Chapter 40 Titan
TWO MONTHS LATER
“Baby, hurry up or we’re gonna be late!” I called upstairs.
We were supposed to leave for dinner with Ms. Maddie and Mr. Bronx ten minutes ago, but she’d somehow gotten stuck upstairs. Another five minutes went by before she finally emerged from our bedroom. Her eyes were red and her face looked flushed.
I frowned. “You okay?” I asked.
“My stomach is upset.”
“You got the shits?”
She slapped my arm. “No, fool.”
“You gonna be okay? We can stay home if you don’t feel good, baby.”
“No, no. I’m fine. Mama really wants us to come to dinner. She said she had something important to tell us, and you know I love Bronx’s cooking. I drank some Pepto, so I should be okay.”
“You sure?”
Even as she nodded, I could tell she was miserable.
“Baby—”
“Titan, I’m fine. Really, I am. Come on.”
I sighed and grabbed my keys. We left the house and climbed into the car to make the ride.
Since we were going to Mr. Bronx's place, the drive took a little longer than normal.
He lived in a pretty upscale neighborhood.
When Ms. Maddie told us he was a chef, I was expecting her to say he worked in a fancy restaurant.
No, he owned a chain of fine dining restaurants and traveled from time to time to prepare meals for some very prominent people.
The man made bank, so I didn’t have to worry about him trying to take my mother-in-law for her paper.
If anything, he spoiled her. Since we’d been back home, she’d been traveling with him.
Every time she came back, the woman looked even more in love.
I wasn’t sure what he was doing to her, but if she was safe and happy, that’s all that mattered.
Mia slept the whole way to the house. She was snoring softly when I pulled into the driveway and shut off the car. I removed my seatbelt and lightly shook her.
“Baby,” I said softly.
She slowly lifted her head. “Hmm?”
“We’re here. You sure you don’t need to lay down for a bit?”
“I’m fine.”
She unhooked her seatbelt as I opened my door. Rounding the passenger side, opened the door to retrieve her. Hand in hand, we walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell. A few seconds later, it opened, and Ms. Maddie stood there with a smile.
“Hey, y’all.”
She pulled us in for hugs, and when she pulled away from Mia, she frowned.
“You okay, baby?”
“I’m fine. I just had a little upset stomach. I took something for it and I’m okay now.”
“You sure?”
“Mom, I promise. Are you and Titan in cahoots with me not getting some of Mr. Bronx’s food? It smells too good in here for me not to eat.”
Ms. Maddie eyed her skeptically. “Come on.”
She closed the door and led us into the kitchen. Mr. Bronx was plating a meal of braised oxtails, red beans and rice, collard greens, candied yams, and cornbread. Everything looked and smelled so damn good that it had my mouth watering.
“Damn, Mr. Bronx,” I said, rubbing my stomach. “You have it smelling good as hell in here.”
He chuckled as he wiped his hands on a dish towel and came to greet us.
“Thank you,” he said, slapping my hand. “I’ve been slaving all day to make sure everything was perfect.”
“It’s appreciated,” Mia said, hugging him. “Please tell me there is enough for some to-go plates.”
He laughed as he pointed to the counter behind us. “Already packed it up for you two.”
“You better keep him, Mama.”
Ms. Maddie blushed. “I plan to. Why don’t we all take a seat?”
Each of us grabbed a plate and headed to the set table.
After joining hands for a word of prayer, we dug in.
For a while, all that could be heard was the sound of smacking and forks scraping against plates.
That shit was so good I almost bit my damn tongue off.
The oxtails were seasoned to perfection and falling off the bone.
The yams were tender and sweet, but not too sweet.
The collards tasted like somebody’s granny was in the kitchen all day, and that cornbread… damn.
“Where is Bleu?” Mr. Bronx asked. “I was hoping to see my little fur friend.”
“Bleu is with her uncle Deuce,” Mia answered. “He wasn’t too happy about keeping her, but the kids wanted her and their puppy to have a sleepover.”
Ms. Maddie shook her head. “I can’t believe he really brought a dog home from Paris.”
I chuckled. “Salima wasn’t playing with him. He brought her home, and the rest of the girls demanded their men go get them a dog too.”
She laughed. “That sounds about right.”
“Daddy is talking about building a dog park beside the playground now,” Mia informed her. “Said his granddogs need a place to play too.”
Ms. Maddie rolled her eyes. “Extra ass.”
“Soooo…” Mia sang. “What’s the reason you called us over here?”
Ms. Maddie looked at Bronx with a big smile. He reached for her hand, and she eagerly slipped hers into his palm.
“Well, we have news,” she said.
Mia frowned. “Are you pregnant?”
“God, no! Why the hell would you ask me that?”
“I was just making sure. Can’t be too careful these days.”
“I assure you, you were my one and done. Anyway…” She paused for dramatic effect. “We’re getting married!”
She held up her hand, showing off a big ass rock that was hard to miss, yet we had because we were so focused on the food.
Mia gasped. “What! Oh, my God!”
She jumped up from the table and went around to hug her mother. I wiped my mouth and shook Mr. Bronx's hand.
“Congratulations, man.”
“Thank you.”
Mia released her mother and turned to hug him as well.
“I’m so happy for you guys,” she said. “I’ve never seen my mama glow like she does with you, Mr. Bronx.”
He kissed her cheek. “She’s worth every glow,” he said, winking at Ms. Maddie.
“Let me see that ring, Ma,” I said, reaching for her hand.
She gave it to me with a smirk on her face, like she knew it was the shit. And it was. That bitch was at least five carats and crystal clear.
“I know you see it,” she said confidently.
I grinned. “I see you, Ma. You did your thing, big homie,” I said to Mr. Bronx.
“Y’all’s cousin Jakobi is actually my jeweler. Has been for years now. I didn’t know the family connection until a few months after we started dating.”
“Small world.”
“So, when did this happen?” Mia asked, taking her seat.
“About a week ago,” Ms. Maddie answered.
“We went out of town to check on one of the restaurants, so I thought, but it was all a ruse. Bronx planned a beautiful evening. He took me on a yacht where we had a candlelit dinner on the lake, just the two of us. The man had my favorite singer there to serenade us while we ate, Mia. I almost lost my damn mind.”
Bronx chuckled. “She did. When that woman came out, your mama went running. I thought she was gonna jump overboard for a second there.”
Ms. Maddie playfully slapped his chest. “Anyway, we slow danced to a few songs after we finished eating. I was just completely blown away by the night and then he dropped to one knee, told me how much he loved me, and asked me to be his wife. It was an immediate yes.”
Mia poked out her lip and touched her heart. “I’m so happy for you, Mommy.”
“Thank you, baby.”
“So, when is the wedding?” I asked.
“We were thinking this summer. Somewhere tropical.”
“A destination wedding!” Mia clapped her hands excitedly. “You have to let me help you plan it!”
“Girl, who else is gonna help me? Other than Tara, you know I don’t have friends.”
“Moms would be on that,” I said. “Don’t have my mama in the tropics thinking she’s a hot girl, Ma. I don’t wanna see her in no skimpy ass shit.”
“Boy hush. Your mama is grown and David is gonna be right there salivating over her.”
“You right about that.”
Mia smirked. “You have to tell Booker, Ma.”
Ms. Maddie rolled her eyes. “Don’t get me started with that damn boy.”
“I’m calling him right now.”
She pulled out her phone and tapped the screen. A few seconds later, the FaceTime call was ringing. Booker finally picked up on the fourth ring.
“I know hell is about to freeze over if your mean ass is calling me,” he said, amusement in his voice.
Mia rolled her eyes. “Hey, Booker.”
“Mmm hmm. Whatchu want? Where my boy at? You ain’t did something to him, did you? You calling me to hide a body?”
“Booker, please be for real. If I did anything to that man, you would be the last person I'd call to hide a body.”
“Why? I’m sufficient.”
“Because I’d end up hiding yours.”
“You cut me deep, Mia. You cut me real deep,” he sighed. “What can I do for you, sis?”
“Somebody wants to tell you something.”
“Who?”
“My mama.”
I could hear the smile in his voice. “She wants me, don’t she? She ready to leave that old nigga alone and fuck with a young stallion?”
“Boy, bye!” Ms. Maddie said.
“Is that my baby? Hey, Ms. Maddie with your fine self. How you doing, my love?”
Ms. Maddie rolled her eyes as Mia turned the phone on her. “I’m well, Andrew,” she said, calling him by his first name.
There was disdain in his voice as he spoke to Mr. Bronx. “Sup, old head? You treating my lady right? You know I’m in there if you ever screw things up.”
Mr. Bronx laughed. “I’m sure you would be, Booker. I know you’d take care of her.”
“See, Ms. Maddie. Even your man knows that.”
“I’m about to hang up on your ass.”
He laughed. “What do you need to tell me that you couldn’t call me for?”
She held up her ring in the camera. “We’re getting married.”
The line went silent. I peered over to look at the camera, and he was just sitting there with a blank expression.
“You okay, my nigga?” I asked.
He blinked. “I gotta go walk my fish.”
He hung up the phone, and we all broke into laughter. I knew his was probably crashing the fuck out right now, and I was gonna have to hear about this shit for the rest of my life.
“You know he’s gonna object during the wedding, right?” I asked.
“I will shoot him. As a matter of fact, don’t tell him when it is. I’d hate to strip Jacqueline of her only son.”
Booker was absolutely gonna find a way to show up to this wedding and find himself being dragged out.
We continued eating while Mia and her mother talked wedding things. All I heard were dollar signs, but shit, Mr. Bronx could afford it. Something told me he was going to give her the wedding of her dreams and spare no expense while doing it.
After dinner, we retired to the patio. Mr. Bronx turned on the fire pit and we sat around shooting the shit.
It wasn’t long before I noticed a disturbing look on my wife’s face.
She sat up next to me, clutching her stomach.
When she started to heave, she quickly got up and ran inside to the bathroom.
I followed behind her. When I walked in, she was on her knees in front of the toilet, bringing up everything she’d consumed.
I held her hair and rubbed her back as she tried to get it all out.
“You might be coming down with a stomach bug,” I said as she flushed the toilet.
I helped her to her feet and sat her on the counter so I could clean her up. “How long have you been feeling like this?”
She shrugged. “A few days.”
“And you didn’t say anything?”
“I thought it would pass.”
“You’re going to the doctor tomorrow and I don’t want any lip.”
She nodded as I pressed the cold rag to her face. “Okay.”
“Let me take you home. You need a shower and bed.”
Again, she nodded. We left the bathroom and ran right into Ms. Maddie and Mr. Bronx.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
“She’s not feeling well,” I said. “I’m gonna get her home, and tomorrow we are going to the doctors.”
“Call me and let me know what they say,” Ms. Maddie said, cupping her chin. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Ma.”
She kissed both of us on the cheek and they walked us to the door.
I helped Mia and then got in myself to head home.
Once we got there, I ran her hot shower and proceeded to bathe her and myself.
When we got out, I dried her off and did her skincare routine.
My baby was exhausted, but she had a nigga that paid attention to shit.
I did that routine flawlessly, then dressed her in her favorite pajamas and put her in bed.
After taking care of a few last minute things, I joined her. Immediately, she cuddled up next to me.
“Thank you for taking care of me,” she said softly.
“That’s why I’m here. Don’t worry. We’ll see what the doctor says, and when we get back home, you can cuddle me all day.”
“I don’t want you to get sick too.”
“In sickness and in health. That’s what we said, right?”
She sighed. “Right.”
“A’ight then. Go to sleep.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too, mamas.”
She closed her eyes, and before long, she was drifting off to sleep.