Page 27 of Half Sight Whole Heart

After two years, I was finally doing it.

Ermias and I were moving in with Zyro. He’d been so patient with me.

When Zyro said he loved me, I not only heard it, but I felt it.

It was a love that enveloped me, a love that I had come to cherish and rely on.

Zyro had shown me what it meant to be truly loved and to be protected.

He showed me he’d stand beside me through thick and thin.

We stood in the living room surrounded by a few boxes. A lot of the things we had, like the furniture, were donated. Old clothes were sent to a women’s shelter that could use women’s and boys’ clothes.

“Thank you, Zyro,” I said to him when he embraced me in his arms. “For everything. For being patient, for loving not only me, but Ermias, too. For making all of this happen.”

“Baby, you do not have to keep thanking me. I’m yo man. A real fuckin’, Mr. Make-It-Happen ass nigga. You and Ermias are now my world, and I would do anything for you both. No matter what.” His voice was low and filled with emotion.

“I love our new home,” Ermias came over from playing in the corner with toys he couldn’t wait to pull out of his box.

“I do, too. Our home with Zyro and our new baby,” I said with a smile.

Ermias kissed my stomach, talking to his little sister in a baby voice.

Mahlia and Zyleek entered the room, their arms laden with food and drinks.

Ever since Zyleek found out his brother was finally having a baby, he called me every day and checked on me.

When he had his son, he would come get Ermias.

Zyleek opened up his own bail bond company and was doing so good for himself.

Mahlia was still an EMT and is now dating a firefighter. They met at a scene of a fire, and he’s been invited to family functions.

We sat around the table, enjoying the pizza and buffalo wings.

Ermias chattered about the backyard and how he plans on playing out there every day.

The conversation around the room flowed easily, filled with laughter and how new memories were going to be formed.

Once Mahlia moves to Love Grove, we’d be complete.

It wouldn’t be long, I trusted that since the firefighter resided here, too.

The three murders went in cold. I hadn’t heard from Katrina since the message on Facebook. It was somewhat sad that Ermias wouldn’t see his siblings, but I had one baking for him.

Later that evening

We stood on the porch, the cool night wrapping around us. I turned to Zyro, my eyes reflecting the soft glow of the moon. Well, one of them. The day had been tiring, but exciting at the same time. Moving in together was scary, but I felt complete.

His gaze met mine, his eyes filled with a depth of love that took all of my breath away. Zyro reached out, cupping my face gently.

“What’s up, love?”

“I just feel so good about this.” I exhaled a shaky breath.

“Eriss,” he began in a husky tone.” You may have half sight, but you have my whole heart. Every beat. Every damn moment.”

The tears I was holding in came pouring out. This was my husband. God sent me my husband. In Zyro, I had found my whole heart.

The end