Chapter 24
TWENTY-FOUR
“Owwww!”
“Mommmmmmmy.”
Cries erupted from both girls as we entered Pop’s crib. Their sudden whimpers left me confused and anxious to see what was the matter. It had been a week since I’d had them in my care and tears were few and far apart.
Daddy never told either of them no or denied them anything they wanted so there was hardly a reason to cry unless one of them were hurt. But, both of them? Crying at once? It shook me to the core.
“Baby!” Glacier gasped.
“What?”
Watching her lower her head as if she was ducking something or someone did little to help. Baffled, I stared with enlarged eyes and a raging heart as I bounced the girls up and down to get them quiet. Glacier reached for Makenna, who simply wasn’t having it.
“What happened?”
“You hit their heads on the door. You’re too tall. You have to dip with them. Ask your brothers. They all lower the kids when they come in. You can hardly get through the door yourself.”
“Oh fuck.”
Though nothing was humorous about harming my children, I couldn’t stop the laughter that erupted if I wanted to. Glacier, pissed, grabbed Madelyn, too. However, I tucked and turned, refusing to give them both up. She could split the deal, but I wasn’t going in the dining room empty-handed.
“Give her to me. You’re laughing.”
“My bad, Kiwi. I jus– I didn’t know. I’m stil– I’m learning, Mommas. Cut a nigga some slack.”
I placed a hand to Madelyn’s forehead, hoping to soothe her pain. She laid on my shoulder, still a blubbering mess.
“Daddy sorry, baby.”
Nodding, I pressed for Glacier to move forward because she wasn’t getting my baby. She could hang that shit up. With a roll of those eyes I loved so much, she turned and headed into the main room where everyone was seated, already.
Milo. Cloud. Malachi. Wind. Pops . None of them caught my attention. It was the nigga with the swollen head and a baby in his arms that stopped me in my tracks.
Taking a quick peek around the room, I searched for answers. With dark skin and a strong neck, that baby could belong to anyone.
“Who big-headed baby this nigga holding?”
I turned to Aeir. She held her hands up. It wasn’t hers to claim.
Amazon was next. “Don’t even think about it,” she warned.
“He belongs to Mercer. His name is Malachi.” Glacier whispered to me.
A stack of bricks sat on my chest. I shook my head in confusion. A snigger with a tilt of my head expressed my sentiments because words just weren’t available.
“He’s mine.”
“Oh, I get that. Kind of. It’s the Malachi part that has me stumped. That and the fact that you aren’t, in fact, homosexual.”
“Here this nigga go.”
“You act like Makai wasn’t available. Right there. Ma–ka–eye.”
“Or Milo,” Milo chimed in.
“No one wants to name their kid Milo. Not even you,” I reminded him.
“Well–” his wife began.
“ Pasture , please.”
Milo was out of his seat and in my face before I could blink.
“You ever got your ass beat with a baby in the way? Cause that’s exactly what’s gone happen if you don’t pipe down.”
With outstretched arms, he grabbed his niece, instead.
“They said you were a smart man. I didn’t believe them until now.”
Just as the aching in my chest made itself known, again, I took a look around the table. Everyone I loved was present— almost .
So much had transpired in my absence. So much. An unfamiliar face appeared from the shadows, likely emerging from the bathroom down the hallway.
Long braids hung to her ankles, almost. Her clothes were loose but did little to conceal the curves she was hiding underneath them. Her skin was as dark as night and as smooth as a baby’s bottom.
“Who dis, Harpo?” I asked no one in particular.
“Vallei, Makai. Makai, Vallei.” Mercer said, pointing from one of us to the other.
Concealing my humor was too complicated of a task. Mercer had done well for himself.
“Wha–”
“I play about a lot of things, bro. She ain’t one of them. Sit your ass down and have some food. You look like you could use something other than slop.”
“Nice to meet you,” I chuckled, before mumbling, “ Mountain .”
The sucking of Mercer’s teeth was evidence he’d heard it, regardless, but I didn’t give a fuck.
“Y’all done got strict around here. Lighten up. Or, light up. Where Lawe? At least that nigga can take what he can dish.”
“Maybe we’re thinking of two different people,” Malachi spoke.
“I thought you were mute for a minute.”
“Sit down, Makai. And, shut up,” he sighed.
Already, we were back in the swing of things. It felt good to hear the demands of my brothers. Demands I wouldn’t follow but loved to hear, nonetheless.
“I love y’all, too.”
“Umm hmm,” Nature groaned. “Now, on another note. Hold your hand up for me, Glacier. I thought I saw something new and worth a second glance.”
Kiwi’s cheeks flushed red. Her bashfulness was intoxicating. It didn’t matter how much she’d wisened or how much she’d grown. She was still as gentle as I remembered her. As kind. As tender. As benevolent. As soft. As tranquil. As serene. She was the lamb of my land.
After a few seconds, her left hand dangled in the air, showcasing the eight-carat, hidden halo diamond ring. The full carat of smaller diamonds around the band made it a full nine carats that had set me back forty-six thousand dollars.
The budget was seventy-five, but Glacier’s modesty led me to choose something that was more of her style than mine. When I slid it on her finger twenty-four hours ago, I knew I’d done well. It was the perfect fit.
“Oh, you sneaky thing!” Nature squealed.
“It’s beautiful,” Aeir complimented.
“Congratulations,” Vallei added with a smile.
“You did good, Makai.” Pop’s words were like boulders on my chest.
“Appreciate that.”
“I’m proud of you. I’m proud of all of you. It wasn’t easy, but I damn sure did my best raising you boys. I’d say I did a decent job.”
“The best,” Aeir assured him. “You did your best.”
“Which is why we’re not sending you to the nursing home when you start shitting on yourself. We’re moving you in with Nutri-Grain Bar and Milo.”
The gasps from around the table were followed by laughter. Laughter was followed by Milo’s swift hand movement. A spoon came flying across the table, crashing into the center of my forehead. It slid down my face and shirt. Before it reached my lap, it was back in my hand and flung across the table where Milo dodged it.
Bitch, I mouthed.
He tilted his head toward the door, beckoning for me outside.
“You do not want these problems, Frankenstein.”
“Meet me outside. I’d like to see for myself.”
“This ain’t the boardroom. And, I can’t patch you back up. You’re going to be leaking and I’d hate to have to beat up that son of yours too. Nigga think he tough. Knock his hearing aid out.”
“He’s not wearing one,” Nature sassed.
“Makai!” Pops yelled. “Cut it out.”
“Old folks home you’re going. You taking up for this nigga.”
“Oh, hush!”
“To the darkest room they have with the pissy carpet and rat droppings.”
Malachi’s snorting caused me to break character. Mercer’s laughter forced mine out. And, Milo didn’t make matters any better when his hairline receded as he cackled. The entire table contributed to the wholesomeness of the moment. Our moment.
I missed this .
This was my family. My brain. My oxygen. My lungs. My life. Exultation soothed me.
Exultation
Noun
A feeling of triumph. A feeling of jubilation.
Synonyms include: joy, exhilaration, delirium, rapture, euphoria
I brought Glacier’s ring to my lips and kissed it. She’d agreed to be my wife. I didn’t think life could reward me with anyone greater. In fact, I knew it couldn’t. Mommas was the greatest.
The conversation carried on into the night. It felt good to see the smiles on the faces around the table. Everyone was healthy. Everyone was happy. And, everyone had someone they were planning to spend the rest of their lives with right by their sides.
Children roamed Pop’s hallway. Our bellies were full and our wealth was sustainable for generations to come. This was life for me. This was living .
***
“For eight months?”
“Eight months,” Pops repeated, proudly.
“That’s what’s up, man. I knew it would be a success, but that’s beyond anything I imagined. I was thinking of long wait times, a waiting list, and plenty of reservations. But, booked up for eight months. That’s what’s up. I’m proud of you, bro.”
“Us,” Mercer corrected. “Aeir. Kleu. Pops. They have been holding me down, especially since Malachi.”
“That’s love.” I nodded.
“Plenty of it.”
I couldn’t remember a more eventful dinner. Children ran wild, some crying while others held their own. Silverware rested against empty plates as everyone joined the open chatter. Glacier’s fingers and mine wrapped around each other underneath the table. Letting her go felt too much like torture.
“I love you,” she whispered to me.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Them two girls running around in here. And, waiting up for me.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Malachi’s stretched neck signaled that time of the evening had come. Cleared throats and long limbs were all that were heard or seen as children latched onto our legs.
“Aye. Don’t hurt yourself, baby,” I warned Madelyn as she fell just a few inches short of mine.
“Come here, baby. Daddy will be right back.”
With a hurt butt, she widened her arms for her mother. I picked her up, kissed her cheeks, and handed her over. I followed the fellas outside. One after the other, we took seats on the furniture that easily accommodated our lengthy frames.
Though not everyone outside smoked often, now wasn’t the time to deny the blunt if it came your way. Milo had no problem firing up the one that Malachi passed him. When it was Mercer’s turn to accept it, he did without hesitation.
Smoke filled the spaces that words hadn’t. Everything I loved, almost everyone I loved was gathered around the table or outside having a much-needed puffing session. Though I was home and right where I belonged, I still felt displaced. Still felt out of sorts. Still felt… unfulfilled .
“Worry me,” Malachi spat out.
Our necks strained to see his face. With the blunt in his mouth, he waited for a response.
“Anna,” Milo smiled.
With a nod, he confirmed. “Worry me, Makai.”
Taking the blunt that he was passing to me, I cleared my throat. Peering into the house where Glacier and the girls sat wasn’t enough for me. I needed to peer into her heart. Her soul. I felt like I could at once. Now, I wasn’t sure.
“Feel like– like– foreign. Everything feels foreign. My woman. My world. My surroundings. My thoughts. Everything.”
“It’s a new day. You will have new thoughts,” Malachi explained. “It’s the same thoughts that you should be fearful of.”
“Glacier.”
“What about her?” he questioned. “She loves you.”
“Deep,” Mercer added.
“I know. That’s why this shit is so hard. Struggling at the realization that I left her out here like I did.”
“She was good. Always. We never let her feel your absence too much,” Mercer explained.
“The fact that she felt it at all. Hard pill to swallow.”
“It’s done. Swallow it,” Malachi demanded.
“Trying, every fucking day. It’s the bullshit it left her feeling that I can’t stomach.”
“Talk to me.”
“Trust. That’s all fucked up.”
“No it’s not,” Malachi stated, calmly. Almost too calm for my liking.
“Yeah. Yeah the fuck it is.”
“She wouldn’t be here. She trusts you. She never stopped. You’re her stability. You’re her world.
“Navigating it without you fucked up her GPS. Help her find her way back and she’ll realize she never lost an ounce of trust, ounce of love, ounce of comfortability.”
“I’ma marry her. That shit is still wild to me. I’ma marry her fine ass, though. It’s just something about her that makes me love her a little more each day.”
“As you should.”
Mercer nodded. He was in agreement with Malachi.
“Yeah.” Milo encouraged.
“Y’all niggas might have to come to Clarke for the ceremony,” I laughed, not finding much funny.
“Nah. It’s gone be right here and we gone have a fucking time,” Malachi replied.
“Suited up,” Milo added.
“Eating good.” Mercer’s mind was almost always on the kitchen.
“Y’all niggas ever wondered what you’d do if they told y’all niggas no?”
“I’d ask again.” Milo was the first to speak, “Get on her fucking nerves until she got the picture.”
“I wouldn’t ask again. I’d just present her with a certificate with her name and forged signature. Simple.”
“Nigga, did you hear yourself?” I shrieked.
“That’s Chem’s fucking brother, man.” Milo shook his head along with Mercer, knowing Malachi meant every word.
“Nah, I ain’t got shit on that nigga.”
“Makai!”
Glacier’s voice summoned me. All of me. I looked up to find her with a sleepy Makenna in her arms. Tilting her head, she asked of me what words weren’t needed to understand.
“I think that’s my time, fellas. I have a sleepy one on my hands. I’m sure the other one isn’t too far behind.”
“Handle your business.”
“Sunday, nigga.”
“Holler at ya.”
“And, congrats on that big head little shi–”
“Aye,” Mercer warned.
“On your son. Congrats on your son, bro.”
“Appreciate it.”
Just like any other gathering in a Black household, it took us an additional twenty minutes to get out of the door. But, once we hit the highway, headed to the place I called home, all was well. The girls were sound asleep in their seats. Glacier’s hand was wrapped around my arm. Her head rested against it.
Everything felt well. Everything felt alright. And, the idea of taking them back to Clarke when morning came didn’t feel so final. Splitting my time would have to suffice for now. When ready, my girls would be home for good and not just for an overnight stay.