Chapter 27
TWENTY-SEVEN
Thanks to Niya, my new favorite movie treat is nachos made with Cheetos instead of tortilla chips. We are munching on a bowl of them now while watching the new KidTV movie. Quintus is eating leftovers from our early dinner.
It’s the day before Halloween, five days to Election Day, and the last day for Richardson to respond to our cease and desist. For the past two and a half weeks, his team has been radio silent: no appearances, no press, no ads, and no statements.
My lead in the polls has increased and it looks like my seat will remain with me but his silence has me tense, so tense that my husband cooked dinner and suggested a family movie night to distract me.
“So they are really little and everything else is big?” Quintus asks, interrupting the movie again.
“Daddy, yes!” Niya exclaims, then I catch her rolling her big, expressive eyes. It’s so cute because she closes them too long and too tight when she calls herself rolling them.
“Baby, pay attention. They are called the minis. The witches shrank them,” I explain and he shakes his head.
Movie night is his idea but the movie choice is all Niya. She’s sitting comfortably on my lap, our theater style chair is reclined, and she’s tuned in to the movie, unlike her dad. The annoyance on his face is priceless but cute as hell.
God, I love this man, this little girl, and our life together.
I grin to myself thinking about how I was in a full-blown panic at the thought of staying married to him until the end of January. Things have certainly changed, and for the better . Now I can’t see myself not being married to him. I finally understand the concept of forever.
The sound of my phone ringing pulls me from my thoughts. Niya presses pause on the remote then holds the button for the recliner. Quintus stops her though.
“I got it, baby girl. Don’t pause it. Please let it keep going,” he says, then gets up. My phone stops ringing but starts back immediately. He returns minutes later with my still ringing phone. “It’s Duke,” he says.
“Hello,” I answer.
“Turn to WCF-TV right now. Richardson’s camp is releasing a statement at seven,” he blurts.
I glance at the clock. It’s two minutes till seven. “I need to turn this off for a second. I’ll turn it back on as soon as I see this, okay?” I tell Niya.
“Okay!” she says.
“What’s going on?” Quintus asks as I turn to the local station.
“Richardson,” I say, then turn the volume up a little.
Duke is still on the line so I press the speaker button and place my cell on the arm of my chair.
“It’s on,” I say and the announcement is the first thing on the news.
Anja is reporting. After she introduces Richardson, it cuts to him remote but live.
He’s dressed in a dark blue suit and sitting at a desk.
“Mr. Richardson,” Anja says and he begins.
“I care about Crescent Falls so much. I care about the courts so much. That’s why I wanted to run a campaign worthy of both,” he says and I roll my damn eyes.
“That was what I wanted, but unfortunately, not what I did. The statements I made in a moment of vulnerability during the debate, regarding my opponent, the honorable Judge Mireya Coleman, were baseless and false. I retract them and apologize for ever making them. They were unethical and not indicative of my character.”
“Yeah right,” I utter.
“Because of my actions, I’m withdrawing from the race. To my team, the citizens of our great town, and my family, thank you for all of your support,” he says, then nods.
The smile on my face is big as hell. He’s out. My bench is still mine. A relief like I’ve never felt floods my entire body.
“Congratulations, judge!” Duke exclaims.
“You did it, kyau,” Quintus says with a beautiful smile plastered on his handsome face. Then he leans in and kisses my lips passionately.
“You won?” Niya questions.
“I will, sweetheart,” I gush and she hugs my neck.
“Good job,” she says.
“Thank you! And thank you so much, Duke.”
“We did it. I’ll draft your response tonight and send it in the morning. You did it.”
“No, we did it. Good night.”
We end the call and my breath hitches. My emotions are really all over the place.
My dream is reaffirmed. In January, my term renews and I will be blessed to deliver unbiased, law-based decisions, prevent innocent people from going to jail, and render equitable sentences when there’s a guilty verdict.
Richardson’s tactics didn’t work. I have nothing to worry about on Election Day.
Overwhelmed in a good ass way, I inhale and exhale before closing my eyes as tears fall.
“You sad?” Niya asks sadly, sounding concerned. I quickly ease her little empathetic heart.
“No. I’m so happy. These are happy tears,” I assure her while beaming.
While thumbing my tears on my cheeks, Quintus leans down and says, “You deserve this, kyau. Congratulations again.” He kisses me again, slower and more passionately.
Niya’s high-pitched giggles break the moment and remind us both that she’s in the room.
He looks at her then says, “And you, you don’t kiss boys until you are twenty-five.
” Her giggles only get louder, causing me to laugh too.
“I don’t like boys,” she says.
“That’s only for?—”
“Ay!” he quickly cuts my words off. “Let her keep that sentiment.” I just shake my head.
Ready to get back to her movie, Niya grabs the remote.
As monumental as Richardson dropping out is, for her, it happened, it’s over, and she wants her movie and nachos.
I switch back to KidTV and unpause the movie.
“Imma let y’all finish this in peace. I got something to work on,” he says, then kisses Niya’s forehead. “Good night, baby girl.”
“I’m not sleep,” she scoffs.
“But you will be sleep before this movie is over,” he says and he’s absolutely correct.
Not even thirty minutes later, Niya is knocked all the way out.
After turning off the movie, I gingerly slide from under her and leave her in the chair while I gather our bowl and trash.
Before taking the stuff downstairs, I walk into the bedroom.
My sexy husband is shirtless, propped up on the headboard, focused on his laptop.
Without taking his eyes off the iPad, he reveals that he notices me.
“You ready to celebrate?” he asks.
“I am but I need to take this stuff downstairs and put Niya in her bed.”
Without another word, he places the laptop on the bed and slides off. He steps to me, pecks my lips, then relieves my hands.
“I got this and Niya. You just take all this off,” he says while dragging his eyes down my body. “And get your beautiful body in our bed.”
When he walks out, I journey to the bathroom, brush my teeth, and wash my face.
Before walking out, I slide my pajama shorts and shirt off, climbing into bed in just my bra and panties.
His laptop is open to Westlaw. He’s looking at landmark divorce cases.
Since Diamond Falls considers fault in divorce, it looks like he’s getting his arguments together to make sure Shuga’s assets as Nina Wright are secure.
She finally gave him the green light to file for the divorce.
“A judge that breaks rules,” his sexy baritone rasps from the doorway.
“You’re still dressed,” I counter.
“But I’m not in bed. You are.” After closing the door, he steps over to the bed.
Before climbing in, he removes his pants and boxers, revealing his glorious dick.
I can’t nor do I want to suppress my appreciative smile.
When I lick my bottom lip, he returns an arrogant smile.
“See, that’s how I want to look at you,” he says.
“You do that even when every inch of my body is covered,” I say. There’s always a look of pure adoration on his face when I’m near. There’s no doubt that my husband wants and loves all of me.
“Well, shit. You know how fine you are.” He slides into the bed and closes his laptop on my lap. “That can wait. It’s time for the kyau celebration,” he says and I absolutely agree but tease him for a beat.
“What’s your stare decisis for your argument?” I ask about his case law research and my attempt to tease backfires to my benefit.
“Ask that shit again?” he asks dangerously close to my ear. The vibration of his words send a chilling sensation down my spine.
“What?” I ask, my tone tangled with surprise and arousal.
“About my argument. I love when you talk legal. That shit is so fucking sexy.” His eyes peer into mine as his hands brush under my breasts then slide to my bra hooks. As he loosens them, he rasps, “Say it, kyau.”
I swear him calling me kyau gets me every damn time, but when he practically growls it, my walls instantly moisten. Shit! I’ll say whatever he wants at this point.
“What’s… the… stare… decisis,” I begin sensually but his lips on mine and his tongue in my mouth shuts me up in the most beautiful ass way. I don’t articulate another word until he removes my panties and tongue kisses my lower lips. “Fuuuuuck, baby,” I trill.
Although Richardson withdrew from the election, I spent the day at the polls and my supportive husband was right by my side.
He even drove the Sprinter I rented to escort our seasoned citizens who reside at The Golden Age to the polls.
When the polls closed and my reelection was officially announced, I went live remotely with my acceptance and gratitude.
Last week was long, exhausting, but absolutely exhilarating.
My bench is secured for another four years, I’m happy and in love, and I’m surrounded daily by people I love.
“Thank y’all for agreeing to lunch. I hate to miss our real FNF tonight but a bitch is tired,” I tell my girls. They all made room in their busy Friday schedules to meet at Diablo’s for lunch.