KRUZ
Three Months Later
Today is the day that Emerald is going to reveal her finished artwork to her brother.
It started off as something meant to teach a lesson and turned into much more.
I also had a surprise for them today. I'm taking them to get family photos taken at Captured By Mika.
I told them to dress in white shirts and blue jeans.
I'm also going to bring my dad so we can take new family pictures also.
Who would have thought that I would be in a relationship? Well, I guess I’m really not because he never asked me to be his girl, but who would have thought him bringing the wrong part to my shop would turn into whatever this was.
My dad and I came in a little early to close out some invoices and pay some bills. My dad had this look on his face like something was bothering him, so I asked, “Dad, are you okay?”
“Pumpkin, I’ve been thinking that I'm ready to step back a little bit. We are fully staffed now, and you are doing an amazing job. I'm not leaving altogether but will maybe go down to two days a week or whenever you need me more.”
I was shocked. I’ve been trying to get him to step back for a while now and I can't believe he is actually doing it.
“Dad, oh wow. I'm so happy for you I didn't think this day would ever come. What are you going to do when you’re not here?”
“Calling you to make sure you doing what you supposed to be.” He laughed.
Just then I heard the door opening and it was Emerald and Onyx.
They listened and put on the colors I asked them to do.
They both looked nice, we all looked like one big happy family.
Emerald looked so much happier than when I first met her and I loved that.
She was working through her grief. Onyx and I have been making sure to keep checking in with her whenever she’d get quiet.
I think this project has helped a lot too.
“Good afternoon. Well, don’t you both look nice,” I said as they came into the shop. “Em. are you ready to show your brother what you created?”
“Yes” she responded with a big bright smile.
We all walked out back and when Onyx saw her creation he just stared, and I could see tears in his eyes.
He was trying not to let them fall. Em’s original artwork was filled with grief, sadness, clouds and tears.
She was now in a better space, so she left the grief part of it and added sunshine, rainbows, bright colors, and happiness.
“This is beautiful baby sis. I love it. Why did you combine the two instead of replacing it?”
“I wanted to show the old me and the new me. Hopefully it could help someone who was in a not so good space realize that they can turn it around like I did.”
Everyone got quiet in that moment to take in what she just said and bask in the beauty that this moment was.
“Okay now, we have an appointment that we need to get to. Chop chop, let’s go,” I said.
Since my dad has a Ford F350, we got in his truck to go the photoshoot.
We got there about twelve minutes before our appointment time.
I signed us in. We had a double time slot because we were going to have multiple shoots and I wanted it to be enough time for all the pictures.
My dad and I took our father daughter photo shoot first. It was bittersweet because the last time we took professional family photos my mom was alive and well.
I got a little emotional but bounced back quickly.
Next, it was time for Onyx and Em to go in, and they were so cute doing different posed so fun some playful, and regular it was nice seeing this. Onyx came out of the studio, and I went in to help Em fix her hair and take a few pictures with her.
ONYX
Looking at Kruz and Emerald really made me feel some kind of way.
I never realized how much Em needed a female figure in her life with being a teenage girl that will eventually grow into a woman.
Kruz has been really good with her, and I can see the change within her.
To be honest I can see the changes in me just from her being around.
Looking at them made me thankful that I met her and she was sent to be with us.
While they were still in there fixing hair and taking pictures, I asked the manager if they can continue to take photos and videos when I went back in there.
I wanted to capture this moment and although I'm not proposing to her right now, girls like stuff like this.
I also told pop Kace—which is what he told us to call him— what I was about to do.
Since he had already given me his blessing.
Pop and I walked back into the studio, and I took Kruz by the hand and pulled her close to me.
“Kasey, ever since I walked into your shop that day and your mean ass cussed me out and hacked my heart, I have not been able to get you out of my mental. The fact that we are now here in this moment taking family photos lets me know that we are in this for a long while. We are not at the point of marriage just yet but one day we will be. I realize that although I claimed you as my girl already and asked pop if I can date you, I never actually asked you to be my girl. Since you’ve been in our lives, things have been so much better, and I don't want to let that go.”
Getting on one knee and sitting her on that knee, I looked her in her eyes and asked her to officially be my girl.
She started crying and kissed me and said, “Yes, you were already mine but thanks for making it official.”
Everyone was cheering and happy for us as if we actually got engaged.
KRUZ
I can't believe this man got on one knee to asked me to be his girlfriend.
It was such a sweet gesture, and it was video recorded.
I loved that. I had another surprise for Onyx and Emerald.
I picked this studio because they printed same day and they give you amazing backgrounds.
My dad had some pictures of their mom, and I was having them print their family picture with her as their background and one with her and Emerald alone.
I asked the photo center to wrap up the photos because I wanted them to see it together.
We went out to dinner after the photoshoot, and I planned to present it to them at the time. Dinner was good. We are really becoming a little family. Conversation was easy. We laughed and enjoyed the time together.
The waiter cleared the table, and I pulled out the wrapped pictures and gave them both their own framed photo.
“Emerald, I hope you know that a mother's love never dies even if they pass away. You know I understand what it's like to grieve a mother and if ever you need me, I'm always just a call away.”
She opened hers and she just started crying and hugged me. Next, I gave Onyx his and he actually shed a tear because I think he was already crying from when Em opened hers. He hugged me tightly, pulled back, looked me in my eyes and said, “I love you.”
After we finished dinner, my dad dropped us all off at Onyx and Emeralds house and then he went home. As we were walking into the house I got a facetime call from Mya, “bitch what you doing?”
“Just leaving dinner with your newly made family” she interrupted laughing “Issa a girlfriend now officially”.
I looked at her through the phone saying, “how you know??” She changed the subject “so how did he ask you?” I told her what happened, and she was just grinning and smiling.
“Even though we already knew he was you man I’m glad he made it real.
I want you to really give this man a chance and don’t hold back. ” she said.
“Best friend I know he seems like he really wants to do this and I like him enough to do it with him”.
Just then I heard a strong male voice in the background saying you better give my friend a real chance my nigga loves your ass.
Out of nowhere August appeared in the camera and this bitch gonna hang up.
Oh, hell no this sneaky bitch got some explaining to do.