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eleven

The steam from the shower seemed to follow Ahvi as she stepped back into Lunar’s room. She’d pulled her curls into a messy puff, hoping it stayed curly until she could get some hair products. From what she saw when she walked into the house, everyone was dressed in casual clothes, so she didn’t plan to do too much either.

She wore a soft, black tank and matching shorts—something she found folded neatly in one of the boxes he had labeled, Ahvi – Bedroom.

That alone made her chest throb. Who labeled shit like that unless they gave a damn? Then she remembered Big Lunar from the intimate videos she had no business watching. That man was gentle, yet rough around the edges. But something in his smile and those deep ass dimples told her that she would absolutely choose him over a bear in the woods.

Downstairs, she could hear the music floating up through the vents, bass knocking low, voices blending into laughter, and somebody calling for another round. It sounded like they were lit with or without her.

Grabbing a bottle of baby lotion, she lifted her shirt to moisturize her stomach.

Lunar walked in, his eyes zeroing in on her stretch marks. He bit into his lip, showing off those deep dimples of his.

Ahvi froze, caught offguard, and felt a slither of insecurity.

“What you lookin’ at? My tiger stripes? That’s what you ‘bout to say cause you heard some nigga say it and bitches act like it’s the sweetest thing?

Lunar stared at the side of her face. Then his eyes traveled to her tiger stripes before his tongue swiped across his lips. “Nah…them sexy muthafuckas are more than that… they’re rows…like the ones made for planting.” He palmed her hips, pulling her to him. “This some mother earth shit…they show the world you are the creator. Ain’t no me if God ain’t give women these.”

Ahvi swallowed her attitude, feeling dumb and a bit embarrassed. But she had no rebuttal this time and she was usually quick witted.

“Yea, you ain’t got shit to say no more, huh?” Lunar challenged. “I’m not one of them…I’m him.” And with that, he smirked again before telling her to bring her ass on.

Her bare feet padded down the stairs behind him, admiring the way his body moved in his jeans. The tank top he had on showed the intricate ink covering his back and arms. She swallowed, wishing she could taste them.

“Ahvi!” Butta squealed, rushing into her arms when her foot hit the last step.

Ahvi hugged her tight, squeezing her because Butta held a special place in her heart. “When did you get here?”

“Not that long ago…I was about to come up there and get you but Lunar told me not too. He so fine,” she whispered the last part making Ahvi snicker. “But his brother…” she fanned herself.

“Brother?” Ahvi muttered, her eyes looking around for a boy that look like Lunar.

Butta whispered in her ear. “The tall boy with the locs…he’s real tall,” she giggled.

“Y’all gon’ whisper all night?” Lunar interrupted their intimate sister moment with his deep voice making them jump, then burst into laughter, hoping he didn’t hear what they said.

They giggled again, leaning more into each other. “Your fake baby daddy still standing there waiting...looking all good.”

“Hoe, shut up!” Ahvi slapped Butta’s arm.

Slowly, she turned and cracked up when Lunar gave her a death stare. Ahvi gave him a cheeky grin before trekking through the house like she knew where she was going. It didn’t take long before she ran into Javen.

Javen was tall, brown skin, and low hair cut now that he cut his braids. Without having to inhale too much, she smelled his expensive cologne and ogled at the diamond chain on his neck.

Javen smirked. “Nice to meet you, Ahvi.” His voice was deep with that southern twang she loved about Lunar’s voice too.

Seeing Javen up close in person, Ahvi was in utter shock. Then her memory took her to the old videos between him and Big Lunar. The man before her looked nothing like the boy in those videos. Slowly, her eyes cut around the kitchen.

Ahvi wouldn’t never have thought she’d be in a room with so many elite black people. Ish had always told her people were just people, but standing in that room at that moment with those people, she’d beg to differ.

“Hey,” she waved bashfully.

“Let me see, Kamari’s bad ass mama,” Solar joked, making her way towards Ahvi looking like they were the same age.

When it came to black not cracking, Solar could’ve been the poster child. Her tawny skin was flawless and her pixie cut didn’t have a hair out of place. She was stunning. Solar was shorter than Ahvi but her aura was big and youthful like she didn’t play the radio. It made sense since getting to know Aku over the past thirsty thirty days, Aku was just as big in person as she was over the phone. Now Ahvi could tell Aku definitely got it from her mama.

“My baby ain’t that bad.” Ahvi cocked her neck, pursing her lips.

Solar hugged her tight, something about Ahvi felt so familiar to her. It felt like she was hugging her younger self.

“Shiiiitttttt!” Butta laughed, dragging out the word.

“You’re a pretty, girl,” Solar circled Ahvi, examining her. Ahvi blushed because a compliment from a stunning woman like Solar was top tier. That and everyone knew a man would gas you up but compliments from other women were nothing but the truth.

“Lunar got good taste,” Luna added, walking in and wrapping her tiny arms around Javen’s waist.

Tiny smacked her lips. “They just friends.”

Ahvi looked confused by Tiny’s little comment. She thought they were cool but made a mental note not to get too comfortable with Lunar’s family. They seemed cool but maybe they didn’t like the idea of him liking her at all.

Siasia waved Tiny off. “You always do too much… Lunar ain’t made of gold and that girl probably don’t want his impulsive ass anyway.” She looked at Ahvi. “Come on so we can have a good time.”

That made her feel good. Giving Lunar one last glance, she fell in line with Siasia in search of her son and that good time she promised.

The food was good, and the vibes were on point. These were the moments she wished she’d had more of with her own family. She wished her daddy had hung out more—had people over to the house more. Going to Sheena’s house she got to experience it a little bit, but it was nothing like the family gathering at Lunar’s house. Even Kamari thrived in the moment - crawling, standing, and getting into everything and everyone’s plates. They didn’t act funny when his fat fingers dug into their plates neither. It made her think about Dro.

A close-knit family wasn’t something Dro couldn’t give their son neither. A part of her wished Lunar was Kamari’s real father, not because of his money but for the love he was surrounded by. The way they were all so affectionate with one another was beautiful.

Aku bumped her Ahvi’s shoulder, flopping down beside her. “What you over here thinking about?” she asked, sipping from her cup.

“Nothing really,” Ahvi lied, watching Kamari climb all over Lunar’s white jeans with his dirty hands. Lunar didn’t seem to care so she wasn’t tripping.

“You ain’t a good liar,” Aku laughed. “But it’s cool…we’re a lot to get used to.”

“It’s not that…it’s really nice to see.”

Aku nodded with pride in her chest. “Thank you. How you feeling since being out, though?”

“Over fuckin’ whelmed.”

“I don’t blame you. With a bad ass baby like Kamari, I would be overwhelmed too.”

Ahvi cut her eyes at Aku. “Girl don’t play with my baby. He just don’t like everybody.”

“Includiung you,” Aku teased watching Kamari crawl between Pimp and Lunar like they were jungle gyms. “I can’t wait to be a mommy,” she whispered, her heart swelling with thoughts of having her own little baby terrorizing the family.

Ahvi’s attention went to Devin Port before veering back to Aku. “You and Devin will make some beautiful babies.”

Aku sighed. “He don’t want kids.”

“Um, how that work?” Ahvi didn’t claim to know anything about relationships but being with a man that didn’t want what you wanted didn’t seem like the move.

“Girl, that’s what I’m trying to figure out.” Aku blinked back tears. The liquor and weed were making her emotional. “Look at my parents…I want that and he wants none of that.”

“He be cheating?”

“Girl, no!” Aku shrieked. “He wants me but just me. Not the kids, not the piece of paper that shows the world we’re one. He says he doesn’t need all that to know he loves me.”

“What you think?” Ahvi leaned in, hanging onto every word.

Aku was beautiful like her mama. Her face had soft, gentle features with a button nose and juicy lips that looked like they stayed glossed even when they were bare. The only difference were the freckles dusted across Aku’s cheeks like spilled cinnamon, and her skin—deeper, darker, chestnutty like the sun lingered on her a little longer than anyone else.

“Thing is - I don’t think I love him enough to try to change him or make him change his mind.”

Ahvi nodded slowly, the kind of nod that held weight. “Or maybe wait to see if he’s trying to change you?” she hummed, her words wrapped in quiet understanding.

There was no judgment in her voice, just that deep, woman-to-woman knowing.

With her and Dro…it was never some romantic love story, no epic spark or fireworks behind their eyes. They liked each other enough - enough to go half on takeout, enough to laugh when the liquor was just right, and enough to accidentally create Kamari in the middle of all that lukewarm nothing. Not even a heated mistake—just a slip. Ahvi had been on birth control…thought she was safe. But as the saying went, birth control wasn’t a hundred percent.

Now here she was - a single mama with a baby daddy she couldn’t even reach...not emotionally…not even by phone.

Aku nodded slowly, sadness reflected in her expression. Her silence was loud, but Ahvi could still hear the ache in it. The kind of heartbreak that doesn’t scream, it just hums low and steady, sits right behind the eyes. “We a family of lovers…” Aku whispered, eyes glistening. “It’s like we thrive in that shit. Like it’s our sole purpose on this earth— to love and be loved.”

And damn if that wasn’t the truest thing. Big Lunar’s legacy was built on love. Back then maybe it was unconventional but even through the lens of his phone, Ahvi could tell it was the most impactful kind of love.

Ahvi’s gaze slid to Lunar. She didn’t mean to look at him, but her eyes found his like they had their own mind. He was already staring at her - not through her, not past her, but at her, like he knew exactly how to find what she was searching for and hand-deliver it to her.

She didn’t see it at first - that look. The one she knew ran in his bloodline like high cheekbones and soft skin…the look of love, not the kind that begged, but the kind that stayed.

Then he looked down at Kamari, and in that moment, Ahvi saw it clear as day. She saw it in the quiet way his eyes softened, in the way he breathed just a little deeper, like Kamari made the air feel different. The windows to his soul opened wide, and there it was…

The desire to love, and just as deep…the desire to be loved back.

“Took your ass long enough!” Aku’s voice pulled Ahvi’s attention away from Lunar and Kamari.

“Aku, stop being a baby,” Noodle shook her head.

Ahvi licked her lips hoping she didn’t have a starstruck look on her face. There was no way she was actually in the room with The Jacory. Like, she’d talked to her over the phone, then again even that felt like a dream.

Noodle held out her long arms. “Ahvi, come give me a hug, girl…acting like you don’t know who I am.”

How was this even her life? she thought, looking at them circling her as if she belonged.

Like Aku, Noodle had height on her. Ahvi wasn’t short—she was more of an average height at five-feet-five and Noodle and Aku seemed to be at least five-seven.

“What’s up?” Bu slithered beside Noodle, smiling down at Ahvi. He was even taller than the three of them but not quite up there with Javen, Maverick, or Monday.

How was everyone in the circle so damn fine though! Ahvi thought, hoping no slobber dripped from her mouth from all the drooling they had her doing.

But Bu’s voice was the fuckin’ topper. With his red cap flipped backwards, Ahvi could see why Noodle had transitioned into wearing so much red. There had been a whole expose on her style change on social media with one blog even making Times magazine - it was that important. People seemed to care just that much. Ahvi thought it was kinda weird but seeing them in person, she might’ve cared too much too.

Over her thirty-day stint, Lunar had three-wayed Bu a few times when life behind bars was becoming too much for her. His tone was smooth, deep, and sometimes jumbled with quick wit and knowledgeable banter that stuck with her.

“Took y’all long enough,” Qamar came over passing Bu a glass with brown liquor in it. “Come chop it up with me about this damn wedding.”

Noodle and Bu got engaged a little over a year ago. The engagement had been fun, with them handling their business and traveling the world together. Bu wined and dined her every chance he got, but she was ready to set a wedding date. Now, the budget was what Qamar wanted to talk about. With Noodle’s biological father dead, Qamar wanted to step up and pay for her wedding. Bu wasn’t all the way onboard since his landscaping business brought in enough money for him to give the love of his life the wedding of her dreams.

“Qamar,” Noodle whined, following behind them. “I’ll be back, girl.” She said to Ahvi.

Ahvi snickered and went into the kitchen to grab a drink. She wanted to hit some of the weed that she’d smelled coming from outside, but she didn’t want to smell like it around Kamari. Even though he didn’t seem to want to be up under her anyway.

After grabbing her drink, she went into the living room to catch a breather. She wasn’t in there long before Lunar walked in with Kamari.

“You okay?” Lunar asked, sitting close to her, their legs touching.

Placing her drink down on the beautiful wooden coffee table, she grabbed Kamari. “Yes, it’s a lot being here with y’all.”

“Why?”

“I mean, do you not see all that black excellence in there?” She kissed all over Kamari, making him laugh. “Mommy, missed you so much, Mari.”

Kamari grabbed her face, giving her slobbered down versions of kisses. If she could fall in love more she would, but the way she loved her son…she knew there was no higher she could go.

“Aww, baby,” Ahvi cooed with love in her eyes.

“They be calling my boy bad but don’t even know he gives the best love.” Lunar looked at Kamari with pride like he saw a future where Kamari could do and be anything.

“He is kinda bad, though,” she laughed, turning to face Lunar. “I know I’ve said it before, but I really can’t thank you enough, Lunar.”

“Man, I should be thanking you.” He dragged his hand down his face. “Not just for the phone, but for him…Kamari came into my life when I needed him the most. I just hope you let me still be in his life when all this is over with.”

When it was over? Ahvi swallowed, thinking about no longer having him when she hadn’t even experienced him fully. “You already tired of me?”

“Hell nah,” he said quick, thinking there was no question about it. If he could, he’d keep her and Kamari forever because it felt like something he was supposed to do…felt like his dad had given them to him as his last wish from God.

Kamari started falling asleep in his mama’s arms. “Guess, my night almost over… he’s sleepy.”

“Jaci’ll come get him, if you want?” Lunar suggested, already texting his little cousin who was in the basement with the other kids.

Ahvi let his offer linger before shaking her head. “I just got home. I don’t want your family looking at me differently because I want to turn up instead of spending time with my son.”

Lunar waved her off. “Ahvi, stop doing that shit, man…they love him and know you got the right to enjoy your night too.”

Before she could protest longer, Jaci emerged, smiled at Ahvi and gently picked up Kamari then walked away.

“Guess you just told me,” she laughed it off, grabbing her drink to sip on.

Having people that stepped in and stepped up wasn’t on her bingo card for the year but she was thankful to have them, even if only for a little while.

* * *

The backyard was lit. Everyone was sitting by the pool having a good time as Stephanie played music. She was the unofficial DJ for the night and so far, her taste in music was good.

Aku and Noodle started dancing to the music like they’d practiced together before the party. The way their bodies moved in sync had Solar hyping her baby up.

“Get it Aku!” she yelled like she was back in time when Aku was a majorette. “That’s my muthafuckin’ baby!”

“Girl, please,” Siasia waved her off. “Show Solar that professional shit you know, Noodle.”

Noodle snickered, loving how competitive her two sisters were. No matter how much choreography she learned from the top dancers in the industry, she knew Aku would always dance her down.

Smirking, Aku dropped into a split and French lost it. “Get yo’ ass up!”

To distract him, Solar started grinding on him which caused a chain reaction as all the couples joined in. They were recapturing their youth and loving every minute of it.

Ahvi looked over to Butta who had found herself in a slow grind with Monday like she wasn’t seventeen.

Lunar’s finger gently feathered across Ahvi’s lower back, making goosebumps crawl up her spine. At the same time, the music switched to an old school jam. Sunshine by Alexander O’Neal played on the speakers.

Stephanie’s hands went into the air. “Oh, this that real shit.” She swayed to Griff who was waiting with open arms and love in his eyes.

“She touch me with a smile that glows,” Griff sang drunkenly, making Stephanie blush like her crush just noticed her for the first time.

Lunar locked his fingers with Ahvi’s. “Let a nigga get a dance, Ahvi.” It wasn’t a question. And the cadence of her name on his lips… lord .

She shook her head, smiling with the kind of nervousness that betrayed her. “I can’t dance.”

“You gon’ let me be the only one without a boo?”

She looked around the back deck, watching bodies sway to the beat and hearing laughter spill between the music like joy had been poured over everyone in waves. She sighed, knowing there was no way out of this.

Laughing playfully, she gave in.

Ahvi stepped into his arms, trying her best to keep her hands to herself. But being that close to Lunar, feeling his warmth, smelling his cologne— clean, masculine, and addictive… it was impossible. Her hands moved on their own, resting gently against his chest.

Lunar was slim built, but solid. His muscles flexed subtly beneath her touch, and her mind trailed off for half a second wondering if he could really pick her up and fuck her in the air like he looked like he could.

“You scared to touch me?” he asked. His voice was low, words brushing against her neck more than her ears.

“Nigga, no,” she lied easily. “I just told you I don’t know how to dance.”

“How is that when Butta can shake ass better than a stripper?”

“We grew up different,” Ahvi laughed. “I was raised by my dad. A wannabe Muslim that had small heart attacks whenever I even listened to music that made my body sway.” She laughed again, this time softer, more to herself, thinking about Ish. Missing him in a way that made her chest tight.

“And Butta was raised by Sheena,” Lunar said, piecing it together.

“Yep.”

A warm silence wrapped around them…the kind that didn’t need to be filled.

The music still floated through the space between them, but that space felt smaller and smaller the longer he held her.

She could feel it - something stirring under his skin…something matching what had been rising under hers.

Nervously, Ahvi whispered, “If you as fire as they say you are, rap over this beat, Nar.” She put weight on his rap name, dragging it slow like honey off a spoon.

Lunar laughed, dropping his head as if her words tickled him to the core.

She sucked in a breath, hoping he didn’t feel how fast her heart was beating.

“This ain’t no challenge, Ahvi,” he said, his eyes low and voice smooth. It slurred just a bit, but was still sharp.

Lunar let the chorus ride a little before leaning in so close his lips grazed her ear.

His voice dropped into a soft rhythm.

“I was movin’ through the city, heart heavy like stone,

Never knew what I was missin’, I was fine on my own,

Kept my head low, shadows where I’d rather be,

Didn’t chase love, nah it never chased me.

Then you showed up, light drippin’ off your skin,

Smile like the sunrise, pulled me right in,

Didn’t ask for this feelin’, but you gave it for free,

Now the sun hit different when you stand next to me.”

Ahvi tried not to react, but she swayed into him anyway, her body betraying her cool.

His words wrapped around her, not just because of how they sounded, but because of how they felt . She knew she was probably just another muse to him. He didn’t know her. …not really…not yet. And yea, the internet said he was in love with Apple… maybe still was…maybe those words were for her.

But in that moment…in the way his hands held her like he didn’t want to let go, the way he looked at her like he could already see past the surface…Ahvi let herself pretend - just for now. There couldn’t be any harm in pretending.

“You rap like you tryna make a girl fall in love with you,” she whispered, barely able to find her voice.

He leaned back just enough to look her in the eyes. “Maybe I am,” Lunar said. Simple. Honest.

Ahvi blinked, unsure if he was serious or just in the moment like everyone else in the backyard. Either way…

Her stomach dipped.

That quiet little flip that only happens when the truth feels too close to good to be safe .