Chapter 32 Kay’Lo Mensah
Reception Vibes
I had just got my baby down that aisle and now we was at the reception turnin’ the fuck up, and I ain’t even gon’ lie, for a minute I had to sit back and really take this shit in, ’cause everything about this day hit different when you knew what it took to get here.
After we did our thing at the altar, we moved straight into pictures, and that alone turned into a whole moment, ’cause everybody wanted they time, and I ain’t rush none of it.
First it was me with my people, me standin’ there with my pops, Pressure, Renza, Kelli, Blaqson, Uncle Kojo, and Uncle Asa, all of us lined up lookin’ clean as hell in our suits, and I ain’t miss the way my pops kept glancin’ at me like he was proud but wasn’t gon’ say too much in front of everybody.
Then we did the ones with just me and my wife and my baby, and that right there was my favorite part without me even havin’ to say it out loud, ’cause Toni had My’Love on her hip, and I was all on both of ‘em, kissin’ my baby cheek while she reached for me, smilin’ and mumblin’ her lil’ sounds like she knew this was somethin’ special.
Toni kept lookin’ at me like she couldn’t believe we really did this shit the right way, and I kept pullin’ her in, kissin’ her forehead, her cheek and her lips, not carin’ who was watchin’.
Then they had Toni with her girls, Pluto, Sha’Nelle, my mama, Auntie Abeni, Auntie Nyori, and my cousins, all of ‘em around her hypin’ her up and laughin’.
I stood off to the side watchin’ that shit for a second, just takin’ it in, ’cause my wife looked happy in a way I hadn’t always seen, and that meant everything to me.
After pictures, we got into the reception for real, and the vibe shifted right into celebration. The music picked up, drinks started flowin’, and everybody loosened up like they had been holdin’ that energy in all day waitin’ for this part.
When it was time to cut the cake, me and Toni stood side by side, her hand over mine while we held the knife together. She looked up at me smilin’ like she already knew I was gon’ play with her.
“Don’t do too much,” she murmured.
“I ain’t gon’ do nothin’,” I told her, already smirkin’.
We cut into that big ass cake. It was pink and white just like everything else, and the second we pulled that first slice out, everybody started clappin’ and cheerin’. I leaned in and fed her a bite first, watchin’ her lips wrap around the fork before she laughed and fed me right back.
Then the toasts started.
Kelli went first, and I ain’t even expect that nigga to get deep like he did, but he stood there with his glass raised, lookin’ right at me.
“I ain’t gon’ say too much,” he started, but we already knew that was a lie.
Everybody laughed, and he smirked before goin’ on.
“But for real, I watched you go through a lot, brother, and I watched you stand up for what was yours every single time. Toni, you got a real one, and I know that because I seen it with my own eyes. And you,” he said, lookin’ at her, “you held him down when it mattered, so I respect you for that.”
He lifted his glass. “To both of you.”
We all raised our glasses, and I nodded at him. “Appreciate you, bro.”
Then Renza got up, and I already knew it was about to go left.
“Man, I ain’t even gon’ lie,” he said, already grinnin’. “I ain’t think y’all was gon’ make it.”
The whole place burst out laughin’, and Toni smacked my arm while I shook my head.
“Nah, hear me out,” he added, holdin’ his hand up. “Y’all was toxic as hell at one point, I’m just sayin’. But nah, for real, I rock with it. Y’all found y’all way back, and now look at y’all, married twice.”
Then there was more laughs.
“But nah, I’m proud of you, my boy,” he said, lookin’ at me. “And Toni, you stuck it out with this crazy ass nigga, so you deserve all this.”
He lifted his glass. “To y’all crazy asses.”
We all drank to that, laughin’ and talkin’ shit like we always did.
The rest of the night turned into what it was supposed to be. The music was loud, people was on the dance floor, drinks was in everybody hands, and my whole family was movin’ like we ain’t have a care in the world.
I had My’Love on me for a minute, holdin’ her while she rested against my chest, but as the night went on, she got fussy, rubbin’ her face and makin’ them lil’ irritated noises, so I kissed her and handed her off to my parents.
“Take my baby,” I said. “She done with us for the night.”
My mama laughed, takin’ her. “We got her.”
After that, I found Toni in the middle of the dance floor, and when I pulled her into me, everything slowed down just enough for me to feel right in the moment with her.
We moved together, slow, my hands on her waist while her arms wrapped around my neck. I leaned in and kissed her, not even carin’ who was watchin’.
“I love you,” I murmured against her lips.
“I love you too,” she said, her eyes locked on mine.
I kissed down her jaw, then looked back at her. “By the time My’Love turn two, we need to be workin’ on another one.”
Her eyes lit up, and she smiled. “I want a boy.”
I smirked and kissed her again. “Then a boy is what I’m gon’ give you.”
She laughed soft, but I saw that look in her eyes, and I knew she was serious.
Time kept movin’, and eventually I ended up back with my niggas, me, Pressure, Renza, Kelli, and Blaqson all posted up, drinks in our hands, laughin’ and talkin’ shit like we always did.
At some point, I wasn’t even that drunk no more. I just found myself watchin’ my wife from across the room.
She was over there with Pluto, Sha’Nelle and my cousins, laughin’, talkin’, and lookin’ good as hell in that dress. When she looked up and caught me starin’, I licked my lips slow and rubbed my hands together before pushin’ off from where I was.
“I’mma be back,” I told them, already movin’.
Renza laughed. “Go get your wife, nigga.”
I walked over, slidin’ up behind Toni and wrapin’ my arms around her waist, pullin’ her back into me while she smiled.
I leaned down close to her ear. “I’m ready to take you to that suite and eat that pussy all night.”
She bit her bottom lip and reached for me through my pants, her hand pressin’ right where I needed it.
“Baby… everybody still here,” she whispered.
I kissed along her jaw. “I don’t give a fuck about none of this shit goin’ on right now. They grown. I want my wife.”
I looked down, then back in her eyes while my jaw flexed, ’cause she could already feel me gettin’ hard under her touch, my dick startin’ to grow right in her hand like it had been waitin’ on her all night.
She licked her lips slow, watchin’ me while her hand stayed on my dick, and I could see it in her eyes that she felt exactly what she was doin’ to me.
“My shit ‘bout to start hurtin’ if you don’t come on,” I told her low, my eyes locked on hers while my hips shifted just enough for her to feel how hard I was gettin’.
She swallowed, still holdin’ me, and for a second we just stood here lookin’ at each other, both of us already knowin’ exactly where this was about to go.
She grabbed my hand, and we slipped out without sayin’ shit to nobody.
I led her outside to the car I had set up, a black Rolls-Royce Cullinan sittin’ there waitin’ on us.
I opened the passenger door for her, watchin’ her slide in before I walked around and got in the driver’s seat.
Before I even started it, I leaned over, holdin’ my lips out, and she smiled, pressin’ her hand against my face before kissin’ me slow and wet.
“I love you,” she said.
“I love you too,” I told her, meanin’ every word.
Then I started the car and pulled off, me and my wife ridin’ into whatever came next, together.