Epilogue
Mercedees
The tears in my eyes were out of pure joy.
I couldn’t help but cry as I looked at my mother in the mirror.
She was finally getting the life she worked so hard for.
The way she made my father beg for thirty plus years to get her back was goat status.
Now, she was jumping that same broom she beat him with at the altar. I was so proud of them.
I remembered how hurt she was when my father cheated on her.
After telling me about the many miscarriages she experienced, it all made sense why she never cut him any slack.
She went through more than enough losing babies that she refused to tolerate infidelity, too.
I hadn’t seen my father with anyone else since. She was always his focus afterward.
“Mama, you are exactly who you think you are. You look so beautiful, and your makeup is flawless,” I complimented her.
“Thank you, Cedees. I didn’t think this day would ever come, but Ryan kept his word,” she said, dabbing the corners of her eyes with Kleenex.
“Pops really did and now look. I love this for you, Mama Cas. Now all I got to do is convince mine to get his shit together, so I can be a bride, too,” Akira chimed.
Imagine my surprise finding out that this heffa was just as pregnant as I was at the time.
Ashaun locked her down within a matter of months.
She wanted to hate him so bad, but I saw the way them two looked at each other.
He was crazy ‘bout her and vice versa. Whenever he stepped into a room, that was where all her attention went… and rightfully so.
Coming from a well-loved family, it seemed like I would never find my own. That one night in Vegas changed my entire life. I was glad I didn’t get the annulment. I was happily married with a set of twins that took my breath away every time I looked into their tiny faces.
When I told Arion about the family tradition of being named after cars, he thought it was the funniest thing ever. He also challenged me that if I could get two names that he loved, the kids could continue that tradition. Guess who won… Acura and Aston were all that man could think about.
“Girl don’t do my baby brother. You knew what was up when you sat on him. Excuse me for a second, Mama. Arion has the babies, and I want to go check on them.”
“Of course. I can’t wait until all this is over so I can get my time in. I miss them,” my mother said shooing me away.
I walked out the dressing room with a one track mind.
I wanted my babies in my arms. I knew they were good with their father but still.
I was a new mother and all of me was attached to them.
They still carried that new baby smell, and it was so addicting.
Searching for them was low key starting to make me anxious.
“Something told me to come find you. You just can’t let them out yo’ sight for real, huh?” Turning around, my eyes rested on my husband coddling both our babies in his arms. He never held one without the other if I wasn’t around. I loved his protection for them.
Smiling, I casually walked back to them and kissed all three of them.
This was my family. I’d put everything on the line for them.
The only memorable thing from Vegas was the physical connection.
We shared something so beautiful that we created two of God’s favorite people.
I didn’t regret a damn thing when it came to my decisions.
“How’d you know I needed to see them?” I inquired in a soft tone.
“Because I know my wife. Which one you want?”
“Aston,” I said gunning for him. I loved on my daughter all morning before we left the house, so it was my son’s turn.
“I figured.” He handed him over and I immediately rained down more kisses to his chubby cheeks. I missed him so much.
There was a bench along the wall where we sat down and admired our babies.
Ever since Arion and I agreed to do this marriage thing right, it had been nothing but genuineness.
That man knew how to provide and protect.
He provided me with a love I couldn’t duplicate, a bond I refused to let be broken, and a set of beautiful babies that literally brought me to tears anytime I looked at them.
I begged for this life, and he gave it to me without hesitation. That was a man that knew what he wanted and stuck with it. His certainty was the best part about him.
“So, you just gon’ keep hiding the nigga or what?” Royce’s voice startled me ‘causing me to jump. Me jumping also scared Aston. I had to soothe him to stop him from crying. “Damn, you had the babies, too?”
“Royce, I was gon’ tell you when the wedding was over. I just been ducked off and trying to adjust. Cousin, this is my husband, Arion. Baby, this is my older cousin, Royce.”
“And who the fuck am I, Cedees? A friend of the family? Aye, what it do fam? I’m Genesis, Royce’s lil’ brother, and Green Eggs they didn’t need this bullshit.
They all came and stood behind Arion. I noticed three other nigga’s lingering by the entrance.
When Arion said he had men, he didn’t tell one lie.
Removing my babies from this hostile environment was all I could think about. I knew my cousins, but I also knew my husband. He felt like he was the only one that can call me anything but Mercedees.
“Royce, just respect my husband’s wishes. You’d stand ten toes the same way if it was Klarity,” I intervened.
He looked at Arion and nodded saying, “You goddamn right I would so… a nigga ain’t got no smoke. He doing what the fuck he supposed to. I fuck with it. We’ll chop it up as the day goes by. I think I like him,” he stated pocketing his hands.
Thank God.
“We got a meeting tomorrow so be there,” Royce said before backing away.
“Uhh, yeah… about that. I’m giving up my seat. I got a family to cater to now. I never wanted it to begin with,” I replied.
“Giving it to who, Cedees? Yo’ seat ain’t something that can just be auctioned the fuck off.
Pops and Uncle Ryan put in too much work for you not to give a fuck about it.
” Royce was furious the way I knew he would be, but my husband told me to let go of anything stressful and The Oath was at the top of that list.
“My husband. He’s more than capable of handling it.”
“We don’t know this nigga, Cedees!” Royce shouted.
Arion stepped up a lil’ making the gap between us a lil’ smaller than before. He was getting irritated and although my cousins weren’t no hoe, my husband was far from it as well.
“You can get to know me though. My wife said you needed a new plug anyways, so let’s talk… and lower yo’ tone when speaking to her. She ain’t one of them niggas in the streets. We got our babies right here, and none of them fuck with that loud shit.”
Nigga, I’ll give you another baby right now. God, I love the way you do bidness!
Royce dipped his brows out of confusion before relaxing and smirking. “You the nigga that supply Bentley?”
“I am,” Arion replied.
Bentley came around the corner speaking his peace on Arion. “Nigga, I told you Scar was solid. You doubting me now?” He dapped up with everyone that was standing around. Bentley was Switzerland.
“Yeah nigga, we got a lot to discuss. Cedees, I thought you fucked around and married a pussy nigga, but I see we taught you well. He ain’t no hoe, I can give him that. I won’t put him on his ass today fam,” Royce taunted.
“More like you would’ve been on yours,” Arion said signaling to the many men that surrounded us. The demeanor of this man remained calm, cool, and collected. I was thoroughly turned on from him.
Genuinely smiling, Royce answered with, “Touché. We’ll find each other later then. Cedees, congrats.” He bent down and hugged me before throwing a head nod to Arion. Genesis followed suit, and I felt like I just ended a war.
“I’m sorry baby. My cousins are—”
“Protectors. They were on defense mode until they realized I had you covered. Royce, he’s the head for a reason.
He talk a lot of shit, but I can tell he’s the one that make shit happen for y’all.
Bentley got him beat by a longshot when it comes to status, but I know who to look for.
He still a boss ass nigga, so I ain’t gon’ strip him of it.
He had some people with him, too. I guess I got to school him on how to use them. They too relaxed for me,” he preached.
Smiling, I leaned on him for comfort. He was everything I needed in this moment. “Thank you, for keeping it cool. I love my cousins just as much. I don’t ever want to have to choose between y’all. If you can work something out with Royce and The Oath, that would be perfect.”
“I heard you when you pitched it to me the first time, Ma. I got you.” With that, he kissed the top of my forehead and ushered us to the sitting area where his parents were. They were helping take care of the babies while I helped my mother get ready.
Arion proved the kind of man I married over and over again.
To the streets he was Scar, but that was a side I never had to see.
He came into my life as a chaotic storm that I couldn’t contain.
It was a rough year adjusting to him but now that I had, my lil’ world revolved around him.
Whatever that man wanted from me, I’d give.
He earned it. I’d forever be an Atkins, but I loved being a Greek even more.
THE END