Chapter Nine #3
As much as I loved being an entrepreneur, which could be very demanding at times, I also wanted to be present for Nazira.
I wanted to be the mother who baked cookies and was always home when she got in from school.
Now that it was just me, I couldn’t be that mother anymore.
Although I wasn’t always home when she returned from school, I made sure to spend quality time with her and pour into her.
Our cherished moments together brought me joy because I loved being with my child.
Nazira was an amazing girl, and I felt pride whenever I looked into her eyes.
There were times when I felt guilty that Nazir missed her most important moments.
For every first I shared with Karim, tears often fell when I was alone.
I had been mourning for a long time, and then life took my husband, deepening my grief.
I mourned every moment Nazir missed with our daughter, every moment we didn’t get to experience together, and every promise he broke.
Then, the mourning always stopped, and anger took its place.
The timing of this business trip was perfect since Aja was taking Nazira away for the weekend. Her niece had just turned ten and was having a birthday party, so she was taking Nazira with her.
My village always showed up for me and Nazira.
I never had to ask for anything because they were always there to make sure we were taken care of.
After finishing my morning bathroom routine, I shuffled back into my bedroom.
Zira, sitting on the bed’s edge, surprised me because I usually had to pry the girl out of bed in the mornings.
“Good morning, Mommy,” she yawned.
I held my arms out, and she abandoned the bed to hug me. I kissed her head and looked down at her.
“Why are you awake so early?” I asked.
“I wanted to see you before you left for the city.”
I smiled. “Baby, I was going to come and peek in on you. I can never leave without giving you a kiss.”
She giggled as I tickled her. “Yeah, well, I’m never really awake–awake when you do.”
“Very true. I’m going to miss you, but Bloom has everything under control,” I assured her.
Bloom and I had gone over the schedule so many times that Emilio could recite each activity Nazira had without looking at the digital board in the kitchen.
“I know. Mommy, you’ve traveled for work before. I’m just gonna miss you because I’ll be gone with Aja.”
I hugged her a little tighter. “I know. I have a surprise for you when you come back.”
At the mention of a surprise, she lit up. “What?”
“I’m taking you on my next business trip. I think some work and play balance is needed for both of us, right?”
She excitedly jumped up and down in excitement because she had never been on a business trip with me before.
Since we’re expanding to the Dominican Republic soon, I wanted to make sure the resort was perfect for a Hush location.
Hush focused on pampering women, especially mothers.
I wanted to make sure that after a busy day of running after the kids at the resort, moms could enjoy being pampered by a highly certified staff.
“Yessss! Where are we going? Out the country? Out the world?”
I smiled as I listened to her giggle. I loved it when she acted silly.
Being silly and carefree is part of being a child, but she didn’t do it often.
I didn’t want her to feel like she had to be strong for me.
I’m the parent, and she’s the child. She shouldn’t worry about her mother.
It was my job to care for and protect her, not the other way around.
“I have an important business trip by the beach. While I work during the day, you can play on the beach with Bloom. Then, later, I’ll join you––just us for dinner.”
Her smile showed this was what she had wanted from me––us enjoying each other’s time together.
“Is Yaya coming, too?”
“She’ll be there, but mostly, it will be just you and me. Okay?”
“Sounds like the best idea, Mommy.”
I kissed her nose, smiled, and said, “The greatest idea in the world. Love you, baby.”
“Love you, too, Mommy.”
I glanced at the clock. “Hmm, you still have an hour to get some sleep before getting up for school. Want to sleep in my bed?”
She looked around my room and shook her head no.
“You leave too many lights on. As long as I get my favorite hug, I can go back to my room.”
I snuggled her one last time before she headed back down the hall to her bedroom. Glancing at the time again, I quickly packed my things, knowing I wouldn’t have time to return to Greenwich if I forgot something.
“Dammit…you’re not even that heavy,” I muttered, struggling down the stairs with my carry-on luggage.
That familiar smell consumed me as I sensed a presence behind me.
“I got you.”
Because I had been struggling since the top of the spiraled stairs, I allowed his hand to brush past me and grab the suitcase. I hurried down the remaining steps while he lifted my suitcase as if it were as light as doll furniture.
“Thanks. You can leave it at the front for the driver.” I paused and turned around. “Unless you’re the driver today.”
He watched as I stood with my hand on my wide hip and took him in. He was wearing a gray Nike sweatsuit, and my eyes were having a hard time trying to avoid looking at his print. It was like he was deliberately teasing me by wearing sweats to work.
“Nah, everything checked out with your original driver, so he’s back.”
I squinted my eyes at him. Ralph had always been trustworthy and reliable since the day he started working for the Sterling family. Although my father was the one who hired him, he had always been like family.
“Did anyone even suspect Ralph of anything?”
He snorted. “Ralph needed the day off, and I filled in for him. What can I say––I’m always looking to help out anybody who needs it.”
“Are sweats suitable work attire?” I replied sharply, making sure my tone sounded judgmental with each word.
He finally set the suitcase down. “I thought I’d come by and check on how things are going with Emilio.”
“Well, Emilio runs a tight ship with his team, and he wouldn’t approve of sweatpants. Why would you need to check in on your bos—”
“Good morning, boss. You didn’t tell me you were coming by this morning.”
Emilio extended his hand, and I watched as the two dapped each other.
“I was in the area and figured I would escort Mrs. Sterling to the city…keep some of you here.”
“Good look. Let me know if you need anything.”
I glanced between Emilio and Nazir. They paid me no mind as they continued their conversation.
Instead of standing there with my foot in my mouth, I turned and went to the kitchen to fill my water bottle and grab some snacks.
The drive to the city was only about an hour, so I planned to get some work done and snack on rice crackers during the ride.
As I filled my water bottle, I heard those flat feet splatting across the marble floor.
“Mom!”
She often switched between calling me mom or mommy. I preferred mommy because that meant she was still my little button and not growing up on me.
“Yes, baby?”
I peered from the kitchen as Nazir looked at her.
“How are you doing? It’s nice to meet you, again.” Nazir was entirely focused on our daughter––a daughter he didn’t know he had.
“Good morning, sir.”
He chuckled. “My name is Nazir, but you can call me Naz.”
I heard Nazira gasp, and I quickly jerked my head back inside the kitchen, resting it on the fridge. Since he had been around, we had only called her Zira. Now he was about to find out just how much we shared together.
“My name is Nazira! Mommy, did you hear his name?”
I swallowed the lump threatening to jump out of my throat and looked nervously back out.
“Uh-huh. What are the odds?” I replied.
Nazir stared at me, communicating silently. He was hurting, but not because of me. He was hurting because he left us.
“You’re going to be seeing a lot of me around, Name Twin.”
“To keep me and mommy safe, right?”
He smiled as he looked down at her, then his eyes met mine again.
“Yes, I’m going to keep you and your mother safe. I’m not going anywhere again.”
I popped my head back into the kitchen while holding my chest. It wasn’t that I was expecting her to never say her full name around him.
Oh, hell! Who was I kidding? That’s exactly what my delusional ass was hoping.
Ever since security started staying at the house, Nazir hadn’t been around much––aside from when he took on the role of driver.
I didn’t realize he owned the security company, which probably explained his distance.
He didn’t have to be here because he had staff handling the work.
Taking a few deep breaths, I heard those slaps of feet on the marble again and managed to put on a smile, even though I felt the opposite at the time.
Nazira rounded the corner and held up the charm bracelet she had made for me.
She never let me travel without it, and I had forgotten to grab it while doing a million things.
“My girl,” I said with a smile, taking the bracelet and quickly clasping it around my wrist. “What would I do without you, Nazira?”
“Forget your favorite bracelet,” she replied, chuckling. “Have a safe trip, Mommy.”
I kissed her cheeks. “Thanks, babe. Now go get some more sleep and call me when you’re awake and heading to school.”
“Okay,” she said, then skipped back toward the stairs where Nazir stood.
“Don’t forget, lil lady.”
She grinned––the same one she shared with the man standing behind her. “I promise I won’t forget.”
“Okay.”
Once she disappeared up the stairs, I continued to busy myself in the kitchen.
“Tata,” his deep voice called from behind me.
I had no choice but to ignore him because what would I say? How could I tell him that Nazira was his daughter? She resembled him, and from the way he studied her since the moment he met her, he already knew it.