Page 117 of Crash: Love in Scrubs
“I’m good,” I said, but let her fix the tie anyway, mainly just to feel her hands on me. “I’m focused on you. You look good as hell, mama. How you feelin’?”
She gave me that “stop” look. “I feel like if you keep fidgeting like this, I’ma have to take you in a back room and help you calm all that down.”
“Oh word?”
“Word. But behave. Relax. Stop stressing. You look good. I hope you feel good.”
“I’m tryin’. I just want everything to be perfect.”
She stepped back, took my hand, and looked around the room. “Itisperfect, baby. Look at it.”
The building was filled with fresh flowers, branded signs, balloons, and my people in their best outfits. Good energy surrounded us. My dream was finally becoming real. I’d built this with my own hands. And now we were opening the doors to the public like it was a damn red carpet event.
“Everything you worked for, sacrificed for, it’s here. It’s happening,” she said.
I looked through the front windows and caught Samaj out in the lot, directing traffic like he was running the whole operation. He was finally eighteen and really stepping into himself. I was so proud of him.
His streaming channel had taken off, and he’d been hyping this grand opening on every platform like it was the party of the year. I ain’t even have to ask. That’s how locked in he was.
I didn’t say anything at first. Just stood there holding her hand, taking in all of it. The moment. The legacy. My woman. My son. My future.
“Thank you,” I finally said, my voice a little lower. “For riding with me. For forgiving me. For believing in all this. In me.”
She smiled, touched her belly, then looked up at me, “You’re welcome,” she said. “The past is the past. It’s behind us baby.”
“There’s my baby boy!” Mama’s voice carried across the lobby, and I turned to see her walking through the entrance with more energy than someone who’d just gotten off her first airplane should have.
“Mama!” I crossed the space in three long strides, pulling her into a hug. “You made it.”
“Did you think I was gonna miss this?” She pulled back to look at me, her eyes bright with pride. “Lord, look at this place. My son, the business owner.”
Sametra joined us, and Mama immediately went to her belly, placing both hands on the bump. “And how’s my grandbaby doing?”
“Growing, loved,” Sametra replied with a laugh.
“She’s gonna be just as beautiful as her mama,” I said, wrapping my arm around Sametra’s waist.
My mom rested her hand gently over the curve of Sametra’s stomach, her eyes already glistening.
“Ma,” I said, my voice lower, almost awed. “Meet Summer Holloway.”
She looked up at me, eyes wide. “That’s her name?”
I nodded. “Yeah. We’re having a girl. Been feeling it from the jump, though. As soon as we saw her on that screen, we knew.”
And just like that, it hit me all over again. I was about to be somebody’s daddy. A little girl’s daddy. I’d been walking around with that joy and panic sitting side by side in my throat eversince. Because I already knew I was going to be wrapped around her finger and probably way too protective.
The front door chimed again, and in walked John-Dale and Lorana, followed by what felt like half of St. Ambrose. Word had clearly gotten out. The place filled up quickly with familiar faces, folks from the hospital, neighbors from Sametra’s old block, even a few of Samaj’s boys. All my family was in one place, to celebrate the future. I felt full.
“Malik!” Lorana called, strutting in with a covered dish even though I told her it wasn’t needed. “I brought my famous mac and cheese for your staff. Can’t have a proper celebration without soul food.”
“You really didn’t have to…” I started, hugging her tight.
“Boy, hush,” she said. “Family takes care of family.”
John-Dale shook my hand with that look men give when they’re proud but won’t get too mushy in public. “You did good, son. Damn good.”
I was still soaking it in when the energy shifted again.
