17. Aspen Webb
The pain Aspen felt didn’t compare to the joy of knowing her girls were good. They were the first thing on her mind when she woke up. While she was grateful to have her family and friend surrounding her, she wanted nothing more than to go check on them, but she didn’t want to do so without Mahari.
“Where’s Mahari?” Aspen asked after everyone had settled down.
Lavender looked behind her and frowned. “He was just right here with Justin. Do you want me to go find him?”
“Please, but first, I need to tell y’all something.”
Once again, all eyes were on Aspen, waiting for her to speak.
She swallowed hard. The three people standing amongst her were the ones she trusted the most. Deep down, she didn’t think they would judge her for what she was about to say, but there was a slight part of her that worried how they would react.
Lance may not have been their favorite person, but it didn’t justify her affair.
Denver stood next to her bed and grabbed her hand. “We’re listening.”
“Mahari might be the father of the twins instead of Lance. We had an affair. It was only one night, and it never happened again, but still . . . it’s possible.
And if I’m being honest, I believe they are his because around that time, Lance and I weren’t intimate like that.
He was too focused on his life. I was lonely, and Mahari was there as he’s always been.
We were both drunk, and things just happened. ”
Aspen breathed a sigh of relief, happy and proud of herself for finally speaking on it.
She could only imagine how bad it must’ve made her and Mahari look, but she didn’t care.
Secretly, she prayed the girls were his.
There was no doubt in her mind that Mahari would be the better father and man for them.
Even though Aspen believed Mahari would show up for them regardless, something about them being biologically his would make a world of a difference.
“Oh, girl!” Lavender exclaimed, clapping her hands.
“You got your lick back in the biggest way, and Lance’s punk ass couldn’t take it.
It’s about time you and Mahari made some type of moves on one another.
We’ve all sat back and watched y’all for years, waiting for something to shake. I’m glad it finally happened!”
Lavender’s reaction didn’t surprise Aspen. If anyone was going to condone her affair, it was Lavender. She’d been rooting for Aspen and Mahari for years. Skipping over to Aspen, Lavender kissed her cheek, winked, and left out the room to go find Mahari.
Aspen looked back and forth between Savannah and Denver, waiting for them to speak their piece.
With a squeeze to Aspen’s hand, Denver cleared his throat and said, “Well. That’s not what I expected you to say. I don’t think what you and Mahari did was right, but I do know I’d much rather him be the twins’ father than Lance. Have y’all gotten a DNA test done?”
“We were going to at my next appointment. Since he’s here, I want to get it done. I’ve been far too anxious wondering.”
Finally, Savannah walked over to Aspen, kissed her forehead, and rubbed her hair. “Is this why Lance put his hands on you?”
Dropping her head, Aspen recalled the events that led her to be in the hospital. “Yes.”
“So, I gotta beat his ass again.”
All three of their heads shot toward the door to see Mahari standing there with Lavender and Justin right behind him.
Aspen’s and Mahari’s eyes met, and she instantly burst into tears.
The last time she saw him, their conversation didn’t end well.
He’d been distant since, but one thing never changed with Mahari.
Unlike Lance, he was consistent, and showing up for Aspen was something he never failed to do.
Savannah and Denver stepped back to allow Aspen and Mahari to have their moment. Just his presence was more than enough for Aspen. With their foreheads pressed together, Mahari gently swiped Aspen’s tears away before pecking her lips.
“You don’t know how scared I was on the way here,” Mahari admitted and kissed Aspen again. “We didn’t have any information, so my mind was thinking the worst. I’m just happy you and my girls are good.”
Aspen giggled. “Your girls?”
“Hell yeah. I don’t care what anyone says or thinks. They’re mine.”
“But what if they are Lance’s biologically? I mean, I’m worried if I’m being honest. The way he attacked me . . .” Aspen paused and swallowed. “I’ve never seen him like that. I feel like he’ll try to be spiteful.”
“And like I said, he can get his ass beat again if he wants to try anything. Family or not.” Mahari lifted his forehead and went to poke Aspen. Remembering she had a C-section, he nudged her chin and winked. “I got you, Bunny. Don’t worry about him. You know you’re safe with me.”
Never in Aspen’s life had she doubted Mahari on that either. Time and time again, he’d shown he could put action behind everything he said.
Everyone talked until the nurse came in to check on Aspen and asked if she wanted to see the girls.
Only two people could go at a time, so she and Mahari went.
The nurse wheeled her back while Mahari trailed beside them, holding Aspen’s hand.
When they got to the NICU, Mahari’s hand moistened.
He gently squeezed Aspen’s as he peered into the room.
“I was in the room with you when they were born,” he spoke, and Aspen didn’t miss the cracking in his voice.
Aspen gasped. “You were?”
Mahari bobbed his head, smiling. “I made it here just in time. Your parents weren’t here, and I wasn’t about to let you go back by yourself. Plus, I wouldn’t have missed their birth for anything in the world.”
Knowing Mahari was there to witness the girls’ birth comforted Aspen. She’d secretly been worrying no one had been there with her, but of course, the man who never failed her was present.
“They’re so small,” Aspen said, feeling a bout of sadness washing over her.
“For now,” the nurse stated. “They’re already strong girls. I have full faith they will pass all their tests and be out of here in no time. Mom, Dad, let’s get washed up and go inside.”
Hearing the nurse refer to Mahari as ‘dad’ warmed Aspen’s heart.
The nurse took them inside to the sink where they washed their hands and went to the girls’ incubator.
They were placed inside together, and Aspen choked up seeing them hold hands.
She glanced up at Mahari who had tears rolling down into his beard.
The nurse questioned, “What are their names?”
Since she’d found out the twins were girls, Aspen had been going back and forth on their names. She had a few ideas in mind, but she wanted Mahari to have a say as well.
“What are you thinking, Mahari?” Aspen reached her hand in to gently caress baby A. “I’m thinking she will be Brooklyn.”
Mahari chuckled. “I see you’re keeping a trend in the family.”
“It’s a must. If it was up to me, baby B would be Montana, but I’ll let you choose.”
Closely, Aspen watched Mahari walk over to the other side, reach in, and touch baby B. The way his eyes brightened made Aspen smile. From the looks of it, she could tell they would have him wrapped around their tiny fingers.
“Mayvin. May May for short.”
“Brookie and May May. I love it.”
“Are you ready to go, Mama?” the nurse, Liz, quizzed, interrupting Aspen’s thoughts.
“Not without my babies.” Knowing she had to leave the hospital without Brooklyn and Mayvin brought tears to Aspen’s eyes.
“This isn’t how I pictured their birth and taking them home.
I thought everything would be okay, and we’d go home as a family.
This isn’t fair. I know I’m partly to blame, but if my ex never would’ve put his hands on me, it wouldn’t be like this. ”
Savannah and Greg taught Aspen that hate was a strong word and emotion to feel, but Aspen felt it running through her veins anytime Lance crossed her mind.
The more she thought about what he did and how their relationship was, Aspen became angrier at herself for putting up with it all for so long.
Now, the shield had been lifted from her eyes, and she realized what he’d given her over the years wasn’t love. Love was something she’d wasted on him.
Liz made her way over to Aspen and hugged her. Aspen accepted it, thankful for the comfort and warmth the nurse brought.
“Can I share something with you?” Liz asked Aspen and pulled away.
“Yes.”
“I went through the same thing with my oldest. He was a preemie, and I had to leave him every day for five months. It was awful, but every day, I reminded myself to focus on the positive. I made sure to thank God every day, multiple times a day, for allowing him to be alive and for his progress. It’s a lot easier said than done, but try that anytime you visit Brooklyn and Mayvin, or whenever you find yourself getting down about not having them with you.
Trust me. God will show you He’s faithful through it all. ”
Aspen dabbed at her eyes with the bottom of her shirt. “Thank you so much for that, Liz. It’s exactly what I needed. God gave them to me, to us. It could’ve been worse.”
“Exactly. I know your circumstances weren’t the best, but you received two of the biggest blessings from it.”
While the weight of leaving the girls still weighed on Aspen, Liz helped relieve some of the pressure holding Aspen down.
Just as Aspen finished packing her things, Mahari walked through the door. When he realized Aspen was up, he frowned, looking between her and Liz.
Pointing his finger at Aspen, he asked, “What is she doing up?”
“I was packing up, Mahari. I wanted to make sure I was ready for when you got here,” Aspen responded.
“And I told you I’d do it when I got here. All you had to do was sit your ass in that wheelchair and wait for me.”
Giggling, Liz said, “I guess that’s my cue to go get the wheelchair. Aspen, I think you better sit down until I come back.”
Liz left, leaving Aspen and Mahari alone. Aspen held her arms out as Mahari made his way over to her. She accepted his gentle embrace, kiss, and assistance sitting down. The C-section had Aspen in a lot of pain. Any little thing hurt her. Healing and getting the twins home was her biggest priority.
“You good, Bunny?” Mahari questioned, going around the room to make sure she had everything.
“I’m in some pain and a little sad, but I’m good. I am ready to sleep in my own bed.”
“I am too. That chair is uncomfortable as hell.”
Aspen giggled. Even though she insisted Mahari could go home during her stay, he refused.
He slept on the hard hospital chair for the past two nights, getting up at random times to go see the twins.
Anything Aspen wanted or needed, he did for her.
The nurses bragged about how good of a man he was, and Aspen was proud to call him hers. To her, he really was the best.
Once Liz came back with the wheelchair, Mahari grabbed all her things, and they went to the NICU to see the twins before leaving.
On the way home, Aspen couldn’t stop yawning.
She was exhausted, physically and emotionally, and she couldn’t wait to climb into her bed.
Sleep would be her best friend while Brookie and May May had their extended stay at the hospital.
Mahari rested his hand on Aspen’s thigh and quizzed, “Are you still upset with me?”
“For the way you walked out on me without hearing me out? No, but I don’t ever want you to do that again. It truly hurt my feelings, Mahari.”
“And you don’t think you admitting you still missed my cousin didn’t hurt mine?”
“First, fuck him. Second, I can understand how it did, but you didn’t let me explain what I meant by that.
You gotta think about how long Lance and I were together.
Before all this, I thought I’d always have love for him but never love him to the capacity I love you.
As you can see, getting closure wasn’t even worth it. ”
Aspen wouldn’t admit it, but she’d dreamed of Lance jumping on her, and it always ended worse than it truly did. She wasn’t sure how long it would last, but she prayed it wasn’t long.
Sighing, Mahari switched his hands on the wheel and glanced at Aspen. “You didn’t know he’d spazz.”
“I know, but it doesn’t change the fact he did.” Aspen peered at the side of Mahari’s handsome face. “I apologize for hurting your feelings. It wasn’t my intentions. I assumed you’d understand.”
“I did understand, but that wasn’t what I wanted to hear, for real. Honestly, it felt like shit was ending between us before it ever started. I felt like I was finally living the dream, and it was being snatched away.”
At the stoplight, Mahari leaned over the armrest and passionately kissed Aspen. The couple was so engrossed in one another that the honking behind them was what brought them back to reality.
“I love you, Bunny.”
“And I love you. Are we good now?”
“More than good now that our truth is out in the open,” Mahari stated. “All we’re waiting on now is confirmation that Brooklyn and Mayvin are biologically mine. My gut has told me from the jump that they were, so I’m not even worried about it. Are you?”
Aspen shook her head. “Surprisingly, I’m not. I guess because you signed the birth certificate, and I couldn’t care less about Lance and what he thinks. He’s truly dead to me.”
“And you have every right to feel the way you do. I still can’t wait to get my hands on him again.”
“Again? You never told me what happened.”
Carefully, Aspen listened as Mahari told her about Lance showing up at his studio. All she could do was scoff and shake her head. While she understood why Lance was upset, he was bold to go in and try to check Mahari.
“I think his ego was bruised, for real. How can he be upset when he was always the one asking you to step in for him?” Aspen expressed with a roll of her eyes.
“I don’t know, and I honestly don’t care.” Mahari grabbed Aspen’s hand and kissed the back of it. “We’re exactly where we’re supposed to be.”
“You’re right. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
With Mahari by her side, life felt complete to Aspen. To have him in ways she’d only dreamed of satisfied something in her only he could. There was no doubt in her mind that they were meant to be, that Mahari was her soulmate.