Page 15

I smiled after opening the door to let Kianis into my condo.

“Hey, baby.”

All the pressure of the day fell from my shoulders the moment he stepped into my bubble and wrapped his arms around my waist. A gentle kiss was placed on my forehead that finally turned my heart back into a still body of water and not a vibrating, thumping tsunami.

“How’s my good luck charm? You have a good day?” he questioned, taking a step back.

I shrugged. “It could’ve been better, but I’m happy it’s over now and you’re here.”

I missed being around him when we were away from each other, but it always gave me something to look forward to at the end of the day.

“Your touch makes everything better.” I didn’t look away as I made my confession. I wanted him to know I was serious.

He was about to turn around and step back out the door but paused. “I try to be over here as much as I can be, but somebody is always sending me home.”

I blushed, folding my arms over my chest. “Because I can’t focus when you’re here. While your touch certainly makes everything better, it also makes me forget about everything else in the world. It’s so healing.”

For the first time, I noticed all the bags sitting in front of the door.

“What’s all of this?” I stepped around him to peek.

Kinga rubbed his hands together with a proud tilt of his chin. “I got some things for you and our baby.”

The word our falling from his lips made my knees weak. I could taste its sweet sugary notes on my tongue, making this moment so much more potent.

“Some?” I repeated with a chuckle. “Looks like a lot.”

He shrugged. “It is, but I don’t care. I wanna give y’all the world.”

I took a step back as he started to bring everything inside in groups. I watched the bags pile up in front of the couch with every trip he made back and forth. Finally, he finished, and I plopped down on the couch with my feet tucked under me.

“We still don’t even know the baby’s sex yet, babe.”

He walked around the hall to sit beside me. He placed my feet in his lap and shrugged.

“I can take the other gender stuff back or give it away to some fans. I know we’re not the only ones about to pop out a little one.” He tapped me on the nose. “Part of being so blessed is we get to bless others.”

His words were so comforting. After that motorcycle incident, I was almost convinced he was heartless, but I understood he was suspicious of the incident, mainly because of where we were. I couldn’t think about what would’ve happened that night if bae got his way and we kept going.

“You ready to check it out?” He looked so full of joy and excitement.

I nodded. “Yes. Let’s do it.” He made me sit back while he handed me bag after bag. I wasn’t sure there would be anything left for people to give us because he’d gotten literally everything twice over.

I giggled. “Oh, babe, we’re gonna have to do a huge giveaway. We can’t keep all this stuff.”

He was completely unfazed. “Okay. Let’s do that then, but I wanted us to start getting ready. Our little girl or boy will be here before we know it.”

Suddenly, the mixture of being drowned by baby clothes and gadgets then his reminder of how time was moving quickly made everything more real. My breaths started to come out in short spurts. Kianis noticed my erratic breathing and became concerned.

“You okay, baby?”

I placed a hand over my heart.

“I can’t breathe,” I admitted before shooting to my feet.

Somehow, I found the willpower to rush to my spare bedroom. I kept moving until I was standing in front of the sculpture I had done of my belly during this week’s private lesson. I heard Kinga’s feet shuffling across the floor as he followed me. He paused in the doorway.

“Wow. What is this?” he questioned.

I couldn’t take my eyes off the sculpture, but I answered him. “It’s an art gallery filled with my work.”

He gasped. “Can I come in?”

I nodded with a sniffle. “Yeah. Just close the door behind you.”

I heard the lock snap into place as he followed my instructions.

The dimly lit room was suddenly injected with the scent of his cologne.

I felt his heat move from one side of the room to the other, taking it all in.

This was my sacred place, my secret garden where I came to plant and water my seeds.

Moving to the wall, I turned on my sunset lamp that cast a beautiful, orange ombre rainbow across the room.

“You did all of this?” he finally asked, coming closer to my position in front of the sculpture.

I nodded, lifting my head to look around the room. “Yeah. It’s where I come to escape the noise and remember who I really am. You’re the first person I’ve let in here.”

I shuddered when his hand slid across my midsection to anchor me to his defined chest.

“Why me?”

There were so many reasons I could’ve replied with, so I wasn’t in a rush to speak.

“Um… Well, I know you don’t only see me, but you care about me, too.

We’re both known for being one way, but when we’re together, the truth is revealed.

I see the real you, and you see me, too.

” I took a deep breath then released it in a prolonged exhale.

“I ran in here because it just all became too real. Becoming a mother is going to change everything, and I don’t know if I can handle it… if I’ll be any good at it…”

Kinga’s lips landed on my neck. When he spoke, his voice tickled my skin. “You’re going to be great at it.”

I swallowed through the wave of emotion bubbling inside of me. “How do you know?”

He came to stand beside me with one arm still on my waist while the other hooked my chin.

I was drawn to his genuine gaze filled with admiration and awe.

The softness of his usual rugged features made me feel safe and secure.

So, the tears I was trying my hardest to hold hostage began to trickle down my cheeks.

“You just said how. Because I see you, Charmony. It’s a gift to see the woman everyone else is too blind to see.

I’ve told you before my craving for you isn’t about what you look like.

It’s about your heart. You’re a sweetheart with a compassionate and caring soul.

You give me a safe place to escape to when my world gets too loud.

I will always be grateful for that. So, don’t think I’m just here for the baby because it’s not the truth.

I’m here for you, Charmony… all of you.”

I shook my head. “I don’t know how to let you do that because sometimes I don’t even know who I really am.”

He was quick with his rebuttal, filled with conviction. “That’s not true. Look around this room. This is the real you. You know who you are in private, and it’s time you learned how to be her in public too… for you… for our baby… for us…”

I blinked away my tears as each one of his words felt like a bullet of hope being unloaded into my chest.

“Us?” I repeated softly.

He nodded then shocked me when he dropped to his knees.

“Yes… us. I’ve been thinking long and hard about what I want my future to look like.

Every time, the same image appears in my mind.

I see you sitting courtside with our son or daughter and a big rock on your finger.

No one even questions if you’re good because your aura says it all.

You’re well taken care of and fiercely loved by me. ”

His words sounded and felt like beautiful keystrokes of a piano. I covered my mouth in shock. I couldn’t believe this was happening right now.

“So, it feels like the perfect moment to ask you if you’ll be my wife? And, before you think this is just some spontaneous choice, let me show you it’s not.”

He reached into the pocket of his joggers and pulled out a tiny ring box.

I gasped when he flipped it open, exposing a three carat, oval-cut diamond with a hidden halo setting.

The band was fourteen karat rose gold with micro pavé diamonds.

There was a quiet luxury to the ring that fit me perfectly.

“Oh my God, Kianis!” I shrieked, jumping up and down. “Are you kidding me?”

He shook his head. “I’m really not. I want this, Charmony.

I want you. I want our baby. I want to be a family more than I’ve wanted anything else in my life.

That’s saying a lot, considering I thought basketball was everything to me, but the last few months have shown me time and time again that it’s you. There’s an inscription inside.”

I silently cried as I watched him pull the ring from the box then place it down beside him. He twisted it so that I could see. Romans 8:28…

“All things work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called for His purpose,” I paraphrased the scripture from my memory. Tears welled in my eyes as it all made sense.

“I know everything won’t be perfect, but I believe God bringing us together is a part of His purpose. So, even when the road gets tough, I want you to see your ring and know it’s all working out for our good because we love God, and He loves us in return.”

This was really happening. The ring looked like a beacon of hope sitting between his fingers and glistening like a star in the nighttime sky. He didn’t spare no expense for the shape, band, or engraving. He glanced up at me with eyes that were moist on their own.

He sniffled. “Um… When it comes to my life, you are the queen of my court, and I want to do life with you. Will you marry me, Charmony Anae Hart?”

He hardly had his question out before I was screaming, “Yes, yes, yes!”

He slid the ring on my finger, and a wave of bliss exploded around us in a beautiful array of colors.

I couldn’t believe this was happening, but it felt so right.

Since the day we bumped into each other Kianis had never given me a reason to doubt him.

He said what he meant and did what he said.

How could I not want a lifetime of this for myself?

Kianis shot to his feet with a wide grin. He palmed my cheeks and began to place the most tender yet invigorating kisses on my lips.

“I love you,” I confessed.

“I love you too. I promise when it’s time for you to give birth, that I will be there holding your hand.”

His affirmation of his desire to be present really sealed the deal. Taking his hand, I pointed at the sculpture.

“Vari painted it with glow in the dark paint so we can find out the gender of the baby.”

Sharing the news between us privately and intimately was perfect for us.

“Oh shit, I’m ready.”

A sigh of contentment flowed out of him, sedating my nerves. I rushed to the wall and turned off all the lights. I’d just returned to his side when the sculpture began to glow a soft shade of blue.

“A son…” he whispered into the darkness.

“A son…” I echoed back to him.

“A son!” he suddenly yelled, becoming revved up with excitement. He was crashing into me seconds later. “I love you so fucking much, Charmony. On my life, you never gonna have to worry about nothing.”

I couldn’t help but feast on his joy and reflect it back to him.

I was terrified when I first found out about our baby.

Honestly, if Kianis had taken it differently, I’m not sure if I would be standing here nearly halfway through my journey.

But it didn’t matter. I was given the best possible circumstances and allowed myself to be saturated in all the good things.

This was happening, and it would change everything, but having Kianis by my side made me feel more confident in what came next.