Page 33 of A Major Love

“I’m not random to you, but she doesn’t know me.”

“I know you, so that’s what matters.”

She shook her head as she spoke.

“Has she been in a serious relationship since your daughter was born?”

“Not that I know of.”

“If that were to happen, you’d want to meet him, right?”

“You damn right.”

“You should show her the same respect.”

“I guess you’re right. I usually pick Maja up, but I’ll see if Rahkia is cool with dropping her off Sunday.”

“Good.”

For the next few minutes, we updated each other on our families. She was happy to hear that Freya had gotten her masters in social work and was working in her field.

I was only a little surprised to find out that her brother opened a shop where he fixed computers. Several years ago, he used a section of their parents’ garage to work on computers, so opening a shop seemed like a natural progression.

“I was a little hurt when all your people stopped fucking with me, but I understood,” I confessed.

“What did you expect?”

“I don’t know, but I thought we were better than that.”

“You’re funny as hell.Wethoughtyouwere better than that, but you know my parents and brother don’t play about me.”

“And they shouldn’t. I didn’t think they were wrong, but I was like damn.”

“Well, I guess my parents have forgiven you because they’re the ones who talked me into doing this memoir with you.”

“Word? Maybe they don’t hate me as much as I thought.”

“I hated you, not my parents, but they were disappointed,” she clarified.

“Hate is a strong word, Lovie.”

“It sure is. I should give you my therapist’s number so you can thank her too.”

“It’s hard to believe you hated me, because I never stopped loving you, baby.”

She sighed and picked up another Oreo bite, not responding until she finished the whole thing.

“There’s a thin line between love and hate, and I hated you for making me love you so deeply that I couldn’t turn it off the way I thought you did.”

“I can’t apologize enough for what I put you through, and I meant it when I said I’d spend the rest of my life doing whatever it takes to help you heal.”

“You better believe I’m holding you to it because I’m a bit annoyed with myself for giving in to you so easily. You shouldstill be on your knees, groveling, begging, and pleading for me to give you another chance.”

“Did you say you want me on my knees?”

Before she could figure out what I was doing, I was on my knees with my face between her legs. When I lifted her legs onto my shoulders, she fell back onto the counter. This might not be her idea of groveling, begging, and pleading, but I thought it worked just as well, if not better.

“There’s my baby girl!I thought I’d have to come and kidnap you from that crazy boy,” my father said as we embraced.