Layanna & Caleb
One Year Later
Life had been a whirlwind for Caleb and me since the fateful day we crossed a line that neither of us ever intended to.
I almost let guilt convince me I didn’t deserve to love again and that I should live my life in the shadow of the life Angel and I had created together, though he was gone.
I still thought of Angel daily and even had thoughts of what life would be like had he not been taken from me.
Still, it never proved useful to dwell on the what-ifs because ultimately I couldn’t picture a life without the love and partnership of Caleb Black, Ahmir and Dana Evans, and Ajaih Jeffries.
I had taken a chance on a different type of love, one that required me to be healed, vulnerable, and confident in knowing I deserved to have the love I desired without picking and choosing who I was allowed to have it with.
I had a beautiful life with Angel, one I knew would serve as my forever, but as life turns out, it was the ending of one book, and Caleb was the start of a brand-new story.
I had been promoted to Chief of Surgery at Winston Hills Memorial, and Ahmir had been promoted to Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery.
At the same time, his wife, my beautiful girlfriend, Dana, had become the Chief Financial Officer, securing record-breaking donations that helped Winston Hills Memorial open a state-of-the-art free clinic and broaden research on minimally invasive surgical techniques, in addition to her wine brand, Maison Noiré.
Ajaih had settled in and was in love with life here in Winston Hills.
Not only had she soared as the lead flight instructor for the aviation academy, but she was also integral in developing the drone program at the academy, in addition to becoming a certified aerial firefighter, helping to extinguish wildfires by aircraft.
Not only was Ajaih my best friend, but she was now my girlfriend and lover.
JaJa had stopped living life with labels and instead did things that made her happy and fulfilled her.
She was free to explore other romantic options, but she opted not to because Ahmir, Caleb, Dana, and I had been fulfilling her needs in and out of the bedroom.
My mother and I had continued therapy, and our relationship was one I only ever dreamed of having.
Her commitment to her health and wellness made my heart swell with pride.
My parents had gotten engaged and were planning to remarry next year in front of their closest friends and family.
My mother asked me to be her matron of honor, and Liah to be her maid of honor, so naturally, Uncle Dro was my father’s best man, and AJ was his groomsman.
Nothing felt better than having a family that was healed, healthy, and willing to do the work to stay there.
Life is far more beautiful than I’d ever imagined it could be, and I never took it for granted.
AJ was still a Morehouse man and had recently joined the same fraternity his grandfather, father, and uncle Cal were members of, the Ice Cold brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha.
The momentous occasion was celebrated as we all made our way to Atlanta for his probate.
AJ reminded me of his father in so many ways, his kind heart leading him to participate regularly in community outreach where he donated and volunteered his time and money at local shelters, soup kitchens, and the Boys and Girls Club.
Some would say it seemed he was only following in his dad’s footsteps, but it had become abundantly clear that his passion for politics and law was his own.
Liah was entering her last year at Juilliard in addition to recently releasing her first single, ‘Body Language’.
She and Mario hadn’t gone public with their relationship just yet, but with the music video for Body Language dropping soon, the world was about to find out, considering he was her leading man.
I understood the need for privacy because the interview with Malaya Abrams not only brought a new audience of fans to me, but also to the kids.
Liah’s following had grown exponentially without being linked to Mario, so she opted to keep her love life private for as long as she could, especially after seeing some of the opinions the world had about Caleb and me.
“Mrs. Black, the photographer is ready for the wedding party,” my event coordinator said as she popped her head into the room.
About that, today was my wedding day, a huge smile gracing my face.
Caleb and I had wed in a beautifully lavish and private ceremony of 100 of our closest friends and family in Seychelles.
We’d granted Malaya Abrams the exclusive coverage in addition to her joining us as a friend.
Cal and I had noticed CJ on her heels the entire week, laughing because he’d met his match.
“Coming,” I replied as I slipped into my crystal-beaded So Kate’s.
I was nothing short of breathtaking, and it was confirmed when tears left Caleb’s eyes as my father walked me down the aisle in a mermaid gown with intricate sequin beading and a sequin beaded detachable overskirt.
My hair was pulled back into a sleek bun, with matching flowers from my bouquet added in place of a veil, allowing my face to take center stage as diamond jewels sparkled on my neck, wrist, and ears.
Making my way to my husband, I smiled, and the warmth of genuine love illuminated the room.
“Mr. Black, I’m here,” I said, kissing his lips.
Caleb was a dream in his navy Tom Ford tuxedo. Only my husband would get married in his grill and his groomsmen as well.
“I would’ve waited forever for you and with a smile on my face, Mrs. Black,” a smile on his face.
I’d considered hyphenating my name, but ultimately, this was a new chapter, and even without the James last name, Angel would never be forgotten.
Looking around, I saw my matron of honor, Dana, my maid of honor, Ajaih, and my bridesmaids Liah, Callie, Calla, and Malaya smiling and laughing because CJ was in Malaya’s face trying to convince her to go on a date with him yet again.
I’d allowed them to pick their gowns as long as they were a peachy orange with gold accents.
When Angel was snatched from me, I never imagined a time when I would be able to move on and love again. Life was truly an enigma, and I wouldn’t change it for anything.
I was looking at my wife in awe, you read that right, WIFE.
Layanna Black thought shit was a game when I slid that rock on her finger, but when I started pressing her about setting a wedding date, her mouth dropped.
I went full groomzilla on her fine ass. Wrap this engaged shit up pretty, baby, I’m about to get you down the aisle.
I didn’t see a reason for a long, drawn-out engagement because this wasn’t our first marriage.
We were over 40 with grown ass kids and millions in the bank, whatever kind of wedding she wanted and wherever she wanted it, only had to be said because she had a blank check to run up a bill as the young folks liked to say.
When the doors opened and Layanna began her walk down the aisle on her father and AJ’s arms, I couldn’t hold my tears back.
Not only was she the vision of perfection, but this woman had saved my life and didn’t even know it.
When I recited the vows I spent weeks writing, I talked about the day she FaceTimed me as I was thinking of taking my life, and how I would do it.
I had lost Maria, only to turn around and have my best friend, my brother, snatched away from me, too.
Seeing Yanna’s name pop up on my screen, I answered, and we talked for hours.
Then, we decided to get something to eat, and for the first time in weeks, I smiled because I didn’t feel like I was constantly losing love.
From that day forward, Yanna and I spoke every day in some capacity, whether by phone, FaceTime, or in person.
I believe in my heart that Maria and Angel made it such that Yanna and I had each other because they knew we both were hurting and deserved peace, comfort, and healing.
I thanked God daily that He saw fit to provide me with the love I needed when I needed it.
After reciting my vows, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room, including Yanna.
Seeing tears on her pretty face made me forget we were in the middle of our wedding ceremony as I went to her to dry her eyes and kiss her lips softly, causing the pastor to clear his throat as I hurried back to my spot, causing everyone to laugh.
Ahmir was my best man because he had become one of my truest friends, lending me advice on business, parenting, and any other topic I came to him about.
Calil was also my best man, and it amazed me that our relationship had changed in a way that I could only thank the man above for.
Getting to know my brother and the man he’d become, I admired him because he was fucking brilliant, and I bragged on him all the time.
CJ, Rio, and Milo were my best men; the title was fitting because they represented the best parts of me and their mother.
CJ was excelling as a surgical resident at the hospital, and not only was Yanna his mentor, but Ahmir had also taken him under his wing.
In his free time, CJ volunteered at the free clinic, where his bedside manner was often commended.
Mario had a stellar rookie year, and although they’d been eliminated in the playoffs, he was named Offensive Rookie of the Year.
I believed he was taking the Eagles all the way this coming season, and if they did, he planned to propose to Liah.
Milo had recently confided in the family that he was bisexual, and I wasn’t sure what reaction he expected from us other than to hug him, tell him we love him, and to be safe with whoever he was intimate with.
I affirmed him by reminding him that someone’s acceptance of his truth was not now and would never be needed; he only needed to accept himself and continue to live in his truth.
The saddest part of today was the absence of my father.
After everything he’d done and everything I’d found out, I refused to have anything to do with him.
I did buy his company from underneath him and fire him for violating the morality clause and no fraternization rules.
After cleaning house within the company, I brought in new board members and investors, as the previous ones had allowed my father to run amok unchecked.
I looked behind Yanna to see my baby sister smiling at me as she mouthed, “I love you, big bro,” which made me smile even bigger.
I knew Calla was a force to be reckoned with in the tech world, which is why I didn’t hesitate to make her the CEO of BlackSphere Technologies and give her free rein to assemble a team of brilliant, tech-savvy professionals who were responsible for the company achieving record-breaking profits over the last year.
One of the best parts of the day was seeing my mother, Andrea Woodson, smile brightly as she laughed with her best friend, Lilian Graves.
We had forgiven my mother, but most importantly, she had forgiven herself.
The power that came with forgiving herself for her shortcomings allowed my mother to evolve into a beautiful older woman who experienced life through a new lens, one filled with love, respect, and admiration for herself and those around her.
In the midst of divorcing my father, Ajaih’s father, Dro swept her off her feet, showering her with a love my father never had.
When their divorce was final, my mother went back to her maiden name, causing my father to completely spiral out of control and marry one of his mistresses, hoping to hurt my mother.
The last we heard, he was trying to divorce his new wife, but she was giving him pure hell trying to do so.
He’d made several attempts to reconnect with us, but they were never genuine, and when he didn’t get his way, his true nature always showed up.
Looking around, we were surrounded by nothing but love, and I would work to keep it that way. Ahmir was handing everyone shots of my tequila, Black Cielo, even our wedding photographer, as he joked, “Aye don’t mess our pictures up fam,” causing everyone to laugh.
“Cheers to Mr. And Mrs. Black! The best is yet to come!” Ajaih yelled excitedly.
“CHEERS!” Yanna and I said in unison, sealing our shot with a kiss.
The End, maybe.