Legacy
LEGACY
Spending the day at the adventure park with Bless and the kids felt like stepping back into a time that I missed and thought I would never get back. The sun was shining, the kids were excited, and for once, the weight of my past felt lighter.
“Daddy, you promised we could get on the Ferris wheel first,” Riley reminded me.
“Then that’s what we’re doing first,” I told her.
Her grin spread across her chubby, brown cheeks. “Yay!”
I led the way through the park, towards the Ferris wheel. But Eden, Riley, and Zara darted ahead. Bless was next to me, looking as sexy as fuck in shorts that made me want to cuff her phat ass. Her crop top showed off her tiny waist, and stretch marks I wanted to kiss. She had a soft, minor pudge that I wanted to rest my head on while her fingers stroked my waves. Her presence brought calmness over me, reminding me of everything we once had.
Eden, Riley, and Zara were bursting with energy. Bless and I followed closely, making sure they stayed in sight. Every now and then, our bodies would bump against each other as we walked, making my dick jump with excitement.
After finding the Ferris wheel, we stood in line. I watched Bless as she laughed with Zara, her eyes sparkling with that same joy that had first drawn me to her. Ever since she’d confessed that she hadn’t fucked that dude and that she had barely had sex in the last five years, I felt a sense of ownership over her again. For years, I had sulked, imagining that she had completely moved on. My heart ached imagining another man loving her only the way that I could. But she was mine. She had always been mine and still was.
When we finally got on the Ferris wheel, Riley insisted on sitting with Eden and Zara, leaving Bless and me in a car together… alone .
As the wheel started to turn, lifting us high above the park, I glanced at her, no longer hiding my obsession with her. She shied away from my intense stare as I leaned into her.
"I'm glad we did this,” I told her. “It's good for the kids to see us together like this."
With her eyes focused on the horizon, Bless nodded. "Yeah, it is. They need to see us as a team."
There was comfortable silence between us as we took in the view. The kids' excited voices sounded from below, mixing with chaotic cranks and whirls of the rides around us. I reached out, gently taking Bless’ hand in mine. Her eyes darted towards me, searching mine.
“I’m sorry for how I came at you earlier. I was being petty.”
“Yeah, you were.” She playfully rolled her eyes, but subtly pulled her hand out of my gentle grasp. Then her smile faded, replaced with sincerity. “Thank you.”
I nodded slowly. “No problem.”
She gave her focus back to the view. But I was focused on a much prettier view. I stole glances at Bless. The way the sunlight played off her skin, the curve of her smile—it all reminded me of why I had fallen in love with her in the first place. But I kept those thoughts to myself, fearing her rejection after everything I'd put her through.
“Aye, what’s been up with Sky?” I pried to change the subject. “She’s been posting a lot of subliminal shit on Facebook. Is something going on with her and JayShawn?”
Bless scoffed with a diabolical chuckle. “Oh God…”
“What?”
“My work bestie has been messing around with this guy for a few weeks. Come to find out, it was JayShawn .”
My eyes grew wide. “Word?”
Bless nodded slowly. “Yep.”
“That’s crazy. So, Sky left him?”
“She kicked him out that same day. This all happened last Monday. I haven’t seen her, but I’ve talked to her. She’s hurt, obviously. JayShawn has been trying to act like it was nothing, but Sky and Monique compared notes and everything, so he can’t lie his way out of this.”
“Monique is your work bestie?”
“Yeah. We talked this morning. She claims to have cut him off too, but she has been real quiet about it as well. I believe because, in addition to being hurt, she’s embarrassed.”
“I bet.”
“I wonder if Sky can really let him go, though. Even though it’s only been a little over a year, she’s so in love. I know she wants to let go, but it’s not that easy.”
I slowly nodded, feeling the irony in what she had said. She must have felt the same because she gave her attention back to the view.
"Days like this make me realize how much I miss this… us getting along, laughing with the kids, being a family,” I admitted.
Her body stiffened, but she didn’t take her eyes off of her view.
“This is the us that we were before I started using,” I explained.
Her expression softened as she briefly looked at me. "It is."
I wanted to tell her everything, to confess that she still owned my heart, that I knew she was still mine. But I held back, fearing I'd push her away again.
Instead, I squeezed her shoulder gently and said, "Thank you for trusting me to come back and be here for this."
Her eyes sparkled as she smiled with such genuineness that it became infectious. "Thank you for doing the work."
After a long day at the park with the kids, I got them home so they could get ready for school the next morning. I didn't trust myself not to cross Bless' boundaries, so I stayed outside. I just dropped them off and left. As I drove away, I got a text from Vibe, inviting me to a Memorial Day kickback at his house.
Vibe's penthouse was lit, as usual. His rooftop deck was the perfect spot for a barbecue. Surprisingly, the crowd was smaller and more intimate than usual, mostly Vibe’s family and his closest friends. Most of them were in the pool.
I was standing at the grill with Vibe as he flipped burgers and steaks. Though I wasn’t on assignment, I was already used to being at his side, so that’s where I naturally navigated.
Looking out on the skyline, I savored the taste of the expensive, smooth tequila that I sipped from a red cup. "Man, I’m surprised you invited me out. Figured celebrities like you weren’t so open to new niggas."
Vibe chuckled, taking a swig of his cup. "I’m not. But you seem like a cool dude, and you never treat me like a celebrity. You treat me like I’m just another nigga from the block. It’s rare to meet real motherfuckas. Most people either want something from me or can’t see past the celebrity.”
I nodded. "Yeah, I get that. You put me on the moment I met you, introducing me to other potential clients in the industry. I’ll forever fuck with you for that."
He smiled. "And that’s why I vibe with you, man. You don’t treat me like I’m on some pedestal. You’re genuine, and I appreciate that. Too many people out here are jealous or want something from me."
"I feel that," I said, shaking my head.
Vibe sighed, looking out over the city. "Yeah, but it comes with the territory, I guess. That’s why when I meet people who just see me for who I am, I keep them close."
"Always, man," I replied, giving him a firm nod. "You know I got your back."
He clinked his red cup against mine. "And as long as you got mine, I got yours.”
As I stood by the grill, watching Vibe expertly handle the barbecue, he turned to me with a knowing smirk. "You look like you've been through some shit, man," he said, flipping a burger. "I can see it in your eyes. You look like you’ve fought your way out of shit and made it to the other side. That kind of fight... it leaves a mark. I can tell that your business must be important to you."
"Yeah," I replied, feeling a pang of emotion. "It is. I worked my way out of some dark places to get here. I can't afford to lose it."
Vibe nodded. "That's why I need people like you around me, people with something to lose. It keeps you smart, making smart decisions. You can't mess up when you've got stakes that high."
Moved by his words, I decided to open up. "I wasn't always like this. I overcame addiction, man. After my sister’s murder, I fell into depression and started using opioids to cope. I lost my family behind that shit. Hitting rock bottom made me realize I needed to change. I fought my way back, got clean, and started my own business."
Vibe paused as he gave me an admiral smirk. "Respect, . Not everyone can turn their life around like that."
"Thanks. It's been a journey, but I had to do it for myself and for my kids."
He placed a hand on my shoulder with a firm grip. "You've got a good head on your shoulders. Keep it that way. Surround yourself with people who get it, who understand the stakes. That's how you keep winning."
"Yeah, I get that. And I appreciate you bringing me into your circle. It means a lot."
"You're one of us now," Vibe told me with a grin. "Let's keep making smart moves together."
Chantel called me over, so when Vibe's kickback ended, I made my way to her place. I knew what she wanted by inviting me over so late so I wasn’t taken aback when she immediately started to suck my dick when I got comfortable on the couch. I wanted to enjoy the expert suction, but my mind was elsewhere. Ever since I’d learned that Bless hadn’t really moved on, all I could think about was her. All I wanted was her.
After ten minutes of unsuccessfully getting my dick hard, Chantel stopped and looked up at me with concern. "What’s wrong? You seem so far away."
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I’m sorry. I can’t do this.”
Her brow furrowed deeper as I bent down. I lifted as I pulled my jeans up. She stood and then sat next to me.
“What’s wrong?” she asked again as she brought a throw pillow in front of her and hugged it.
I took a deep breath, meeting her eyes. “Can I be honest with you?”
I already knew that Chantel was a cool, laid-back, open-minded chick. I would have never told another woman this truth, but I needed to get it off my chest, and since returning to Chicago, Chantel had been my ear.
“Sure,” she confirmed.
"Real talk, I’ve never gotten over Bless. She’s still in my heart, and I still want her. No other woman has ever made me feel the way she does. She’s my home. I’ve tried to find that feeling with other women, but it has always been her."
Chantel’s expression softened as she nodded slowly. "I appreciate your honesty. It sucks.” She chuckled. “But thanks for letting me know."
"I’m sorry," I said, chuckling from embarrassment. “I don’t know why I felt comfortable even telling you all of that. Since I met you, you’ve been cool as hell. I guess I just wanted to keep it real with you.”
“I get that.”
"I never meant to hurt you. I just… I think I’m ready to focus on getting her back, if I can."
She gave me a sad smile, reaching out to touch my hand. "It’s okay. We all have that one person—”
My phone buzzed on the coffee table, interrupting her. I glanced at the screen and was surprised to see that my cousin, Joy, was calling so late.
I quickly answered. "Joy? What’s going on?"
"!" she said, her voice frantic and shaky. "You need to get to the hospital. It’s your dad. He had a heart attack."
My blood ran cold. "What?! Which hospital?"
"St. Joseph’s," she replied, her voice breaking. "Hurry please."
"I’m on my way," I said before ending the call and jumping off the couch.
Chantel looked at me with wide eyes. "What happened?"
"My dad had a heart attack. I need to get to the hospital," I said, hurriedly fastening my jeans.
She inhaled sharply, clutching her chest. "Oh my God, I’m so sorry. Do you need anything?"
"No, I just... I need to go," I rushed. "I gotta go."
I bolted out of her apartment. The drive to St. Joseph’s felt like it took days. My thoughts were a chaotic jumble of memories and prayers. Since Ri’s murder, my dad had been my only rock. The thought of losing him as well was crippling.
As I sped through the night, all I could think about was getting to the hospital and being there for him. The world outside blurred into a fog of city lights and traffic.
As soon as I arrived at the hospital, I parked illegally and turned on my hazard lights. Then I rushed into the emergency room. Anxiety made my heart pound violently against my chest. I looked around frantically, searching for a familiar face. Then I saw my mother crying uncontrollably as Elaine, Joy's mother, tried to console her.
I hurried over, my stomach in knots. "Ma, what's going on? How's Dad?"
She looked up, her eyes red and filled with pain. The moment she saw me, her expression shifted to disgust and irritation. "No, I can't take seeing you right now," she said, her voice breaking.
Elaine gasped lightly. She cringed shamefully for me. But she just lowered her head and continued to hold my mother.
Suddenly, she sneered. "You remind me of how I don’t have my daughter, and I can't think about that while I’m worrying about losing the other half of my heart tonight."
Her words sliced through me like a knife. I stood there hurt, but I knew better than to argue. My presence was causing her more pain, and the last thing I wanted to do was make things worse.
I nodded slowly, my throat tight. "All right, Ma. I'll go," I said, my voice barely audible.
Turning away, I felt a wave of defeat wash over me. The hospital doors closed behind me, and the warm night air hit my face, reminding me of the warmth and love I desperately needed at that moment. I felt lost, like the world was closing in on me.
There was only one place I could think of, one person who might be able to ease this unbearable hurt. I got back into my car and drove to Bless' house.
I needed her now more than ever. I just hoped she would physically and emotionally let me in.