Chapter 4
Shadow was in the hospital with Promise and his son.
Promise was out cold after being in labor for almost forty-eight hours straight.
He looked down into baby Pryce’s face as he stared back at his father.
Shadow’s chest swell with pride. He loved someone else as much as he loved Promise.
He glanced over at Promise. He owed her everything.
She’d willingly made so many sacrifices for him for their love.
Pryce Sven Nkosi was the biggest one. For months, Promise stressed about miscarrying or something bad happening but God had other plans.
Their family had grew. He couldn’t wait to add to it.
“Wassup, Daddy Fat?” Shadow slightly opened the blanket he was swaddled in.
Pryce was eight pounds. He was the color of coffee with hazel eyes with a curly fro and three dimples.
He looked just like his uncle, Nautica. Shadow snapped a picture of him and sent it to Nautica.
Nautica texted back, immediately, causing Shadow to laugh.
Nautica: Damn, that lil’ nigga my twin.
Shadow wasn’t surprised because all of the Dlamini siblings looked alike. There was a knock at the door. A couple of seconds later, the door opened. Shadow couldn’t believe his eyes as his parents walked in.
“Hi, son. I can’t believe you didn’t call me so I could meet my grandson,” his mother Esi, greeted him with a kiss to the cheek.
“Hey, Momma, you know why that is. Y’all can leave if y’all not here for the right reasons.” He looked at his father.
“You gave up real love for a stranger.” His father, Kingston, looked at Promise in disdain.
“This ain’t the place for this conversation. I want y’all to leave. I love them more than anything in this world. Ain’t nobody gon’ disrespect them in my face, not even you two. You wanted me to put my life on hold for a dead woman.”
“Kemi’s not dead. I thought you would want to know that. Come on, Esi,” Kingston demanded. She kissed Shadow’s cheek once more before kissing the top of Pryce’s hat. His parents left him to his thoughts. He stood to his feet to see Promise staring at him.
“Hey, baby. How you feeling?”
“I’m okay. Is he sleeping? I want to hold him.”
Shadow passed their son off. He watched as the two of them bonded for the first time.
“He’s perfect. Thank you.”
“Thank you, shorty. I’ll be right back. I’m right outside.” Shadow walked outside where Don was.
“Nigga you could have gave me a heads-up or something,” Shadow said to Don.
“Man, you know how your people is, plus, Ma ain’t want me to say nothing.”
“They said Kemi’s alive. I almost didn’t believe them but they wouldn’t be here if that wasn’t true. Find her… see what she’s up to.”
“You sure about that? If she’s really alive, she will find you, especially if she learns about them,” Don said, and Shadow’s stomach sank to the bottom of his feet.
“Man, I know. Find her.” He walked back into the room where his family was.
Promise was in the nursery rocking her two-week-old baby. Pryce was growing daily. She was the happiest she had ever been in her life. She had started her own family. The family that she was born into was amazing. She had friends that loved her. She had it all.
Shadow stood in the doorway, unbeknownst to Promise, who was too busy with her face in Pryce’s.
“Why you making my son a crybaby, P?”
She looked up, smiling at her husband. “Leave me alone, Shadow. He likes when I hold him, ain’t that right Momma stinky, fat baby?” She cooed at baby Pryce who stared at her.
“Of course, he does. You’re spoiling him.”
“So!” She snapped at him. He tossed his hands up in the air. He walked in and took the baby. He sat beside her on the other side of the table in the matching rocking chair.
“You want another one?”
“Yes! I want three more,” she admitted. After having Pryce, she felt like she was meant to be a mother. Her maternal instincts kicked in, instantly.
“I got you.”
“I bet you do. I can’t believe you already trying to get in my pants. You’re a sick person.”
He laughed as he shrugged. There was no shame in his game when it came to his wife. “Y’all still going out?” Shadow asked. Her friends were dying to get her out the house after delivering. They were all new mothers now.
“Yeah, I won’t be long, though. I’ma miss my baby too much.” Promise stood, sitting in Shadow’s lap. He circled his free arm around her while he held Pryce in his other arm.
“We’ll be okay. Your brothers coming with Baby Ace and Amaya. I’m sure your momma will be here.”
Promise laughed at that. Amy hadn’t been home in months. She was where she wanted to be with her three bundles of joy.
“Don’t say it like that! Y’all gon’ need her when y’all go take y’all lil’ smoke breaks.” The doorbell went off. Promise stood in her robe. She walked out of the room to the front door. She greeted her hair stylist, Angela, at the door.
They walked to Promise’s beauty room. Promise sat down and Angela removed her wig and took her braids down. She washed her hair, which had grown a lot, thanks to the prenatal vitamins she was taking.
“You should wear your real hair. I’ll come back next week and do your hair, but it looks so pretty.” Angela parted it on the side and moisturized her curls. Small ringlets framed her face and hung down her back.
“It has grown a lot. I don’t know, you really think I should?”
“I do go see what your man thinks and bring Juicy so I can see him please.”
Promise got up. She found Shadow and Pryce in their bedroom. Shadow’s eyes lit up at the sight of her hair.
“I like that.” He nodded his head approvingly. She walked up on the bed where they watched TV.
“It’s my hair.” She turned around and he ran his hands through her hair, raking her scalp with his nails.
“Keep it like this,” he demanded.
“Okay.” She turned, grabbing Pryce. She walked him to her beauty room. Angela rushed and washed her hands. She sat down and Promise passed him off. The doorbell went off again. She was sure it was Destiny coming to do her eyebrows and lashes. She walked to the door and let her inside.
“Hey, girl you look so good!” Destiny greeted Promise with a hug.
“Thank you, so do you! We can go to my beauty room so you can get set up.” Promise led her inside. She followed Promise to the beauty room.
“You need to sit under the dryer for at least fifteen minutes. Then put your bonnet on while you get your lashes done,” Angela ordered.
“Girl, you know I hate the dryer.”
Angela stood, passing Pryce to Promise. Shadow walked in the room, greeting everyone.
He kissed Promise’s lips. Then, he reached into his pockets and passed Angela a wad of bills.
He did the same to Destiny. Promise sat under the dryer while Shadow washed his hands.
He took Pryce before kissing her once more.
After Promise was done getting beautified, she went to take a quick shower.
She got dressed in all white. A pair of capris framed her body perfect.
She put on a matching sleeveless top. On her feet were a pair of fuchsia YSL heels that had her freshly painted white toes on display.
Shadow walked in as she grabbed her emerald green bag.
“Damn, baby mama. You look good.” He walked up behind her as she stood in the mirror. He circled his arms around her waist, kissing her neck.
“Have fun, don’t be out all night.” He dug in his pockets and handed her some money.
“I won’t. I love you. Call me if y’all need me.”