“It’s cool,” he assured me. “You needed some sleep.”
I smacked my lips, still salty I missed midnight. He playfully caressed my chin, evoking a smile to canvass my face. My arms wrapped around him before he leaned in to kiss my lips.
“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you,” I sang to him just like I’d done for the past five years. “How old are you now?”
He smacked his lips. “Old as shit.”
“Ahk, be for real.”
“Alright, alright. I’m 31.”
“Damn, I guess that is old as shit,” I teased him before throwing my head back in laughter.
“Jazzlyn, that shit not cool,” he laughed with a shake of his head.
“I’m just playing. You know I like my man a little seasoned. I can’t wait until those grays start coming in.” My hand went to his goatee, and I gently pulled at it.
“You think you hot shit ‘cause you got four years left in your twenties? That shit gone fly by fast.”
“As long as they’re with you, it doesn’t matter.”
He smiled before kissing my forehead. “Forever?”
“Forever,” I asserted. “Thank you for being the man of my dreams. You swept me off my feet since day one and never stopped. I love you down to your smelly-ass socks?—“
“Lovey, ain’t shit ‘bout my socks smelly.”
Laughter aired out of both of us before I continued. “You never cease to amaze me. The way you are as a husband, father, son and friend… you just move with pure intentions and a good heart. That’s what I love about you the most. When we first got together, I remember asking you why the hell you were so nice to me. You told me it takes nothing to be kind, so you try your best to give everyone kindness. That right there revealed to me what kind of man you were, and I’m so lucky you thought I was fine as hell and continued to run me down even though I was crazy as hell.”
“You are fine as hell.” He shot me a mannish smirk before gripping my ass with both hands. “And I’m crazy about you. You’ve made these past five years the most fulfilling years of my life.”
I sprouted onto my tippy toes and kissed his lips. “I love you, Pa.”
“Love you too, Lovey.” He wrapped his strong arms around me.
“What were you doing out here alone?”
He repositioned me in front of him so we could both enjoy the view of the city. We barely touched our television. Whenever we wanted to just relax, we would go out on the terrace and just bask in the view. The skyline was to die for and one of the main reasons we closed on the penthouse in the first place. We talked about many different places our forever home would be, and although I would be excited to establish something more permanent, I would miss our view of the city dearly. It was just so breathtaking.
A short sigh escaped him as he rested his head on my shoulder. “Thanking God for everything. When my mother died, I thought life was over for me. She up there with God advocating for Him to move mountains for me. I never thought life could get this good.”
“Ms. Juli is always watching over you and making sure you stay on the right path.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the small card Saphir made for him last year for his birthday. It was a picture of Saphir and me while we were at Disney Land Tokyo on one side, while the other side was a picture of Ahkeem’s mother, Julianna.
Ahkeem was never afraid of showcasing his emotions, so Saphir and I witnessed him come to tears over the card. “I wish she got the chance to meet Blue. She would’ve spoiled him more than he already is. Had she got the chance to meet you, y’all would have hit it off and ganged up on me.”
“I wish I got to meet her too. From the memories you’ve shared with me, she was so sweet and loving.”
“She was. All I can do is reminisce about my ole lady now,” he chuckled bitterly with a shake of his head. “If she knew I was out here thinking about her on my birthday, she would slap me upside my head so fucking fast and tell me to hop out my feelings.”
“I have a surprise for you. Hopefully it will make you feel better.”
“I told you no gifts this year, Lovey. I just wanna stay down with you and Blue.”
“Too bad, so sad. I will never not celebrate you or show you our appreciation.”
“You’re hardheaded.”
