When I got the clasp right, I leaned in and kissed the side of her neck, real slow, then kissed her cheek while my hands slid down to her hips.
“You beautiful as hell, girl,” I murmured against her skin.
Her eyes watered instantly ‘cause Toni always felt me before she heard me. She turned around, slid her arms around my waist, and laid her face right on my chest like she been wantin’ to rest there all day. I wrapped my arms around her and rocked us side to side real gentle, lettin’ my chin touch the top of her head while she breathed deep and held me tighter.
She didn’t have to say why she was holdin’ on to me like this. I knew. And the way she held me told a story all on its own. She felt loved. She felt seen. She felt protected without me havin’ to say it in no words, and I liked that.
“You ready to find out what your baby gon be?” I asked her while she kept her face in my chest.
She nodded real slow. Her hand spread across my stomach, then slid to my side like she wanted to make sure I was real. I kissed her forehead and held her another moment before pullin’ back just enough to look at her.
“Come on, beautiful. They waitin’ for us downstairs.”
We left the room together and made our way down the hall. The closer we got to the stairs, the louder the house felt ‘cause the whole family was here. Every single person who mattered except my pops. That part sat wrong in my stomach ‘cause he should have been here. He should’ve been front and center for his son and his grandbaby, but the truth was I ain’t know where me and him stood no more. There was too many secrets, too much distance and I ain’t want none of that energy today. I wanted peace. I wanted joy. I wanted all the good vibes for Toni and our baby, and if that meant I had to ignore how irritated I felt about him missin’ this, then I was gon’ do that.
We hit the last step and the livin’ room eventually came into full view. The mansion looked crazy in the best way ‘cause they went all out with the decorations. Not no regular baby shower colors either. The pinks and blues was royal, deep and glowin’, mixed with gold accents that made the whole place look like a palace set up for a king and queen. The lights was soft, and the whole room felt like a celebration.
The food was set up long across the tables with real dishes, nothin’ basic. We had honey glazed salmon, garlic butter lobster tails, jerk chicken, fried snapper, mac and cheese baked just right, Trill-Land spiced rice, roasted vegetables, and a fruit spread with colors bright as hell. On the other side of the room they had the finger food table set up. There was mini crab cakes sittin’ on gold trays, jerk shrimp skewers, sweet chili wings, lil’ beef sliders with caramelized onions, fried plantain cups filled with seasoned chicken, spinach dip with warm pita chips, lil’ desserts like chocolate covered strawberries with pink and blue drizzle, and them mini cheesecake bites Toni be lovin’. There was pitchers of fresh lemonade, passion fruit tea, and a whole open bar full of top shelf bottles for anybody who wanted to get a lil’ loose.
Music played in the background and I saw everybody movin’ around with plates or drinks in they hands, talkin’ and laughin’ while they waited on us.
My mama was near the front wearin’ gold and pink with her hair curled down her back. She waved us over with that big smile she always had when she looked at Toni, ‘cause she loved her damn near as much as I do.
Auntie Abeni and Uncle Kojo was talkin’ near the window, lookin’ elegant like always ‘cause they ain’t know how to look any different. Auntie Nyrori and Uncle Asa was standin’ with them, all of them color coordinated like they planned it for weeks. My girl cousins was here too, dressed up and ready to celebrate‘cause they had been waitin’ on this day damn near as much as me.
And then I saw my boys. Prestyn saw me first and leaned forward with his hands reached out like he ain’t seen me in years even though I just saw him the other day. Kaylon’s eyes followed, his lil’ face lightin’ up when Pluto shifted him so he could reach for me too. I ain’t care what was goin’ on right now, ‘cause the second I saw my babies, all that other shit faded.
“Come here, man,” I laughed as I took both of them from Pressure and Pluto. “Y’all look too clean to be actin’ wild today.”
Prestyn grabbed my chain, and Kaylon smacked my cheek with them fat lil’ hands, makin’ me laugh harder ‘cause this lil’ nigga love hittin’ me just to see my reaction. I kissed both they cheeks and held them close before lookin’ up and seein’ Zurie walk over with a shy smile on her face.
“Hey pretty girl,” I said while shiftin’ the boys on my hips. I leaned down and kissed her cheek. “What you want ya cousin to be, huh?”
“A girl,” she said quick. “Prestyn and Kaylon be drivin’ me crazy.”
I busted out laughin’ ‘cause she ain’t never lie.
“Well let’s hope it’s a girl then,” I told her while she laughed into her hands.
Blaqson and Sha’Nelle walked over next, both of them lookin’ sharp and excited ‘cause everybody loved this moment. The whole room felt full of love, like every corner had somethin’ warm sittin’ in it. People was talkin’ and smilin’ and holdin’ each other, and as I looked around at all the faces I felt a real deep peace settle in my spirit.
This was family… My family… Toni’s family. Our child’s family…
Even with the gap left by my pops not bein’ here, the love in the room was louder than the disappointment I felt, and I wasn’t gon’ let nothin’ dim the way my heart felt beatin’ right now.
Toni touched my arm and smiled up at me, her hand slidin’ down to her belly. I looked at her, then at the crowd of people who loved us, then back at the babies in my arms, and everything inside me felt full.
Today was a beautiful ass day, and I couldn’t wait to find out what me and my wife was bringin’ into this world.
After a couple hours of kickin’ it with the family, eatin’ and drinkin’ it was time for me and Toni to see what our baby was gon’ be.
The whole day had been feelin’ like one long dream ‘cause every time I turned around somebody was tellin’ Toni how pretty she looked or askin’ her how she felt, and every time they said somethin’ to her, I damn near wanted to kiss her again ‘cause that pride in my heart wouldn’t let up.
I had been walkin’ behind her, beside her and damn near in front of her since we came downstairs ‘cause a nigga couldn’t keep my hands off her. She was glowin’ like the sun with that long pink gown fallin’ around her body, and the way her stomach was startin’ to round out had me touchin’ it every few minutes like I needed to remind myself that this was real.
Toni had been laughin’, talkin’, and smilin’ with everybody who came up to her, and I watched her eat a plate of finger foods while she rubbed her stomach at times. I loved seein’ her likethis, surrounded by my people and loved like she belonged right at the center of all of us, ‘cause she did.
Every woman in my family came up to hug her, and every man came to dap me up and joke about how they thought I was havin’ a girl ‘cause Toni was lookin’ too soft and too sweet in the face. I laughed ‘em off but deep down I felt it was true. I had been sayin’ it for weeks… My daughter was in there.
