"When she goes to see her father, I'll make sure I'm there with her," Jamari butted in.
My mother smiled at him. "Thank you. She'll need it."
I rolled my eyes, not liking that they talked about me as if I weren't there.
After brunch, my mother and I stayed in the kitchen to clean up, and the smile on her face warmed my heart.
"I owe you an apology. I should never have judged Jamari the way I did. What I should've done was be supportive of you. You're having my first grandbaby, which is a blessing by itself. You're about to be a great mother to your child."
Tears filled my eyes as my lips trembled. "Aww, Mama."
A tear slipped out of my eye as she opened her arms for me to walk into them. While my mother hugged me, I sobbed tears of joy. Those were the words I needed to hear from my mother from the beginning. They brought the same kind of joy I knew it would've brought if she'd told me the day I shared my pregnancy news with her.
Later that night, Jamari and I relaxed in his bed with my head in his lap. He massaged my temples, and it felt so good. I tried not to moan out loud, but it couldn't be helped.
"I like your moms. She's cool. Like you, she doesn't hold back on speaking her mind," Jamari commented.
I smiled. "That's who I got it from. I've always known her to say what she wanted to say. She's never cared how someone viewed her."
"As she shouldn't. You handled the kids well, too. I don't think they like to share you with me." He chuckled.
I smiled. "Especially Zach. I love that, though."
And I did. I enjoyed having Jamari's siblings around, getting to know them. My mother told me she enjoyed them too. She wants them to come back and visit.
"Zach is fond of you. I didn't see that coming. He had always been clingy to me, but now with you around, he doesn't have me to think about half the time."
I looked up at Jamari. "How does that make you feel? Do you need me to back up?"
I didn't want to feel like I had taken his place in his siblings' lives, so if I had to back up, I would, even though he hadn't said I needed to.
"Nah, man. What you're doing is amazing. Zach had always been under me, wanting me for everything. He's never had a mother figure in his life, so what you're doing is a favor to me. I appreciate you more for that. Don't back up. Continue to take those steps."
I sighed in relief. "I hate it feels like I have to talk, walk, or even do anything with kid gloves around you. I feel like you'll bolt from my life one day. I hate feeling that way." I ran a hand over my face.
"You have no reason to feel that way. I'm locked in with you for as long as you have me. Since you walked into my life, I knew I wanted you to stay. My love grows for you each day. What you've done for me, no other woman has been able to do. I'm grateful to have you in my life." Jamari lowered his head and kissed my forehead.
I loved a forehead kiss, and he gave the sweetest ones.
"I don't want you to talk like that again. Give me the benefit of the doubt to know that I'd never hurt you in any way. I gave you my heart. I want you to hold on to it and never let it go. You're a part of me now. You have a part of me growing inside you. I've never had happiness like this before. You've lit up my world since you've come into my life. Don't ever again think I'll walk away from you. I'm here to stay, man. You just gotta be the one to believe that."
Tears leaked out of my eyes as I sat up. I got on my knees in front of Jamari and cupped his handsome brown face in my hands. I leaned forward and touched my lips to his. This pregnancy had me crying a lot more than usual, which I didn't like because I wasn't a crybaby.
Jamari gripped my waist and squeezed it, pulling me until I straddled him. I felt his erection as it got harder underneath my butt. No matter what, this man always wanted me. I loved that. With the way my hormones were set up, I wouldn't mind having sex every day. It would be a first for me, too.
"I love you, Jamari," I expressed.
He smirked and leaned in and kissed my lips again. "I love you too."
I satin my car outside my father's house, not wanting to go in. It had me a little upset that Jamari wouldn't be joining me, but he had to work this morning. I got sad when I saw him leaving me in bed while he got himself and the kids ready for their day. Since he kept me up the majority of the night, he told me I didn't have to get up and help get the kids ready for school. I was thankful for that. What warmed my heart was each kid coming to the bedroom door to wish me a good day. They told me they loved me. I almost cried when I heard those words come out of their mouths. It was the first time they had ever said that to me.
The longer I sat in this car, the longer I knew I'd be ready to start it back up and leave the yard. With a shake of my head, I retrieved my purse and phone and exited the car. With long strides, I made my way to my father's front porch, pulling my jacket closed. It was cold outside today. When I reached the door, I wasted no time knocking on it. Hopefully, it didn't take him long to answer the door.
"Yo, who is it?" he asked.
I hadn't told him I'd be dropping by, so he knew not to expect me.
"It's Chyanne," I called back as loud as I could. Hell, he needed to hurry and let me inside the house.
