Page 57

Don Caselli

She miscarried the baby.

I didn’t know how to feel because on one hand, we were never keeping the baby. Then, on the other hand I was feeling sad about the shit. I think what hurt me the most was the fact that she was terrified. As we sat in the hospital triage waiting for them to tell us something, she held onto me.

My Pooh.

My heart broke because I never wanted to see her like this again.

Never wanted her to be scared or in pain.

When the doctor told us what I already figured, she had a sigh of relief.

I think we both did because it could have been something else.

With the amount of blood that was there, I didn’t know what the fuck to think.

She slept on my chest as I sat in the hospital bed, not really listening to the news.

I held her in my arms and was in my head.

Looking down at her, I kissed her lips, her nose, and then her forehead.

Nothing mattered when I saw her bleeding and how scared she was.

The only thing that mattered was Navy and getting her to the hospital.

The curtain pulled back, and her mother came with drinks and snacks from the vending machine. She sent Ro home to get sleep because he had to work tomorrow. She sat in the chair next to the side I was on, crossed her legs and popped open her Pepsi zero.

“Rough night, huh?”

“Tell me about it.”

She rubbed my arm. “You both will be alright. Navy is a strong girl, and she has you now. She doesn’t have to be strong anymore.”

“Yeah.”

She took a sip of her soda and then opened her chips. “Always some mess going on. This serial killer is something else. Always worried about Navy traveling on the trains alone.”

“Ma, I want to apologize about the stuff that went down earlier.”

“Oh, how you wanna sex your niece,” she snorted.

Every conversation with Avril, I realized just how much Navy had her mother’s personality. “I’ve been around a long time… too long, and even I can spot a jealous ex. Girl came to do damage and she succeeded.”

“Not even my ex-girlfriend. We could never get shit right, and she fucked me over.”

“What did she do?”

I covered Navy up as she got more comfortable in my arms and explained everything to Avril.

I told her everything from how we first met, to the way she blew up on me in Italy.

How I constantly showed up for her, even knowing that she constantly pushed me away.

How I was willing to go against my family for her.

“Wow. That’s a lot. Were you in love with her, and before you answer take your time to think about it, then give me the answer,” she popped some popcorn into her mouth, while watching me take in what she told me to do.

I wasn’t in love with Kennedy.

I wanted to fall in love with her, give her everything she never had. Every time, she pushed back from me. I continued to prove to her that I could be that man for her, and she never trusted it.

She didn’t have the confidence and faith in me like she had these clients. Despite knowing what rested within my bank accounts, she never trusted that I could love her and heal her.

“Nah.”

“And you love my daughter?”

“With everything in me.” I didn’t hesitate, as I stared Avril in the eyes, letting her know how much I cared about this woman in my arms.

“I can tell.”

“You and Ro never questioned it, though.”

Avril laughed. “Me and Ro ran in the same circles, always knowing the same people, but never hanging out. We met at a BBQ at my cousin’s house and hit it off.

Man had me lost in those eyes of his. We got together, and three months later were married.

Getting pregnant with Navy was a challenge, but we got to enjoy our marriage and just being us for a few years before she came.

Which is why she’s the center of our world, even now.

I wanted to be a mother and prayed for her. She’s my answered prayer.”

The shit was beautiful.

How she was so loved by her parents. Prayed for and was living in an answered prayer. “Shit is beautiful.”

“Yeah, I like to think so. I know how it is to fall for the right man. I want her to have the love she deserves… the both of you.”

“Appreciate that.”

“I pray over the both of you at night. I don’t want to replace your mother, knowing you lost her, but I am here for you, too. One call away and I’m coming with my bat.”

I laughed. “Word?”

“ Word .”

“Breaking news tonight. Sources confirm that Alex Dass has officially sold the New York Sonics to a private investment group operating under the name M.K.Z.L. The group is reportedly a shell company, raising questions about who’s really behind the deal.

No center court ceremony, no public announcement.

Just a deal signed behind closed doors. Alex Dass is an even richer man these days, with his upcoming wedding to his fiancée, Kennedy Watkins. ”

“Can I tell you something, Ma?”

She pulled her eyes from the TV. “Anything… what’s on your mind, Son?” She got comfortable in the chair, and looked at me, ready to help with anything I needed.

“My family purchased that basketball team.”

Avril stared at me, but no words left her mouth. “I’m sorry… what?”

“We purchased the team… I made Navy co-owner of the team.”

Avril jumped out her seat and paced the small area between where the curtain was back to the seat she had jumped up from. Her hand rested beneath her chin, as she continued to walk back and forth.

“Tonight, has been a lot for all of us, and I know we’re all tired.” She started to try and make sense of what I said, assuming I was just saying shit because I was tired.

Her voice was loud and caused Pooh to stir awake. “Mommy, what happened?”

She looked at her daughter, then at me. “Your man is fibbing… playing too much, go back to sleep.”

Navy looked up at me. “You told her?”

I smirked. “You weren’t going to do it. I’ll let you do the honors.”

She leaned, looking at me. “Are you sure, Landon?”

I kissed her cheek. “More than sure, Pooh.”

Avril was hanging onto every word, trying not to pass out in front of us. “What is happening here?”

“Mommy, you and Daddy can quit your jobs. I’m retiring you both... we’re retiring you both.”

“She’s retiring you… this not me, Pooh. All you.”

Avril stared at us both as her hands started to shake. “Noooo, stop messing around with me, Bleu.” She looked at her daughter, who wiped away tears.

“Mommy, you and Daddy have given me the best life. Even when I drove you two crazy, you never turned your backs or forced me to do what you both had been forced to do. You allowed me to dream, follow my dreams, and never made me feel bad about it. Encouraged it, bought me a tripod from the dollar store. Even when you didn’t have it, you still made a way for me.

Even now, I can call either of you and you would both come running and I’m grown.

Not everyone gets to experience parents… a family like ours.”

Not everyone was blessed enough to have two supportive parents. Ro and Avril were the perfect example of choosing their daughter and allowing her to come into her own. They raised her and trusted that they did their job well enough that their daughter could make her own decisions.

“Navy Bleu Perkins, you are shitting me.” Tears poured down her face as she looked at us. “Landon, tell me she’s lying.”

“She’s telling the truth.”

She came rushing around the bed, and hugged the both of us, squeezing our necks. “Mommy, my neck… sheesh.”

“Oh God, I’m sorry, Navy. I forgot.” She held both of our faces in each of her hands. “What did you both do?”

My phone started to ring, and I saw the number. “Let me get this… you alright?”

“Handle business,” she smiled, and moved so I could stand up.

Avril took my spot, and I left and went down the hall. “Yo, we need to meet.”

“When?”

“Give me like an hour.”

“Bet.”

When I looked up, I saw Beans coming down the hall. Didn’t matter where I went, Beans would always find me. “Got that call?”

“Yeah.”

I went back into the room and Avril was crying in her daughter’s arms. Navy had tears in her eyes, too, and smiled at me. “What can I do for you? Cook your meals, clean your home… name it.”

“Ma, I don’t need anything in return. Keep being you… I need that in my life.”

Navy winked. “Love you, Landon.”

“I need that, too.”

“Mommy, go home and get some rest. Tell Daddy… I am fine here.”

She was so excited she didn’t know what to do, or how to move. “Alright… I will be back in the morning.”

“I will probably already be back home… just come to my apartment,” Navy told her, and she kissed her face a dozen times, then came and kissed my cheeks.

“I love you both… I will see you in a few hours.”

“Beans, make sure Jett drives her home.”

“Got you.”

I returned to my seat and kissed her on the lips. “How you feeling?”

“Like I had a very intense period…. Very tired, too.”

“Wanna talk about it?”

She held my hand and looked at me. “No”

“Fair.”

“I’m not angry or sad. Relieved, but it’s also not something to celebrate, either, you know?”

“I wouldn’t have run from you or this baby, Bleu.”

She held my face. “I know, baby. I want to travel, love on you and Mink, and do nasty things without the consequences that come with them.”

I kissed her lips. “Then, let me go get this snipped so we can get back to regularly scheduled programming.”

Navy snorted as she laughed. “Are you alright?”

“I’m good as long as you’re good. Zoya texted and told me she walked Mink-Mink for us.”

“I hate tonight ended like this.”

“Think it went well… honestly, showed how fucking crazy my family is.”

Navy busted out laughing. “Why would your brother say Stevie was his sister? I was so damn angry, I couldn’t even laugh.”

“He’s a fucking lunatic. You’ll learn that about him and Zoya.”

“Kora seems normal.”

“Yeah, in her own way.” I shrugged.

She kissed my lips. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Being you.”

“Thank you.”

“For?”