16. Mahari Creed
Something wasn’t right.
Mahari could feel it from the way his soul felt extremely disturbed.
He was trying to concentrate on the artist in the booth, but his mind was elsewhere. Everything was telling him to call Aspen and check on her.
“Aye, you good?” Justin asked, tapping Mahari’s shoulder.
“Nah. I need to step out and make a call.”
“Go ahead. I got it.”
Mahari dapped Justin up and excused himself from the room.
He stepped into the hallway and heard a bunch of commotion coming from the front.
With his phone in his hand, he headed to see what was going on.
As he got closer, he recognized the voice that was yelling and carrying on.
Mahari rounded the corner to see one of his guards arguing with Lance while Santana stood off to the side with her hand over her heart.
Just as Mahari opened his mouth to speak, he and Lance made eye contact. Lance knocked the security guard out the way and darted toward Mahari. The blow that landed on Mahari’s jaw caused him to laugh. When Lance swung again, Mahari dodged it and shoved him.
“Aye, mane. What the fuck is your problem?” Mahari questioned, side-stepping to dodge another one of Lance’s swings. Chuckling, Mahari warned, “Let another land on me.”
“Fuck you!”
Once again, Lance charged at Mahari. Since it was evident he wanted smoke, Mahari gave him a right hook to his jaw, sending Lance flying back. Mahari walked up on Lance who was scrambling to get up. The kick Lance sent to Mahari’s leg made him stumble, giving Lance a chance to tackle him.
The two wrestled around for a minute before Mahari was able to get him into a headlock. They were both out of breath, but Lance wasn’t trying to let up.
“Chill the fuck out, Lance!” Mahari demanded, squeezing tighter. “I don’t know what’s on your chest, but this isn’t what you really want. Either calm down and talk to me like a man or go to sleep.”
“What are y’all doing out here?”
Justin rushed over and broke them up. While Mahari had no trouble backing off, Lance kept trying to charge at Mahari until Justin hemmed him up by the collar.
By then, a small crowd had formed in the lobby.
Mahari was livid that Lance had come into his place of business showing his ass, which in turn made him do the same.
Most people wouldn’t think much of it because they knew they were family, but to Mahari, that didn’t matter.
There had never been a problem before, and it wasn’t about to start.
“If he can’t calm his ass down, he can get out.” Mahari pointed toward the door with his nostrils flared.
Lance pushed Justin off him and pretended to walk away but pivoted and ran at Mahari. Justin caught him just in time to hold him back.
“Lance! Chill, mane!” Justin yelled.
“Fuck that! That nigga fucked my girl!” Lance announced, and everyone around them gasped.
Mahari thumbed his nose. He should’ve known all the hostility had something to do with Aspen. Lance had no other reason to come at Mahari sideways. Knowing the truth, Mahari couldn’t even be mad at him.
Justin whipped his head and bucked his eyes at Mahari. “You did what?”
To Mahari, there was no point in lying, so he admitted, “It was months ago. We were drunk and shit happened.”
“That’s not even the worst part.” Lance broke free from Justin and mugged Mahari. “That bitch—”
Lance couldn’t even finish his sentence. Mahari’s fist connected with his mouth, and blood immediately poured from it.
“Watch your mouth when speaking on my girl, Lance,” Mahari warned in a calm, even tone.
“Your girl? Aspen?” Justin questioned, and Mahari nodded.
The truth was finally coming out, and even though it wasn’t the way Mahari desired, he knew it was for the best. He wasn’t sure how Lance found out, but from the way he was talking, Aspen had told him. Mahari needed to hear her side of things.
Spitting out blood, Lance glared up at Mahari.
“You’re one dirty bitch, you know that, right?
You go behind my back, your own blood, fuck my girl, and possibly get her pregnant.
You’ve been walking around here all this time, going to her appointments and shit, knowing you were showing up for your own selfish reasons.
That’s why you were always in our business.
You were waiting for me to fuck up so you could swoop in and take her. ”
“Wait a minute.” Justin dragged his hands down his face and started pacing with his hands on his hips. “The twins are yours?”
“It’s a possibility.” Mahari answered before squatting to become eye level with Lance. “Was I wrong for fuckin’ Aspen while y’all were together? Yes, but let’s be real; it would’ve happened eventually. You’re sitting here trying to paint me as the bad guy when we’re both in the wrong.”
“I’ve never wronged you, Mahari.”
“Oh, but you have. You must’ve forgotten you’re actually the one who’s a dirty bitch, Lance.
Before you and Aspen got together, I confided in you about my feelings for her.
A year after Heaven passed, I talked to you about how my feelings for Aspen were developing beyond a friendship, but I felt like it was wrong since it had only been a year since Heaven passed. Remember that?”
Lance sucked his teeth. “I didn’t think you were serious, mane.”
“I see because you approached her shortly after, and I took that shit to the chin. You getting with her made me think the feelings would go away. It made me think that maybe, just maybe, what I felt was wrong, so I stood back. That was the wrong thing for me to do.
“Do you know how hard it was for me to stand back and watch you do her wrong? For me to talk to you until I’m blue in the face, telling you to straighten up and do better by her.
I wasn’t saying that shit out of spite. Regardless of how shit is, I wanted what was best for the two of you.
And thing is, I feel you knew exactly what you were doing every time you asked me to show up for her when you were out doing you.
” Mahari chuckled. “You can’t blame anyone but yourself for me giving in and giving her what she wanted.
What I wanted. You should be grateful it only happened one time.
“Yeah, we’re blood, and I love you, but I’m not coming up off Aspen.
Whether the girls are yours or mine, we’ll have to figure some co-parenting shit out if you decide to be involved.
I stood back and sat on my feelings for too long.
Like I said, I love you, but in the same breath, it’s fuck you too. ”
Mahari straightened his posture and looked around at everyone. Immediately, everyone dispersed. He was unsure of whether the news would hit the blogs or not, and if so, he’d know who to approach about it.
Nothing else needed to be said. Mahari headed to his office to process everything.
Once he was alone, the unsettling feeling came back.
He searched for his phone, but it wasn’t anywhere in sight.
Assuming he’d lost it during the fight, he went back out front to find Justin and Lance arguing.
Mahari’s first mind was to ignore it, but when he heard Aspen and labor in the same sentence, he inserted himself.
“What about Aspen?” Mahari interrogated, walking up on them.
Justin mushed Lance’s head with two fingers. His jaw tightened, and he glanced at Mahari. “It’s best if we get to the hospital.”
“What happened?”
Lance looked down at the floor and glided his hands over his head. “Let’s just go.”
Mahari wanted answers, but checking on Aspen was priority. Forgetting about his phone, Mahari hopped in his car and prayed Aspen and the girls were okay.
“Oh, Mahari! You made it here just in time,” Lavender expressed as she ran up to him. “They’re about to take Aspen back now for surgery.”
“Surgery? What do you mean surgery?”
“They’re doing a C-section to deliver the babies.”
“Where is she?”
“Follow me.”
Mahari felt as if all the wind was being knocked from him.
His vision became blurry as he trekked behind Lavender, trying his hardest to keep his emotions under control.
The anger he’d felt with Lance minutes prior had switched to fear.
He didn’t know what was going on. All he knew was that Aspen needed him, and he was grateful he’d made it in time to be there for her.
He and Lavender made it to the room just in time to catch the nurses rolling Aspen out. She was knocked out, but it didn’t stop Mahari from going over and kissing her forehead. When the nurse explained that Aspen would be asleep through it all, Mahari nodded in understanding.
“Is it fine if I go back with her?” he quizzed.
The nurses looked unsure, and Mahari worried.
He opened his mouth to explain when nurse Janet appeared from behind the desk.
It was as if God had sent her right on time.
She vouched for Mahari, informing the nurses he’d been with Aspen for all her appointments, so they quickly rushed everyone back and got Mahari prepped as well.
Seeing Aspen out cold with a breathing tube, her arms outstretched, and a curtain covering most of her body bothered Mahari.
He hated she wouldn’t be conscious to experience the birth of the girls, but in the same breath, he was grateful he was there to be able to tell her about it all.
Through the surgery, Mahari held Aspen’s hand and talked to her as if she could hear him.
Fifteen minutes later, the doctor announced the arrival of Baby A.
Shortly after, small, sweet cries filled the room, penetrating Mahari’s heart.
He couldn’t fight his tears. The sound was soothing and melodic to him.
A produced beat by him could never compare to that sound.
He wished he could’ve captured it to listen to forever.
Three minutes later, Baby B was born, and the nurses were consoling Mahari. While the doctor worked on stitching Aspen up, Mahari was able to see the girls briefly. Since they were premature, they had to be taken to the NICU.
“Look at them,” Mahari spoke barely above a whisper. “They’re so tiny but beautiful.”
“They are. Baby A weighed in at four pounds, one ounce, and Baby B at three pounds, one ounce. Exactly one pound apart. Do we have names for them yet?”
Mahari shook his head. “I’m waiting for their mother to decide, but I have a couple of names in mind.”
“Well, congratulations. They are beautiful, and I have no doubt they’ll be strong in no time. We must get them to NICU, but once Mama is up and alert, you’ll be able to come see them.”
Leaning over, Mahari looked at both girls and said, “No matter what, Daddy loves y’all. I’ll always be here. No one will ever change that.”
When Mahari cleaned up and went back out to the front, Savannah, Denver, and Justin had joined Lavender, waiting for Aspen to wake up.
Now that Mahari had time to think things through, nothing was making sense to him.
He needed answers, and he had a feeling who had them.
To him, it was ironic that Justin was the one to tell him about Aspen being at the hospital.
Lance was nowhere to be found. They waited and waited, but he never showed. His absence was expected after the news he’d received. Still, Mahari thought it was odd. It was confirmed that the girls were his, so he assumed Lance would’ve shown face. Then again, he hadn’t Aspen’s entire pregnancy.
“How can you not show up for the birth of your children?” Savannah fussed with a shake of her head. “If Greg were here, he’d be livid.”
“It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone,” Denver stated. “He’s barely shown up for Aspen her entire pregnancy, so of course, he’s not here for the birth.”
“I know but goodness. For Aspen to need an emergency C-section means it was serious. If he was any type of man, he’d be right by her side regardless of them being broken up.” Savannah rocked back and forth in her chair while fanning herself. “I can feel my blood pressure going up.”
Mahari’s eyes landed on Justin, who remained silent. “So, Justin. Tell us what happened.”
Everyone’s gaze landed on Justin who sat up in his seat. He rubbed his hands together and said, “Lance knows what happened.”
“And so do you. Lance isn’t here, so speak on it,” Mahari demanded. His leg bounced as he tried keeping his cool. Justin was his cousin and best friend, but if he had to go toe-to-toe with him for trying to protect Lance, he would.
Before Justin could speak, a doctor came and let them know they could go back to see Aspen.
When they got to her room, Mahari stood back and allowed her family and Lavender to get their love in.
Tipping his head to the side, Mahari squinted to get a better look at Aspen.
He thought his eyes were deceiving him, but the harder he looked, he knew they weren’t.
It wasn’t something he noticed in surgery because he was too focused on the girls arrival.
His locs roughly hit his face from how hard he turned his neck to glare at Justin.
Justin expelled a heavy sigh, and Mahari turned to leave the room.
“Mahari! Wait, mane,” Justin called out to him, but Mahari kept it pushing. Justin ran and stood in front of Mahari with his hands on his shoulders.
“Justin. Move before I move you.”
“No. You’re not thinking clearly.”
“How do you expect me to think clearly when Aspen has bruise marks around her fuckin’ neck, Justin! Lance did that shit, didn’t he?”
“Aspen needs you. Going out and doing whatever you’re thinking about doing isn’t the way to go. Does Lance need to be reprimanded for being dumb? Absolutely. Aspen told him about y’all. The shit hit him where it hurt, but it didn’t give Lance the right to put his hands on her.”
All the rational shit Justin was talking was going in one ear and out the other for Mahari. To know Lance had put his hands on Aspen and caused her to deliver the twins early sent a rage through Mahari he’d never experienced. He wanted to inflict the same pain on Lance that he did Aspen.
If it wasn’t for Lavender coming out the room, informing Mahari that Aspen was asking for him, he would have.
With Justin on his heels, Mahari went to see about Aspen. She was his priority, but whenever he crossed paths with Lance again, it wouldn’t be pleasant.