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THIRTEEN

The Wayward Enchantress: Night One

My reflection reminded me I was Richie’s girl. His baby girl. He’d marked me with his features. With his love. With his morals. With his drive. With his confidence. With his perfectionism. With his work ethic.

Royce’s hands slid around my body. Her head landed between my shoulder and cheek. We shared the same face. Almost identical. But, our eyes and lips made it easy to tell us apart.

Richie’s girls .

“How are you doing, baby?” She asked, barely above a whisper.

There was something so serene about Royce.

When she was around, there wouldn’t be an unturned stone.

Everything was handled in her presence. Her attention to detail was unlike anything else.

It was the reason she was who she was, meant what she meant to the family, and was able to do what she did so effortlessly.

She never forgot a name, face, friend, or foe. Dates and times and locations were stamped on her brain. She was the most resourceful of us all, Teddy included. While he was the brains of the family, Royce was the lungs that kept it alive.

Rugger, the skin.

Rather, the arteries.

Range, the liver.

Roulette, the eyes.

Roaman, the bones.

Me… the heart .

“Prepared.”

“Nervous, any?”

I shook my head.

“She’d better not be.”

A very familiar, very prominent baritone made the hairs on my neck stand. I straightened my spine and peered in the mirror, just over Royce’s shoulder.

Anticipating his presence.

Feeling it.

Admiring it.

Expecting it.

“Teddy–”

“You were born a star. This is lightweight.”

I nodded, watching as he obliterated the space between us. I slid from my chair and saved him the energy. The bouquet of pink roses stopped me in my tracks. They were beautiful. Just like the man holding them.

“Teddy,” I breathed out, standing on the tips of my toes and wrapping my arms around the eldest of my siblings.

My whole heart.

My lungs.

My liver.

My kidney.

My spleen.

My backbone.

My skin.

My eyes.

My arteries .

“Teddy,” I whispered against him, closing my eyes.

“I’m here, baby.”

“I know.”

“Break it up,” Roulette yelled from across the room. “You two act like you haven’t seen each other in ages.”

It felt like it.

“Rou, please.” Roaman sighed.

“Hater shit doesn’t look good on you, sis,” Royce told her.

“Anything looks good on me. That, I won’t let you lie about,” Roulette retorted with a head roll. “I do mean anything .”

“Please don’t get her started,” Range pleaded.

“I second that motion,” Rugger added.

“Third,” Rather protested.

“Oh girl, shut the hell u–”

“Girls!” My mother called out, trying to restore order in the room.

“You good, my baby?” Chem inquired, tuning everyone out around us.

“Yes. I’m better now.”

“Good, because I have someone counting on seeing that smile.”

I stepped back.

“You’re not alone?”

“I’m not.”

He wasn’t. And, from the moment he admitted it, I sensed the plus one.

“Where is she?”

Chuckling, Teddy leaned his head to the right.

“How’d y–”

“Don’t insult me,” I demanded, patting his chest.

He remained silent, shaking his head. He had been the light in my dark, dark tunnel since Richie’s death. Seeing him smile was like seeing the sunrise to let you know you’d made it to see another day. It was revitalizing. It was refreshing. It was promising.

“Oh Teeteeeeee,” I called out, with upturned lips.

Joy consumed me. Teddy didn’t have to tell me where she was. I felt her near. The small giggles confirmed my suspicions.

“Chemisstttrrrrrry– where could she be?”

I rounded Teddy’s body.

“There she is.”

Jru stood behind her father, hands gripping his black slacks. I pulled her into my arms and pressed her head onto my chest. With my eyes closed, I spun in a full circle.

My love .

My life.

Emotions swelled in my chest. There was nothing I wanted more than to have Jru within walking distance again. She made it so hard to leave St. Catana behind. I missed her love.

“I miss you, Tee Rome.”

“And, I miss you. Have you been good for Mommy and Daddy?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“That’s my girl.”

“How’s baby brother?”

“He’s into everything,” Jru reported, shaking her head.

The entire room erupted in laughter.

“She can stand on her own,” Chemistry reminded me.

With a roll of my eyes, I lowered Jru to the floor. Not because her father suggested it, but because I had to finish wrapping my hair in a bun. Showtime was in less than twenty minutes. I needed to be on stage in less than fifteen minutes.

“Only because I have to finish getting ready.”

“I’ll see you on stage, superstar.” Teddy kissed my cheek.

“See you.”

With Jru by his side, he powered through the room like a silent storm.

“I’m going to head out, baby,” Roulette claimed, hugging me tightly.

“So am I.”

“Me, too.”

“We’ll see you out front.”

“Knock ‘em out, baby.”

Rugger never said a word. She slithered out of the door unnoticed. I hadn’t expected anything less.

My mother’s love lingered. She was the prettiest in pink. Powdered pink, more specifically.

Those anguished eyes reminded me that her other half was missing. She mourned his death each day. Every day. It didn’t matter how many passed. He was her only love. Before him, she didn’t know what a man felt like. He was her entry to womanhood. Love. Life. Motherhood. Partnership. Everything.

He was quite literally everything to her. In his absence, she hurts. There wasn’t a day she didn’t. It was written between the wrinkles on her forehead and in the corners of her eyes. His death had aged her. My heart hurt knowing just how empty she must feel.

A hole she’ll never be able to fill . I wept for her inwardly.

“My Rome. My Rome,” she said with a broken smile.

“My Rhea.”

Her hands blessed me. My body welcomed them. She brought my face near hers as she peered into my eyes.

“Your father would be proud.”

“My father is proud.”

She agreed.

“Yes. Yes, baby. He is.”

She paused as our breathing synced.

“You’re even better than my wildest dreams,” she choked out, “Your father knew you were a girl before I could even tell him I was pregnant.”

Her chuckle was heavy. It was deep. It was moving.

“He said you’d come to him in a dream. Told him you’d be born a star.

And, you’d have the same discernment he was blessed with.

But, better. Wiser. Far more gifted. Hadn’t it been my husband, who I knew better than I knew myself, then I would’ve thought he was off some sort of medication.

But, I knew he wasn’t and I knew everything he was telling me was true. And, here you are.”

My nostrils swelled as tears stung my eyes.

“I’m in love, Mother.”

She lifted her head and then allowed it to fall an inch. She repeated the same movement four times.

“Ohhhh, baby, I know. I see it. It’s all over your face. In the way you walk. The way you talk. The way you move. When a woman is in love, the good kind of love, it lights her up like Times Square on a cold New Year’s night.”

She chuckled, wiping a tear from her eyes.

“I’ve waited for this moment with you. For this man with you. I’ve prayed your patience wasn’t in vain. And, now, I pray this type of love never leaves you.”

“Like Richie.”

She inhaled deeply and then released slowly.

“Like Richie.”

“I miss him.” I cracked. I disabled the facade. Tears scattered across my face, running freely. “I’m totally ruining my makeup.”

“He misses you even more, Rome. And that’s what hurts most. Knowing he’s not resting well. He can’t. He left too many people that love him behind.”

I wiped my tears.

“You should go– or I’ll never make it out on that stage.”

“You’re right. I should. Have some water before you get on stage. You look like you could use some.”

“I will. I’m taking my water bottle up there with me.”

“Good. I love you, Ro.”

“In this lifetime and the next.”

“I’ll be waiti–”

“Knock. Knock.”

My heart leaped in my chest. My limbs locked. My eyes roamed the room, landing on the door.

Saint .

Long, slim legs sliced through the room. Within seconds, he was near. I could smell his cologne and reach out and touch that handsome face. I stepped back, putting space between my mother and I.

“Mom, Saint. Saint, this is my dearest mother, Rhea. Rhea Childers.”

He extended a hand, unable to offer much more with the incredibly large bouquet of flowers in his hand. Red petals were accompanied by baby’s breath. They were the perfect combination. Teddy’s roses were near the door, I didn’t know where the new batch would fit. They were massive.

“I’ve heard many good things about you,” he told my mother.

“I could say the same about you.”

“Good? You sure?”

“Aside from the fact you took far too long, yes. Only good things.”

“Ahh– that’s my bad. Next lifetime, I promise not to keep her waiting,” Saint sniggered.

“Promise?”

“Promise,” he responded, assuring my mother.

“Good, then. I’m going to get out of here. I’ll see you two shortly.”

“See you out there, Mother.”

She was sure to shut the door behind her. And, it wasn’t until then that Saint freed his hands and wrapped those long arms around me. He lifted me from my feet, sweeping me into the air. His eyes were curious. His hands were healing. His smile was jarring. His presence was comforting.

“I love you, Mellow.”

“I love you,” I confessed, smashing my lips into his.

When I was placed on my feet, it still felt like I was flying. He had that ability. Only he had it.

“My heart has been waiting for you.” Slowly, I released the breath I hadn’t known I’d been holding.

“I’m here, heart.” Saint lowered his face and spoke directly to my chest, bringing a smile to my face.

“I’m right here,” he whispered.

He kissed my lips again before straightening his spine.

“You ready to go out there and crush shit?”

He smoothed my hair back, reminding me I still hadn’t wrapped my bun.

“Yes.” I nodded. “I am.”

“I brought my mother and sister along. I hope you don’t mind.”

“I sent you four tickets for a reason, baby.”

“Ion know, baby. I’m just checking.”

“It’s fine. I hope they enjoy the show.”