Chesteria looked at me again, sweat glistening on her brow, eyes wild and tired. “Don’t talk to me! You did this with your stupid dimples and yourstrong-ass swimmers!”
I shut the hell up… for the time being.
Chesteria squeezed my hand one more time and roared.
A nurse looked up and announced calmly, “We’ve got a crown.”
Chesteria shouted, “I don’t care if I got a wholejewelry boxdown there, GET. IT. OUT!”
And that’s when I knew that woman was my soulmate.
Warrior. Warden. Wife. All of it.
Yup… wife.
We had been married for six months. Chesteria didn’t want to wait another year to walk down some aisle or plan centerpieces; she just wantedus.And truth be told, so did I. So I gave her what she asked for—my last name, my loyalty, and my love.
“He’s almost here, Mommy. I need one more big push!” the doctor urged.
Suddenly, my chest got tight.
I wasn’t ready—IthoughtI was.
Then I saw his tiny shoulders, then his legs, squirming into the world. And before I could even process it—
WAAAAHHHH!
His cry cut through the room like a trumpet announcing a brand-new king.
Chesteria collapsed back against the bed, breathless, tearful, hair wild and crown slightly crooked. But even with the pain and sweat, she was beautiful.
One of the nurses smiled as she wiped him down. “Eight pounds, thirteen ounces, mom and dad. He’s a big boy!”
When they laid him on Chesteria’s chest, we both lost it. She was crying; hell,Iwas too. Our eyes met, and I swear, in that moment, the whole world paused. Everything we’d been through had led us here… to him.
I peered down at him and then back at Chesteria. “Almost nine pounds, though? I guess that’s what all those Oreo milkshakes and lemon pepper cravings went to, huh?”
She laughed through her tears, brushing his cheek. “He could’ve been twelve pounds for all I care. As long as he’s here and he’s healthy, that’s all that matters.”
I kissed her forehead. “You did great, though, baby.”
“Wedid,” she corrected, still smiling.
An hour passed, and our son was wrapped up, finally quiet, and we were still floating in that newborn bubble.
Knock knock.
Me and Chesteria turned toward the door, expecting a nurse, family, or maybe one of our friends… but in walked the last person either of us probably expected to see.
Adrian.
After the trip, each ‘couple’ kind of went our separate ways. Life picked up speed, and even though we swore we’d keep intouch, time and distance did what they always do. Isis even put in her two weeks’ notice when she got back to work. After that, it was radio silence—no texts, no calls… just gone.
So seeing Adrian now? Yeah… shock is an understatement.
Adrian swaggered in slowly, smirking. “I thought I felt some new energy enter the world.”
I stood up and dapped him up. “Yo! What’s good, man?”
