Chapter 22 MAJA
MAJA
A few weeks later, I was no closer to having the guts to tell Von to step. With every new bouquet of flowers, with every pop-up lunch, with every soft forehead kiss, and with every gift he bestowed upon me, it was becoming harder to sever his tie to me.
Von tossed a football across the yard that fell perfectly into Adrian’s hands.
The day was cloudy, but the yard was lively like rain wasn’t on the horizon.
Glaring at the man who invited himself to my family’s Sunday dinner, it behooved me that my cousins welcomed him with open arms. Although Von had history with my family, he hadn’t been around them in years.
Someone should’ve been a little leery about his ass.
But no. He was out there having the time of his life playing football with Adrian, Humble, Peace, and the twins.
I wanted to feel away about the wide grin on Von’s face, and his ability to fit in so seamlessly.
He joked and jeered with my family just as he did his own.
Everything warning me against Von was the same shit drawing me to him.
Not to mention, my brothers and little cousins flocked to him like he was a shiny new toy that they’d never seen before. Every five minutes one of them was in his face, demanding his attention. He took in stride, easily falling into the fold like he belonged.
“I don’t know, boo. It looks like Von is having the time of his life,” Kwamé echoed my thoughts, dashing ice water on my inner musings.
“I agree with Kwamé,” Bianca seconded.
“I mean… Look at him,” Shyah intoned. “He’s sexy as hell.”
“Big sexy,” Heir added.
I mugged the three of them and glanced at Zia. “What? You have nothing to add to their observations?”
Zia shook her head and chuckled. “My husband named our son while I was heavily sedated. Kwamé and Bianca still won’t let me live it down.”
“Wait,” Heir stated. She, Shyah, and I were dumbfounded by Zia’s statement.
She giggled. “Isn’t it so romantic?”
“Hell, naw!” Heir shot back. “I would’ve cussed him clean out for naming my baby.”
The table rumbled with laughter. Meanwhile, Zia’s shoulders lifted and fell unapologetically, and the smile on her face was full of love.
“Percy and I go way back. He was my first crush, and the person I thought I would marry one day. Despite how it happened, crossing paths with Percy again was an opportunity I wasn’t willing to pass up.
The fact that I gave birth to another man’s child, and he took it upon himself to give my baby his name…
Tell me a man who’s willing to do something like that. ”
“That’s what soulmates do,” Bianca said. “They go above and beyond to show their love for you.”
Heir’s face scrunched up. My eyes located Von just as he tossed the ball again.
All this talk about love, and I couldn’t even find it within myself to let him in.
Bianca was right, though. From the first meeting, Von was doing what he could to show me that he…
cared. He wanted to peel back the layers of who I was in order to win me.
First, it was with his family. Now, it was with my family.
“He deserves better,” I mumbled. He deserved someone who saw him for what he was and embraced him wholeheartedly.
“No,” Kwamé dragged, “Von deserves you.”
Shaking my head, I tore my eyes away from him and cloaked them away from the women I was closest to outside of Mama.
“He’s been offered a promotion. Lieutenant to be specific,” I confessed.
My past wasn’t hidden from these women. At some point, each of them had witnessed what I’d gone through after my mama’s death.
With the rest of the Bell women, these women had been there to walk me through the hardest times of my life.
Whether it was a late-night talk, or a simple shoulder to cry on, these women always had my back.
“Take it from someone who’s been on the wrong side of a man’s love,” Bianca replied. “I almost let the best thing that ever happened to me get away from me. Deep down, I knew Antonias was the man for me. However, I allowed my fears to push him into the arms of another woman.”
Kwamé tsked. “Mm hm, and I remember having a similar conversation with you.”
Bianca chuckled. “Yes, you did. That’s why I want to stop Maja from making a horrible mistake.” She motioned toward Von. “Let’s be honest here. There’s a detective…on Bell Estates grounds…having dinner…with your family…on a Sunday. Let that sink in.”
“Bianca’s right,” Coco added as she joined us. “Adir went to see Von a some weeks back—”
I scoffed loudly. “What?”
Coco laughed. “What made you think he wasn’t going to go see that man? You’re Adir’s baby.” She glanced at me, Shyah, then Heir. “In fact, the three of you are Adir’s babies. He’s going to always make sure a nigga is on the up and up when it comes to y’all.”
Heir gasped. “Oh, shit! You think he went to see Kody?”
Coco grinned sheepishly.
“Oh, my goodness,” Heir whined, causing us to roll with laughter.
“Well, you’ve made it clear that there’s nothing between you and Kody,” Shyah reminded her. “So, at least you don’t have to worry about him popping up here.”
Heir’s face relaxed. “You know what. You’re right.”
Shyah grinned, but it fell moments later when her phone rang. She looked at the screen like it emitted a bad smell.
“What’s that look for?” I asked.
She glanced over both her shoulders, then whispered, “I have a stalker.”
Everyone gasped.
“What? Let me see,” I demanded, taking her phone. If someone was fucking with my cousin, I would have lost my mind.
“That number has been calling me for weeks, and he keeps leaving crazy-ass messages,” she informed us. That made the ladies at the table uneasy. Peering at the number beginning with an Atlanta area code, I relaxed.
“Is his name Lewis?” I questioned.
Suspicious, Shyah nodded.
I giggled. “Okay, this is kind of my fault.” Everyone’s eyes pinned on me, so I explained, “Lewis is Von’s old partner. I met him when I went to Atlanta. Not only is he fine as hell, but he’s really cool. So, I gave him your number.”
Shyah’s face contorted into shock. “You gave a man my number?”
Everyone’s stares seemed to burn. “I did.”
“Okay, maybe Von has some special powers or something. The Maja we know would’ve never did any shit like that,” Heir quipped. “But wait a minute. Why didn’t you just block his number?” she glanced at Shyah and quizzed.
Shyah shrugged sheepishly. “Alright, so maybe his voicemails aren’t weird. I mean, they’re weird because I don’t know him. But…they’re kind of sweet. And his voice is sexy.”
We burst out laughing. Shyah’s face tinted deeply. I gave her back her phone and said, “Next time he calls, you better answer. You’ll thank me later.”
Heir shook her head and glared at me. “Back to you. As much as it pains me to say this, the ladies are right about Von. I fear…he’s changing you, sis. You can’t walk away from him. Plus, he’s such a good guy.” She gagged after saying that last part.
I smacked my teeth and popped her on the hand. “Stop it.”
Kwamé grabbed my face in her hands and turned my attention back to her.
“My advice to you is to open up to him. You’d be surprised how much a man, who truly wants to be with you, will understand whatever it is that lies behind you.
And I promise you that what he does for a living won’t even matter once it’s all said and done. ”
“Right,” Coco muttered. “Plus, ain’t no way Adir is about to let another man get this close to you. It’s Von or no one.”
No One Gunner, I thought with a soft smile. Maybe they were right. If Von was the closest chance I had at experiencing a true connection with a man, then cowering wasn’t an option.
“His parents are celebrating their wedding anniversary this coming weekend,” I said.
Coco beamed. “Then I suggest you show up looking like the next bride-to-be.”
I didn’t know about all that.
As evening fell, the clouds finally opened up.
Everyone scrambled to take cover, and so did I, retreating under the protection of the patio.
In the middle of Von saying his goodbyes, he dashed through the rain and tugged my hands, bringing me with him under the downpour.
Effortlessly, he picked me up and twirled me in the rain.
I leaned my head back and shrieked as fat droplets of water kissed my nose, mouth, and chin.
His lips joined the rain, dropping quick kisses all over my face and neck.
He said that he preferred rain over sunshine. As he twirled me one last time, I agreed with him. This moment felt so freeing. In this moment, I accepted what the ladies suggested that I do. Regardless of his badge, I was emerging from darkness for the right man.
***
The weekend arrived, and I was all too excited to see Von. When he arrived, I pranced to the front door and briefly hesitated before opening it. I took a deep breath and coached myself through turning the knob and revealing myself to Von.
He stood on the other side, mouth agape as he took me in.
His eyes started at the curly waves of my pitch-black pixie cut.
They remained there for a minute as he expected me to wear my fedora.
Seeing how speechless the simple act of removing my hat made Von, I was proud of myself for going through with it.
There was a slight sheen in his eyes that he quickly blinked back as his eyes sailed down my body.
The white body-con dress covered my shoulders and molded to my breasts.
In the back, a deep plunge exposed my skin.
Heir and I had matching body diamond chains that I never had the need to wear…
until this evening. A pair of clear, sleek designer stilettos adorned my feet.
My body glowed with moisture, my makeup was on point, and I smelled like I wanted Von to dissect every pore and crevice on my body.
He took my hand and twirled me around to catch the back of the dress. “Damn,” he mumbled. Once we were face to face, it was my turn to praise the way he looked this evening.
“Okay, I see you, Mr. Detective,” I teased. His expensive suit was tailored to perfection. The intricate details, along the fabric, made me smile in fascination.
“Come, here,” he murmured before bringing me close.
His lips landed on mine, and for a minute, we just stood there kissing.
He pulled back, then mumbled something under his breath as he kissed my lips again.
I was dazed and grateful that he took this moment for what it was. I made the right decision.