Epilogue
A year later
I was in the car with Mickey and Hollis as we drove across the bridge. Amber promised us a yacht party, and after dropping baby CJ, Cortez James, I needed it. I let Mickey pick the middle name, after she convinced me that our first babies had to have the same middle name, like matching tattoos.
“Damn, we should’ve just taken the ferry, I need to pee. How much longer, Hollis?” I asked from the backseat where I was texting Courtland who had gone silent since I’d left the house. I was getting worried. This was my first full day away from my baby and he knew it.
“Girl, you should’ve gone before we left. We have almost twenty minutes left.” I groaned while I picked up my phone and called Courtland whose phone rang once, then rolled to voicemail.
I frowned as I checked my service and noticed I had two bars.
It’s your phone, Johnni.
“Let me see somebody’s phone. I need to call and check on CJ and I don’t have service.”
“Uht uht, we just left and he’s with his dad. Let them be. This is girls time. You need to breathe and remember who the fuck you are. You can be a mommy later,” Mickey said. She could barely talk because she had just gotten used to leaving Minnie overnight at her grandmothers’ houses.
I groaned while a song by Krist played next on the radio, only further reminding me of my damn man who wasn’t answering. So I sent him a text message.
Me: Remind me again why I left my baby with you if you weren’t going answer when I called? I miss y’all and just wanted to check in.
Chief: Because he’s my son and we love and miss you too. Go enjoy yourself.
I scoffed once I caught on that he was ignoring my calls on purpose.
“This man is really screening my calls!” I said, which had Mickey turning to look at me with an amused grin.
“I promise you’ll survive. Now, are you pumping and dumping?
” I crossed my arms and shook my head. I was getting frustrated that no one was taking my worries seriously until Siren’s “Locked In On Us” came on.
It was weird how this one song had not only become one of our songs, but always put me in a state of pure bliss.
I got so lost in the next couple of songs that I didn’t even notice we’d reached our destination. With some of the money I had, we’d bought a house on the island since I loved Lando’s so much.
Hollis pulled into the driveway where I noticed Courtland’s car parked along with a few more. My brows dipped in as my scowl began to grow.
“What the hell is going on?”
Now everybody was quiet with Courtland coming out of the house dressed in a suit.
“Listen, he said he had the perfect idea for y’all’s anniversary. Don’t be mad,” Hollis said as he opened my back door.
My heart began to pound uncontrollably as he held out his hand for me.
“It’s that time, Queen Lou.” I shook my head as I got out.
“Baby, no it’s not. I have nothing.”
“I got everything down to the dress you picked out and it’s waiting.
Lou, we literally planned this day, and if I remember correctly, I made you a promise to give you the best wedding you could ever dream of.
I waited until you had CJ, but baby, I can’t wait another second to officially make you a Floyd. ” My tears welled as I nodded.
Mickey squeaked as she and Hollis whisked me away.
Thirty minutes later, I was walking down the aisle on the beach with little fires burning on the side of the seats to Ruby Ro’s “Always and Forever” to mine, whose tears flowed freely, which only had my heart full. I took my time seeing everything we’d picked, down to the flowers.
This man truly remembered everything.
I reached him and damn near attacked his lips, which had the pastor laughing.
“Woo, we not there yet.” I blushed at his words as he kissed my hands instead.
“I love an eager couple ready for the next stage of life together. The next stage of loving and growing as one. When two hearts come together we say, that’s a strong love, but when two souls merge, blending together, we say that’s divine power only God could’ve done.
I guess we can skip some things and get straight to it then.
Johnni Lourdè, do you take Courtland Floyd to be your lawfully wedded husband? ”
“I do.”
“And do you, Courtland, take Johnni as your wife from this day forward?”
“She’s been mine, but I do.” That caused more laughter from our small group of people on the beach with us.
“Please, the rings.” JoJo brought the rings up for us and I noticed my ring had been upgraded and now included a band to match while he now had a band. This time, when he took my ring off my finger, he moved it to my right hand, then replaced them, kissing my finger in the process.
“I love you the most, Lou.”
When it was my turn, I put on his ring and said my declaration to him.
“I love you more, Chief.”
“Well, I now pronounce you man and wife. Please don’t let me—"
Courtland’s hands were already holding my face as my chest met his and we sealed our always and forever.