Page 87 of Made to Love Ya

“Nigga, she don’t look nothing like yo’ ugly ass,” Tahj remarked.

“Baby, tell him she looks just like me.”

“After all that pushing I’ve done and walking around here with swollen ankles, hemorrhoids, and gaining twenty-five pounds, you would think that she would come out looking just like her mother, but she does look more like you than me,” Talia stated and rolled her eyes.

“I think she’s the perfect blend of you both.” My mama intervened and looked at her granddaughter from her position beside me.

“She’s got Zae’s lips and eyes and Chè’s nose, chin, and face,” Mama Linda stated.

“She’s beautiful,” Daddy Walter replied.

“Isn’t she, though?” My pops agreed.

Our baby girl was less than three hours old, and she already had more visitors than either Talia or I knew what to do with. Asante and Kenyatta had stopped by for a few minutes before they left. Dahlia, Celina, Jaylen, and Rashad had stepped out to get everyone something to eat, and the two of us, our parents, and Tahj remained.

My mother’s new husband, whom she’d married within three months of introducing him to us, had stopped by earlier, but he was called away to some other part of the hospital to perform an emergency surgery. My dad’s wife, Staci, and my new little sister, Elyse, were at home resting.

“Well, let’s give the new parents some bonding time. I’m sure that we’ll have more than enough time babysitting when they get out of the hospital,” Talia’s mom stated.

“Ain’t that the truth,” my mama agreed as she kissed our daughter on the top of her head and then kissed Talia and me.

“Bye, River,” my mother-in-law stated, waving at our baby girl after kissing her.

I grabbed my daughter’s little hand and waved it at my mother, making everyone laugh.

We said our goodbyes to everyone before I was left alone in the hospital room with my wife and daughter. Every time I thought about the title “wife” in connection with Talia, I felt something explode in my chest.

We married a month after I won the James Beard award in a quiet little ceremony in our backyard with just our family and closest friends around. We had taken a three-week honeymoon to the Maldives where we relaxed, ate, and just loved on each other.

This girl was my world, and I was honored to love and protect her. I was even more blessed that she had given me a little one to do the same with. I was their provider, their protector, their haven…In short, I was their world, and they were mine.

There wasn’t anything in the world that I wouldn’t sacrifice or go through for them. When I fell in love with Talia, I thought there was no greater love until I laid my eyes on the beautiful life that she and I created. I was overwhelmed with a surge of love and devotion the minute I saw River being pulled from her mother’s body.

The day Talia learned that she was pregnant, seven weeks after I told her to remember the moment when I pumped her with my seed in Chicago, she declared that we would name her River. She said that she did remember that moment, and she did remember how beautiful the Chicago River was that night with the stars shining down on the water’s rippling surface.

I had been terrified of fully committing to any woman for the long haul. I was convinced that all good relationships fell apart eventually, and that was all because I never knew the truth about my parents’ failed marriage. My mama was a good woman who had understood the difference between a no-good man and an excellent father. She hadn’t wanted our perception of our father to be discolored by his wandering ass dick.

Looking at my wife, I was glad I had gotten past the self-erected barriers. I had almost missed out on a good love because I had all these misconceptions in my head—All good relationships fell apart, and the apple of my eye was off limits because she was my boy’s sister.

“What are you thinking about?” Talia asked as I handed her our daughter.

“You…our princess.”

“What about us?”

“How blessed I am to have you both in my life and how thankful I am that you took a chance on my ass.”

“Was there ever any doubt that I would? I’ve loved you almost my entire life, Izael.”

“And I couldn’t ask for more. I just want all your love for the rest of my life, and I vow to love you until the world is no more,” I promised and kissed her lips.

I climbed onto the bed beside her and held her in my arms as I leaned forward and kissed our daughter’s head. She wiggled in my wife’s arms and scrunched her face up.

“She’s so perfect,” Talia whispered.

“Just like you.”

“I’m far from that, baby. But I am glad that you choose to see all that’s good in me and overlook my flaws.”

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