apology,” I tell him. “I just… I just needed to ask.”
“Mi understand,” he says. “Yuh have every right.”
I lie back on the bed and Nickoi shifts next to me, resting his head gently on my belly. I run my fingers through his hair as he rubs my bump. “Which one you think a go prefer me?” he asks, voice soft.
“Obviously the boy,” I say with a small smile.
He laughs. “Let’s see,” he says, rubbing again and the baby moves under his hand. He grins. “Why mi feel like a mi mini-me a gwan so?” Mi feel a him yes.
“Mi think so too,” I laugh, and he lets his hand drift down to my thighs. I ignore it, staying focused. “Mi nuh know why, but mi feel like him a go be really rude.”
Nickoi chuckles. “Me too.”
“Cause he’s gonna be like daddy?” I smile, teasing him. He smirks, getting off the bed.
“Maybe enuh.”
“Him a go stress me,” I say, laughing nervously. He bursts out laughing.
“Come mek we get ready fi the baby shower.”
“What time is it?” I ask, letting him help me off the bed. He checks his watch.
“Soon. A 3:15 now. It start 4:00,” he says, and I nod.
As I grab my towel and start heading to the bathroom, something new catches my eye across the room.
I pause, walk over to it, and gently pull the soft cloth off.
My hand flies to my mouth. It’s the belly cast, framed and lined with mosaic rose-gold tiles, shaped perfectly into the curve of my bump and bust. The trim glitters around it, catching the light in little flashes like diamonds.
Bright pink, white, and blue flowers bloom from the corners, some big and soft like fabric, others spiraled tight like roses.
It look like something rich people hang in dem nursery.
“Mi love this!” I gasp, eyes wide as I step closer. I trail my fingers gently over the smooth mirrored pieces, catching little glimpses of my reflection between each triangle. The rose-gold shimmer, the delicate curves, it’s flawless. This must have cost him a lot. Because it look damn good.
“Nickoi, mi love the belly cast,” I say, grinning over my shoulder, only to see him mid-call, phone to his ear. Oh. Still, he looks up the second I speak, eyes meeting mine. I point at the cast and he gives me a nod and a small smile.
“Soon talk to yuh,” he mouths, and I nod back.
“Arite… mi a go bathe,” I say softly, still smiling as I disappear into the bathroom, heart feeling just a little more full.
***
I take out the necklace Nickoi gave me in October and smile to myself. It still looks brand new. It feels like just yesterday he gifted it to me, and now it’s back in my hands after our little reunion. “Babe?” I call, watching him through the mirror.
He’s on the edge of the bed, tying the lace on his brown desert Clarks. Dark brown blazer, matching pants, light brown shirt underneath. He looks good… not even a guh lie. The man look sharp enuh, talk choot Zara. He glances up while adjusting his pants, which already look damn perfect to me.
“Wah’m, Mami?”
I hold up the necklace. “Clip this for me, please.” He gets up, walks over, and gently takes it from my hand.
I watch him through the mirror as he steps behind me and clips it in place.
Unuh look nice eeeh. I smile at the two of us, minimal makeup, with my favorite lip combo.
The dress I’m in, is an off-shoulder, flowy, floor-length gown in a mocha brown color.
It has puffed sleeves and a high slit on one side, showing off the leg.
My slides gold. Clova came earlier and gave me a new hairstyle, Burmese curls with cornrows at the front.
Nickoi hired a celebrity planner who helped him decide on the nude and white theme.
Of course, him nah go use no pink and blue. That’s not him.
“Been a while since mi see this,” he says, eyes still locked on me. He cocks a brow and kisses my shoulder, then lingers at my neck, breathing me in. Chillsss. I close my eyes, holding on to that moment for a second longer.
When I open them again, I whisper, “You done put it on?”
“Yah,” he says, and when I check, sure enough, it’s fastened. I smile, spraying on my Chanel for the hundredth time before he heads to the door. Impatient as usual.
“Yuh ready? We late enuh,” he says.
I take one final look at myself. “Yeah.” We head out, and I wave to Joe before sliding into the back of Nickoi’s matte brown Range Rover, another one of his cars I didn’t even know about. It’s cold inside. AC clearly been running.
“It chilly in here,” I whine.
He chuckles, reaching over to adjust it. “Mi a deal with it fi yuh.” I glance at him again. The man just… ugh. Rich. Sharp. Dangerous. Sexy. All in one.
“Ready?” he asks. I nod, and he hands me a chocolate covered strawberry latte. Ouuu, I was just craving this.
“A weh yuh get this?” I ask, sipping. He treats me from time to time, he knows as long as it’s under 200 milligrams, I’m good. It’s not like I’m chugging energy drinks. Just a little comfort in a cup.
“Mi buy it this morning, put it in the fridge,” he says like he read my mind.
“Thanks, babe.” He nods, honking the horn aa he drives pass Joe.
I pull out my phone and open the camera, zooming in on Nickoi as he drives, right hand on the wheel, left arm resting, plaits caught back neat.
Damn. Him fine fine. Regardless of this Don lifestyle.
I save the video, caption it ‘baby daddy’ and send it to my close friends.
Then I record myself, post two snaps, and put the phone away when we reach.
He helps me out the car. “Thanks,” I say.
As we walk, I hear loud chattering behind the doors.
I knew the theme of the baby shower, but I had no clue what the decor looks like.
So this part is about to be a surprise. Nickoi speaks to two men in tuxedos, then turns to me.
“Hope you like it,” he says, pushing the door open.
The sound of Bruno Mars’ Leave the Door Open spills out…
and my mouth forms an O. White tufted sofas.
Blush roses. Massive cream and caramel balloons tied to plush teddy bears floating midair.
Green moss teddy bears on one side. Balloon walls stretching high under a crystal chandelier.
It looks like a page out of a designer magazine.
This… is perfect. This looks professional and different… Definitely what Nickoi is going for.
“Mi love this,” I whisper, hugging him briefly before we step forward. I smile at everyone as they greet us. The room is filled with friends and family dressed in coordinated nude tones, some blending it with white. My smile stretches wider. I love this vibe. Just friends. Just family. No drama.
“Look at my daughter and my son,” mommy says as she hugs us tightly. Aww.
“Hey, you good?” Nickoi asks her.
“Yes, mi bwoy,” she beams. She’s in a nude and white dress with a shoulder length brown wig. The curls kinky. Honestly, she looks really good.
“You look great, Mommy,” I tell her.
“Thanks, baby… but I wonder if you see how nice you look. The two a unuh,” she says, gesturing to both me and Nickoi.
“Respect enuh, Ms. Michelle,” Nickoi smiles warmly.
“Thanks, Mommy,” I echo before she kisses my cheek and touches Nickoi’s hand, floating away to greet more people. I was about to ask for Mama when I spot her across the room, chatting with Nicki. Okay… Good.
“Deh dolly yah in a different category enuh, nuh true?” Sash’s voice sings out, and I spin into her arms. She rocks us gently and Gavin’s beside her, grinning.
“Sash,” I beam. They’re both dressed in nude graffiti tops, white pants, and brown shoes, drippy but classy. Everybody’s showing up proper. I give them both compliments and chat for a while before moving through the rest of the guests.
“I feel so special because these babies remind me of us,” Janel grins then Jor agrees, saying ‘‘No joke.”