He nodded. "Why don't you put the energy into starting your own business on the side, too?" he suggested.
I turned to look at him with my eyes widened. "Would I even have the time to do that?"
He shrugged. "If it's something you want to do, you'll make time."
Jamari had a point. I talked about starting my own business, but I never took the time to actually do it. Even though I had been selling a few drinks, I hadn't been giving it my all. That was my own fault, but I needed to put my best foot forward.
"Who knows if I'll get a lot more customers?" I wondered, gazing at him.
"You won't know unless you try, and I'll be with you every step of the way. It's also a plus that I get to drink for free as your taste tester." He wiggled his eyebrows.
I giggled. "Whatever. It's a good idea. I can see it happening. I don't even have a name for it."
"You have time to think on it. It's not something you'll have to start right now."
Jamari had a point. While his siblings were at school, I stopped home to get some time to myself. Since it was raining, Jamari didn't have to work today. He showed up at work, but his boss told him there was no work today, so he came to chill with me. I had no problems with that. I enjoyed being in his presence.
"I guess I can start playing around with names, huh?" I exited the kitchen with him on my heels.
"Yeah, you can. But I want to do something. It doesn't have to be today, but I want it to happen."
I flopped down on the couch and peered at him when he took a seat next to me. "What do you want to happen?"
Jamari swiped his tongue across his lips. "I want to meet your mother. I don't like her opinion of me when she doesn't know me. When you get a chance, I want you to make that happen."
I nodded, knowing I could. "Okay, I got you. Do you have a day you want it to happen?"
He shook his head. "Nah, whenever you can make it happen will be good."
It had been a week since I last talked to my mother, and she hadn't tried to reach out to me. It would make me feel better to have her in my corner. I'd be having her first grandchild, so she should be happy for me.
I yawned. This rainy weather had me sleepy. It didn't help that it was cold, too. Hopefully, the rain will stop soon.
"Are you okay? Do you need anything?" Jamari asked, laying his head in my lap.
I nodded. "The only thing I need is a nap. I'm happy I'm not as sick as I was yesterday."
Yesterday morning, I could barely get out of bed. Thankfully, Jamari was there with me every step of the way, and he tended to my every need. I'd forever be grateful for him.
"I was ready to take you to the hospital. That scared the hell out of me. Now I can say how frightened I was, but I wouldn't admit that shit yesterday."
I chuckled and lowered my head to peck his lips. "Thanks for taking care of me yesterday. You did great."
He frowned. "You don't need to thank me. It's what I'm supposed to do. I should be thanking you. You've changed something in me, Chy, which makes me want to open up more to you."
I happily beamed. "If that's what you want to do, I have my listening ears on."
Jamari chuckled with a shake of his head. "Seriously, man. I never thought I'd be here with anyone. Although I wanted love and more kids, the women I fucked with weren't on the same level as me. That broke my trust in women, and I was prepared to be single for the rest of my life. Then you brought your ass into my life. Even when I didn't want you to bother me, you pushed your way into my heart. I didn't see that coming, but I felt it. It felt like I needed to be in that bar, and when you approached me, I felt it tenfold."
I frowned. "But you pushed me away, multiple times, might I add."
He swiped his tongue across his bottom lip. "I was scared, man. As I said, I didn't trust women. I had kids at home, and here comes another woman who probably only wanted me. Thenwhenever you saw me, you asked about the kids. That was new to me. I saw that as you being genuine."
I nodded. "That's because I was... I am."
"I know that now, but at the time, I didn't. That's why I want to say thank you, Chy. You've changed me. Since I met you, you've had that smile on your face, which has brightened my life. I'm going to always need that in my life."
I beamed through the tears that clouded my eyes. "And you'll have it in your life for as long as you have me."
