Page 16

Sitting at the island in Charm’s kitchen, we used her iPad to look over the proofs from our maternity photoshoot. They were literally perfect. My hand massaged Charm’s lower back, becoming more obsessed with the woman beside me. I kissed her shoulder and smiled.

My eyes studied how perfect Charm looked.

She honestly didn’t need any editing, having shown up already looking photoshopped.

The custom-made powder blue dress she wore left her bulging and glowing belly exposed through a sheer covering.

I loved seeing that dark line traveling between her navel and pelvis.

I didn’t let a day go by without kissing right up it until I got to Charm’s lips.

She was putty in my hands afterward every time.

She wanted to do a spring theme, so there was a large, extravagant bouquet of flowers behind us.

We sat on some fake grass in the studio.

I was wearing a powder blue linen suit to match the vibe.

I kept my jewelry minimal, choosing to only wear a Cuban and my AP.

My favorite accessory of Charm’s had to be the ring she proudly sported in every photo.

The joy being engaged brought me could be seen even to a blind eye.

There was this one photo where I was standing tall with Charm by my side.

She cuffed my arm with her head resting lovingly on my bicep.

The other one was tucked behind my back.

My arm stretched all the way down where my hand found a home on top of her belly.

Even though we both had blank expressions, there was so much love, peace, and joy in our eyes.

Looking at the photo made me believe in us.

I knew this one would be my screensaver.

I needed to be reminded God traded our ashes for beauty every day.

“I love them.”

There was nothing else I could say. We looked great together, and I was looking forward to taking more family photos once our son was here. My lips traveled to her cheeks next. She giggled as I flooded them with kisses.

I stopped when her mother’s voice shattered our bubble of serenity.

“What’s got y’all so gung-ho?” she inquired with her phone in hand. Like her daughter, Courtney was never too far from that phone.

Charm turned to look at me. I gave her a subtle nod.

We’d already talked about telling our families.

The blogs were catching photos of her pregnant belly more often.

The last one being the most convincing. No one had confirmed or denied anything yet, but she was reaching the point where it would be hard to hide from those closest to us. So, it was time.

“Are you on live, Ma? Get off,” Charm fussed with a roll of her eyes.

“Ut oh. I gotta go y’all. This sounds serious.”

Once her mother ended the live and placed her phone on the counter, Charm stood up with her iPad in hand then walked over to the other side of the island. Wordlessly, she handed her the iPad. Weighted silence hung in the air as she stared blankly at the screen.

Out of nowhere she began screaming, “I fucking knew it! I knew it!”

Charm looked at me, and I shrugged.

“Oh my God. I’m going to be a grandmother.”

It was hard to tell if she was happy, sad, or pissed about it until she rushed Charm and genuinely hugged her for the first time. She gasped, feeling her belly poking her. Taking a step back, she looked down.

“You need a damn award for the way you’ve hidden this from me, but I knew something was off about you.”

I stood from my seat to join them on the other side. Her eyes floated to me when I stood behind Charm. She tipped her left hand down to show Courtney her engagement ring.

“Oh, you two have been busy.” Her mouth fell into an “O” shape as her hands went to her cheeks. “I guess I should be saying welcome to the family. If this was going to happen with anyone, I’m okay with it being you. You haven’t played about my girl since the day you met her.”

I felt full of pride knowing my devotion to Charm could be seen by others. I smiled down at my baby. “I know I have a good thing. You raised an exceptional woman.”

My eyes shot to her mother in alarm when she shrieked. She shook her head and waved her hand dramatically.

Charm sucked her teeth. “Ma, please.”

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I can’t believe my baby is having a baby. I just need a minute.”

She turned to leave us alone in the kitchen, causing Charm to yell after her.

“Don’t go hopping on that phone telling everybody either. We want to announce it when we’re ready.”

Her head fell backward with a sigh. “I know better than to do that.”

Charm frowned, wanting to say more, but decided to let her leave. Turning toward me, I saw her surprise through her lifted brow and pursed glossy lips. She clapped her hands and exhaled.

“I expected that to go so much worse than it did.”

I tapped her nose. “You tend to do that often.”

She popped out her hip and planted a hand on it. “Do what?”

“Expect the worst.”

She gulped dramatically. “Oh, you just clocked the fuck out of me, babe. I can’t even be mad.”

She did that little motion where women tapped the tips of their fingers together. I rolled my eyes and folded my arms over my chest.

“Anyways, one parent down, two more to go.”

I nodded. Since things went so well with her mother, I allowed myself to believe the same would happen with my parents.

Neither of us had perfect parents, but they would be supportive.

Why wouldn’t they be? Charm was the total package; I was lucky to have her. She was my good thing—my gift from God.

I took Charm’s hand in mine as I led her up the driveway to my parents’ home in Richard Hills. It was a suburban neighborhood on the outskirts of the city I’d put them up in when I got my first deal. They had been living comfortably ever since.

I used my key to let myself inside. A trail of smoke traveled through the foyer that I fanned away.

A part of me almost turned around and left.

I knew anytime my mama pulled out those cigarettes that she was in a foul mood, but there was a part of me that hoped our news could brighten her day.

I told Charm not to expect the worst, and it would be hypocritical to not take my own advice.

Charm squeezed my hand for support as we neared the living room. My mother was lying on the recliner with her feet kicked up and a cigarette between her fingers. I hated the smell of cigarettes and couldn’t stop my nose from scrunching up.

“Ma, put that shit out,” I fussed.

She sucked her teeth. “Boy, this is my house. I’ma do whatever I want to do.”

I turned to look at Charm over my shoulder. It was my second chance to leave and come back when she was in a better mood, but I tried to tough it out.

“Can we step out on the patio? We have something to tell you.”

Her eyes rolled over to us from where she was watching some Tyler Perry movie on the TV.

“I don’t need to go outside to see that child is pregnant.” She placed her cigarette between her lips and pulled until the end was flaming red. With a dark chuckle, she shook her head. “Just like your damn daddy.”

She sat up, flinging her ashes all over the seat.

“Y’all love those inflatable looking girls that love flaunting their body all over social media.”

Charm tensed at the same time I did. Straightening my posture, I stood slightly in front of my girl. I didn’t even want my mama to look at her in that way.

“You letting your bitterness speak for you. Don’t insult my girl because you’re insecure about the way Pops leaves you hanging for those types. My fiancée is nothing like that.”

A full-blown laugh exploded out of her. “You asked her to marry you? Yeah, she about to take you for everything you’ve got. Don’t come crying to me when she ruins you, and you end up back in the hood like your father did.”

I grunted with a jerk of my head. “If I go back, you’ll be right there eating bologna sandwiches and oodles and noodles with me. Don’t forget that I put you up in this fucking house, not your husband.”

She shrugged her shoulders. “Potato, po-tah-to. Y’all just the same.

Girl, run while you can. Those Kinga men are only good for ruining good women.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to abort that muthafuckin’ baby and get the fuck on.

He ain’t gon’ last in the league much longer.

Hope you got some money saved up from showing your ass. ”

Hearing my mother talk so ill rubbed me the wrong way. I knew I should’ve trusted my instinct and left when I had the chance. Now, she’d not only insulted me but my girl too. I glanced down at Charm to see her face set into a frown. I knew she was about to go off.

“Um… Ma’am, I don’t know what you’re going through, but you need to tighten up.

You don’t have to be happy for us right now because you’re blinded by your own pain, and I get that, but at the end of the day, Kianis is still your son, a son who tries his very best to show the world who he really is.

He can’t ’cause you and everyone else is so focused on who his father is and what he’s done.

“He’s his own man, and I’m thankful to be starting a family with him, to shower him with the love and support he deserves because he goes hard every time his feet hit that court.

I hate that this is the thanks he gets when he’s got y’all living lavishly on his dime.

And every chance you get, you bash him, disrespect him, and neglect him.

Fuck that and you! You won’t get close to our baby with that negative ass mindset and nasty ass attitude.

Have a good fucking day. We’re leaving.”

For the first time since we arrived, my mama was speechless. I shook my head as I allowed Charm to pull me away. This hadn’t gone remotely close to the way I wanted it to, but at least what I knew about Charm was proven. That girl was not playing about me.

I sighed in relief when we made it out front. Charm spun around toward me.

“I’m so sorry, babe.”

She wrapped her arms around my waist. I smiled, feeling her stomach poking me.

“Thank you for having my back. I promise I don’t regret anything about us, and I’m not that nigga.”

She took my hand in hers and smiled. “I know, baby. I don’t think that for one moment. Her words are just that and they come from a broken place. It doesn’t make it the truth. I wish she had a better reaction, but we have each other. That’s all we need.”

I reached for her neck and pulled her toward me. I placed a kiss on her forehead and sighed. “You’re right. We gon’ be aight.”

Tossing my arm over her shoulder, I decided to leave the weight of this conversation right on their doorsteps. It had no place where I was going. I refused to allow their dark clouds to have it storming over where we laid our heads.

Charm abruptly stopped walking.

Glancing down at her, I asked, “You good, baby?”

She nodded. “Let’s get married,” she suggested, shocking me.

“We’re already getting married…” I removed my arm from her shoulders to face her.

“No. I mean, like, why wait? Let’s elope and officially start our lives together. Neither of us really like the spotlight, so we don’t need some big, fancy wedding.”

She stepped close enough that her pebbled nipples pressed into my chest. She was looking up at me with eyes that could convince me to blow up the planet if it meant having her.

“We only need me, you, and the love we have for each other.”

I was letting her talk just because I wanted a little more time to admire her beauty, to express my gratitude for God’s grace. I didn’t need any convincing. I’d decided a long time ago that I wanted to marry Charm. I was simply waiting for her to be ready.

“Then let’s get married.”

A ray of sunlight beamed over us as if it had the ability to transport us right to the altar.

I was sure about this woman. Just as sure as I was that the sun would come out again tomorrow.

Life with Charm and our son was more than I deserved, and I would be a fool to fuck it up or run from this.

Love could be overwhelming, but it was also fulfilling and able to fill in all the empty places in a person’s soul.