Page 47 of After Him, There Was You
“I don’t mean to cut you off, but I have enough on my plate. I cannot deal with anything else. If you like whatever the hell it is the two of you have going on, then I love it. I’m going to stay in my lane and let y’all have yours. If I see something else suspicious, you do not have to worry about me saying a thing,” I stated, motioning the gesture of zipping my mouth shut, locking it, and throwing away the key.
“Eva, we broke up. I took into consideration what you said, and you were right. I do deserve better, but you know the kind of man I am. I would never turn my back on someone I love when they need me, and Vivian needs me right now, and as a friend, I’ll be present for her.”
“Thank God for that,” I said, inhaling a breath of relief, making him laugh. “You really are a good man, Trevor, and when the right woman comes along, you’ll know it because she’ll treat you like no other woman has.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“Name a time where I was wrong,” I lectured, giving him a knowing look, daring him to say anything aside from my truth.
“I’m not going to go there with you, Eva.”
“That’s a wise decision.”
We continued our conversation as we exited the hospital, and on our way out of the parking garage, I saw Zeke’s cousin Zuri walking in the opposite direction, going into the hospital. She glanced over at me with a smile but kept her space. I had to guess it was because she didn’t want to interrupt. She was asweet girl, so I knew it was nothing more than not wanting to impose.
“Hey, Zuri!” I called out, waving her over to us.
Zuri was dressed in a pair of scrubs, and I remembered Zeke telling me she was a labor and delivery nurse at the hospital.
Embracing her in a quick hug, I asked her how she was doing and the entire time I was making pleasantries, her eyes were locked on Trevor.
I recognized the look in her eyes all too well because it was the same way I looked at Zeke every time he was in my presence. It was obvious Zuri liked what she saw, and from the glow in Trevor’s eyes, the interest was mutual.
“Where are my manners? Zuri, this is my son’s dad, Trevor. Trevor, this is my boyfriend’s cousin, Zuri.”
Though Trevor and Zeke hadn’t met each other yet, Trevor was well aware I had someone special in my life, and he knew I wanted the two of them to meet because I wanted to introduce Zeke to our sons.
“Nice to meet you,” they simultaneously said, wearing matching flirtatiously ecstatic smiles.
“Zuri, I believe you’re single, aren’t you? If you are, you have at least one thing in common with Trevor… Well, I’ll see the two of you later.”
Quickly walking off from the brewing love connection, I felt as if I had done a good deed.
Making it to my car, I started it up and headed out of the parking garage. When I made it back down to the level I had left Trevor and Zuri on, he had her rhinestone covered phone case in his hand, more than likely putting his number in her phone, while she had his plain black phone in her hands doing the same. I could do nothing but smile.
When I told Trevor he was a great man who deserved a woman to love him, I meant it. Regardless of us not working out, I wanted him to be happy.
If he was happy in his personal life, he would be able to continue to be the man and father our sons needed.
If I could make the introduction between him and a woman capable of making him happy, I would do just that. I was far from a bitter baby mama, and if they worked out, I fully expected for them to give me a public thank you at their wedding.
Today is turning out to be a good day after all.
Chapter 22: The Need to Know - Zane
A Few Months Later
“This is beautiful,” I stated to Zeke who was standing beside me, looking around the park filled with our relatives and the many people whose lives had been touched in one way or another by our mom. “I know Mama would have been all over the place, smiling from ear to ear, soaking up all of the love.”
“Yes, she would have,” Zeke agreed, “and she would have loved Tara and Eva for doing it in her honor.”
It amazed me how Tara and Eva got together in their own free will to have a celebration in honor of our mother. The two of them didn’t mention the celebration until after everything was planned and the gesture only reaffirmed the move I was prepared to make.
“What do you think about Tara as a sister-in-law?” I asked, and I could see Zeke’s head quickly swivel in my direction from my peripheral.
“Are you serious?”
“When have you ever known me to play about something like this?” I asked, taking the ring box out of my pocket and handing it to him.
