Page 30 of Stat: Love In Scrubs

D esmond and Esa had spent the weekend with me. I never realized how much smaller my place was compared to his until I saw the damage Esa could do to a house. I laughed to myself because you noticed everything in a smaller space.

I leaned against the counter and watched Desmond as he made breakfast. I smiled as he navigated through my kitchen like it was his. It was his idea that he cooked breakfast this time because I had cooked every time I came and stayed at his place.

I still couldn’t believe he’d been able to have a comfortable conversation with Veronica’s parents.

They had even called to apologize to me, which I found surprising.

I could hear the desire to be better in their voices when I spoke to them.

I hoped the therapist, Desmond, would give them the number to help them.

They would have to actively want to change for it to actually work.

“You look so good moving around my kitchen. Have you ever considered being a Chef? I can hear it now, Chef Wilder is in the house.” I joked.

He chuckled and scrambled our eggs.

“Nah, baby, I only cook for you and Esa. Don’t go around telling people I cook. It’s not a community thing. When folks love you, they will lie a little bit about whether your food is good or not. I need that space of deceit in the kitchen.”

I burst into laughter.

“I love you, but I’m not going to tell you, your food is good if it isn’t.”

The words just spilled out before I could catch them. Desmond slowed up his mixing to look up at me with a lift of his brow.

“I knew I was going to get you to say it one day. I love you too, baby,” he responded with no hesitancy.

“What do you mean you knew you would get me to say it at some point. Why didn’t you say it first, if you felt it?” I asked.

He finished the eggs and removed them from the burner, giving me his undivided attention.

“Because I know you. If I had told you I loved you too early. You probably would have moved out of here and blocked my number,” he said with a smirk.

My eyes widened, not because I was shocked but because he was right.

I needed to come to terms with things on my own.

It was why Darby found herself pulling me from the edge often, and now that job would fall on Desmond's shoulders.

He might as well be prepared for the ride because he was locked in.

I walked around the island and wrapped my arms around his waist.

“I’m glad you know because that would have been a sign of crazy and stalker ish behavior.” I cracked.

He chuckled, then leaned down to place a succession of kisses on my lips.

“Now, go grab Esa while I make our plates. I’m starving for more than this food, but I have to feed you first and find that child some business to attend to.”

I released my hold on him and turned to walk away when he slapped my ass. I couldn’t help but laugh.

“You are so damn doggish.” I threw it over my shoulder.

“But you knew that already, baby. Roof.” He barked, then stuck his tongue out and twisted his head and neck in the iconic move of a Que with his tongue out.

I rolled my eyes, but the pool between my thighs was saying something completely different. I made quick work of finding Esa so we could eat. Once we were finished, Desmond conveniently decided it was Esa’s time to take a nap.

When he was certain she was actually asleep, he took the time to do exactly what he promised. He feasted on my pussy like a starved man, like he hadn’t just eaten breakfast moments earlier.

Esa was down for her nap, so this was the perfect time for me to look over the decisions I needed to make for the Academy. So I threw on a pair of leggings and an oversized shirt. I then carried my fabric swatches and materials to examine.

I spread them across the floor while Desmond cleaned the kitchen and picked up Esa’s toys to get the place back in order.

My phone rang while I was sitting cross-legged on the floor in my living room, surrounded by fabric swatches and supply lists, wondering if I could make fifty bucks stretch into five hundred.

I didn’t recognize the number.

My stomach flipped anyway.

I swiped to answer. “Hello?”

“Ms. Sinclair?” A woman’s voice. Polished. Warm. “This is Mrs. Hamilton, calling from the Community Healthcare and Wellness Foundation.”

I froze. Heart stuttered.

“Yes,” I said, voice tighter than I wanted. “This is she.”

“I wanted to let you know the board reviewed your application… and we’re thrilled to award Little Angel’s Academy with the full funding request.”

For a second, I didn’t breathe.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “Can you say that again?”

She laughed softly. “You’ve been approved, Ms. Sinclair. Congratulations. You’ll receive the official paperwork by email today, but I wanted to call personally. Your presentation moved all of us. You’re doing something beautiful.”

My eyes welled up. I blinked hard, but it was no use. A single tear dropped straight into the lap of my sweatpants.

“Thank you,” I whispered, pressing a hand to my chest. “I don’t even know what to say.”

“You already did,” she said. “In that room.”

We hung up a few minutes later—after she went over a few logistics I barely processed—and I just sat there. Phone still in my hand. Mouth open. Silent.

Then I felt him.

Desmond came into the room, saw my face, and dropped to his knees in front of me.

“You got it,” he said, before I could even speak. “Didn’t you?”

I nodded once.

Then again. Faster.

He pulled me into him, arms wrapping tight around my waist. “I told you they’d see what I see.”

I buried my face in his shoulder and finally let myself cry.

But it wasn’t the heavy kind.

It was the kind that tasted like peace.

Celebration

I stood in the foyer at Desmond’s house in a red dress and heels he had placed on the bed. I guess he was getting tired of my taking fifty years to pick the right outfit. Only to fall on the most comfortable thing I wanted to wear in the first place. This time, he took the decision out of my hands.

“When did we make it back to everything being a secret?” I called out.

He walked from the back of the house in a pair of slacks with a nice blazer and shirt to match. I could tell that it was tailored to fit him perfectly. His beard was lined to perfection, and so was his edge up. Daddy was fine.

“It’s not a secret, I told you we were going to dinner to celebrate. That’s not enough?” he asked.

I lifted a brow and crossed my arms.

“You know what I mean, Desmond.”

He chuckled and unraveled my arms from my chest to intertwine his fingers with mine. Then pull me gently towards the door.

“You can’t have everything you want, stat, baby. You have to let it simmer a bit. Allow me to treat you.”

I groaned as he opened the front door to reveal a chauffeur waiting outside a limo with the door held open for us. I looked up at Desmond with a smile. Then pointed in the direction of the limo.

“That’s for me? All I did was win a little free money, baby.” I groaned.

I had never been treated on this high a scale by any man other than my dad. It took some getting used to, but I knew Desmond had no intention of stopping any time soon.

“It is. Now bring yo’ ass before we’re late for our reservation,” he tapped my ass, urging me to keep walking.

I giggled and followed his instructions, slipping into the back to see a bouquet of red roses laid across the seat and a bottle of champagne with two glasses. I slid in more so he could fit, then plucked the card from the flowers to read it.

Yara,

My boss, lady. You don’t know how much you deserve everything that’s happening to you in your life. You deserve this and more. I know the grand gestures are a lot for you to handle sometimes, but you handle bigger shit ;)

I love you, allow me to show you, you’re the shit.

-Desmond.

I hadn’t realized I was crying until Desmond placed two fingers beneath my chin to turn me to face him.

Then leaned in to kiss away my tears. Then slipped his tongue, and we fell into a heated kiss.

I wanted to climb into his lap and allow him to fuck me every which way back here.

But I knew we had plans. Now, on the ride back, all bets were off.

“Thank you so much, love,” I whispered against his lips.

He pulled back as the limo finally came to a complete stop, and the door was opened.

Desmond held his hand out for me to take.

Then stepped out of the limo and helped me.

He was blocking my view of where we were.

He stepped to the side to reveal a lovely venue.

It was dark from out here, so I didn’t know what he had up his sleeves.

Desmond walked ahead of me with my hands in his. Then opened the door for me to walk ahead of him. Suddenly, the lights flickered on to reveal a fully decorated room with black and white decorations.

“Surprise!” Everyone shouted.

All of my family and friends were in attendance—the parents of the students, the students themselves, and Desmond’s family, including his sister. I glanced back up at him with a soft smile.

“You didn’t.”

“I did. You deserve to be celebrated. Now go greet everyone, the party just started.”

Just as those words left his lips, Esa rushed over in a pretty red dress. I dipped down low to wrap my arms around her.

“Congratulations, Yara!” she exclaimed, causing everyone to applaud and whistle.

Then, the DJ I hadn’t noticed moments prior began to play music. I released my hold on Esa so she could play with the other kids. My dad, Maria, and Darby walked over with wide smiles.

I walked into my dad’s open arms.

“You did well, baby girl. Your mother would be so proud. I’m proud. Oh, and my future son-in-law was a good touch, too.” My dad said in my ear.

I did everything I could to hold back my tears.

Maria congratulated me as well, then Darby walked over, being her usual loud self. I glanced around and noticed Desmond had stepped over to talk to his parents to give me some space.

“Bitch! I need the doctor hook-up.” Darby said, then laughed.

“You know I don’t have a special formula; it just happened. I guess you might want to find yourself a man at the club and be forward. How is the library going?” I asked.

Darby rolled her eyes. “You know damn well how the library is going. I met a little boo, but now all he wants to talk about is books, and I don’t give a damn.”

I burst into laughter. “Beggers can’t be choosers, too.”

Darby waved me off and let me know she was going to get a drink. I spoke to a few more of the parents and staff, thanking them for coming. Until I had my fill of catering to everyone, I was starving.

It was as if Desmond had read my mind because he slipped up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, then led me back to a patio with string lights and a single table with covered plates.

I turned back to look at him.

“You just thought of everything, didn’t you?” I asked.

“I try. Now come eat,” he instructed.

I sat at the table and dug into the food. I didn’t even take the time to take a picture of everything. I guess I would have to hope it stayed locked in my memory. I don’t even know how he kept the food hot; it was my favorite chicken Alfredo with breadsticks.

Not long after we finished, we stood to go back inside, but I stopped him. Then wrapped my arms around his waist.

“I don’t have grand words, but thank you for pushing through my barriers. You’re more than I could have dreamed for.” I told him.

Desmond leaned down and kissed me.

“I didn’t have a choice but to go hard for what I knew was mine, and I was going to have you Stat.”

I burst into laughter as he gripped me tighter. What a life.