“Damn, I didn’t think we’d be at this stage so early, but oh well—Diamond, this ya mother-in-law, Margaret, but everyone calls her Marge. Ma, ya new daughter-in-law, Diamond.”
“Makhai, hush and move,” My mother used her shoulder to bump me out of the way then hugged Diamond. “It’s nice to meet you, sweetheart.”
“Likewise.” Diamond pulled back and smiled. “I apologize again for earlier. Your son just has a way of bringing out the worst parts of me and I barely know him.”
“He’s my son, so if no one else gets it, I do.”
“Fuck is that supposed to mean?” I frowned.
“It means I know who I raised, little boy.” She playfully rolled her eyes before focusing on Diamond again. “Can you come with us?”
Diamond’s brows furrowed as she looked between my mom and I. “And leave the baby?”
“For a little,” my mom smiled. “My son wants to gift the nursery to you, and I’d feel more comfortable if you were there to let us know exactly what you want.”
“But I can’t,” she replied sounding low key panicked. “Nobody will be here with Keona.”
“That’s the baby’s name?” I asked and she nodded.
“My sister hadn’t named her, so I did. It means God’s precious gift.” She smiled.
“I like that.” I confessed. “She hella precious for real.”
“Thank you.”
“Diamond, she has a team of nurses that I’m sure are dedicated to her care around the clock. And I’m sure social services has been up here, right?”
Diamond nodded and dropped her head. “They came to drug test me and let me know they’d be doing an extensive background check to ensure that she’ll be in the best care.”
“Alright then, youneedto prepare your home for her,” my mother said giving her a warm smile. “They won’t let you bring her with you if you can’t show them that she has a safe place to come home to.”
“I—you’re right.”
“Just go up and let them know that you’ll be stepping out for a little while.”
“I’ll go with you.” I offered, but she declined.
“Andrea came down when I did, I’ll call her to see if she’s gone back up yet.”
She pulled out her phone to call the nurse we’d met last night. Based on Diamond’s responses, she was already back upstairs and cool with her leaving. She kept reiterating that she wouldn’t be gone long and it sounded like Andrea was assuring her that she was fine. I didn’t know her, but she seemed genuine, so I trusted that baby girl would be fine for a few hours.
Diamond ended her call a few seconds later letting us know that she was good to go for a few hours. She also called her best friend to tell her what she was about to do and asked her to go to the hospital when she got off in case she wasn’t back yet.
When she was done handling her business, I opened the door for both her and my mother then allowed them to drag me around the city to damn near every store they fucking had.
EIGHT
Diamond.
“Put that chair in that corner, Makhai.” Mrs. Marge directed her son who frowned over his shoulder, grilling the both of us.
“Either one of y’all gon’ get up and do anything?”
“This wasyourproject, so therefore,you’regoing to do the work.”
“Yeah, won’t catch me being a good Samaritan no fucking more,” he mumbled and we laughed.
He was talking shit, but I really appreciated him and his mother. They got way more than me and Keona needed. Her nursery was fully furnished with a crib, changing table, the rocking chair he’d just put together, and a small bookshelf that we filled with books. She had a closet full of shoes, clothes, diapers, wipes, bibs, and bottles for days. It was overwhelming and appreciated. I was in a good place financially, but I wouldn’t have been able to do so much all at once had it not been for them.
