“I mean, she just broke up with a nigga, so I don’t know.”
“Makhai, shut up,” Diamond nudged me. “That was a misunderstanding, but,” she peered up at me, “you want us to live together?”
“I’m always at ya spot anyway, and no way we can raise them six boys and Baby Lord in yo’ small ass apartment or my condo.”
“You’re going to stay in Atlyn?”
“I’m gon’ be wherever you at,” I confessed. “You ‘bout to be the top dog at ya job and shit, so you can’t leave here. I can do my music from wherever.”
“But what about the Lords?” she quizzed.
“I’m gon’ be a Lord until day I die,” I answered. “That shit embedded in me. The guys only ninety minutes away so I can get on the PJ or make that drive whenever, but I’m going to sleep and wake up to this faceevery night and day, so yeah, I’m stayin’ here.”
Her pretty ass smile stretched across her face before she lifted up to kiss me.
“I love you.”
I gripped her ass and said, “I love you more, baby.”
She faced Vanity and gave her a nod to go ahead with the tour. Since she was there, I fell back and let them do their thing, just watching from the background. Vanity didn’t want to give me a preview but had sent the addy like I couldn’t look it up, so that’s that I did, and the shit was nice as fuck. Diamond seemed to agree, so by the end of the tour we’d agreed that I would cop the shit, and I felt good as fuck about it.
I felt good as fuck about everything that concerned Diamond and our future.
TWENTY-SIX
Diamond.
I gave myself a once-over and smiled in the mirror as I did. I had been on cloud nine all day. Wanda had officially retired, and I was now the director of Little Wonders. It was a surreal feeling because since I’d been a child, I wanted to run a daycare. I’d worked hard to make it happen, and I was finally there. The journey hadn’t been easy, but it was worth it without a doubt.
Makhai, Keona, and I had moved into the house he got us in Briarwood right after he bought it, and instead of letting my apartment go, I decided to give it to Lance. He was really good with her. He showed up to every visit, accompanied me to her appointments, and did everything he could to be present. Even after completing all of his N.A. classes, he volunteered to stay around and talk to others that needed help. I was really proud of him and the effort he was putting in to be the best parent he could to his daughter.
She was staying with him overnight for the first time, and I had to admit that I was a nervous wreck about it. He was good with her when he was around, without a doubt, and had even taken her out for a couple of hours alone, but she hadn’t ever stayed with him overnight. I was skeptical about agreeing, butafter talking it over with Makhai and his parents, I felt better about it. If I was giving him a chance, I had to really give him one.
“You ready, baby?” Makhai entered the room and asked.
I looked at him in the mirror and smiled. He looked so handsome in his fitted black suit with gold accented lining to match the evening gown that I was wearing. He’d planned a private dinner for us at the Celestial. I was so excited because he’d been working on a new album, and I was working a lot preparing to take over for Wanda. We hadn’t had a real date night in weeks. I still got flowers on a daily and plenty of gifts, but Makhai took our date nights seriously, so he wasn’t letting anything get in the way tonight.
“Yes, baby, I’m ready.”
“Naw, wait,” he approached, pulling something from his pocket then holding the most beautiful Cartier Etincelle de Cartier earrings on each side of my head. “I think these will look better.”
My smile widened. “Kabria had to tell you I wanted these.”
“Yeah. I don’t know whyyoudidn’t tell me or just use the card I gave you to get them,” he said as he put them on me.
“Because you just got me this,” I touched the Chevron Lab-grown Diamond Eternity necklace, “and you gave me that card for emergencies.”
“Cap,” he laughed. “I never told you that shit. It’s yo’ job to spend my money and my job to spoil you.”
“I love you,” I smiled, turning to face him and circling my arms around his neck. “And I appreciate you.”
“Sound like I’m gon’ get some head in the car,” he grinned, and I nudged him.
“You ruin all of our special moments, stupid.” I laughed, grabbing my purse and phone, seeing that Lance had texted me. “Lance is here to get Keona.”
“Aight, come on,” he walked past me and smacked me on the ass.
I followed him out of the room, and he helped me down the steps while carrying Keona, who he’d already buckled in her seat. We went right to the door where Lance was waiting for us, dressed in a nice dress shirt and slacks himself.
