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My eyes drifted toward the UNO table, where MJ was apparently losing another argument. Penelope laughed as Maliah pointed at something in the middle of the table, and Tahari sat back in his chair, entertained by the whole thing. I loved seeing them like that. Young, happy, and enjoying their lives. MJ had grown into a man I was incredibly proud of. He was doing well in school, building a life for himself, and had found somebody who genuinely cared about him. Penelope was a sweetheart, and I loved how comfortable she had become around our family.

Maliah was preparing for another chapter of her life too. Between starting nursing school and moving in with Tahari, she had so much to look forward to. Malik needed some convincing about the living arrangement, but he eventually came around. He wasn’t ready to admit his baby girl was growing up. Truthfully, neither was I. But watching our children become their own people was part of what we had worked so hard for. I took another sip of wine before hearing footsteps approaching. When I looked up, Malik was making his way across the patio toward me.

He had a plate in one hand and that familiar expression on his face that told me he was about to say something smart.

“Where’s your sister going?” he asked.

I nodded toward the flower bed.

“Her child over there tearing up your flowers.”

He looked in that direction.

“Aw, hell nah.”

I burst out laughing, and he continued playfully complaining.

“What? Them flowers ain’t free. He’s plucking the petals off them shits how the little girls used to with that he loves me, he loves me not bull shit.”

“Boy, sit down,” I laughed as I patted the spot beside me.

He shook his head before carefully lowering himself onto the couch beside me. I smiled as he got comfortable, then reached over to wipe a little barbecue sauce from the corner of his mouth.

“You been tasting that food more than you’ve been cooking it,” I teased.

“Somebody gotta make sure it’s right.”

“Mhm.”

He grinned. I leaned closer and kissed his cheek.

“You good, baby?” I asked.

He nodded.

“Yeah.”

I rested my hand on his thigh and looked out at our family. For a moment, neither of us said anything. We didn’t have to. This was what we had always fought for. This is what we had always dreamed of. Over the years, this man has given me a love that’ll last for a lifetime, with a family that would remember it.

BLEEK

I leaned back against the couch and looked around my backyard. Sha was still standing by the grill, making sure the food didn’t burn while I took a break. Tori was fussing at one of her kids about the flowers, and Maylee was running behind them like she was part of the damn investigation. Across the yard, MJ was arguing with Penelope about UNO. Again. I couldn’t hear everything they were saying, but judging by the way my son kept throwing his hands up, I knew he was losing.

Maliah was laughing so hard she had her hand over her mouth, and Tahari was sitting beside her, looking like he was enjoying every second of MJ getting his ass handed to him.

I shook my head.

“Look at them fools.”

Eternity laughed beside me.

“Leave them alone.”

“MJ’s been arguing over that damn game for the last hour.”

“Because he doesn’t like losing.”

“Wonder where he gets that shit from,” I said in a sarcastic tone.