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“You’re aite when you’re not running off at the mouth,” I complimented because the day had gone much better than I expected.
“You’re running yours and ruining the moment.”
We shared a smile that caused Hailo to drift back to the moment we met. Her smile deepened into laughter as I shook my head. “Should’ve known it was coming.”
“Yeah, it was starting to get weird. Can we go now? My feet hurt, and I’m exhausted,” Hailo whined, and after forty-five minutes, I decided to put her out of her misery. It was beginning to get dark, and I was hungry again, thanks to Hailo eating most of my food.
She had fallen asleep on the ride to her apartment. It was easy to get lost in the occasional glances I stole while driving. Hailo's mouth was shut, making it easy to admire the beauty that sucked me in the night we met.
I gently nudged Hailo to wake her when we arrived. She led the way to her apartment, and I followed with my food in hand. Once we got inside, I made myself comfortable while she went to shower and change. When Hailo ambled down the hallway, I had finished eating and almost dozed off myself.
“Get those stubby ass toes off me,” I demanded after she’d sat down and tucked them underneath my leg.
“It’s my couch. I can put them where I want,” she sassed. Shaking my head, Hailo was lucky she had pretty feet. Swollen but pretty nonetheless, “You look tired.”
“You actually sound like you care.” My hand landed on my chest while Hailo looked away.
“Just because I don’t want to marry you doesn’t mean I want something to happen to you, asshole.”
“It’s been a long day, but I’m good.”
“You can stay,” she offered, likely wondering if it was the right thing to do. “It’s getting late, and we don’t need you driving home tired.”
“You’re right. You being nice is starting to get weird,” I joked, causing her to suck her teeth.
“What are you thinking about?” Gi asked, and I didn’t realize he noticed me staring in a daze.
The last thing I remember before falling down a rabbit hole of thoughts was him engrossed in his phone while I watched TV. We were still on the couch with my legs draped across his. I wondered if I could ever grow to love Gianni had led me to wonder how this tradition had even come to be.
“Nothing.”
“That’s not the expression of nothing. Wassup?” He placed his phone down to give me his undivided attention.
“This tradition,” I rolled my eyes in disgust at the idea that would soon change my life. “Where did it come from? Like, why is this so important to your family?”
“Things in DuPont Falls weren’t always great,” Gianni began explaining his family history.
It all began with his great-great-grandfather, Lavelle, from whom he received his middle name, growing tired of all the poverty and social inequality in DuPont Falls. He had always been what they considered a radical. Opinionated and refused to accept the status quo, traits I could see in Gianni.
When a police officer killed Lavelle’s unarmed best friend, he decided to be the change he wanted to see in the world. He fought back and empowered others to do the same, eventually taking down the system that wreaked havoc in DuPont Falls for centuries. While people were proud of what he’d accomplished, they looked to him for what was next.
Just when I was about to interrupt Gianni’s trip down memory lane to ask how this had anything to do with our situation, he introduced Lavelle’s loving, supportive wife. She was the mother of his children and best friend, taking on a role she didn’t ask for with grace. Through her love, he took over as the acting governing body in DuPont Falls and turned things around.
“She was the reason he was able to do what he did. Through love, family, and commitment, he changed DuPont Falls and the lives of many, putting value in the family structure. Had you not had that good shit between your legs, I would’ve pulled out, and none of this would be happening.”
“So basically, the only reason we’re stuck together is because of this baby? Did you make that up?”
“Why would I do that?”
“To soften my heart to this whole ordeal.”
“I don’t have to do that when you’re going to fall in love with me anyway, Hailo.”
“Wow, you’re cocky for somebody who doesn’t know me at all.”
“Everybody falls in love with me if they stick around long enough, and being that you’re having my baby.” Gianni’s eyes trailed to my stomach and his mouth curved into an unconscious smile. Even though he couldn’t see anything, he envisioned the life I was carrying.
“Well, you’ve never met somebody like me. Good luck with that theory.” I tried to maintain my curtness, but Gianni’s confidence was sexy as fuck.
