20. DANE
Atlanta, GA
I flew back to London, inked a deal with UMR, then got my ass back home.
I’d been making moves to ensure Justina’s album release party was top-notch.
Although her mama had a team planning everything, I swiftly moved in and took over.
My team worked diligently to bring together a party that Justina would never forget.
We settled on moving to Pensacola, and I’d gotten the ball rolling with that too. Her mama would keep Justina’s Miami house, and Justina would visit whenever she wanted. Otherwise, she and I were happily making Pensacola our home.
Me: Checkin’ in. Everything okay?
Seconds later, Hannah responded.
Baby Sis: Everything’s fine, bro. She’s completely unaware of what your intentions are. Mama would be so proud of you.
I paused and grinned at Hannah’s text. I’d just pulled up at the cemetery to deliver our mama a fresh bouquet of flowers. Once I left here, I’d hop the jet and head back to Pensacola to surprise my girl.
Me: I love you, baby. Mama would be proud of you, too.
Since being discharged from the hospital, Hannah had begun intensive therapy to help her cope with our mama’s loss.
She almost slipped away from me, but I had to snatch her ass back.
Her story was heavy, but I wasn’t the one to tell it.
One thing was for sure. I wasn’t about to let her mental health beat my sister’s ass.
I checked on her every fucking hour and would do so until she was well enough to move to every two hours.
Until she was better, everything was on hold with Shacar Birmingham and the Wildcats.
Once my sister was better, though, I was pushing her ass onto that basketball court one way or another.
She and Justina hit it off well. Of course, Hannah was in love with Justina, so I expected nothing less.
Hannah: Love you, too. Talk to you in an hour.
I chuckled at her sarcasm. She could get over me getting on her nerves.
Sighing, I stepped out of the Ghost and made my way to my mama’s gravesite. For the first time, my steps towards her didn’t seem so heavy.
“Hey, baby,” I said as I knelt at her headstone.
“Guess what. I’m proposing to Justina in a few days.
I wish you could be here to witness it, but I know you gon’ be with me.
As long as you watch over me, I promise to be the best man to her.
I can’t wait until she’s carrying my child.
” I swallowed the hurt that would never fade.
“Justina loves ya garden and will take it from here, if that’s cool wit’ you.
I’m gon’ continue to make you proud, baby. I promise.”
After placing a new set of flowers in her pot, I stood, said a prayer, and left my mama again.
Pensacola, FL
As Justina ran through my mama’s garden, I snapped pictures of her and laughed at the way she tumbled and fell to the ground.
She popped back up and started all over again.
The sun kissed her skin, per usual. Although I wasn’t winning against the sun, I surely tried.
She was so oblivious to the cameras hidden around us, poised to capture the moment that I proposed to her.
There was nowhere else in the world that could’ve done this proposal justice.
Her album was dropping at eight tonight, and I wanted her to show up to the party as an engaged woman.
Her mom, father, cousin, a few of her industry associates, Hannah, Angelo, and Lyla waited inside the house to surprise her.
Once I proposed, we were all hopping a flight to Miami to finish celebrating her day.
The internet had been going crazy now that Justina and I popped out as an item. Haters came out of the woodwork, including her ex, Shy T. That nigga was big mad that Justina had moved on from him so quickly. I wasn’t even concerned if Justina still had feelings for that nigga. Because she didn’t.
The night of Kar Tell’s listening party, I’d hoped that nigga would show up.
Shy T thought he ran Miami, but that nigga wasn’t on my level.
A nigga didn’t have to say a word before security moved on my behalf.
I wasn’t concerned in the least about Shy T doing some dumb shit.
I’d put his ass on a T-shirt. I was so fuckin’ petty, I’d let him simmer in suspense, wondering if Justina had been fuckin’ me behind his back.
He was gon’ lose his fuckin’ mind when he got wind of this proposal.
The sun must’ve winked at me and brought me back to reality. I snapped another picture of Justina as she knelt to smell a few of the flowers. This shit felt like a full-circle moment.
Right where she was, I approached her and knelt to one knee beside her.
She grinned and pointed to the plants before her. “This is a sweet alyssum,” she said.
“Oh, really?” I questioned as the sun bounced off her brown eyes.
She nodded. “Yep. If I’m going to keep this garden alive, I have to know how to take care of it, right?”
I smoothed my fingers down her face and replied, “Right, my love.” Hannah was right. Justina had no clue what the hell was about to happen.
As her hair whipped around her delicate face, I reached inside my pocket for the ring I was about to slide on her finger. Finally catching on, her eyes turned to saucers.
I held the ring out to her and said, “For the sweetness of your soul and every value that lies beneath ya beautiful surface, I promise to forever treat you as delicate as these flowers, as precious as ya next breath, and as special as the sun is to the earth.”
Tears welled up and spilled over Justina’s eyes. Flowers forgotten, she wrapped her hands around my wrists to steady herself from fainting.
“Justina Knight. Will you marry me?”
“Yes!” she shouted over my question. "I love you!"
Her hand shook as I fitted her finger with the ring I purchased before I ever got that first date.
It was perfect. There went the sun again, highlighting this moment with its brilliance.
Everyone poured from the house, shouting their congratulations.
As I swooped Justina up into my arms, she cried just a little harder.