Page 162 of Rah

When the call ended, I lowered the phone and walked over to Moses. He was still coolly leaning against the doorframe, grinning at me with so much peace in his eyes.

I wrapped my arms around his waist, pressing my face against his chest. “Thank you.”

He rubbed my back. “For what?”

“For loving me and Trent like this. For loving us so purely.”

He lifted my chin, looking deep into my eyes. “Ain’t no other way to love you.”

FABE

Sitting in the first-class, aisle seat, I looked over and caught Aaliyah smiling down at her phone, scrolling. I leaned in just enough to see that she was looking at pictures of Nephew-Son and laughed.

“Man, we just left,” I teased, shaking my head. “You already missing him?”

She pouted, clutching her phone. “This is the first time I’ve been away since I had him. My heart literally hurts.”

I grinned. “That’s exactly why you need a vacation. You been in mama mode nonstop.”

We were on our way to Vegas for my birthday. We had to go somewhere in the country because Aaliyah couldn’t bear to be away from Nephew-Son for more than two days.

“I know, but… you think he misses me already?”

“Nah,” I said, laughing as I leaned back in my seat. “My mama’s probably feeding him like he fifteen years old. You know she’s been waitingon a baby to spoil.”

Aaliyah laughed too, shaking her head. “She does love him.”

“She does,” I agreed. “And you.”

Aaliyah blushed.

I thought my mama would’ve had speculations about me and Aaliyah. But once she found out everything Rah had done, she didn’t question a thing. She’d always had a bad taste in her mouth for their side of the family anyway. She’d always said that our father was full of shit and a shyster, the same way the rest of his people was. So, when she found out I was with Aaliyah, she didn’t judge it.

I reached over, slid Aaliyah’s phone out of her hand gently, and set it on the tray table. “Relax. He’s good. You’re supposed to be, too.”

Aaliyah squeezed my hand, asking, “How areyou?”

“I’m fine.” I chuckled because she had been asking me repeatedly since I got the news about Rah’s death that morning as we were on our way to the airport.

“I told you, I’ve been prepared for that nigga’s karma to catch up to him for years. I’m surprised it took this long.”

Right then, the flight attendant passed by. I raised a hand to stop her.

“What can I get for you?” she smiled.

“Can we get two tequilas?”

“Of course.”

As she walked off, I looked back at Aaliyah, who was practically glowing. I couldn’t help but stare. She looked so different now. She looked lighter, freer, like the weight she used to carry finally fell off somewhere she wasn’t ever going back to.

When she was with Rah, she thought she was happy. But, now, she truly was, and it showed.

She caught me looking. “What?”

Still grinning, I told her, “You … look happy.”

She tilted her head, smiling back. “I am.”