Wholeheartedly #3
The guests whispering in unison made it sound like full conversations were being had about her.
The sinking feeling in her stomach was there like it was the day the truth came out about her father.
For a split second, she wanted to run. Far and fast like when she entered the military.
She felt exposed. She was almost pissed with him for putting her in those shoes she thought she burned again.
She looked up at him just to roll her eyes.
He was holding his hand out, unbothered by her making him wait.
He didn’t appear to be impatient, or hopeless, he was simply waiting for her to build the courage to come.
It wasn’t like the trauma at all. She had no control over what her father did, the world finding out or the timing of it all.
This was different in every possible way.
The wedding was moving at her pace. More than anything, she had a choice.
It wasn’t being forced on her. Hussein was up there waiting for her to choose him the way she demanded that he chose her.
With that realization, she moved through the aisle and walked gracefully to him.
The guest applauded as their lips touched. You could see the relief that came over them when she was in his arms. This was never Prissy’s wedding because Hussein was never her man. He belonged to Jakia from the moment he laid eyes on her.
TINA’S FRONT YARD | 11:57 A.M.
Rashida sat in the back of the car in her best dressed like she was invited to the wedding. Rueben opened her door, matching her fly. He wouldn’t be waiting in the car for her this time.
Tonight, he’d be walking into Rashida’s backyard with him beside her. He was her security. Tina was sure to lose her shit when she found out that Khyell was staying with her for the summer.
Rashida’s stomach was doing butterflies in anticipation of seeing the look on Tina’s face.
Only when she stepped into the backyard, Prissy was storming past her, face full of tears holding the hem of her wedding dress in her hand.
“I, Jakia Rollins, take you, Hugh Turner, Jr., to be my lawfully wedded husband,” Jakia spoke into the microphone that Henni held to her mouth.
Rashida hadn’t made the scene she had hoped for because there was already so much going on. Khyell was the only one that noticed her.
“Grandma!” He ran to her, making everyone take their eyes off the bride and groom.
“In sickness and in health,” Jakia could be heard throughout the backyard.
Rashida put her hand up to shush him. “Hi, baby.” Rashida hugged her grandson, standing in the back of the yard.
“You like my suit?” Khyell spun around, whispering.
“Oh, I love it. You look so handsome,” Rashida whispered in his ear.
“Thank you. You ready to take me to Grand Onyx?” he asked.
“Only reason I’m here, baby. Get your things and give them to Reuben so we can get out of here. I need to talk to your TT,” Rashida said, watching Tina walking towards her.
“I’m not even going to curse you out for showing up to my shit uninvited,” Tina walked over to Rashida tossing a drink back. “I’m actually happy to see you. I think I might hate that bitch, more than I hate you.” Rashida pointed at Jakia.
“I see why Prissy stormed out. What is going on?”
“I give you my hand and my heart as I pledge my love to you,” Jakia continues her vows.
“Girl, I don’t fucking know. This nephew of mine is going to make me show his ass something. Hold the fuck up. When did you meet Khyell?”
“No worries, Tina, I’ll be out of your hair, soon.” Rashida smiled. “I just came to get my grandson, and I’ll be on my way.”
“And take him where?!” Tina’s screaming paused the wedding yet again.
“Grand Onyx of course. He’s staying with me for the summer.” Rashida couldn’t hold her smile back.
“You gon have to explain this shit to me because we had a deal!” Tina glanced at the sliding door to see Khyell coming out of the house with his bookbag.
“About that.” Rashida sighed. “Jakia made me a better offer.”
“Oh, bitch, fuck you.” Tina swung, and Rueben grabbed her hand mid swing.
“What’s going on?” Khyell ran over, dropping his bookbag.
“Nigga, back the fuck up!” Senior walked over to the commotion with his gun aimed on Rueben.
“I got two hands and two guns, motherfucker.” Reuben had his other gun off his hip in seconds.
“My water just broke!” Nisha jumped out of her seat. “Fuck!” she screamed, hands shaking in the air. “Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.” She panicked.
“Get the fuck out!” Tina screamed at the top of her lungs.
“Everybody. And I do mean everybody. You, too, Pastor. Y’all gotta get the fuck outta my house!
” She shooed everyone out as if there weren’t guns waving in the air.
“Senior get her in the car, I’m about to lock my house up.
” She pointed. “Y’all not moving fast enough! Let’s go.”
TINA’S FRONT YARD | 12:22 P.M.
“TT, Jah, what’s happening?’ Khyell ran to her.
“I know. It’s a lot. I’m going to get your bag out of the trunk, so you can go with your grandmother. Come on.” She took his hand and they walked out of the backyard to her car.
“I want to stay with you.”
“I know, but you have to go Khy. It’s just for the summer, ok?”
“Why Carmell don’t have to go?”
“You know why,” Jakia spoke with gritted teeth and warning eyes. “What happened? You were excited to go with her this morning.”
“You ready to go, Khyell?” Rashida walked over.
“I know when I get back, my block better be empty. I mean that shit.” Tina slipped into the passenger seat of Senior’s car. They pulled into traffic with the hazards on.
“We finishing this or what?” Hussein asked Jakia, coming up behind her with his arm around her waist.
“Yea.” She kissed his cheek. “I was just saying bye to Khy.”
Hussein could see Khy was uncomfortable. He kneeled down as he spoke to him.
“You was going to leave without saying bye? Damn man. Where you going?”
“To stay with my grandma in the hills,” he said lowly.
“Yeah?” Hussein looked up at Rashida who was still proudly smirking. “Well, you text me as soon as you get there. Send me lots of pictures of the house. And make sure I get the address. Me and TT Jah will drive up to see you this weekend, ard?”
“Ard.” Khyell smiled, giving him a hug.
Reuben reached for his suitcase, and Hussein grabbed it.
“I got it. Lead the way,” Hussein instructed.
When Reuben hit the key fob, the trunk opened.
Hussein put the suitcase in and held on to the door of the trunk while he spoke.
“I gotta get filled in on all of this, but you pass the message along to Rashida that our names need to be added to the guest list in Onyx.”
“Will do.” Reuben nodded.
“And man to man, the only reason I’m not blowing your head off your fucking shoulders is because Khyell would learn who I really am.
If I ever hear about you pulling out a gun in front of him to do anything but protect him, I will proudly show him and you that I don’t play about him.
” Hussein gave a shoulder a shake before shutting the trunk.
He could pretend it was about Khyell but the truth was it was about an outsider raising a gun to shoot a Turner. Hussein could run from the name, but it wouldn’t change anything. He was a Turner through and through.
“Where we moving this wedding to?” The pastor asked. “I ain’t got all day.” He looked at his watch.
“We gon do it right here.” Hussein assured him. He pulled Jakia into him and kissed the side of her forehead.
“Everybody shut the fuck up!” Warlock yelled with his hands around his mouth to amplify his voice. The crowd quieted.
“Sabrina Turner was the first woman I ever loved. My heart didn’t stop working when she left me, but she took up so much space that the pain never went away.
I was walking around this world feeling like everything was sleeping except me.
I was moving out of routines and requirements.
Then Jakia stepped into my world and everything that was dull came alive.
Every move I’ve made since meeting you has been with an eagerness to please.
To serve. To love. If you never change, I would only ever love you even more. ”
Hussein wiped a single tear from under Jakia’s eye.
“This is the first I’ve been around so many people at once other than an airport.
” Jakia snickered. “I don’t like humans.
They’re too unpredictable. My nervous system doesn’t know how to relax.
The PTSD is to blame,” she confessed. “I’m not going to say some mushy shit like Hussein calms my nervous system.
That’s corny and more importantly it’s not true.
In fact, I’m anxious right now.” The crowd laughed lowly.
“I am marrying you in the middle of the street because I don’t have to wonder who you are.
I don’t have to investigate or lose sleep.
That may be a bare minimum for some but it’s number one for me. ”
She wiped a tear from his eye like he’d done her. “Now, can we get to the important part before there’s another interruption?” Jakia asked, making everyone laugh.
The pastor nodded his head. “By the powers vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife.” Hussein squeezed her hand.
“You may kiss—” Jakia turned and reached for him.
Hussein picked her up and their lips touched for the first time since the last time.
It’d been weeks of separation after a short thrill and now they were jumping straight into happily ever after.
She wrapped her hands around the back of his head, tonging him down like it was just the two of them.
If there had been a bed, he’d have laid her down and fucked her right there in front of everyone.
Neither of them could hear the applause happening around them.
It was drowned out by the passion, excitement and gunshots.
Fear had interrupted their moment as the crowd panicked.
WALLAH’S TOWNHOUSE | 1:53 P.M.
“Fat man, you gotta stop grabbing daddy beard,” Wallah said, as he pulled Carmell from his crib.