Chapter 33
Kass
When Friday morning came, the place was together.
Both Cayla and I had taken the entire day off just for Oriana’s little thing at school.
I loved how nervous Cayla was, like this thing at the daycare was a real ceremony.
I think she was more anxious to be in the presence of me and Orion at the same time.
That morning, she had dressed Oriana in pink and purple and made sure the little barrettes in her hair matched.
Little Mamas looked so cute when we dropped her off.
Being that the little ceremony was at the end of the day, I was sure she would look nothing like how we had sent her.
I had on jeans and a button-up polo shirt, while Cayla wore a two-piece set with a long cardigan. By the time I went upstairs to check on Nana, she was already dressed in her favorite two-piece suit and waiting in her favorite chair.
“Did you pop the question yet?” she asked after looking behind me to make sure Cayla hadn’t come up the stairs too.
“No, nosey lady. I will when the time is right.”
“The time has been right if you ask me.”
“Time is right for what?”
I quickly turned around and saw that Cayla was standing behind me.
“The time is right to leave. We don’t wanna hit any traffic,” Nana quickly answered while I cut eyes at her.
Cayla was digging around in her purse to double-check that she had everything, I assumed.
“Got everything?” I asked as I helped Nana out of her seat.
“Yup.” She gave me a warm smile before leading the way out.
When she walked to the car, she opened the passenger side door and stood beside it while I walked to the car with Nana. She was leaning her weight on me.
“Ms. Flora, sit in the front.”
That right there, that moment right there, is when I knew for sure that I wanted her to be my wife.
I needed her to be my wife. She stood at the door as I helped Nana inside.
Once she was securely in her seat, I stepped aside so I would be standing in front of Cayla.
Without hesitation, I dropped to my knee and pulled the ring box out of my pants.
I had been holding onto this thing ever since I got it.
I made sure not to leave it around the house.
It was always on me, and if it wasn’t on me, then it was hidden somewhere in the house until I left for work.
“Kassidy!” she squealed when I opened the box.
“There we go, baby. That’s what I’m talking about,” I heard Nana coaching to the right of me.
“Cayla Carmichael… you have been everything I want in a wife. You are strong; you have shown me that you can weather any storm. You are caring, it’s how you raise your daughter that makes me wanna give you another one, and it’s how you look after my Nana that makes me wanna grow old with you.
I don’t care how cheesy this may sound, but I can honestly say that I have loved you since high school.
I love you even more now.” I paused as I looked deep into her eyes.
She was fanning her face as tears slid down her chubby cheeks. “Will you marry me?”
She opened her mouth, but nothing flew out; she was shaking her head up and down so hard. I dropped the whole box after I took the ring out and slid it on her finger. Once I did, I stood back up straight, and we kissed. That butterfly feeling that I had ever since I purchased the ring had left.
“Alright now, y’all nasties, hurry and get in this car before we miss my grandbaby’s stuff.”
I ignored Nana as I pulled away from our kiss and looked Cayla right in her eyes.
“I love you.”
I needed her to understand that.
“I love you,” she said back with a softness that almost made my damn knees buckle.
I was soft for this girl; I would forever be because she was going to be my wife. Mrs. Crawford was loading. Although I had made this leap to start our family, a part of me hoped her baby daddy wouldn’t be problematic about it.
Orion
Not many family members showed up for this little ceremony, but the love for Oriana was through the roof.
When I first got here with her two brothers, I didn’t see Cayla, which surprised me a bit.
Still, I made sure to block off the row I was sitting on to leave enough space for her and whoever she might bring.
When she walked through the door, I stood from my seat and waved.
Her dude was following her, and an older lady was on his arm.
I didn’t know who she was, but she was with them, so I had a seat for her ass too.
“Move down,” I said to OJ once they came to our row.
Cayla walked into the row first and sat right beside me.
Her man sat next to her, and then the older lady next to him.
Cayla’s perfume tickled my nose, and when I looked over to say something about it, I noticed her left hand resting gently on her thigh, and she had on a fucking ring.
I had just seen her last week, and she wasn’t wearing one.
The room seemed to get a little tight, but I breathed deeply.
This was the shit that I had chosen, and I had to eat that.
All the daycare kids walked out into the center of the floor and did their version of “We Are Family.”
Oriana was in the middle of the floor, moving her body around like she had a damn hula hoop around her.
The shit was hilarious. I bopped from side to side and used Ocean’s hands to clap for his sister.
I looked over and saw that Cayla and her crew were smiling and clapping for Oriana, too.
Right now, we were all seated and acting civilly all for the little girl in the pink and purple barrettes.
It took me a long time to get this way, but I welcomed this new me.
I welcomed the peace that it came with. I wasn’t too sure what dating had in store for me for the near future, but I knew damn sure that I wasn’t rushing to hit the scene.
I glanced at Cayla once more and saw her smiling and clapping.
That damn ring on her finger spoke volumes.
A man came along and stepped how he was supposed to with her, and no bullshit, I was truly happy for her.
Cayla
I was smiling and clapping as the kids mumbled whatever words they wanted.
When they finished performing and dancing, the teachers showed off some of the artwork that the kids had done so far.
About a month ago, Oriana had come home with green toes, and now I knew why.
Kassidy was ready to go up to the school and curse all of them out, too.
There was this little picture that said Mistle-toes, and it was the kids’ feet painted like Mistletoe.
“Alright, parents, this little ceremony was just to appreciate you guys. We wanted to take a moment to thank you for all you do. These babies are bright and will shape the world one day. We thank you for sharing them with us.”
Ms. Sandra finished her announcement and then let the kiddies run to their family members. Oriana’s round eyes fell right on me, and when they did, she ran to our row.
“Nana, Kassey, Mama, Dada, and boys.”
I laughed at how she didn’t even bother with her brothers’ names.
Ms. Flora and Kass turned their legs to the side, so I could get out of the row.
Ms. Sandra was taking pictures of all the families.
She asked to get a picture of Oriana and me, so I picked her up and stood off to the side so she could snap a photo.
“Is everyone in this row here for her?”
I nodded my head, and she asked to get a picture of all of us.
Kassidy helped Ms. Flora up, and we all stood in a picture. I stood in the middle holding Oriana on my hip. To the left of me was Orion holding his son with OJ standing beside him, and to the right of me was Kassidy, and then Ms. Flora.
“Say cheese.”
“Cheese,” we all said in unison.
The flash on her phone went off a couple of times.
This space that I was in was where I had wanted to be for a while.
My kid was happy, and that meant the world to me.
This little girl was blessed to have all this love surrounding her.
She had me, her dad, a bonus grandma, and a soon-to-be stepdad who showed up to the fullest. I felt lighter right now than I had ever felt in my entire life.
My heart was free of pain, my mind was clear from chaos, and my life was filled with love.
Love surrounded me in that moment, and it didn’t even matter how things were between Orion and me in the past. What mattered now was that we were functioning co-parents who put all the bullshit aside to love Oriana.
I let Oriana hug her dad and brothers before we made our exit.
Kassidy helped Ms. Flora out, all while holding onto the nape of my back.
And when I looked back, I saw Orion watching us leave.
He offered me half a smile before he played in OJ’s locs and gently pushed him toward the exit.
THE END