“You still dreaming about that man?”
“What man?” I asked, feigning ignorance, though a flutter of anxiety twisted my stomach.
“Merge, akaMister Melt-Your-SpineBelvior.”
I stiffened. “How you know that?”
Von shrugged nonchalantly, like he had receipts to back up his claims.
“I went into your room earlier this morning to grab the cocoa oil and rose quartz I keep under your sink,” he admitted like he hadn’t just traumatized me with that sentence. “I needed it for my morning back-blower. Girl, that man had me bent like a crescent moon and asking the ancestors for strength.”
“Goodness!”
“What?” he shrugged. “It was either that or the Crisco tub… and I’m a classy bitch. I’m trying to keep my walls moisturized and my chakras open.”
I slapped a hand over Mysun’s ears. “Von, please!”
“Okay, okay.” He tossed his hands up like he was innocent. “But yeah, I heard you talking in yo’ sleep… again, boo!”
A wave of heat rushed to my face.
Damn. How long had I been dreaming about him?
“Mind ya’ damn business!” I giggled.
“Oh, baby, Iamyour business! You should’ve thrown that man away mentally, but clearly your coochie kept the keepsake. And the way you moanedMerrrrrrrge, it was giving ‘panties didn’t survive the dream, boo!’” he howled, laughter erupting again, filling the kitchen with warmth and familiarity.
I snatched a dishrag and tossed it at his head, laughing. “I hate you!”
He ducked just in time, a wide grin spreading across his face. “Nah, you love me… and apparently, you want another dose of thatdick.”
I turned away, grabbing another bib just to hide my smile. “I need a damn do-over on this life,” I mumbled.
***
The market buzzed with the vibrant energy that only fresh fruit and lively jazz could conjure. The air was rich with the sweet fragrance of ripe peaches, the sugary notes of pralines, and a smoky hint of barbecue wafting in from a nearby food truck. Adjusting the baby sling across my shoulder, I pressed a soft kiss to the top of Mysun’s soft, curly head while my eyes roamed a table stacked high with deep green kale and golden squash.
I wasn't really there for myself. Von had been on an intense health mission lately, dragging me into it one avocado at a time. I didn’t mind it, though; the long walks were good for my body and, more importantly, better for my frazzled nerves.
As I reached out for a cantaloupe, I thumbed its rough skin gently… the way Von had taught me.
“You want sweet? It’s gotta smell like summertime,” he’d always say.
“Oh, my! What a handsome baby boy you have!” a voice chimed beside me.
I turned… and froze in disbelief.
The woman standing there was the perfect blend of polished eleganceandsoft. Dressed in wide-leg linen pants and a soft ivory blouse that draped gracefully over her figure, she exuded an air of calm authority. Her honey-colored curls were neatly pulled back into a low chignon, and as she reached out, her delicate gold bangles whispered softly against each other, creating a gentle melody of their own.
My heart nearly dropped to my boots at the realization.
It’s her… Merge’s mother.
I’d seen her face splashed across articles and social media… had even caught the tail end of an interview once, but nothing compared to the living, breathing presence standing just inches away.
She was smiling kindly looking down at Mysun, her eyes sparkling with something that felt almost like recognition.
“May I?” she asked gently, gesturing as if to cradle Mysun.
