Chapter 17 Noa #2
“Nah, she’s okay to ride this out at home and follow up with Dr. Easton at her appointment next week.”
I nodded at the advice from Dr. Easton. It was the same as it always was: pain meds, muscle relaxers, and rest. The story of my life.
“If you’re good, Sis, I’ll leave you and Quade alone. I’ll be out there if you need anything.”
“Okay,” I replied as she disappeared into the hallway, closing my door behind her.
“You ain’t tell her, huh?” Quade smirked.
“Not yet. Had she known we, um,… slept together, that would have been a very different conversation.” I grinned a little, my eyes getting heavy.
“I already know.”
We both laughed as I settled into the pillow. The meds were working, and I could feel my muscles relaxing and my eyes beginning to close.
“I’m serious, Noa,” Quade spoke, making me turn my head slightly to look at him.
His eyes were on me. “I know you come with shit. I know this ain’t gonna be easy.
But I’m not going anywhere. I want you to be mine.
You were mine last night when you wet all over this dick, and you still mine right now, pain and all. ”
His words filled the space between us and cracked my heart wide open. He leaned in just slightly, enough to press a kiss on my forehead.
“I’m not scared of this,” he whispered against my skin. “Not scared of lupus.”
My eyes shut, and tears slid out. I was falling for this man in more ways than one, and it scared and comforted me all at once. I felt his hand close to mine, hovering like he wanted to hold it but didn’t want to make anything worse, so I closed the space.
“Get some rest,” he said. “I’m right here.”
And without another thought, I did.
I woke up to the smell of bacon and grits, my body still aching a bit from the flare.
The medicine had done its job taking the edge off, and the pain felt more manageable.
The sunlight shining through the windows let me know that it was no longer the same day, but I wasn’t at all surprised I’d slept into the next morning.
The muscle relaxers always made me drowsy.
“Good morning, sleepyhead.” Quade’s voice invaded my room.
I turned my head to see Quade entering my room, carrying a tray of what looked like breakfast and juice in one hand.
I smiled at him, not sure if he’d stayed all night with me or gone home.
He was wearing fresh clothes, a different Northside hoodie, and clean Timberlands.
“Good morning,” I replied, my voice still a little raspy from just waking up.
“How you feeling?”
“Better. Still a little stiff, but nothing I can’t manage.”
“Good.” He stepped further into the room, balancing the tray in his hands. “I got up and made you breakfast.”
My eyebrows raised, and another smile crept up on my face. “You stayed?”
“Of course. I told you I wasn’t leaving.” He came over, carefully lowering the tray onto my lap. “Hope you don’t mind me giving my sister your address. I had her drop me off some clothes this morning for work.”
“No, that’s fine,” I said as my eyes glanced over the tray. He’d made grits, eggs, and bacon. He’d even included a bowl of fresh fruit. This man must have enjoyed seeing me cry because nobody other than Teagan had ever brought me breakfast in bed.
“You made this?” I looked up at him as he walked over to my dresser and retrieved something.
“Yeah, everything good? I hope it’s not too heavy.” He removed a beautiful bouquet I didn’t recognize from behind his back.
“You brought me flowers again?” I asked, surprised.
“I’ll buy them every day if you want ’em.”
“Don’t tease me with a good time.” I laughed.
“I’m not teasing,” he replied slowly, making me take a deep breath to steady myself. This man made it hard for even me to come up with comebacks.
“How’d you know grits were my favorite?” I shifted up in bed slowly, fighting through the stiffness in my side while he adjusted the tray in my lap. “You stalking me, Mr. JaQuade?”
“Nah,” he said, smirking. “I’m just observant.
” He sat on the edge of the bed next to me and retrieved a plate of food from the nightstand that he must have brought in for himself.
“Eat up. You need fuel for recovery,” he said, and we ate quietly next to each other, like waking up to each other and sharing breakfast in bed was our normal.
“You randomly rap like that all the time?” I blurted out of nowhere as we ate.
He raised a brow. “What you mean?”
“I mean,… you spit a few bars for me last night. You do that often?”
He looked down at his plate, like he was suddenly shy, and I nudged his leg with mine.
“You ever think about doing it again? Getting in the studio, recording an album?”
He shrugged. “Truth? I never stopped writing. Not even when I was away. Rhymes,… bars they always hit me. It don’t matter what I’m doing or the time of day.
In the shower, in traffic, in the middle of laying drywall.
It don’t matter, but every time I think about picking up a pen,… I’m just not feeling it.”
I stared at him listening to his truth, honored that he would even share it with me.
“Shit just feel pointless. The world moved on. My label moved on. My fans have moved on. Ain’t nobody waiting on no new Quae Lo records to drop.”
I gazed at him, feeling the need to say something. We had similar stories when it came to our crafts.
“I used to feel like that about painting. After I got sick, when walking got hard,… I felt like art didn’t want me anymore. I just had to remember why I create.” I looked him in the eyes, hoping my words could help. “You just gotta figure out if you’re rapping for them or you.”
His eyes stayed on mine a little longer than necessary. And then he looked down at the tray.
“You gon’ open that?” he asked, and I looked down at the little envelope tucked in the flowers that I hadn’t noticed before. I set my fork down and picked it up. My eyes gazed over the words. The handwriting was messy, all capital letters, like he was nervous writing it.
Will you be my girlfriend?
Yes. No. Circle one.
I know it’s corny, but you got me doing corny shit.
A laugh slipped out of my mouth, and I looked up at him with glossy eyes.
“Flowers… breakfast in bed… love notes,” I said, dragging it out. “This pussy that good?” I grinned.
“Fucking phenomenal.” He leaned in, lips brushing the side of my cheek. “You see I already circled yes, right?”
I glanced down at the note again and smiled. He had indeed already circled yes.
“I don’t get a choice?”
“Nah.” He shook his head. “Check the envelope.”
I did as he instructed and pulled a little gold charm necklace from the envelope. A diamond gold sun dangled from the chain.
“Quade?” I gasped.
“So you never forget how bright you shine, how real this is for me. You’re my sunshine, and I’ma be yours.”
My hand flew to my chest, and butterflies fluttered in my stomach. If I wasn’t recovering, I’d already have a mouthful of dick by now.
“Put it on me, please.” I held up the necklace. He slipped it around my neck, his fingers brushing my skin just a little as he fastened it.
“Just so we clear, Noa Green, you’re mine now. Officially.”
“Guess I am.”
He closed the space between us and placed a kiss on my lips before standing.
“Unfortunately, beautiful, I gotta head out. Need to check in at the office.”
“Okay.” I nodded, a little sad he was leaving. “You coming back tonight?”
“That’s what you want?” He paused at the door.
“I asked, didn’t I?”
“Then I’ll be here.” He smiled. “Teagan still here in case you need anything.” He walked out of the room, and I watched him leave before moving the tray over to the nightstand and letting my head fall back against the pillow.
My hand was still wrapped tight around the pendant, still floating on cloud nine.