Chapter 29 Asia
A week had passed, and I still couldn't believe this was happening. Every morning, I'd wake up, see the ring on my finger, and feel a rush of both excitement and disbelief. I was engaged.
Today was the day I would introduce Nyree to my mom and Bella. The two most important women in my life. What would they say? How would they respond? I didn't know, but I was just going to rip the Band-Aid off and hope for the best.
I paced Ma's living room, glancing at my watch for the fifth time in as many minutes.
Nyree should be here soon. Ma was in the kitchen, preparing her famous lemon pound cake—a sure sign she was trying to make a good impression despite her reservations.
She hadn't said much when I told her about the engagement over the phone, just a long pause followed by, "Well, I look forward to meeting this young man. "
The doorbell rang, and I nearly jumped out of my skin.
"I'll get it!" I called out, hurrying to the door.
When I opened it, there stood Nyree, looking handsome in dark jeans and a button-down shirt, holding a bouquet of flowers.
"Hey," he said, leaning in to kiss my cheek.
"Hey," I replied, feeling calmer in his presence. "Ready for this?"
"As I'll ever be," he said with that confident smile I'd grown to love.
I led him into the house, and my mom emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. She was dressed impeccably as always, not a hair out of place, her makeup subtle but perfect.
"Ma, this is Nyree. Nyree, this is my mother."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Nyree said, stepping forward to hand her the flowers. "Asia speaks so highly of you."
My mom's face softened as she accepted the bouquet. "These are lovely, thank you."
We moved to the living room, where my mom had set out coffee and water. As we settled in, I could feel the questions bubbling just beneath my mother's polite surface.
"So, Nyree," she began once we all had drinks, "Asia tells me you're a photographer?"
"Yes, ma'am!" He grinned with pride.
"And how long have you been doing that?"
"A few years now."
My mom nodded, taking a sip of her coffee. "And is that a stable career? I'm only asking because marriage is as much a financial partnership as an emotional one."
"Ma," I started, but Nyree touched my hand.
"It's a fair question," he said. "It can fluctuate like any small business, but everything is starting to take off. I'm in the process of expanding, thanks in part to Asia's marketing expertise."
The questions continued—about his family, his views on children, his religious beliefs.
Nyree answered each one with honesty, never seeming offended or defensive.
I could see my mom thawing as the conversation progressed, especially when Nyree talked about his mother and the values she'd instilled in him.
"Well," my mom said, setting down her coffee cup, "I think it's time for some cake. Asia, would you help me in the kitchen?"
I knew this meant she wanted to speak to me privately. I followed her, bracing myself.
Once we were alone, she turned to me, her expression serious but not upset.
"He seems like a good man, Asia."
"He is," I said, relief washing over me.
"But two months, Asia? After everything with Quan, I'd have thought you'd be more cautious."
I sighed. "I know it seems fast. It is fast. But it's different with Nyree. He sees me, Ma. And he supports my ambitions instead of feeling threatened by them."
My mom studied me for a moment, then her face softened. "You're glowing, baby. I haven't seen you look this happy in a long time." She reached out to touch my cheek. "Just promise me you'll be careful with your heart. And maybe consider a longer engagement?"
"We haven't set a date yet," I assured her.
She nodded, seeming satisfied with that. "Alright then. Let's take this cake out to your fiancé."
The rest of the visit went smoothly. By the time we left, Ma and Nyree were joking like old friends.
"That went well," I said as we walked to our cars.
"Your mom is great," Nyree replied. "Tough, but great."
"Ready for round two?" I asked, feeling buoyed by our success.
"Lead the way," he said with a smile.
I had Nyree follow me to Bella's house. After my mom's relatively easy acceptance, I was feeling confident. Bella had been my best friend since forever—she knew me better than anyone. Surely she would see how happy I was and be happy for me.
Bella had just gotten off work, so I hoped she was in a good mood. We hadn't talked much in the past week.
When Bella opened her door, her eyes widened at the sight of us standing there together.
"Hey bestie! What is this?" she asked, her smile curious as her gaze darted between us.
I took a deep breath. "Bella, you met him briefly once before, but this is Nyree. My fiancé."
Her jaw dropped. "Your what now?"
"Fiancé," I repeated, holding up my left hand to show her the ring. "We're engaged."
"Oh my God," she said, her expression a mixture of surprise, excitement, and complete bewilderment. "Oh my GOD! When? How? What?"
"Can we come in?" I asked with a laugh.
"Yes! Yes, of course," she said, stepping back to let us enter her apartment.
She hugged me tightly, then extended her hand to Nyree. "Hey. I remember you from the night with Que and Blake."
"Nice to meet you," Nyree said, shaking her hand. "Asia talks about you all the time."
"Funny, she's never mentioned you," Bella said with a pointed look in my direction.
We sat in her living room, and I gave her the condensed version of our whirlwind romance.
Bella listened, her expression cycling through various emotions. She asked Nyree a few questions about himself, less pointed than my mother's but still clearly assessing him.
After about twenty minutes, Nyree glanced at his watch. "I should probably get going. I have some editing to finish up tonight."
I gave him a grateful look, knowing he was giving Bella and me space to talk. "Thanks, babe."
He kissed my cheek. "Call me later?"
"Of course."
I walked him to the door, and once he was gone, I braced myself for Bella's real reaction.
I wasn't disappointed.
The moment the door closed behind him, she turned to me, her eyes wide. "Asia, what the hell is going on with you?"
I could see the hurt in her eyes now that Nyree wasn't present—hurt that I'd kept her in the dark, that I'd made such a massive life decision without consulting her.
"I know it's sudden—" I began.
"Sudden? Girl, the last time we spoke, you were telling me you didn't believe in love anymore after what Quan did, and now you're engaged? Asia, are you okay? Like, mentally?"
I felt a flare of offense at her implication. "I'm not having a breakdown, if that's what you're asking."
"Then what is this? Because from where I'm standing, it looks like my best friend, who has always been thoughtful and levelheaded, is suddenly rushing into marriage with a guy she barely knows."
"It happened fast," I admitted, sitting back down on her couch. "But it feels so right, Bella. I've never connected with anyone the way I connect with Nyree. He gets me."
"That man doesn't even have a job!" Bella exclaimed.
I blinked, thrown off by her words. "What?"
"After that botched blind date, I saw how you two were looking at each other. I asked Que about him, and Que said Nyree wasn't the type to settle down, plus he's not working or anything."
A hot surge of anger rose in my chest. "Que said that? That's complete bullshit! Nyree has his own photography business. He's talented and hardworking."
"Well, that's not what his friend said," Bella replied, looking uncertain now.
"His 'friend' is clearly talking out of his ass," I said, pulling out my phone. I navigated to Nyree's website—the one I'd helped him build—and showed it to Bella. "Look. These are his clients. This is his work. He's doing well for himself."
Bella scrolled through the site, her eyebrows rising. "Okay, this looks legit. But still..."
I felt a twinge of guilt as she admired the website. Yes, Nyree was talented, but I knew his business had been struggling before I helped him revamp his online presence. Was I overselling his success?
No, I decided firmly. His work spoke for itself. He just needed better marketing, which was what I'd provided. That's what partnerships were about—supporting each other's strengths.
"I don't know, Asia," Bella said, handing my phone back. "It all just seems so fast. I don’t understand how you went from fuck all these niggas to marrying Nyree."
"I know what I said," I replied. "But sometimes life doesn't follow your plans. Sometimes something better comes along and you have to be brave enough to grab it."
Bella studied me for a long moment. "You’re serious about this."
"I am," I said, surprising myself with the certainty in my voice.
She sighed, then reached over to take my hands. "Then I'm happy for you. Cautiously happy, but happy. Just... promise me you'll take it slow from here? A nice, long engagement?"
"We haven't set a date yet," I assured her, echoing what I'd told my mom.
"Good," she said, then pulled me into a hug. "And no more secrets, okay? I'm your best friend. I want to know everything, even the scary stuff. Especially the scary stuff."
"Deal," I promised, hugging her back tightly.
After leaving Bella's, I sat in my car for a moment, processing both conversations. My mom and best friend were concerned but supportive. They had questions—valid ones—but they were trying to be happy for me.
But after all the questions and conversations, now I could feel my own doubts creeping back in.