Page 14

COCO

A few times while filling out Quilo’s school paperwork, I stumbled over his last name.

It took three tries before I got the packet completely perfect.

The twins thought it was funny.

They tagged along with me today.

I figured since I’d taken the day off to get Quilo’s enrollment situated, the boys and I could have lunch together.

Discreetly, I balked at the hefty tuition bill but paid it as if I was used to dropping this amount of money on anything.

The school seemed nice and all.

We were given a thorough tour and rundown of what was expected of Quilo.

Of course, he was put off by the school’s strict nature.

On other hand, I inwardly smiled.

This place would be good for him.

I noticed that plaques, memorabilia, and trophies encased inside a glass enclosure caught Quilo’s eye as we were leaving out of the school.

With all hope, he’d take to football like he did when he was in youth football.

He briefly played back then, but he loved it.

When our mother got sick, taking him to and from games and practices became too much, so he had to stop playing.

Now that he was older, I hoped that he could find joy in it again.

The boys and I went to lunch at a pizza spot, where Humble and Peace joined us.

I was delighted to see them pop up and was humbled by them hugging me.

They dapped their little brothers, then Quilo.

They each took a spot on either side of Quilo to which he grilled them.

Peace mushed him in his head.

“Put a smile on ya face,” he said.

“Mush me again and I’ma—”

“Boys—”

“Aye…” Humble interrupted me and Quilo, effectively silencing everyone at the table.

Adir wasn’t lying when he said that Humble was most like him.

If it wasn’t for them looking nothing alike, I would’ve wondered if Humble was Adir’s biological son.

He held the same quiet authority as his dad.

Nineteen seemed so young for the steeliness in his tone.

Kalm and Bragg looked on with wide eyes.

They were used to their brother, and I was used to mine.

The tension was palpable between the three older boys.

“Let’s chill out and enjoy lunch before Pops shows up and beat y’all asses,” Humble finally stated.

It caused everyone at the table to burst out laughing in some way.

Humble, Peace, and Quilo commenced to playfully arguing over the fact that Adir wouldn’t do shit to them.

Kalm and Bragg cackled and bet on who they felt could really take Adir in a one-on-one fight.

Their money was on Humble, and I had to inwardly agree.

Observing how at ease Quilo seemed among the Bell boys, I had to admit that it made my heart palpitate a little.

Recalling his friends back in Orlando, I couldn’t ever think of a time when he looked this unguarded.

My eyes misted over, hoping that this crazy start to our new life was actually the perfect start to our new lives.

As sweet as this moment was, I had to break it up.

“If either one of you think about layin’ a hand on my husband, I’ma be forced to defend him.”

All conversation ceased as five pairs of eyes stared back at me.

Quilo’s face was the only one slightly screwed up.

Then, the Bell boys burst out laughing.

Peace reached across the table and dapped me.

“You aight with me, Mama Pretty,” he said, startling me.

As if he didn’t shock me into silence, he went back to jousting with Humble and Quilo.

My phone buzzed, breaking through my thoughts.

Adir: I miss you.

Adir: I keep walking to ya office just to see it empty.

Adir: I’m jealous as fuck.

Me: You’ll see me when you get home.

I’ll cook you something special since I ditched you today.

Me: How does that sound?

Adir: It sounds like my wife has me wrapped around her finger.

In the middle of the restaurant, I giggled hard as hell.

The boys just looked at me and shook their heads.

Clearing my throat, I placed my phone down and focused my attention back on them.

This wasn’t just about me and Adir.

This was about all of us.

We were a family now.

So, as we ate pizza, I tiptoed into topics I felt were safe.

Adir briefly shared the boys’ past with me, but I was sensitive to not jar any of those memories.

So, we talked about sports which quickly turned into video games, then girls.

“Pops is strict about us having girlfriends,” Kalm said.

“With good reason.” Bragg shook his head.

“I’m not ready for a girlfriend. It’s too many girls I like.” He hunched his shoulders like that was all that needed to be said.

My mouth dropped while Humble, Quilo, and Peace died laughing.

“Bragg…” I had to join the laughter.

“I appreciate your honesty and maturity,” I told him.

“Pops ain’t goin’ for anything else,” Kalm stated.

Hearing them talk about Adir in such a way made my heart swell with pride.

This was the man I married.

The love they each had for him was evident; so was the respect.

“Yeah,” Bragg added, then pointedly glanced at Quilo.

“What?” Quilo’s face mirrored Bragg’s.

“One day you’ll understand why we don’t play about Pops,” Humble answered.

Quilo turned his nose up, then ultimately replied, “He’s aight.”

My heart warmed just as another text came through from Adir.

I almost ignored it but decided a quick glance wouldn’t hurt.

It was a picture of me and the boys enjoying lunch.

I glanced at Russ, who sat at the front of the restaurant keeping watch over us.

Today, Russ wasn’t alone.

Tuck, one of Adir’s other security men, sat a few tables behind us.

Adir: I’m getting this picture framed.

We’ve been waiting for you forever, Pretty.

Inside my chest, my heart constricted.

Adir and I were freshly into this situation.

Yet with every word, every kiss, and every look from him, I was falling deeper.

This was no longer starting to feel like happenstance.

Things were starting to feel divinely orchestrated.

Either that, or I was losing my mind.

The past few days were nothing short of hectic.

After getting my office all prettied up, I was tossed into the deep end of all things Dr. Bell & Associates.

My first trauma happened just two days ago.

A gang-related shooting happened in broad daylight.

Adir’s staff moved like a well-oiled machine to save the life of a gang member’s brother.

He was an unintended target and in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Watching Adir save that young man’s life was nothing short of tear-jerking.

Adir outside of the operating room versus the Adir standing over a bloodied, battered body were two different people.

A part of me fell slap in love with him that day.

He commanded his staff in such a way that they obeyed without the slightest hesitancy.

Reverence showed in the way they acknowledged him and didn’t for a second doubt that he couldn’t save the young man.

Adir wasn’t an immortal being.

However, observing him in surgeon mode really made me respect him more than I cared to admit.

Just half an hour after saving the young man’s life, he was inside my office with his large body leaned up against my desk.

I sat in my chair with my legs crossed, admiring the amusement behind his eyes.

“You’re lookin’ at me like you want something from me, Mrs. Bell.”

Smirking, I didn’t even try and hide it.

“Maybe I do.”

His eyes smoldered intensely as he peered down at me.

Whatever was going through his mind caused the front of his scrub pants to tint with his arousal.

My door opened, breaking the moment.

“Excuse me, love birds,” Bianca sang.

Adir didn’t take his eyes off me as I chuckled.

It had been two days since that connection inside my office.

Since then, Adir and I had some unspoken, yet heavy, vibes between us.

From day one his aura was strong.

Now, it was so intense that I wasn’t going to be able to withstand it for much longer.

“‘Sup, baby?”

Adir’s voice slightly jolted me. Realizing that I’d been staring into his eyes, I glanced around to gather myself. This morning, I’d woken up early to prepare us breakfast before going into the office. Just the two of us sat on the balcony waiting for the sun to rise.

“You lookin’ at me like you have something to get off ya chest,” he drawled.

His back was to the sky and, as the sun rose, the glow that came over his moisturized dark skin made him seem like an angel.

He was dressed in his scrubs, freshly lined up, and smelling so good that the tree limbs even extended our way to catch a whiff of him.

“It’s nothing,” I uttered.

He simply smirked. Seconds later, he stood and rounded the small round table we sat at until he stood in front of me.

My stomach tumbled at his fingers wrapping around the front of my neck.

He brought me to stand but didn’t remove his hand.

Breathlessly, my mouth parted against his lips.

“You sure it’s nothing, my love?” He kissed my lips, taking my breath away.

“Yes,” I whispered between kisses.

What the hell is this man doing to me?