17. Makari #2
“Come on, muffin. I know you’re tired but we’re almost done. Just let me get you out and get some clothes on you,” I pleaded but she pushed away from me again, moving to the opposite side of the tub. When I finally got my hands on her, she arched away from me, whining.
I wanted to whine too. My body felt weak and my head was pounding. “Shit, Avi, please just work with me.”
“I got her.” The deep rasp behind me loosened something in my chest because it was perfect timing.
I sat back on my heels, watching as Omiri stepped around me, yanked his shirt off and tossed it on the counter.
He leaned over the tub, reached for Avi, and she went right to him.
I felt like shit so I couldn’t even care that she chose her father over me and instead lifted the towel I planned on using and handed it to him.
“She’s been in a mood for the past hour. She cried through her entire bath.”
His brows pinched while he examined me then Avi before draping them both in the towel since she was clinging to his chest.
Traitor…
“What’s good, pretty girl? You giving mommy a hard time today?”
I lifted from the floor and sluggishly walked toward the door with my traitor baby handing Omiri her cheerful baby gibberish and he talked right back to her like they had a whole vibe. They followed me into the bedroom while he dried her off.
“I feel you, pretty girl. Bath time is overrated.”
I sat on the side of the bed and he turned his attention on me. “What’s wrong?”
He rubbed Avi’s back, moving closer to me.
“Nothing, I’m fine.”
“Nah, you damn sure aren’t fine. You look like shit.” His eyes narrowed.
I flopped back on the bed and sighed. “It’s been a long day and I haven’t felt well for most of it. I’m tired and my head is pounding. I have a migraine.”
“A headache got you feeling that bad?”
“This kind, yes. They make me feel physically sick and it hurts to move.”
“Damn, I heard them shits can be lethal. Van gets them real bad. Why didn’t you call me? I would have come home.”
“You had the Klue thing and you were looking forward to it, besides, it wasn’t that bad.”
“I would have rescheduled and it is that bad. You can barely open your eyes. You should have called me.”
“I didn’t want to bother you.”
“Bruh, taking care of you is not a bother, Kari. You know better than that.” He was pissed. I kept my eyes closed but smiled and even that hurt.
I felt him close to me, then his hand on my forehead. “You’re warm. That’s not just a migraine. Your ass probably has a cold from blasting this damn air all the time.”
“It’s not a cold. I think I have a sinus infection too and that could have triggered my migraine.”
“I’m about to call my doctor so they can come…”
“No, I don’t need a doctor. I just need to stay still for a while and sleep.”
“Not if you have a sinus infection.”
“I get them all the time. The antibiotics hardly work for me anymore. It will go away and it’s not that bad. I just need sleep. Let me get Avi dressed…”
“Bruh, if you don’t get your ass in bed. I got Avi.”
I wanted to argue but arguing would hurt with the way my head was pounding, so I mumbled okay and crawled onto the bed, slowly pulling the covers back enough to climb under them.
I closed my eyes and eventually dozed off because Omiri woke me when I felt his hand on my face.
When I peeled my eyes open, the room was dark aside from the light coming from the dimmed lights on the wall.
“You’re still warm.”
“I’m fine. How is Avi?”
“She crashed as soon as I got her dressed and laid her down. What do you need?”
“Nothing, I’m fine.”
“You eat?”
I frowned a little and he sighed. “Don’t even fucking lie. It’s taking you too long. I’m about to go make you some soup.”
I peeked at him with one eye and smiled at the annoyed look on his face. “ Make ?”
“Okay heat up something that’s in there.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Kari, you need to eat.”
I really didn’t but he wasn’t trying to hear that so I decided to let him do his thing. “Just a little.”
“Aight, I’ll be back. Don’t take your ass back to sleep. Always taking care of everybody else and not doing shit for yourself,” he mumbled as he left the room and I smiled again, letting my head sink deeper into the pillow.
When he returned, he had a bowl and a mug of tea, both of which he placed on the nightstand. I sat up and he sat next to me, while I reached for the bowl. After I ate enough to stop him from force feeding me, I put the bowl down and lifted the mug and groaned when I inhaled the aroma.
Orange Moroccan mint…
“You made my favorite tea.”
“Yeah.”
“Thank you. You put honey in it?”
He nodded. “That expensive ass whipped shit you use.”
He complained about my flavored whipped honey but I had seen him more than once putting the chocolate whipped one on his yogurt and granola.
I drank some and instantly felt better. It was probably all in my mind from the fact that tea was my comfort go-to and Omiri made it for me, but either way, I felt a lot better.
“Your head still hurt?”
I nodded, drinking more. “They usually last for a day or two.”
“You sure you don’t want me to call the doctor? They can give you something.”
“I have pills but I hate taking them. They make me feel worse sometimes. I can just sleep it off. I’ll feel better in the morning. Thank you for this. It was sweet.”
He leaned in and kissed my temple. “You know I got you.”
I drank my tea and he told me about the show then took my empty dishes to the kitchen. When he came back, he stripped out of his clothes down to his briefs and worked the covers back. “Move over.”
“I thought you had game film you were supposed to view when you got home.”
“I’ll do it in the morning before I leave.”
“You leave at six.”
“Kari, move over and let me worry about that.”
I grinned and got out of the way, giving him enough space to get in beside me on my side of the bed. Once he was situated, I inched close to him and curled up against his body ,burying my face in his chest while he rubbed my back.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Making me feel better.”
He kissed the top of my head. “I told you I got you. Always.”
“I know but I appreciate it.”
“And I’ll appreciate you taking your ass to sleep instead of acting like you owe me something for showing you the love you always show me.”
I grinned and rolled my eyes, regretting it when a sharp pain pulsed in my head.
“Stop fucking grinning and go to sleep.”
“You can’t see my face. How do you know I’m smiling?”
“I know you.”
I snuggled in closer and was drifting a few minutes later. This man’s warmth and his scent were like a natural sedative.
The next morning I woke up hearing my baby laughing and smiled.
I slowly peeled my eyes open and cringed because my head was still throbbing but the sound of another voice I recognized had me sluggishly lifting from the bed.
I still felt groggy and my head was swimming but I made it to the bathroom where I washed my face and brushed my teeth through squinted eyes.
When I was feeling a little better, I stepped into the hallway and was on my way to Avi’s room where I found Tiana sitting on the floor with my baby surrounded by stuffed animals.
“What are you doing here?”
She looked up and grinned, then turned back to Avi, moving a stuffed Ellie elephant toward my baby who smiled wide and clapped.
“Well good morning to you too. You feeling better?”
“A little but my head is still swimming and throbbing.”
“Then go back to bed. Your man called and asked if I would come hang out with Avi since he had training today.” She pulled Ellie back then put it back in Avi’s face. “Isn’t that right, Tee Tee’s baby? We’ve been chilling all morning because your daddy wanted your mommy to sleep in.”
“He called you?”
“Mmhm.” She looked at me and rolled her eyes. “And look at your in love ass blushing. Y’all are so cute. He was worried and didn’t want you here by yourself trying to deal with Avi.”
“He’s so…”
“Sweet, thoughtful, perfect….yeah I know, hoe. Don’t rub it in my single ass face.”
I grinned. “You don’t want a man.”
“I don’t want a broke, inconsiderate man. One like yours, I will take two please. He stepped up to make sure his woman was good and you know he doesn’t want me all up in y’all’s crib so that’s saying a lot.”
“Stop, he doesn’t care about you being here.”
She shot me a look and I grinned. “In his defense, he doesn’t want anyone here, it’s not just about you.”
“And he left me very detailed instructions about Avi like I don’t know how to take care of my baby but it was cute though. He even gave me the rundown on how to make your tea and what to bring you for lunch. Girl, that man is in love.”
I sat down on the floor across from her and Avi crawled right to me. I hugged her and kissed her little face. “You being good for your Tee Tee?”
“She’s being the perfect angel because she loves me. We had breakfast, we played, and she is now sharing all of her new toys.”
Avi smiled, wiggled out of my embrace, and went back to her stuffed animals.
“And I see all of Mommy’s new toys too.”
“What new toys?”
“This house, friend. It has you all over it. This doesn’t feel like a ‘we’re only here hiding from paparazzi’ house anymore. It feels like this is where we live.”
I shrugged. “We do live here. Is there something wrong with that?”
“No, I’m just waiting on you to be real with yourself about all of this.”
“All of what?”
“You’re officially a Sharks wife.”
“No ring.” I held my hand up and she rolled her eyes.
“You think that man won’t give you one? The way he was around here barking out orders about taking care of you and Avi this morning, trust friend, he will give you whatever you want, question is, what do you want?”
“I want all of this but I also don’t want to get too comfortable because a part of me feels like I shouldn’t and we don’t really talk about stuff like that. We’re just kinda existing.”
“You’re not just existing. That man is stupid in love. Both of y’all are. I wish you would sit your ass in my face and pretend like you’re not.”
I was but loving Omiri was a scary place to be because I wanted this so much…
“You’re staying, right?”
“Yep, I am. I’ve been commanded to stand post with this little lady until your man gets home later.”
“Fine, then I’m going back to bed because my head is still pounding and I’m going to take full advantage of my man taking care of me.”
“Hoe, I’m the one here, not him.”
“Yep, but he’s the one who arranged all of this. So you taking care of me is, by default, him taking care of me.” I stuck my tongue out, lifted onto my knees, and moved to Avi who I kissed on the cheeks then stood to leave the room.
“Thank you for this. Love you, mean it.”
“Love your ungrateful ass too, friend. Now get out. Avi and I have plans.”
I grinned and left them, heading back to bed, grateful for my girl and my man.
By the time I was up and moving again, the house was quiet.
I headed straight to the bathroom and looked at my reflection in the mirror, cringing.
My hair was all over my head and my eyes were puffy but I felt a lot better than I had earlier.
I washed my face and brushed my teeth before I opened the drawer and removed my Denman brush and detangled the matted coils I’d managed to tame into a ball on top of my head before I took a quick shower.
Once I was in a hoodie and cotton shorts, I was on my way to find my baby.
I found my two favorite people in the kitchen. Omiri was at the table with Avi in front of him in her high chair. She had a rainbow of chunks of roasted vegetables and baked chicken spread across the tray, feeding herself. Currently she had sweet potatoes smashed in her little hand.
“How are you feeling?” he asked as soon as I entered the kitchen. I went straight to Avi, kissing her cheeks, and she shoved her fist in my direction with a smile in place. I pretended to eat what she was offering and fake chewed.
“Mmm, that’s so good, muffin. Thank you.” She beamed and smashed some against her own mouth while I gave Omiri my attention.
“A lot better. I’m still a little stuffy but my headache is gone.”
“Cone here.”
I stepped between his legs and he pulled me down onto his lap and placed the back of his hand across my forehead and down to my neck.
“Your fever’s gone.”
I grinned. “See, all good.” I adjusted on his lap and leaned back against his chest while he hooked one arm around my waist and gripped my thigh with the other.
“You probably still need to chill for a minute.”
“I’m fine and thank you for calling Tiana to keep Avi today.”
He kissed my neck and dropped his chin on my shoulder. “What I tell you about that?” He squeezed my thigh and tightened his arm around my waist. “It’s all love for my baby mama.” His voice was light and I rolled my eyes.
“Please don’t.”
“You don’t wanna be my baby mama, Kari?”
“Not after the way they dragged my name next to that term over the past couple months.”
He chuckled and kissed me. “Aight, so how about your baby daddy’s woman?”
“Hell no. That’s worse.”
“Sounds like you don’t wanna be mine.”
“Sounds like you need to figure out a better way to say I’m yours.”
Omiri started a trail of kisses across the curve of my jaw. “How about my safe space, my home, my reason for existing, my daughter’s beautiful ass, fine as hell mother, and my peace.”
My teeth sank into my lip to suppress my smile and he gripped my chin, turning my face to his. “You cool with all that.”
I nodded seconds before he kissed me and smiled against my lips. “Good because you’re all that.”
“Ma, ma, ma, ma, ma…” Avi sang, interrupting the moment right before she shoved a small piece of chicken in her mouth.
“I missed her.”
“You didn’t miss me?”
“I slept with you last night.”
“Which means you should miss me because all your ass did was sleep.” He pushed his hand between my thighs and I groaned. He moved his other hand under my hoodie and gripped my right breast. “But you didn’t miss shit. She’s been chilling.”
“Well I still missed her.”
“Nah you missed being in charge. You’re a bad patient but I still held it down.”
“Your services were gratefully appreciated. You were on the job, Mr. Hayes.”
“Employee of the month but I’m gonna be employee of the year after we get Avi to bed.”
Every inch of my body hummed in appreciation of what type of work he was about to put in.
“But seriously, you good?”
I adjusted myself and looped my arms around his neck.
“Yes, I’m good.”
He pecked my lips and nodded. “Aight because you being down had my shit all fucked up too. I’m starting to think you put something on me.”
I arched my brow and he grinned. “You definitely put that on me but that’s not what I mean with your nasty ass.”
I was the one grinning this time, because like it or not, we both had that same power over each other, but I also knew neither of us was complaining.