But that was before we bought the tree. Before the village. Before the ornament store chaos. Before the way he’d held our daughter while she cried and told her she was wanted. Before last night...
“I’m not mad because of her information,” I said eventually.
He squeezed me. “You not?”
“I’m mad because I almost lost control in front of my child. You might have to bail me out of jail for battery. Grindley the Grinch gon’ become Grindley Ali in the town whispers.”
He huffed out a breath that was half-laugh, half-relief.
“So you don’t think I used you?” he asked. His voice went quiet again.
I turned my head to look at him, studied his face. I saw the worry. The hope.
“I think that before you knew about Aziza, you were Jabali being Jabali. You saw a way to help your family, and you considered it. I think once you knew about her, and once you really looked at me again, it changed,” I said carefully.
He nodded. “It did. Fast.”
“I don’t think you’re playing me. You’re not perfect. You’re still manipulative and bossy and you talk to people like they part of your mission briefing. But I also watched you tell some boys at the gate that this hill is for my peace and your daughter’s safety. I watched you tell our child she was wanted, even though you have every right to be bitter. I watched your aunt’s face when she looked at us.”
He frowned. “What about it?”
“She wants this for you more than she wants lights on some trees.”
“Look at God, folks talking about me in truth for once,” Mayor Alayna said. “And I’ma cuss Shayla out. And you are absolutely right. I love this town. I fight for them. But I would let those trees grow wild and dark for the rest of my life before I put that over Jabali’s happiness. Over that baby’s stability. Over you being able to walk around here and feel like you belong.”
I swallowed hard.
“I appreciate that,” I said quietly.
“You decide what you want to do with your land. For you. For your baby. For your peace. The town will adjust.” She patted my arm. “Cocoa good tonight. Y’all enjoy it.”
Then she floated off, snagging a councilwoman by the elbow and launching into some conversation about city budgets.
I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. My chest felt tight, but not in a bad way. It wasn’t bad at all. In fact, I smiled a little.
“You okay?” Jabali asked suspiciously.
I stared at my cocoa for a second. Foam clung to the rim in a crooked heart shape. Of course.
“This feels like that part in the cartoon,” I said.
He frowned. “What cartoon?”
“How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” I answered. “When his heart grows three sizes and he thinks he’s having a medical emergency.”
“You think you dying?” He kissed the top of my head, held me tighter. It could never be tight enough.
“Nah. I think I’mliving.”
He stepped in front of me before pulling me back in his arms and laying a kiss on me that had me reeling.
“That’s good, baby. All this growth! I’m proud,” he murmured.
I scoffed. “Growth? For the record, if Aziza hadn’t been here, I would’ve knocked Shayla into that cocoa stand.”
He grinned, full and wicked. “See, that’s the girl I remember.”
“Don’t get too excited. I’m trying to be reformed,” I warned.
