“Okay, okay.” Yanna nodded. Kas placed his hands on hers, and together they pulled their daughter into the world.
“Beautiful baby girl, congratulations!” The doctors and nurses cheered and congratulated, supporting the baby on Yanna’s chest while Kas climbed from the bed so he could cut the cord.
“Oh, my gosh.” Troi beamed, tears of joy falling as she ogled her new niece. “Congratulations, Yanna, you’re officially a mother.”
“Kasra Leyla Zaman. You’re so beautiful, look at you looking just like yo mumma.” Kas was completely captivated by his baby girl, taking in her scent as he gently caressed her skin.
It was magic hour, and he and Yanna were having skin-to-skin time with their new bundle of joy. They were in awe of her, neither of them believing they’d created something so beautiful. She had a head full of curly hair, reminiscent of her father’s. Olive skin, almond shaped eyes, and a button nose identical to her mother’s.
“She’s perfect.”
“Of course she is, she’s my junior.”
“Unh uh, when I suggested we name her after you, we agreed you wouldn’t do that.”
“I know, but that was then. Looking at her now, she’s definitely my junior.”
“Kassie.”
“Hell nah. We calling her Junie, my lil’ June Bug.”
“See, I should’ve named her Onixx like I wanted to at first.”
“That was never going to happen. Was it Junie? Uncle Onyx can give his own baby that name, ain’t it?” Baby Junie made a noise sounding like she was actually answering her Father. “Yea, yo mumma out her mind, ain’t she? We stuck with her, though, because we love her too much to cut her off.”
“Don’t bad mouth me to my baby.”
“See… all she do is talk. She gone be yo best friend though. Most days she gone get on yo nerves, but at the end of all of them, she’s gone be the only person you want around.”
“I don’t know whether to be offended or flattered.”
“And she’s funny too. You could be having a bad day, and she’ll randomly say some shit that’ll make it all better.”
“Kas.” Yanna crooned, and baby Junie made another tiny noise.
“What you say, Junie? Why haven’t I married her yet? Oh, because we had a lot of growing up to do. Both of us needed to get right, needed to deal with a bunch of childhood trauma… something you’ll never know anything about. We went through it, and we got through it, so now I don’t know, Junie, what you think? Should I put 25 on yo mumma’s finger?”
Like they’d been rehearsing for this in the womb, Junie made another noise.
“Yea? I should? I think you’re right, June Bug.” Kas reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a black velvet box. It had been hidden in his closet for weeks, and he’d finally taken it out to reveal it at Nouri’s but hadn’t anticipated Yanna going into labor. “My heart, my soul, my love, my legacy… I’ve already given you every piece of me. The only thing left is my last name. I think we finally got this shit right, Jaiyanna, so if you’ll have me. There’s nothing more I want right now than to make you my wife.”
“Oh my God, are you serious?”
“Serious as hell. Marry me.” Kas flipped open the box, revealing the 25-carat pink diamond engagement ring.
Tears instantly poured from Yanna’s eyes; she couldn’t believe this was her life. A year ago, if someone had told her she and Kas would be parents, she’d have laughed in their face. But there they were, a beautiful baby girl, and now he was asking her to be his wife. For Yanna, it was a no brainer.
“Yes, I’ll marry you.”
“You hear that, Junie? I’m making yo mumma a wife. She was stuck with me anyway.” Kas and Yanna shared a laugh as he slid the ring onto her finger. Yanna gripped the back of his head, pulling him down for a kiss. “Tell me you love me, Jaiyanna.”
“I love you so much.”
The following year…
“Congratulations!” Friends and family cheered for Yanna and Kas.
They stood on the top step of the Richmond City court building, where they’d just gotten married. The day Kas proposed, they both decided they neither needed nor wanted the pomp that came with having a big wedding. At the time, they were still exhausted from Troi and Onyx’s nuptials, and having a six-month-old baby left no time for wedding planning. Plus, Kas didn’t want to wait too long to make things official. Kas squeezed her hand as they posed for pictures.
