“On you… always.”
“Can I get you water, champagne, or espresso?”
“We’ll take some water,” she replied, as we sat in the black velvet chairs.
She rushed off to get the water, while I stared at my baby. I knew she could easily buy anything in this store if she wanted.
That wasn’t what I wanted for her. She had gone into her wallet plenty of times. I wanted that shit to remain closed so I that I could take care of her. I never wanted a woman as much as I wanted her; I wanted to be her provider, protector, and everything she had always dreamed of in a man.
I wanted to be her husband.
Never wanting her to want for anything as long as I was alive.
Even after I was gone, she would never want for anything and would forever be taken care of. “I spoke with Zayah today.”
I laughed. “She just stared at you, huh?”
“She makes spit bubbles and kicks her feet… she such a daddy’s girl though. Soon as Sim enters the room, the girl goes crazy for him. Kicking her feet and wanting nothing to do with her mother.” She laughed.
I smiled. “He needs that.”
“Yeah, I know. I offered to watch her whenever they needed me to… Jesus.”
“What?” I looked around.
She looked up at me with those brown eyes that could get her whatever. “If you think I’m stupid, just tell me… it’s alright.”
“Something wrong with you.. and you damn brother.”
“The face that you just made, Gerald. I am capable of taking care of Zayah… it’s like taking care of Bando.” She flipped her hair over her shoulders. “And yeah, there is something wrong with my brother.” she muttered, in clear denial about being one in the same.
I watched her organize the pantry in the shore house like we lived there. In the room she was in, that bed was made so neat that I could bounce a pack of quarters on it.
“Here’s your waters… now, this piece is one of a kind. Vitale will not be producing anymore.”
We watched as she went into the display case and removed it with a black velvet glove on. Slowly, she walked over and sat it down on the velvet tray that was on the coffee table.
Zoya gasped, as she got close to it and carefully picked it up. The heart shaped ring had a halo of diamonds with a heart shaped diamond in the center.
“This is beautiful.” She was speechless as she tried it on. “Oh shit.”
“No, it’s not broken… it’s two rings in one. The diamond goes right in the middle of the halo, and you can wear it together or separate.”
“Shit is fire... you like it, baby?”
She looked over at me with wide eyes, as she held on to her hand. “Yes… it’s beautiful. I don’t even have a reason to want it, but I do.”
“Then you get whatever you want.”
The woman sat on the edge of the empty lounge chair and smiled. “How long have you been married?”
“We’re not married… he thinks I’m stupid.”
“Zoya, I ain’t say no shit like that.”
“You implied it.”
“No the fuck I didn’t.”
