Page 130 of A Kingpin's Weakness
“Thank you,” she whispered into my ear. “For letting me back in. For letting me be part of this moment your joy.”
I pulled back, looking at her with tears streaming down my face. “I’m glad I get to share it with you. I never thought this day would come and you’d be here.”
Right on cue, Ari and Ms. Serena walked in. Ari froze when she saw my face.
“Fix her makeup, child! Don’t just stand there!” Jo snapped, wiping her own eyes and making me laugh through the tears.
“Damn, y’all got my girl crying like she not the bride,” Ari muttered as she rushed over with the touch-up kit.
Ms. Serena stepped close and took my hand, holding it gently.
“You ready?” she asked.
I looked around the room at Jo, Ari, Serena, the reflection of myself in the mirror, belly full of life, heart full of love and I nodded.
“I’m ready.”
“Me too,” Serena said, squeezing my hand like she was passing strength into me. “Let’s get you down that aisle, baby girl.”
“Hey, is the beautiful bride ready?” RJ’s voice came through the door like sunshine. I turned around from the mirror, grinning.
“Yes.”
He stepped in looking fresh like always, suit crisp, chain tucked just right, and that signature smirk he always wore when he was proud of somebody.
“Okay, Stormi, we’ll meet you there,” Ari said as she hugged me tight. “Since RJ’s walking you down, y’all ride together.”
I side-eyed her. “Y’all really acting like we can’t all ride up the street together? It’s a ceremony, not a top-secret mission.”
“Girl, hush, just enjoy it,” she laughed, already halfway out the door with Jo and Ms. Serena.
The room emptied, and RJ sat down next to me. He let out a low breath like he’d been holding it all day.
“How you feel?”
I looked at him. My lashes were still heavy with makeup, but my eyes didn’t feel weighed down anymore. “Like I can finally breathe. Like I can finally relax… and just be happy.”
He nodded slow. “I’m happy for you, Stormi. Really.”
I reached for his hand and squeezed it. “Thank you.”
He chuckled, shaking his head. “I am mad at you though. Got Ari over here talkin’ ‘bout babies and rings. Said if you can do it, what she waitin’ on?”
I laughed loud the first real laugh since I zipped that dress up. “Could you see yourself marrying her and having babies though?”
He looked out the window, but that little smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Yeah, I could.”
I leaned back on the bed and smiled. “Remember when we used to lay in my room, just talkin’ ‘bout how life was gonna look? You said you wanted peace. I said I wanted a real kind of love.”
He nodded, eyes soft now. “And look at us. Out here really living the lives we used to pray for.”
I looked over at him. “I love you, RJ. You’ve always been my peace when everything else was loud.”
“I love you too, Stormi. Always got you. Always.”
We hugged that kind of hug where you know it’s real, where you don’t gotta say too much. We let go, and I took a deep breath as we headed down to the car.
The drive was chill at first. But when we passed the fifth church in less than ten minutes, my eyes narrowed.
