Chapter 13
brIANNA
This morning when I rolled over, a single rose was in bed next to me instead of Brooklyn. Smiling, I brought the beautiful flower to my nose, inhaling its scent. Underneath the rose was a small white card.
I’m in love with the most beautiful woman in the world. You’re all I see. It’ll never change.
Tears clouded my eyes at the simple but profound note.
Brooklyn touched every part of me so simply.
All he did was be there for me and allow me to trust him without reservation.
Pulling the pillow he’d slept on last night close to my face, I inhaled his scent and hugged the plush pillow to my bosom.
I laid here for a few more minutes before I rolled out of bed, taking my card and rose with me.
While I got ready for the day, I propped the card and rose on the mirror. As I brushed my teeth, my eyes stayed focused on Brooklyn’s gesture. We’d professed our love for each other, solidifying what we had together. With Brooklyn, even on my bad days, he made shit so much better.
The object of my thoughts strutted into the bathroom.
“Good morning, Baby.” He kissed my forehead then my cheeks.
“Mornin’,” I spoke around the toothbrush.
“We have a long day. Are you ready?”
Nodding, I finished up brushing my teeth then spit it out.
“More than ready. We’re witnessing two people we love tie the knot. How could I not be ready for this day?”
Grinning, he agreed.
“By the way—I’m in love with the most amazing man in the world. You’re all I see. It’ll never change.”
Tugging me by the front of my bralette, he brought me to him.
“Bumping into each other was the best thing that ever happened to me. What’s even better is I got to know my best friend before she became my woman, my soulmate. What we’re going to witness today is heavy on my mind because I can’t wait to make you Mrs. Smith.”
My heart started racing, and he wasn’t even proposing.
“Just know that there’s a picture painted for us, and it looks damn good. The vision is clear to me, and I intend to see it through until my last breath.”
Brooklyn kissed my parted lips, then left the bathroom like he hadn’t just reached into my chest and stroked my heart. Everything about him was perfect. Everything about the way he loved me was perfect.
Preparing for Naomi’s wedding was nothing like being at the church, preparing for her to walk down the aisle.
My makeup had been touched up twice now because I couldn’t stop crying.
Naomi looked like a dream dressed in a pretty gown.
Gianna put her whole foot in the dresses, and I could not wait to see us on the cover of several magazines.
Naomi opted for the wedding to be exclusive with only a few allowed access outside of the Smith and London families. My parents were there, no doubt concocting a way to get me down the aisle.
Throughout the ceremony, it seemed like such a dream.
Everyone marveled at the vows, including the men.
This was truly a special day, filled with beautiful affirmations of love.
I tried not to watch Brooklyn during the service, but it was hard.
He looked damn good in his tux, with his face and hair neatly groomed.
We were a couple now, however, this stage wasn’t where we were yet.
Putting eyes on him would make me start seeing him that way, and I was too scared to venture down that mental road, although he’d dropped that nugget in my head this morning.
Regardless of what anyone said, marriage was an entirely different ball game.
Telling someone you wanted to marry them, actually marrying them, and then actually living as though you’re married was a concept many seemed to have missed when reciting their vows.
I was old school in that, once married, there was no going back.
Not that I’d stay in a loveless marriage.
However, I saw too many living that way, and I refused to be one of them.
Brooklyn wanted to marry me—he’d said so. But would he actually marry me? Would he actually live as though he was a married man? If I went off what he’d already done for me thus far, then I’d say yes to all the above. However, fear told me to be careful.
Once ‘I dos’ were exchanged and photos completed, the wedding party moved to the reception, which was taking place at an event center the Smiths owned.
I’d never met a family as large and loving as the Smiths.
The men seemed one way on the outside, but by the way they interacted with their better halves, it brought a longing to my heart.
Like now, across the way, the older cousin, Stephan, stood behind his wife, with his arms around her waist, speaking into her ear.
They were such a fine ass couple. Mariah had her eyes closed, with a serene smile gracing her face.
Her hands gripped her husband’s. Whatever he was saying had her smiling bigger.
Then, it was the kisses he placed down her neck like no one else was in the room but them.
According to Brooklyn, the two had been married for quite some time and had three children. The way he discreetly rubbed her belly, I wondered if she had another one on the way. They created the picture of a healthy, loving couple.
“Nosey ass.” Brooklyn’s voice caught me off guard. I played it off by smiling.
He’d been in the restroom, while I held up our table. PJ and Zoo were supposed to be at our table, too, but neither one of them were in eyesight. PJ’s pregnant ass had done fine through the wedding, but as soon as it was over, she collapsed in Zoo’s arms. He probably had her somewhere taking a nap.
“So. You don’t think they look amazing?” I sipped my champaign and continued watching the emotions play over Mariah’s face.
“I know… they’re two of the dopest people I know.” He wrapped his arm around my waist and brought my back against his chest, taking me in the same embrace that I’d just been admiring in the other couple.
His lips touched my neck, sending electricity through me. The vibrations from the music the DJ played didn’t compare to the vibrations Brooklyn’s touch did to me.
“You know how fuckin’ good you look in this dress? Naomi knew what she was doing picking this scandalous shit.”
“Scandalous?” I had to laugh at that.
“Scandalous. Good thing all these people in here are either related to me by blood or some other type of way. Otherwise, I’d be showin’ my whole ass in here.”
“Please don’t do that, Babe. You know I’m not going anywhere. I refuse to go anywhere.”
Tangling my fingers with his, I wondered how I ever went through life without Brooklyn.
He was the sweetest, sexiest man I’d ever met.
He took care of me in every aspect of who I was on another level of love—a level where I could never go back from this.
He’d introduced things to me that I wouldn’t let slip away from me too easily.
As long as he let me, I was going to let him know how much I loved and appreciated him.
“You spittin’ real shit,” he said. “If you think about leaving me, I’ll get my sister’s on you again. They come up with the craziest shit.” He said that like he wasn’t the one putting them up to said crazy shit.
“What’re you gonna do when it’s time for them to date? If a boy disappoints them, then what?”
Brooklyn’s low growl caused me to giggle.
“It’s gonna happen whether you want it to or not,” I added.
“Shiidd, I got a few Glocks that says differently.”
“Brooklyn!” I chortled. “Just like you let them be grown enough to wrap my fucking car, you need to let them be grown enough to date.”
“When yo’ car goes missin’, don’t say anything. Since you wanna be in here startin’ shit,” he replied.
Turning in his arms, I laughed out loud and draped my arms over his shoulders.
“I’m just kidding, Baby.”
His juicy lips called me in for a kiss.
“I have your back on whatever. So, if we gotta run a few niggas off, then so be it.”
“That’s what the fuck I’m talkin’ ‘bout.” He kissed me, sending his tongue down my throat. “You already know how I’m comin’ behind you.”
I did. He didn’t play about me, and I was okay with that.
brOOKLYN
My therapy appointment was scheduled an hour after Zoo’s.
Although, he adamantly denied that he would show up for the appointment, Dr. Holiday scheduled him.
Zoo sat in the lobby of the office, pouting like someone had a gun to his head.
The gun being PJ, who smiled and assured Zoo that everything would be okay.
Dr. Holiday walked in all smiles. Zoo mumbled something under his breath that sounded like he was referencing aliens. The two stared at each other, a battle of wills apparent. Dr. Holiday wasn’t intimidated by Zoo in the least, which was comical.
"Zeus Smith. It's good to see you." Dr. Holiday shook our hands before taking his seat.
"It ain't good to see you." PJ elbowed Zoo hard as fuck. “It ain’t,” he insisted. “All he’s gon’ try and do is fill my head with some bullshit.”
Dr. Holiday chuckled. "Aww, I'm sorry you feel that way. I take it this is your first time ever sitting down with a psychiatrist.”
“Ya think?”
“Either way, you're here because you need to be." Dr. Holiday ignored Zoo’s snort of sarcasm and started writing in Zoo’s chart.
"No the fuck I don't need to be here.”
"Zoo!" PJ hissed, embarrassed. Hopefully, Zoo wouldn’t act a complete fool. If the staff called the police on his ass, I was going to have to explain to my family why I didn’t try and help his ass.
"Zoo, huh? Is that what your family refers to you as?" The doctor’s eyebrows shot up as he continued writing.
Zoo didn't answer.
"You do realize you're being compared to a place where animals are kept... And you're okay with that?"
"Listen, mane, you’re diggin' too deep. First, you were tryna convince my cuzzo that he was suicidal, now you tryna convince me that there’s something wrong with what I choose to let my family call me. It ain’t that serious.”
"Is it not? Life and death are in the power of the tongue. In other words, you are what you put out there. Referring to yourself as an animal triggers some part of you to behave like one. Does it not?"
Zoo bent his head to the side and narrowed his eyes at the doctor. "You want me to act up? Is that what it is?”
“No, Sir. I want you to understand what I’m saying.”
“So, if I refer to myself as Zeus, am I then a god?" He thought he'd stumped Dr. Holiday, who chuckled.
"Zeus is a powerful name, and among other things, meaning to shine. You ever wonder why you're the life of the party? The one who's always laughing, or giving others a reason to laugh? You shine wherever you go. Is that not powerful?"
Zoo chewed on what the doc said. For a second, I thought he’d rebut. Slowly, he turned to me. "You been tellin' this dude about me?"
I shook my head. He then turned to PJ.
"You told this man about me?"
She smacked her teeth. "Come on, Zeus, you know I didn't."
He put his attention back on the doctor, who wore a satisfied grin. "So, shall we start this session?"
Zeus mugged him. "Start? I think I'm done for the day. You gotta give me time to think about if I fuck wit' you or not."
"Zeus!" PJ was about to fall through the floor. This nigga really did not give a fuck.
"Okay," Dr. Holiday replied. "Moving on to you, Brooklyn. How's life treating you?"
Smiling, I gave him the only answer I felt. "Life is treating me very well."
I had nothing to complain about. Bronx was in my life, my mother was still here to witness her son being in love, and I hadn’t had the first bout of anger in some time. Who knew therapy really worked?
After my appointment was completed, I met Bronx at the mall. My sweetheart never ceased to amaze me whenever I laid eyes on her. Her smile drew me straight to her lips, where I placed a few kisses.
“Everything went well, I suppose.”
“Sure did. How about you go with me next time?”
“Really?”
“Really. I have nothing to hide from you, Baby. I want you to know the smallest details about me, just like I know about you. Is that okay?”
“It absolutely is.”
“Then, it’s settled.”
She nodded.
"We're here for baby shit?"
Snickering, she replied, "Baby gifts, Brooklyn."
"We’ve bought a ton of gifts already," I reminded her.
Her neck snapped back. "There can never be too many gifts."
"You're right." I dropped a kiss on her lips to ease the firmness set in them. The last thing I wanted to do was piss lil' baby off. Because then I would be upset, and after my session went well, I was feeling good.
Smiling hard, Bronx allowed me to take her hand. We spent hours inside the mall, buying everything from jewelry to shoes for baby Naima. The more Bronx gushed over shit, the more I found myself enjoying shopping for baby shit...gifts. I wouldn't mind seeing her belly swollen with my child.
The next afternoon, the Smith family along with the London family and a few of our friends gathered in Sin's backyard to celebrate Naomi's and Sin's bundle of joy.
Baby girl, Naima, would be here in a few short weeks.
Everyone was having a good time, reminiscing, enjoying themselves.
What seemed like a hundred children ran and played through the yard.
My mama was here, looking beautiful as ever.
Every day, I made it my mission to love on her until she was sick of me.
So far, she wasn't sick of me in the least. Wifey sat in a circle with my sisters and Naomi.
She was more ready for the baby than anyone.
One day, I would bring her the type of joy holding her own baby would produce.
I loved the fuck outta that woman, and I was determined to not allow anything to come between us.
Gatah and Zeus were the only ones grumbling. Gatah was ready to eat while Zeus kept fussing at PJ because she wouldn't sit down somewhere. Cousin-in-law was enjoying herself, finding how alike she, Mariah, and Yaya were.
"Zoo!" Sin called. Zeus was supposed to be helping Sin on the grill. However, he’d veered off a little while ago to mingle with everyone else.
Deep in conversation with Gatah, I thought Zeus didn't hear Sin.
"Zoo!" Sin called again. "I know yo' ass hear me!"
Laughter spilled through the backyard because we all knew Zeus heard him.
"I don't answer to that name anymore," Zeus responded, earning him several strange expressions. "Call me Zeus."
"I'ma call you an ambulance if you’on get’cho ass over here and help me."
Zeus started singing, I saw the light, shine on me...
The entire backyard exploded in a fit of laughter.
Mane, I loved my fucking family!