Chapter 16 Neha #2
There sat Kerrion’s house. It was a beautiful two-story brick home with a two-car garage and a driveway big enough to hold four cars.
His black-on-black pickup sat next to a black-on-black Bentley, and a tricked-out black golf cart.
I pulled into the driveway behind the car and shut it off.
The front door opened, and Kerrion stepped out dressed in gray sweats, a shirt that hugged his muscles, and slides with long socks.
He carried his son like he was holding a damn football, and that baby looked so content. My mouth watered as he made his way down the steps and over to the car. He went straight to the back and opened Nayelli’s door.
“Hey, princess,” he said, pulling her out the car.
“Hey! Hey, KJ.”
“Say hey, Fat Man.”
KJ babbled for a minute before the softest “Hey” left his lips, causing Nayelli to squeal.
“He said it!”
Her father chuckled. “We’ve been working on that.”
He handed his son over to his sister and opened my door. Much to my surprise, he extended a hand to help me out.
“Thank you,” I said as Dinah and I climbed out of the car.
“You’re welcome.”
He stared at me for a moment, neither of us saying anything.
His eyes wandered the length of my frame.
Today I was dressed in a black, wide legged jumpsuit that hugged my curves, and sandals.
I’d slapped on my favorite burgundy wig and curled it so it framed my bare face.
I didn’t want to do too much, but I also wanted to be cute.
“You look nice,” he complimented.
“Thank you. You sure I’m not overdressed?”
“Maybe a little, but it’s cool. First impressions.”
“I think we are past that,” I mumbled. “Your sister already warned me.”
“Yeah, . . . they are waiting on you.” He looked over at Dinah. “Sup, auntie?”
“Oooo, don’t you do that! Making me feel old.”
He chuckled. “Y’all come on inside.”
He turned and led us into the house. Nayelli was on his heels with her brother. When we walked in, I was shocked at how nice his home was. Well, not shocked, but surprised at the way he had it decorated. It was so nice and very clean for a man with a baby.
“This is beautiful,” I commented. “I wasn’t expecting all this when we drove through the gates. Everybody out here is family?”
“Yes. We are expanding the property a little.”
“Uh, can we get a tour?” Dinah asked. “I’m trying to see something.”
Kerrion chuckled. “I got you.”
He led us around the downstairs area. There was a huge open concept living room and kitchen, along with a formal dining room, theater room, his man cave which doubled as his office, and a playroom for his son. The backyard was a dream with the covered patio and pool.
Nayelli squealed when she saw the huge treehouse in the far corner.
“A treehouse!”
“You told me you wanted one,” Kerrion said, scooping KJ from her. “It’s not finished. They still have to build the deck and wire it for electricity. I figured we could paint and decorate it together.”
Nayelli threw her arms around him. “You’re the best dad ever! Can I look inside?”
“Have at it.”
She didn’t need further instruction before she took off.
“Shit, I wanna see too,” Dinah said. “I always wanted one as a kid.”
Kerrion smirked. “If you break your ass, I don’t have anything for you but a Band-Aid.”
She stuck up her middle finger and went after Nayelli, who was climbing the ladder.
“A tree house, Kerrion?” I said with a light smile.
“What? She said she wanted one, so I made it happen.”
“When did she tell you this?”
“The day I found out about her.”
“And when did you contact a builder?”
“The day after.”
I shook my head. “You are gonna create a monster.”
“I have the means to fund a very nice lifestyle for her. I just want her to feel like this is her home when she’s here.”
“I appreciate that. So this surprise?”
He looked out at the treehouse. “She’ll be in there for a while. Come on. I’ll show you. Baby girl!”
“Yes?”
“Come upstairs when you’re done!”
“Okay!”
He motioned for me to follow him inside.
We took the stairs to the second level, and he led me down to the end of the hall where a powder pink door was.
He opened it, and as soon as I stepped inside, tears swelled in my eyes.
He’d created her a room. Not just a room, but a space that belonged just to her, . . . a space she could grow into.
There was a queen-sized bedroom set with double nightstands, a chest, and a mirror and dresser combo.
Nayelli’s name was above the bed in a pink neon sign.
In one corner was a desk, bookshelves filled with all kinds of books, and one of those hanging egg chairs.
On the desk was a brand-new iMac along with AirPod headphones.
I ventured further into the room to find a full bath, fully stocked with everything Nayelli would need. Then there was the walk-in closet. It was filled with clothes and shoes, all in her size. As I stood there, looking around in amazement, tears streamed down my face.
“You think she’ll like it?” he asked from the door.
“She’ll love it,” I whispered. “You really thought of her.”
“She’s been all I think about lately. I want her to be happy here.
” He stepped into the closet and came over to where I stood.
“I know you worry about her. I need you to understand that she’s safe with me, Neha.
You don’t need to send anything when she comes over, because I have everything she needs.
Clothes, shoes, socks, underwear, hygiene products.
Everything. I’m not a baby daddy. I’m a father, and this is her home.
She’s the safest place in the world beyond those gates. ”
I nodded. “Thank you.”
I couldn’t help but to hug him. For a moment, he stood there holding his son, not moving an inch. Then his free arm wrapped around me, and he kissed my temple. The next thing I felt was a slobbery kiss to my cheek. I looked up to see KJ grinning at me. A smile broke out on my face.
“Thank you, cutie pie,” I said, pinching his cheek.
He reached for me, and I looked to his father. He relinquished his son who came to me and rested his head on my shoulder. I gently rubbed his back, soaking up the innocence in him.
“You’re so precious,” I said.
“Don’t let the cute face fool you. He’s a menace.”
“I don’t believe that. You’re a good boy, aren’t you, KJ?”
“You just wait.”
The sound of footsteps coming up down the hall caused us to part ways. We stepped out of the closet as Dinah and Nayelli entered the room. My baby’s eyes widened as she looked around the room.
“This is for me?” she asked in disbelief.
“All for you,” Kerrion said. “Welcome home, baby.”
Nayelli started to cry. He went to her, scooping her up in his arms and hugging her tightly.
“Thank you, Daddy!” she wailed.
We all froze. Dinah and I smiled as Kerrion sniffled.
“You-you’re welcome, baby girl,” he said, clearly choked up. “I love you, Nayelli.”
“I love you too.”
That did it. Both of them started crying. My heart swelled with both love and pain. Love because they deserved this. Pain because they deserved this, . . . and I’d kept this from them.
Once the waterworks stopped, it was time to head up to the big house, as Kerrion called it.
My nerves were on ten, while my baby was giddy with excitement.
Kerrion told me he’d given them all the heads up that he was bringing someone special to dinner.
When the golf cart made it up the small hill, and we saw the huge mansion sitting there, my, Dinah’s, and Nayelli’s mouths dropped.
“This is where my great grandparents live?” Nayelli asked.
“Yes. This is where it all started.”
He came to a stop in front of the house with a bunch of other golf carts. I loved that this was how they got around the compound. The minute we got on Kerrion’s, Nayelli was asking him to teach her how to drive it.
We climbed off, and he grabbed KJ from me before grabbing Nayelli’s hand. I swallowed hard as we made our way up to the front door. He pushed it open and led us inside. This place was the epitome of luxury. I almost didn’t want to look at anything too hard for fear that it might break.
Those thoughts went out the window when I smelled the heavenly scent coming from the kitchen.
I knew somebody’s grandmother was in there tearing that food up.
When we stepped into the kitchen, there was an older woman and a few other women moving around the space with ease. When they noticed Kerrion, they smiled.
“Hey, suga,” the older woman said, coming to hug him.
“Hey, Grams. How you doing, lady?”
“Better now that I’ve seen your face and my great grandbaby.” She kissed KJ’s cheeks then looked down at Nayelli and up at me and Dinah. “Well, who are these beauties?”
“Grams, this is Nayelli, Dinah, and Neha. Ladies, this is my grams, Rebecca Dillinger. Those are my aunts Denise, April, and Jeanie.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” I said, offering a warm smile.
“It’s nice to meet you . . .” his grandmother said skeptically. “Neha, you said?” she asked him.
“Yes.”
She stared at me with the same look his mother and sister had given me.
“That . . . Neha?”
I was beginning to feel like that was how everyone was going to view me, . . . that Neha. The bitch that broke his heart.
“Yes, Grams.”
She looked down at Nayelli. “And this is . . . her daughter?”
“This is our daughter.”
“Oh. Shit.” Jeanie said, eyes wide.
“This is your granddaughter,” Kerrion said.
Nayelli smiled. “Hi, Grandma.” She wrapped her arms around the older woman. “I’m so happy to finally meet you.”
Her grandmother didn’t hesitate to hug her back after the shock wore off.
“Oh my Lord!” she exclaimed. “Oh, you’re such a sweet, pretty little thing! You like cookies?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Her grandmother smiled. “She has manners. You just come over here and get all the cookies you want.”
She ushered Nayelli over to the cookie display. His aunts were looking at us, waiting for answers.
“I’ll explain later,” Kerrion assured them, tapping away on his phone.
A few seconds later, the back door opened, and a group of men came walking in, damn near pushing each other to get into the kitchen.
“Move, nigga!”
“Don’t push me! We been waiting to see her too!”
“Get y’all asses out the way!”
These had to have been his brothers. The older man following behind him had to be his father. The door opened again, and Jaeda walked in with a group of women behind her, all so damn beautiful.
“Y’all couldn’t wait for us!” one of them fussed.
“Right, just took off running like a bunch of kids,” another one added.
The men stepped into the room, all wearing grins on their faces. The women I assumed were their wives, took their spots beside them.
“Where my niece?” the biggest one asked.
Nayelli peered from around her great grandmother with a mouth full of cookies. She quickly swallowed and came to stand beside her father.
One of the women squealed. “Steel! Oh, she’s beautiful! Hi, Nayelli. I’m your auntie Shar—”
“Can I introduce y’all first?” Kerrion asked, cutting her off.
“Well hurry up! I want a hug.”
He shook his head. “Nayelli, baby girl, this is Uncle Deuce, and that’s his wife, Salima. That’s Uncle Maceo and his wife, Sharina. That’s Uncle Smoke and his wife, Romi. You know Jaeda and Quaid—”
“And we’re still mad they got to meet her first,” Deuce said, frowning at his sister and brother-in-law.
“Get over it, Stanley,” Jaeda quipped.
“Would y’all shut up so I can finish?” Kerrion snapped.
Deuce waved him off.
Kerrion shook his head. “Nayelli, this is your grandfather, Stanley Sr.”
His father stepped forward with tears in his eyes.
“Hey, beautiful,” he said, stooping down to Nayelli.
She smiled. “Hi, Grandpa.”
He placed a fist to his mouth as he looked at her with glassy eyes.
“Can I hug you?” he asked softly.
She didn’t answer. Instead, she threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. He lifted her into his arms and kissed her head.
“You give good hugs,” she said softly.
He chuckled. “You give good hugs too. I’m so happy to meet you, baby girl.”
I swiped a tear from my eye as I watched her go down the line, hugging and kissing her aunts and uncles. They all looked like they’d been anxiously waiting to meet her. They didn’t even know her, yet I felt the love in this room. My baby deserved that.
Dinah looped her arm through mine. “This is beautiful,” she whispered.
“It is.”
While Nayelli’s aunts fawned over her, I felt her uncles’ eyes trained on me. They all looked at me with frowns. I swallowed hard. If looks could kill, I’d be dead. Based on what I now knew about this family, . . . there was still time for that.