Chapter 9 #2
If anyone knew Kannon Washington, it was his wife.
He wasn’t one for games, not even from his children.
Though he was working on his short fuse, Kaliyah wouldn’t tolerate it when it came to her kids, not in her presence.
With this news, she didn’t know how he would react, but all she could do was trust that Sage was prepared for this moment.
Sage took her hand, squeezing it for comfort. “I love you, Ma. Thank you.”
“Of course, my baby,” Kaliyah said. “I’ll butter up your father for you.” She winked, getting up from the table.
"Spare me the details," Sage insisted, squinting in disgust.
They shared a laugh.
"Y'all enjoy the rest of the evening. Let me know when you leave so I can come back and set up," Kaliyah said. She kissed the top of Sage’s head and grabbed her tote bag to head out. "Tell Portia I said bye–and have some clothes on the next time I see her."
"Bye, Mrs. Washington," Portia said, giggling as she stepped out of the hallway, this time fully clothed.
“Bye, baby,” Kaliyah said, smiling. “And treat my Sagey right, ya here!”
"Yes, ma’am," Portia smiled as Kaliyah left through the front door. She walked up next to Sage and bumped her with her shoulder, looking into her eyes.
"So you loooove me, huh?" Portia teased, all giddy.
“Ooouu, you nosey,” Sage said, looking down at Portia as she shrugged.
"I love you too," Portia replied, wrapping her arms around Sage’s neck.
"Oh, yeah?" Sage asked in a low voice, smirking.
"Yeah," Portia whispered as she tilted her head.
"Show me then," Sage teased, scooping Portia up and throwing her over her shoulder caveman-style. Portia giggled as they made their way back to the bedroom.
Kaliyah sat on the edge of the bathtub, rubbing baby oil on her legs after a refreshing shower.
Once she was done, she walked out of the bathroom in a black lace robe and matching lingerie set, finding Kannon lounging in a chair in the corner of their bedroom.
He was smoking a blunt, staring out the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the skyline of Eastbourne Hills.
"Hello, Mr. Washington," Kaliyah said seductively as she approached Kannon, meeting his gaze.
"Hey, beautiful," Kannon replied, patting his thigh. "Why don’t you have a seat?"
Kaliyah giggled and straddled his lap. Kannon took another hit of his blunt and passed it to her. "Good shit," he said, blowing out smoke.
Kaliyah took a hit and smiled as she exhaled. "You ain't lying," she said, coughing a little.
"How’re things going with business?" she asked, running her manicured fingers down his bare chest.
"Look out," Kannon said, referring to the view of the city. "This my city."
Kaliyah followed his gaze. "So, I take it things are on the up and up."
"Bigger and better," Kannon assured her. "Since Babygirl has been managing freight, everything’s running smoothly, and the cash flow is coming in like clockwork."
"Oh, really now?" Kaliyah said sarcastically. "I told you." She smirked.
When Kannon wasn’t confident about allowing Sage to step up in the business, Kaliyah was right there, encouraging him to trust their daughter.
It was time he entrusted her with bigger responsibilities.
Sage had so much more to offer the business beyond micro-tasks.
With KJ sick and having to distribute his tasks, Kannon had no choice but to have Sage step up.
It was paying off more than he expected.
"Yeah, yeah," Kannon said, taking the blunt from her hand for another hit.
“I told you that you could trust her. I know you had your doubts, but she's got it. It's in her blood," Kaliyah said. "You raised her to be strong. She can look out for herself—and the business."
"I know, I know," Kannon replied. "I just don’t want her to end up like Saleema."
"And she won't," Kaliyah reassured him. "That was different. You’ve prepared her for this. You gotta let her spread her wings."
"You’re right, baby," Kannon agreed.
"I know I am," Kaliyah said with a slight smile. She was always right when it came to the two of them. Her intuition was never off. Kannon might be the muscle, but Kaliyah was what held him together.
"And," Kaliyah continued. "There may be a time where she makes decisions you don't understand or agree with..."
"Whatchu you talkin’ bout, Kaliyah?" Kannon interrupted with his face scrunched up.
Kaliyah placed a finger over his mouth. "And you need to trust her on it because she understands the bigger picture."
Kannon grunted in disagreement. He opened his mouth to respond, but he saw the stern look in Kaliyah’s eyes. If anyone could shut him up, it was her.
"You can’t retire by still having your hand in everything, old man," Kaliyah chuckled. "Calm down. Your kids got this."
Kannon smirked. "Aight.”
"And you got me," Kaliyah said, playfully pulling on his full salt-and-pepper beard.
"And I–want more of you, now," Kannon said, opening her lace robe as her hard nipples greeted him.
Knock, knock.
“Come in,” a deep voice responded.
Sage opened the door to Kannon’s office. As she entered, her father turned around in his brown leather chair, puffing on a cigar.
“Hey, Babygirl, what’s up?” Kannon motioned for her to have a seat in one of the accent chairs across from him.
“Hey, Pops,” Sage greeted, taking a seat. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”
"Shoot," he prompted her to continue. He tipped his cigar to ash it into the ashtray before taking one last puff and putting it out.
"I've been seeing someone," Sage began, her stomach churning with nervousness.
"Oh, yeah?" Kannon said inquisitively. "She must be the one. I see how chipper you’ve been out here. Who is this lucky girl?"
Sage smirked at the word chipper. Was it that obvious?
“Portia… Portia Denzel.”
“Portia, Phoenix’s daughter?” Kannon questioned.
"Yeah, we've been seeing each other for a little minute now. There's something about her," Sage smiled and laughed to herself. "That's got me in a chokehold. And I don’t want her to let go."
Kannon folded his arms and squinted his eyes as he scanned Sage’s face. She can’t be serious?
In the midst of a heavy silence that could be cut with a knife, he reached for his lighter and relit his cigar.
He realized he wasn't done with that cigar after all. Kannon was in utter shock at her choice of partner and was fuming from the inside out. He had entrusted his only daughter with a mission and she’s sabotaging it by mixing business with pleasure–which never ends well.
As much as he wanted to pop off on her, Kannon thought about the conversation he and Kaliyah had the night before. He even recalled the cold look in Sage’s eyes the night at the gala when he let his emotions get the best of him, not hearing his daughter out before he flew off the handle.
Kannon took a deep breath and looked into his daughter's eyes—they were glowing. He could see the twinkle in her eyes when she talked about how Portia made her feel. His Babygirl.
"There may be a time where she makes decisions you don't understand or agree with, and you need to trust her on it because she understands the bigger picture," Kaliyah’s words echoed in his mind.
She was right. She was always right.
Kannon smirked. “You love her?”
"Yeah," Sage affirmed, nodding. "That’s me. I love the hell outta that girl."
Kannon’s heart eased hearing the joy in her voice, and he chuckled. "That’s how Kaliyah had me when we first met. Nose wide open." Examining his cigar, he reminisced about when he and his wife first met.
Sage was speechless by his response but was glad that the conversation was heading in the right direction. No cussing, yelling, or scolding her–just sharing the commonalities of love. She began looking around to make sure she wasn’t being pranked.
“Pops, I know that this is close to home, but I promise what me and her have won’t get in the way of the business. I’m committed to continuing with everything I’m doing. I’m all in,” Sage pleaded her case, but it wasn’t necessary.
Kannon had already made up his mind that he trusted her decision.
Sage was twenty-seven years old. She wasn’t his little girl anymore; she was a grown ass woman.
For him to allow her to step up in the Washington Cartel, he had to trust her every move—even when it didn’t make sense to him.
There might be times when he didn’t agree, but he would stand behind her; ten toes down.
“No need to explain,” Kannon said, holding up his hand. “I trust you.”
Sage released a deep breath from the pit of her stomach. She nodded, expecting what else he had to say.
“When I asked you to step up in the business, I knew there would be times you’d make decisions I wouldn’t understand.
But I always knew they would not only be best for you, but the family as well.
I have no doubt that you’ll always have the cartel in mind–it’s ingrained in you. It’s in your blood,” Kannon said.
Sage beamed. Her father’s trust was all she ever wanted, and she got it.
“You and Salem have fulfilled your mission in looking after Portia. Phoenix is beyond impressed with how much progress she has made in her journey to sobriety,” Kannon said. “And if it’s you we have to personally thank for that, I’ll take it.” He chuckled at his own humor.
“Thanks, Pops. This was beyond what I expected. I’m grateful.”
“Why would you expect anything less?” Kannon questioned as he walked around the desk to take a seat next to Sage. “I know I’ve been hard on you, but I want you to know that I’m proud of you in everything you do.”
He looked into her eyes and reached over to grab her hand. “I love you Babygirl and nothing will ever change that.”
“I love you too, Pops.”
Her heart fluttered as a weight was lifted off her chest. She and Portia were in the clear, and there was no more hiding. They could finally be together in their love publicly and freely.