“Why not?”
“We’re just taking it slow. Not rushing anything and allowing everything to come naturally. Aren’t you the one who told me to be careful in the beginning anyway?”
“I did. Although it may not have seemed like it before the coffee date, I really want things to work out for you, friend. You deserve all the love and happiness you can find. I want you to be careful, but not too cautious. It’s okay to lean into anything that feels good and great that he’s willing to give. Just because you’re protecting your heart doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the journey.”
“You’re right. Thanks, P. I love you, girl.”
“Not as much as I do you.”
We hugged each other, and I packed my items in my car as she did the same. We waved, blew our horns, and then we went our separate ways from the park.
“It’s so beautiful out here, Harlem.” I stepped out of the car as he held the door open. There were lights all along Covey Beach, and most of them were comprised of the stars in the sky and the fairy lights that strung along.
Several bars and restaurants lined the walk along the beach, and music poured from within their open doors.
We walked to the steps leading down to the beach, and Harlem stopped me with his hand.
“One minute, Baby.”
He kneeled in front of me and removed the strappy high heels that I wore. He carried them in one hand, as he reached for my other hand. We walked down the steps and slowly along the beach.
“Where did you learn to be so romantic from?”
He laughed. “My dad. Although he was from the hood, and street was in every part of him, he was a different nigga for my mama. He made her and her happiness a priority. He said the key to having a long-lasting relationship with a woman was ensuring her love and happiness.”
“I think my father might agree because he’s definitely worked hard to ensure my mother’s happiness, and he has proven his love to her repeatedly. How long have your parents been married?”
“Twenty-five years. What about yours?” he asked.
“Thirty-five. Do you want kids, Harlem?”
I held my breath, waiting for his answer. As much as I liked him and enjoyed his company, that was non-negotiable for me. It caused me to ask if a person could live without their soulmate. I had figured out over the last few weeks that Harlem was my soulmate, but could I live without him if his dreams didn’t align with mine? So far, everything we discussed had been in alignment, but we had never approached this subject. We wanted to keep things light between us so that it didn’t feel like we were rushing each other.
“I definitely want kids. Family is important to me, and I can’t imagine a life without one. I think about a lot of older people that I’ve seen in life who didn’t have kids. It seemed like they lived such a lonely existence, unless they had nieces or nephews who visited them. I don’t want to grow old alone. I want my woman by my side, grandkids climbing on top of my head, and my children all around me.”
I laughed. “Wow. You’ve thought that far into it. I don’t think that I’ve gone beyond having kids and the type of education I want them to have.”
“I mean, if we can’t have any, I’m also open to adoption.”
“Me too. I hope it doesn’t come to that, but I wouldn’t rule it out. Everyone’s journey is different, and I’m open to wherever the road leads me.”
“How many do you want?” he asked, eyeing me closely.
“Two or three seems like a perfect number to me. What about you?”
“About the same number.”
“Did you guys get whuppings as kids?” I asked.
“Yeah. My dad didn’t play that shit. If we got out of control, he didn’t mind putting a belt to our asses. My mama didn’t like it too well, so it didn’t last for long. We knew that he wouldn’t hesitate to do it, so for the most part, we toed the line. What about you?”
“My parents didn’t believe in that. My father may seem intimidating and grouchy, but he’s very gentle and patient with us kids,” I answered.
“Yeah, that’s the type of dad I wanna be. I mean, don’t get me wrong; I love my pops, and he did what he needed to do at the time he had to do it. I just don’t want to take those routes. Communication, respect, and understanding go a long way,” he expressed.
“You said you guys went on a lot of vacations when you were kids. I’d like to have my kids’ passports at an early age, but I also want to take road trips. Long ones where we take days to get to our destinations, and we stop along the way to enjoy the sights.”
“I like that, sweetheart. I like that a lot,” he stated. He turned to look at me as he slowed his steps. Then he looked away from me. I followed his gaze to pink rose petals strewn over the sand.
