Page 27

S urtain “Sur”

While Lai was out, Dom and I decided to put some food on the grill.

That way, Lai would have some dinner when she returned.

I didn’t know how long she’d be out, but that was the routine.

When it came down to Lai’s job, she came home at all hours of the day.

At least she didn’t have to worry about eating because like me, Dom always cooked too.

Lai didn’t have to worry about much at all.

I usually did the cooking, cleaning, and washing since we released Mariya.

Now, Dom was here helping when she didn’t need to.

Lai lived like a princess. She had the hardest and most demanding job, so we tried to make her load as light as possible.

I just wished she felt the same way. Lai was a spoiled brat.

She wanted what she wanted. I was partially to blame.

I’d spoiled her from day one. Lai was kind and sweet, but when there was something that she wanted, she went after it. Same thing she did when she met Dom.

I knew she wanted Dom to herself. I’d never asked Dom, but I could tell from the way they made love.

Lai kissed and touched Dom in ways that I desired her to do to me for years.

There was always part of her that was closed off.

I thought maybe it had something to do with some form of trauma, but we started off as best friends.

Lai would’ve told me. Now I understood her secret fully.

I accepted that I was never her person. I hated that it took a total of seventeen years for her ass to admit that shit.

However, I couldn’t hate Lai the way my mind wanted me to.

She brought me my real soulmate. Not only could I see the love that Dom had for me, but I could feel it.

It wrapped me in a cocoon and made me feel as if I was a boy at home with my parents all over again.

I deserved that kind of love, and I wasn’t about to give it up for anybody. I’d sacrificed my happiness enough.

I flipped over the marinated chicken breasts, fish, then the grilled veggies.

I squeezed some fresh lemon juice over the fish and veggies then closed the lid.

When I was done, I took a seat next to Dom inside of our enclosed deck area.

It was heated and fully equipped with all of our needs when it was too chilly to sit outside.

Dom was cozy in one of our oversized sofa seats with a chaise.

She was wrapped in her favorite throw blanket while she laughed at old rerun episodes of Everybody Hates Chris. Dom loved that show.

She fed me fruit salad in between her own bites.

I didn’t even want any. That was just an example of how she cared and thought about me.

I appreciated her thoughtfulness so much.

I’d watched two episodes with her until it was time for me to remove the food from the grill.

Dom followed me into the kitchen once the food was ready.

I plated Dom’s food first then Lai’s. I wrapped her food up then placed it in the microwave.

Dom and I said grace then enjoyed another meal together.

We laughed and joked as we ate. I drank wine, and Dom was content with her homemade mocktail.

After we indulged on dinner, I helped her clean before we retreated upstairs.

Dom ran us a bubbly hot bath. I leaned against our jacuzzi bathtub and she rested against my chest.

“How do you feel, beautiful?”

“I’m a little tired but I’ll be fine. How do you feel?” Dom inquired in return.

“Kinda heavy. I hate the space that Lai and I are in. Although I hate that things are this way, I don’t regret the decision to put myself first for a change. Do you feel like I’m being selfish?”

Dom exhaled. She rubbed my thighs under the water.

“I don’t think you’re being selfish. I never have.

You do deserve to be loved, cared for, and have a safe space just like you’ve done for Lai and me.

I hate that you were hit with another one of Lai’s hard truths.

We just need to give her some time. She’ll figure it out.

On a lighter note, I’ve thought of names for the baby. ”

I kissed the side of her neck. “Oh, really? Share with me please.”

She giggled and made herself comfortable.

“If it’s a boy, I want him to be his father’s junior. If it’s a girl, I want her name to be Emry Laila Cones. I want to pay homage to the woman that brought me my soulmate,” she announced softly. “How do you feel about the names?”

I gave her upper body a little squeeze.

“I love both names. I wasn’t sure—” My sentence trailed off when Lai entered the bathroom with a somber look on her face. Both Dom and I watched as she took a seat on the toilet top and peered at us.

Lai cleared her throat. “Hey, guys. Dom, I have some bad news for you, beautiful.”

“Wha-What’s wrong?” Dom stuttered.

“I was called out to a crime scene in a vacant apartment. The body of a young woman was discovered. It was your best friend Briya. She’d been there so long that her body had decomposed some.

The trace that I put out traced her last known whereabouts there.

She was hit in the back of the head then stabbed over twenty times. ”

Dom gasped in my arms and broke down. She cried so hard, but Lai wasn’t done.

“The apartment was vacant, so the detectives are not sure if she squatted there or was just brought there. We’re still trying to put the pieces together, but if you have any way to contact her family, then it would help us to notify them.

I’m so sorry, baby.” Lai wiped her eyes then looked down at the floor. It always pained her to see Dom hurt.

It was the same for me. Out of all the things I imagined Lai would say, that thought didn’t even come to mind.

Tonight and the next few days were going to be hardest and roughest, but Dom had to know that Lai and I had her back.

I just hated that she had to endure another hardship that caused such a devastating blow. Something had to give.

June

It had been a rough few weeks. Dom was now in her third month of pregnancy and showing slightly.

The feel of her stomach rounding for my baby was the most incredible thing I’d ever witnessed.

As grateful as I was to experience such a blessing, it had taken a lot of emotional and mental support to care for Dom.

She’d been down bad because of Briya’s murder and funeral.

Dom had spent the better part of her days in her room and in the bed.

Today was the first day in weeks I was able to get her up and out the house.

Lai had worked tirelessly to search for Briya’s murderer and Dom’s attacker.

The case had started to grow cold. There was a lack of evidence.

The police also assumed there was a link between Briya and Dom.

Both women were attacked, and they had a mutual link to Zay.

The authorities only had his nickname. An APB had been issued for his arrest, but no one had stepped forward with any information.

I hoped that soon some evidence would turn up that would blow the whole case open.

Until then, my total focus was Dom and our baby.

She needed some light in her life. A place that represented cheer and our future, so I took her to a baby store not too far from our home.

As we shopped, there was light in her eyes again.

Dom’s beautiful smile had returned. We cruised down the aisles hand in hand, placing neutral-colored baby clothes in our cart.

There were times she stopped and admired certain newborn onesies, hats, and tiny booties.

I snapped a few off guard photos of her.

When Dom noticed, she made me take a few pictures alone with baby clothes then with her.

I held her tightly in my arms afterward.

It felt so good to hear her laughter again.

Grief was definitely a process, but I refused to let her wallow in her pain.

I let Dom shop until she was content. When she’d had enough, I paid for our items. We stopped and picked up a small carton of her favorite ice cream and snacks.

“Can I ask you a personal question?” Dom inquired.

“Of course. Ask away,” I replied, turning onto our street.

“Are you nervous about being a dad? Any worries or fears?” Dom munched on her turkey jerky and cheesy chips, waiting for my reply.

“Honestly, I am. I’m worried I don’t I possess the mental and emotional capacity to care for my child and two women. I worry if I’ll make the milk too hot and accidentally burn his or her mouth. What if I drop him or her? There’s much more, baby.”

I pushed in the code to our privacy fences before I drove up the driveway. Dom looked at me the whole time. I drove into the garage, parked, then killed the engine.

“Look at me,” Dom commanded. I did as she instructed.

“You are entitled to your feelings and thoughts. I respect it completely. In my eyes, though, I know you are going to make a great father. You’re a great listener, empathetic, not judgmental.

Plus, you lead with this.” Dom placed her small hand on my chest.

I raised her hand and kissed the top of it.

“Oh, honey, you are an incredible man. The most wonderful man I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting.

We’re going to make a great team and navigate our first child the best that we can.

Trust me when I tell you I have fears as well, but I have faith in you and God.

With you by my side, I know I can do anything. ”

“You really have that much faith in me?”

She nodded. “Absolutely. The most faith. Give me those lips.”