Page 45 of Taming a Menace

K eywan

One Year Later . . .

My chest swelled with pride as I stood beside Iyla, listening to her give her speech about how innovative and amazing the new programs at the clinic would be for the community. A week after she handed in her resignation to her old employer, she was called in to speak with the program director.

Instead of the tongue lashing she thought she would get, he offered her his job. Apparently, he had been looking at her as his replacement due to her education and experience. She was reluctant about taking the position for fear that eventually her evil ass ex would interfere.

Little did she know that I’d paid him a visit. I didn’t even have to put my gun in his mouth to put the fear of God in his soft ass. I walked right in his office, snatched the phone off his desk, and wiped the memory while he was threatening to call security.

After verifying that he didn’t have any other copies of our picture stashed to prove that our relationship started during my treatment, I left him sitting there looking crazy and wondering when or if I would come back to finish what I started.

The only lie I ever told my baby was that I wouldn’t bother him. I would kill him if I had to. So far, there had been radio silence from him. That was the way I liked it.

Business for me was booming. In the past year, I’d hired an assistant to help schedule assignments as well as two chefs to help with prep work for the meal prep portion of my business. As much as I could, I kept my travel scheduled for the weekends so that Iyla could go with me.

When my baby was done talking, the small crowd erupted in applause.

I had never been prouder to know someone.

Iyla was dedicated to her career. I was so glad that she didn’t have to give it up for me.

I would have given her up in a heartbeat if it meant she got to continue to do what she loved.

Thank God and everything that’s holy that I didn’t have to.

She turned to face me with the biggest smile, making me fall in love all over again.

“Congratulations, baby. You did great. See I told you. You didn’t have anything to be nervous about,” I said, pulling her into a hug.

“Thank you. I was shaking,” she professed.

“I couldn’t tell.”

“Did you put some of those crab things aside for me?” she asked as I escorted her off the stage and to the back.

“You know it.”

“I’m so ready for this vacation, Key. I know I promised you a yearlong honeymoon then got swept right up into a full year of working and planning.”

“As long as you were right by my side it didn’t matter.”

“This anniversary trip came right on time.”

“Yeah, I’m excited to get away.”

“If you think you’re excited now, wait until you see what I got for you.”

“What is it?”

She grinned as she turned to face me but kept walking backward. “It’s a surprise.”

I shook my head. “You know I don’t like surprises, Moon.”

“Since when?”

“Since forever.” I shrugged. “I’m impatient.”

“That you are.” She laughed.

“Give me a hint.”

“I don’t have to give you a hint. It’s right here,” she said, holding up a small box.

I looked down at the black silicone wedding band I wore for work and frowned back up at her. The only time I took my tungsten ring off was to cook. Who would have guessed that I would love being married? Not me. I wanted the world to know about Iyla, so I made sure to wear my ring at all times.

“I don’t need a new ring, baby. I already have two.”

“It’s not a ring,” she said, passing the box to me.

I didn’t waste time opening it. My brows furrowed as I studied its contents. Even as I looked at the tiny plastic contraption, I had no idea what I was looking at.

“What’s this?” I finally asked.

“It’s my IUD.”

My eyes doubled in size. “You’re ready?”

“I wouldn’t have let them yank that thing out of me two weeks ago if I wasn’t.”

“That’s why you’ve been acting like you were too tired to give daddy some since I got back home?”

“Yeah. I’m so sorry, babe. I wanted to make sure that this was a surprise.”

“Apologize to daddy by following me to the bathroom in five minutes. It’s time to get started on that football team.”

She shot me a look I know she thought was scowling but it came off as a smile to me.

“We agreed on two kids, Keywan.”

“Whatever, lady. I’ll be waiting for you in that family bathroom over there,” I said before kissing my wife and strolling over to the bathroom.

This was just the beginning. As long as I could help it, we would live happily ever after.

The End