My girls had their hair braided like the foxes. Nova’s hair hung loose. I noticed how she was learning to embrace her own style rather than trying to be someone else.
Elle carried Trent strapped to her front. The infant had no use for the party happening around him. Following Elle around like her personal bodyguard, Zodiac sported a black eye but otherwise seemed downright jovial.
On the back porch, Clint cuddled with Ivy. I heard them talking about babies earlier. They planned to start trying in the spring. I wondered who between Ivy and Nova would get their positive pregnancy test first?
Lula might beat them both to the baby carriage. I overheard Exile sharing with Nova how they were trying.
“Everyone’s having babies and getting married,” Stevie told Nova. “Yet, all I want to do is nap at the house and read about elves. Does that make me weird?”
“Yes, but in the best way,” Nova replied quickly.
I smiled at how much Nova had learned to own her space. As she goofed off with Cher and Stevie, I walked to the basketball half-court and hung out with Rowdy, Rock, Ben, and Farley. Nine sat in the grass nearby, rubbing his bruised ribs.
“Want to take my spot in the game?” Rowdy asked me while lighting a cigarette. “Rock keeps trying to molest my sweaty body. I need a break from his horniness.”
“I’m not even touching you,” Rock grumbled and faked like he might throw the ball at Rowdy’s head.
Rather than admitting I didn’t want to distract myself from Nova and the girls, I lied, “I’m tired from the brawl.”
Soon, Clint took up the offer and joined Ben, Rock, and Farley. Rowdy sat next to me on a bench and checked his messages.
“What the hell?” he muttered and put out his cigarette. Standing up, Rowdy handed me his pack of cigarettes. “I guess I’m giving up smoking.”
“What’s going on?” Clint asked.
“I found my missing hot chick,” Rowdy said. “And I’m going to be a dad! I’ll send pictures!”
Yelling his good news to Lula, Sabrina, and Vanessa, Rowdy rushed toward the front of the property where his motorcycle was parked. I heard his sisters’ panicked voices following him. Sabrina even tried tackling him, but Rowdy broke loose and took off running.
Clint frowned at me before chuckling. Rock shook his head and muttered about people needing to keep their dicks wrapped. Farley seemed bummed about another member getting lucky in love while he remained alone. Ben and Nine just looked relieved they weren’t the ones to get the “dear daddy” text.
Returning to Nova’s side, I joined her and the girls at a table. Skylar changed seats so she could sit on my lap. Smiling up at me, she showed off the picture she had done of her new family.
A smiling Nova slid me a piece of paper with Eddie Murphy. I grinned at the memory of finding the smiling actor’s face in my pocket months ago. In my heart, I knew Nova was the woman forme. With that simple gesture, she showed me how she felt the same way.
NOVA’S EPILOGUE
On the first weekend of spring, Boone and I were married at the Sorority House. I wore a sexy white dress in contrast to the modest one from my first wedding. Boone looked gorgeous in his black jeans and T-shirt, along with his club vest. Dan walked me down the aisle. The girls wore pale pink dresses with purple tutus. They also had colorful feather barrettes in their hair, thanks to Cher.
I felt spellbound throughout the wedding as my long-time fantasies and my current good fortunate blended into a single moment when Boone and I became husband and wife.
After eating from both pink cakes, we danced late into the evening, including to several Eddie Murphy songs. The girls eventually crashed on an inflatable bed in Goldie’s room. Though I never wanted the party to end, I was also ready to strip down my husband and explore.
Two months later, after Skylar finished kindergarten, Boone and I started our official honeymoon at Disneyland. Blackjack and Yarrow joined us and played babysitters. After a few days at Disneyland, we moved our fun to Santa Monica. Before traveling to San Deigo, we visited the Hollywood sign. We finished off our honeymoon with a visit to the San Diego Zoo and another day at the beach.
As much as I loved our trip, I was relieved to return to Little Memphis. My third pregnancy had come with early nausea and fatigue. Many days during that summer, a pregnant Ivy and I did nothing more than sit on the couch while people enjoyed life around us.
Before the girls started school, Boone brought us to Rawlins for an extended vacation at the house we bought with Goldie. The five-bedroom house wasn’t fancy like Lula’s or sleek likeBoone’s condo, but it reminded me of my childhood before everything was turned upside down.
The girls loved the backyard even if it didn’t have a lake or city view. Mostly, they loved having Yarrow and Blackjack close by. They were already so attached to their new grandparents that I asked Blackjack and Yarrow to visit for the girls’ first week at school.
“Lyric is nervous, and Skylar fears she’ll get that bully in her class again,” I explained to them. “Having you around will help.”
“I could kill this bully kid,” Yarrow offered.
“No killing children,” Blackjack said and rolled his eyes. “Kids can grow out of their bad habits. That’s why we only kill adult bullies.”
Yarrow frowned as if her husband was wrong, but she didn’t contradict him.
