Chapter 18 #2
“Using your swearing-in date as a password is too easy. You need to change it. Why were you handwriting your speech anyway?”
“Pen to paper always helps when I get stuck.”
“Apparently not, because I’m writing your speech. When is my next review? I need a pay raise.”
“Let me see what you cooked up first.” Tapping her thigh, Navie stood up, allowing me to slide into the seat while she sat on my lap.
“It’s not finished,” she said quickly. “I didn’t touch the policy parts, but the opening needed something. More human and less politician talk.”
Reading the first few lines, Navie wasn’t just beautiful. She was smart and witty, shown by the sentences she strung together. I looked at her nervously, fidgeting with the hem of my t-shirt, like a kid awaiting their parents’ reaction.
“You did good. Thanks Blue. For real, I appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome,” she dipped her chin, shying from my praise.
“You did too good. Now I gotta’ make you the First Lady.”
“One day at a time. You promised,” she laughed, climbing to her feet.
“That was before you fell in love. We might need to renegotiate those terms.”
“You need to shower and get dressed. Stink has a busy day.”
Blue ran a tight ship, but I liked it. She cared about all the shit nobody else did, other than Inez and Evelyn.
Blue reminded me of their unconditional love in so many ways.
It was the subtle way she watched me get dressed, assessing every detail to make sure it fit.
She was so engrossed that she wasn’t dressed herself.
My palms rested on the island, catching SportsCenter, until Fallon stepped off the elevator, worry creasing the lines on her face.
“Relax, damn. The hard part is done. We’re celebrating today,” I replied, with a wry smile.
“Where’s Navie?”
“Getting dressed.”
“We have a problem.”
Fallon handed me her phone, showing an old picture of young Sloane, ironically dressed as a Playboy bunny, clinging to a much younger version of tech mogul Vincent Hanesly.
“Shit, if her mama looked like this, I might keep her around for real.”
Sloane’s oval face and high, elegant cheekbones gave her a sculpted look. Her large, almond-brown eyes carried depth and warmth, which she passed down to Navie. She did give her full, well-defined lips, which made it easy to finesse nigga’s who weren’t hip.
“How do you do that?” Fallon asked, snatching it back.
“What?”
“Not fuckin’ worry when you’re standing in the middle of a fire.”
“I knew what I signed up for, and I’m ready for whatever. I thought yo’ ass was too. Wassup with you?” I asked, concerned about my friend more than my coworker.
Fallon wasn’t like most women. Shit, she was a lot more like Navie than she thought. Stoic, poised in crisis, but lately it seemed she was standing on the ledge of a building only she could see.
“You’re losing your mind and asking what’s up with me. Every high-profile man in the city is on pins and needles right now. This puts a target on your back, and for what?”
On cue, Navie’s heels clicked down the hallway
“What is her problem today?”
“Nothing. Let’s ride.”
The three of us took the elevator downstairs to the truck.
That photo had Fallon on edge, and now she was reiterating shit I already knew.
Most of it was my updated calendar since shit had been moved around from the storm.
I should’ve been focused on Fallon’s voice, but knowing she’d email a copy allowed me to enjoy my guilty pleasure.
Blue scrolled her phone, trying to keep her legs crossed, but her ankle slipped off her meaty thigh. It would’ve stayed put if she hadn’t changed positions every three minutes. I timed her movements like contractions before draping her legs across my lap.
A gesture that silenced the ride as Fallon stared with hiked brows and curiosity.
“You didn’t jump this time. That’s progress,” Fallon noted, “Keep it up once the cameras are rolling.”
“According to Social Media, we’re doing a great job.”
Navie read aloud various comments.
So we’re not gonna talk about how fast he popped out, though?
My future president and first lady .
I l ove this for now… but let’s see what happens.
Now, why do I feel safer knowing she’s by his side?
“If only they knew the half,” Fallon quipped.
“He’s still alive, isn’t he?” Navie quipped.
“Blue’s bark is a lot worse than her bite. Trust me.” My rebuttal had Navie trying to snatch her legs from my lap, but I held them in place, changing the subject.
Navie retreated so I could focus as we neared the convention center. Rain still lingered, so I stepped out first, helping Fallon and Navie out of the car to make our entrance. Navie was smiling and shaking hands as I introduced her to the attendees.
“I didn’t expect to see you. Where’s Chelle?” I asked, shaking Jaleb’s hand.
“Home. She’s sick ,” he replied, with an eye motion telling the real story.
“Sick of yo’ ass.”
“That too,” Jaleb joked, clearing his throat as Navie glided toward me. “Navie, good to see you again.”
“Likewise. Don’t you look dapper.”
“I gotta keep up with your man, here,” Jaleb joked.
“Good luck with that,” Navie grinned, hanging on my shoulder.
“Navie, I need you for a second,” Fallon whispered, pulling her arm.
“I’ll be back,” With a pat on my chest, she disappeared, leaving Jaleb and me alone.
“You really like this one.”
“So does the public,” I reminded him in his repulsed tone.
Jaleb didn’t miss the sarcasm in my voice. He swore this would be career suicide, but the public loved her and the polls reflected it.
“Don’t gloat, nigga.”
“Got too. I haven’t seen much of you lately.”
Jaleb read between the lines.
“It’s hard watching someone you love like a son make a bad decision.”
“Polls are up. Money is rolling in. So what are you trippin’ about?”
“Just be careful Tre. Love is beautiful, but for us, love is a business, and once you throw in marriage, it’s easy to get into and hard as fuck to get out of.”
Most people in relationships were waiting for the worst parts to reveal themselves. We’d already seen the worst in each other. That made it easier to focus on Navie tucking her hair behind her ear as she spoke to an older woman across the room.
“Thanks for coming,” I greeted my mom and Grandma with a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
“Boy, ain’t nobody here for you. Get over here and hug me!” Evie shoved me off, then opened her arms wider.
Navie’s muscles tensed, anticipating Evelyn’s hug. The camera flashed, bringing her back to reality, thrusting herself into Evelyn’s arms like they’d known each other a lifetime.
“You’re even more beautiful in person!”
“It’s nice to meet you. I mean officially,” Navie stammered.
“You really did it this time. Beautiful and smart,” Evie winked at me, still holding Navie’s hands. She fought the urge to snatch away because affection was too much at times, especially when it was as genuine as Evie’s.
“Don’t come fawning all over my lady. Relax,” I joked, taking Navie’s hands back.
“Oh shut up! I can see it now. A baby with Navie’s face. It’ll have dimples just like you did as a baby. Whatever happened to them? Smile for me. Let me see,” Evie urged, and Navie covered her mouth to stifle her laugh.
“Aye,” I shook my head, like I was the parent and Evie the child, “Those dimples are gone. Right where the idea of grand babies needs to be.”
“Mama, don’t start. Not here. He doesn’t want kids, and that’s his right,” Inez jumped to my defense.
“I’m the mother of the mother. I don’t follow rules, I make them,” she fussed with curled lips before they softened, leaning in to whisper. “Now, if you want a girl, I can tell you how to make one.”
Navie was glued to my side, so I heard Evie’s unwanted advice.
“We’re not thinking about babies, but if we change our mind, you’ll be my first call.”
I kissed Navie’s cheek, sneaking in a reminder to relax before I took the stage. The room was warm, filled with familiar faces and a few new ones, ready to hear my speech.
I stepped up to the mic, adjusted it, and looked out at the crowd. “It’s really something. To see this many faces here for an event that’s about uplifting and investing in Black-owned businesses—it says a lot about who we are as a community and what we value.”
Scattered applause followed, but before I could keep going, someone from the middle of the room called out loud and proud, “We’re happy to see you, too. Lawd, you so fine!”
Inez dropped her head, shaking it while the crowd cracked up. I couldn’t help but laugh, too.
“See, now y’all trynna get me in trouble.” Navie shook her head like she didn’t hear it, but I saw that smile sneak in. “I’m already on thin ice for staying up past my bedtime last night.”
Another woman shouted again, “If you were mine, you’d never leave the house!”
The crowd laughed louder at Evie turning in her chair, trying to see which Jezebel was trying to poach her grandson after giving Navie her stamp of approval.
“See, I came up here to talk about business and community, and y’all over here trying to make me single. My Gram is here today, so y’all have to behave.”
The room hollered while Navie shook her head, whispering something to Evie that caused her to settle down.
“So full transparency. I damn near got put on punishment last night trying to figure out what to say to y’all today.”
A few laughs rolled in while Navie sat, arms crossed, expression unreadable unless you knew her like I did.
“I was in my office working on my speech well past bedtime. I looked up, and she was giving me that look. Y’all know what look I’m talking about too.”
There was more laughter while I tried to settle the crowd.