Chapter 19 #2
After we finished getting ready, Ciara and I left for what I thought would be dinner, but when we pulled into a parking spot, I looked around, confused because I didn’t see a restaurant anywhere around.
“Ciara, where are we at, and why are we here?”
“Because I wanted to take pictures before we go eat.”
“Pictures? Couldn’t we have taken pictures at the restaurant?”
“Yes, but it wouldn’t have been as pretty as here. This is the Botanical Garden, and it’s so beautiful in there. We already dressed up, so we might as well go get a good few flicks.”
“A few flicks and that’s it. I’m hungry.”
“Girl, you don’t want to talk about hungry, and I’m starving five minutes after I eat. Come on and stop fussing. Tonight, we're just going with the flow.”
“Yes, ma’am. I’m going to stop and enjoy myself. Come on, girl.”
I put on one last swipe of lipstick, tossed it into my purse, and got out of the car.
I made sure, on our walk up to the front entrance, to text my mama and check on my baby.
Everybody talks about velcro babies, but nobody ever mentions velcro moms, because every time I’m away from her, even when I know she’s fine, this feeling of dread creeps into my chest. She’s a part of the reason I don’t care to go out, because babies can’t come into the clubs.
Ciara paid for our admission to get inside the garden, and we started down the path where the artwork was displayed. We held hands the whole time, until she let mine go and stopped walking all of a sudden.
“What are you doing, Ci? Are you okay? Is it your water?”
“No girl, I’m good. You just need to walk around this corner ahead of me, and I’ll fall back.”
“What do you mean, walk ahead of you? Let’s walk together.”
“No, you go first, best friend. Trust me. Don’t you trust me?” Ciara seemed choked up as she held her hand across her chest.
“Of course, I trust you, Ciara.”
“Well then, go. Walk that way, P.”
“Okay, I’m going, I’m going.”
I walked ahead of her, still confused, but my friend was right, and I did trust her with my whole heart.
The first thing I noticed when I turned around the corner was the bouquets of flowers lining the pathway, one after another, pulling me even further in a way.
“Is this for me? Did you do this for me, Ciara?”
“It is definitely for you, but I didn’t do it. Just keep walking.”
I listened to her, following the path until I reached the end, where lights glowed so bright the figure at the end of the pathway looked like just a shadow until I focused in.
“Oh my God! Are you serious!” I screeched seeing that it was Crew standing there with a white linen suit on, a pair of gold framed glasses, and a bouquet of flowers in his hand.
I covered my mouth as I tried to catch my breath because my heart was racing while my mind struggled to catch up with what my eyes were seeing.
“Crew, what the hell?”
I walked toward him, still half convinced I was dreaming.
“What are you doing here? Did you escape?”
He chuckled as he took me into his arms, chains glistening and he smelled so damn good.
“Nah, I didn’t escape Pretty P. I didn’t want you to know in case shit didn’t work out, but months ago, the prosecutor on my case was caught being dirty and all his cases from the past couple of years got overturned.
His court cases, witnesses, and everything came back fraudulent, so the state was forced to drop my case and conviction. ”
“Baby, what! How long have you been out?”
“Two days, but I knew your birthday was coming up, and I wanted to surprise you today.”
“Fuck a surprise, I would’ve taken seeing you any day of the year?”
I playfully punched him in the chest.
“Well, I am going to make it up to you, trust me. It’s been killing me being out and not being with y’all, and now I’m ready to see that bad baby y’all keep lying about. I know my baby is an angel.”
“She is, but she still has her bad moments. She’s so fuckin cute, though, Crew, but she gets it from someone I know.”
I reached up and touched his face, rubbing over the skin I’d missed touching every single day he was on the inside.
His hair was soft, his skin smooth, everything about him felt familiar in a way that made my chest ache.
He was so tall that I had to grab the back of his neck and pull his head down just to kiss him, and stand on my tiptoes to reach his lips.
I, however, wouldn’t have it any other way.
“You’ve made this the best birthday I’ve ever had, Crew. I always thought I needed presents to have a good birthday, but this time all I needed was your presence instead.”
He smiled, softly, then stepped back from my embrace, suddenly dropping down to one knee.
“Crew?”
My heart started racing before my mind could catch up.
“How about you have my presence in your life forever?”
My throat tightened instantly. Was he really about to? No this can't be.
“P, the time I spent away from you and Amira was the worst part of being locked up. But the way you held me down, took care of my daughter, and kept everything together meant a lot to me. I can’t ever see myself caring about or loving anybody the way I love you now.
There was a time when I didn’t know shit about being a man or a father, and I am still no expert, but I’m willing to learn every day to be better for y'all. Pernelle, you accept me for who I am, and I trust you with my heart. I’m all in, baby, and I don’t want you to ever have to question that shit again for as long as we live. ”
“Crew, you’re going to make me cry.”
I covered my mouth, but it was too late. Tears were already spilling, ruining the makeup I put on for today.
“So, baby mama, Pernelle, Pretty P, will you marry me?”
“Yes. Of course, I will, baby. You know I will.”
I jumped in place, unable to contain myself, while he slid the ring onto my finger. The diamond was massive, heavy, and real, but it was the least of my worries. I leaped into his arms, kissing his lips over and over, praying on the inside that I wouldn’t wake up from this dream.
While my eyes were closed, I noticed flashing lights on us but I didn't stop kissing my baby.
When Crew set me down, and I turned around I saw that Hov, Ciara, a photographer, my brother, and his little girlfriend were all standing, smiling and cheering us on.
“All of y’all knew about this. Even you, Princeton?”
Princeton nodded his head yes with a wide smile on his face.
“Yeah, I knew, but I would never tell you about no shit like this, chicken head.”
I hugged my first baby so tightly that he had to push me away from him.
I then hugged Ciara and then Hov, who looked just as proud as his wife.
Everyone seemed happy for me, but no one was as happy as I was right now.
Birthdays clearly don’t need candles or wishes to give you everything that you ever wanted.
Sometimes all it takes is love from that one person you want to spend the rest of your life with.
The man you met at the park one day when neither one of you knew what love really was.