Page 48

Don stood behind me. “Not about to have my girl walking around with a fake bag. Not when her man can get her a real one. It was offered to Kora, but she has one, so she let me know.”

“How did she know, though?”

“I may have texted her to keep a look out for me.”

“I know that’s fucking right.” My mother clapped her hands, and my father shook his head. “My baby got this Louis Vuitton bag for me last month.”

“Don’t get no damn ideas, Avril, either.” My father laughed, and she slapped him. “I drive trains, not flip bricks.”

“Anymore,” my mother muttered, thinking I didn’t hear the words that left her mouth. I’ve always felt like my parents had a different life than the caseworker and the MTA worker.

Ignoring them, I held the bag in my hand. “Thank you, baby. Now I don’t know what to do with my bag.”

“Give it here… already did half the work going down there with you.” My mother snatched my knockoff and pulled my lip-gloss and perfume out the bag.

We were finally all seated and ordered the fixed menu that Landon had picked out. The top of the digital menu had my name and happy birthday. He had everything picked out to make me feel like the most special girl in the world.

“I remember you wanted a dog so bad… did your research and gave us a power point on why you should have one,” my father spoke, as we were digging into dinner.

They were going down memory lane with Landon, and he was encouraging all the embarrassing stories that I had. “And you both never let me get one.”

“Why, Mamas? Tell the damn table why?”

“I didn’t mean to kill the hamster. I forgot he was in my room,” I sulked.

“Damn, baby, a hamster killer?”

As we sat at the table, and I ate while laughing, Landon had my feet in his lap, massaging them while I fed him off my plate. He had taken my damn heels off and was deep in conversation with my parents while allowing me to feed him and massaging my feet at the same time.

“First of all, why are you all spilling my tea right now? I still want a dog… please.” I waved them off and fed Landon some of my curry shrimp.

“Then why haven’t you gotten one? You live alone now… you’re free to get one,” my father challenged me.

“Been very busy.”

“Bullshit.” My mom faked a cough, and I tossed the napkin at her. “Other than that dog you fostered, you have not thought about a damn dog.”

“Mink Mink is perfect, and I still go and check in on her every so often,” I spoke about my first foster dog.

She was a long-term resident at the shelter, and at the time I thought I could foster her for a week and post her on my socials to get her adopted. Everything was so hectic, and it wouldn’t be fair to adopt her when I was traveling so much. The shelter still sent me pictures and updated me on her.

“She was a big girl.”

“Yo’ ass was scared of her,” my father called my mother out.

I laughed. “Yep… ‘Mamas, please put her in the bathroom while I’m here’ ,” I mocked her, and she flipped her hair over her shoulder.

“Little girl, stop telling my business.”

Landon laughed. “I was going to ask if you both would like to meet my siblings.”

My mother smiled, a twinkle in her eyes as she squeezed his arm. “I would love to meet your people… maybe bring them by my parents’ block and we’ll put something on the grill.”

“They’re not like that, Mommy,” I added.

“Stuck up?” Daddy asked.

“Nah… just move differently. I’m gonna have a dinner at my house so everyone can get to know each other. I’m serious about your daughter… never been more serious in my life. I want you to know me, like you all have opened up to let me get to know your family and life.”

“Well, I love that, Don. I would love to know your people and get to know you more. I do know that you keep her smiling when she’s around you, and that’s all I want for my baby.”

Daddy cleared his throat. “You have every reason to act like an asshole, because if I owned a jet and had a Bentley, I’d be putting baby powder on my hand and flexing this hand.”

“Ro! What the fuck!” my mother hollered, as we all broke out into laughter with tears in our eyes, because my father was truly a clown.

Anytime you needed to laugh or smile, you can bet he was going to be there to do it.

“Being serious, you a down-to-earth guy, G. I’m protective with my little girl, but I also know I trust her enough to make decisions for herself.

If my mamas is rocking with you, then me and my baby gonna watch this unfold.

Hopefully, the vibes this beautiful island brought us at the start of our journey within love blesses the both of you.

You have our blessing and our guidance if you both need anything. ”

Forget messing up my make up. I was sobbing as I stared into my father’s eyes.

He meant every single word that he spoke.

My father had never been the type that pushed his authority or forced me to see things his way.

He had always given me space to make my own decisions, being there if I ever needed him.

Don leaned forward, reaching across the table and dapped him up. “Thank you. I appreciate that.”

After dinner, my parents went to enjoy the night life with each other. Landon had gotten them a villa on the beach, and they were staying for two extra days after we left.

“This was the best birthday I had in a very long time, and it was because of you.” I smiled, as he massaged both of my feet again.

The restaurant staff was preparing everything to close down, as we sat at the table enjoying the breeze being high up had provided us.

“Glad I could deliver for you.”

“I don’t even want to leave.”

“Then don’t leave.”

“Huh?”

“Stay at the villa. I have to handle shit, but you shouldn’t have to leave. Enjoy spending time with your parents.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah.”

“You not gonna miss me?”

He kissed my neck. “Gonna miss the fuck out you.”

“I’ll stay. Only because I would like to have some fun with my parents. Not often that we can do stuff like this.”

“Yeah, well, that’s gonna change.”

“What you mean?”

“Don’t worry about it now, baby.” He kissed my temple, as we remained at the table, in our own zone, and space.

Ken: Ignoring me is really childish.

I saw the message pop across his phone. Looking away, I pretended like I didn’t see it.

“Ready to head back to the villa?”

“Don’t do that.”

“What?”

“Act like you didn’t see the message… speak yo’ shit, Pooh.”

I looked at him. “Why is she texting you if this is over?”

“Ask her.”

“Huh?”

His fingers swiped on the screen and then the phone started to ring. “Well, look who isn’t being a complete child. Are you going to be in Vegas?” Kennedy answered.

As if she was standing by her cellphone waiting and praying that he would call her. “Yo, Ken… my baby wanna know why you texting me still?”

The line was quiet, but I could hear how gagged she was on the other end of the line. She eventually started to fumble over her words. “Lan…Landon, are you fucking serious?”

“Dead ass serious, Ken… she right here and can hear you,” he continued, completely unbothered that he had called this woman to ask why she was texting him.

The line beeped, signaling that she had ended the call on us. “Why would you do that?” I pinched him, tickled at the same time.

“If I can grab your phone and make my place in your life known with your ex-boyfriend, I can do the same thing when it comes to Kennedy. Not giving or leaving any room for you to second guess anything. I know what he did to you, and we not bringing that over here in our shit... alright?”

“Yes, baby.” I smiled, feeling all giggly on the inside. “Just so you know… I am definitely going to that little dinner in Vegas if you decide to go.”

“Already told you that you were.” He kissed my lips, putting my feet back down, and helping me stand to my feet.

I watched as he removed his feet from his slides and placed them in front of me to slide my feet into them. His feet were so big that I had to walk carefully so I wouldn’t fall. Landon held my heels as we made our way back to the truck that was waiting for us.

Recommendation: Listen to “For Your Love” by Tevin Campbell

After checking in with my parents, taking a shower together, and eating the cake that Gera had made me, we found ourselves on the balcony wrapped in the sheets. We both were completely naked.

I laid on top of Landon, my ear pressed against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. His hands moved slowly across my back, holding me tighter like he didn’t want to let me go. I felt him growing hard beneath me, as I lifted my head to look at him.

“Stop poking me with your dick, Landon,” I teased, laughing at the same time, ‘cause he had been doing it for the past ten minutes.

“Why?” he mumbled against my neck, placing a kiss there.

Leaning back, my fingers brushed across his cheek. “Intimacy doesn’t always have to be sex, baby. We can be close… real close without going there.”

He looked away for a second, and I gently turned his face back toward mine. “I’m not good with that intimacy shit, Bleu. Tried that shit before, ended up crashing and burning,” he admitted.

“Not with me… look at me,” I softly demanded. “Let me teach you.”

Landon had spent so long confusing intimacy with sex that he didn’t know how to give himself to someone without taking something in return.

I didn’t want his body tonight; I wanted the part that he had never given to someone.

The part of him that many wanted after he nailed them to the mattress and had them screaming out every higher power they believed in.

I wanted the part of him that everyone couldn’t have or experience. The part of him that knew how to feel. That wanted love and was curious about it, too. The side of him that had never experienced or witnessed it in true form.

I wanted that part of Landon Caselli.

He didn’t reply, just watching me like he was trying to memorize every piece of my face. Our playful banter was long gone, and the emotions and feelings between us was real.

Heavy.

“I don’t know how to do that soft shit,” he said low, his voice almost breaking. “I want to try with you, Pooh.”

Hearing his voice slightly crack made my chest tight. I leaned down, resting my forehead against his. “All I want is for you to always try. I’m patient, Lan.”

Roping my fingers between his and placing them over my heart, I said, “I want to give this to you, and not through sex. I want this connection to be something that neither of us can put into words.”

He nodded, his arms wrapped around me, tighter, as his other hand remained on my chest. I pressed my lips onto his, and finally laid my head back onto his chest, while kissing it.

“Need to hear it, Pooh.”

“I love you, Landon,” I replied right away, as his arms held me tighter, and he pressed his lips against my forehead.

We laid like that for what felt like hours. His breathing slowed, my fingers traced the lines within his face. Watching as he allowed himself to feel, not being tense or flinching. He just let me love him without stipulations.

That was intimacy.

The soft kisses on my forehead woke me up.

I was sleeping on my side with the sheets covering my body.

The sun resembled my favorite Italian ice mix.

The hues of orange and green as the sun was starting to rise.

Landon was fully dressed when my eyes focused on him, and my chest tightened more, because he was leaving.

I wasn’t clingy in the least, but the thought of him having to leave me made me miss him, and he was still in front of me. “I’ll see you in a few days, baby… okay?”

I nodded my head, as I gathered the sheets around my body, moving toward the end of the bed where he was. “Do you have to leave?”

“If you would have asked me that a week ago, I would have told you no. Now, I have to.” He chuckled, pressing his lips against my head.

“K.”

“I got my jet coming back to pick you and your parents up. Greene says she has a few days left, so she’s gonna stay, too.”

“Okay.”

I hugged him tighter as he kissed my face and lips a few times and slipped over onto the bed so he could get up. With the sheet wrapped around my body, I snatched his shirt and put it on, as he grabbed his duffle bag and put it on his shoulder.

He reached his hand out for me, and I held his hand as we made our way downstairs. Beans was already downstairs, and Greene was on her iPad. “Morning, Don… everything is ready, you’re good to takeoff.”

“Thanks, Greene.”

She hopped down and yawned. “No problem… have a safe flight. See you later, Beanie.”

Beans laughed, and gave her a hug, and she was heading back to her room.

I stood there feeling sad as hell that he was leaving.

While I should have been excited to be staying longer on this beautiful island with my family, there was a part of me that was sad to see him leave.

Even if I knew I would see him in a few days.

“I’ll be in the whip, Don.”

He nodded, never taking his eyes from me. “Heard you.”

“Have a safe flight and be safe. Can you call me when you land, please?” I stood on my toes, kissing his lips, as he gripped my ass, his favorite thing to grab whenever he was near me.

“I got you. Say it for me, Pooh.”

I smiled as I kissed the side of his lips. “I love you, Landon… believe me?”

“I do.”

He put his duffle bag down and kissed me back, picking me up where my whole ass was out. “My butt is out.”

“You good… Beans is outside, and your cousin went back to sleep.” He kissed my neck and smelled me, like he was getting one last hit before he hit the road.

“I love you, Navy Bleu.”

“Hmm… got this billionaire open off me, huh? Not bad for a girl from Nostrand Ave.”

He laughed. “Long as she know how I’m coming behind her… can get anything out of me, you know that, right?”

“In that case, I need a new bookcase. Heard I got a bunch of new books for my birthday.”

Landon kissed me once more and put me down. “Got you. Go back to sleep, you tired as shit.”

“Not until you call me before takeoff.”

We embraced once more, kissing each other before I walked him out and watched as the driver took his bag, and he climbed into the back. “Later, Pooh.”

“Later, baby.” I kissed my hand, as the driver closed his door, and I watched them drive out of the gates.

Damn.

Landon Caselli had me gone .