I braced myself.
"Does she have to do this?"
I shook my head. "No. Not forever," I responded quietly. "She's working towards something else. It's a means to an end for her."
"And you believe that?" she asked.
"I do," I said without hesitation.
Pops shifted in his chair, his fork tapping lightly against his plate before he set it down. "You said you see a future with her," he said, voice steady. "What does that look like, son?"
I leaned forward resting my forearms on the table. "It looks like something real with her. A family. Stability. A life together."
"And her works fits into that how?" he asked.
"It doesn't," I replied honestly. "Not long-term."
Angel nodded in understanding.
Mama… .not so much. "So you're expecting her to just stop?" she asked carefully.
"Eventually…yeah, she will. We've already talked about this," I explained. "But right now, I'm not forcing anything on her. That's her decision. Her timeline. I just…" I paused, choosing my words carefully. "I want to be able to put her in a position where she doesn't have to do it anymore. I want her to trust me enough to do that. We're getting there—I can feel it."
Mama's eyes softened but the worry didn't leave. "And in the meantime…you're okay with that?" she pressed gently.
I felt the impact in my chest of that question. "No," I admitted quietly. "I'm not okay with it," I continued. "But I understand it. And I'm not about to punish her for where she is right now especially when I'm choosing to still be here." I shook my head firmly. "My hand isn't forced."
Angel snapped her fingers softly. "Proud of you, big bro. It takes a lot of maturity to take this on."
"Thank you, lil' sis." I smiled over at her.
Pops shoulders dropped slowly. "You're a special kind of man, son. I'll tell you that."
I flashed a smile at him.
"He is," Mama agreed. "But this is a lot."
"I know." I nodded. "But's she's a good woman. And I believe she's worth it."
Angel smiled. "So what's she like? We got a glimpse, but now I'm intrigued."
That questioned softened the energy.
I was already smiling. "She's warm," I began. "Sweet. Funny as hell. Smart. She pays attention to everything. You can't get anything past her."
Angel smirked. "I knew I liked her."
Mama shook her head slightly, but a small smile was pulling at her lips. "What about Melo?"
I exhaled. "He's always asking about her now. And she's always asking about him. His likes and dislikes. School. Favorite things. She's invested in him, Ma. I wouldn't do this if I thought she wouldn't be good to him. I want to bring her around him…slowly."
"Well…" she said after a moment folding her hands. "I can't say this is what I imagined for you…" she paused. "But, if she treats you right…if she respects you…if she's good to my grandbaby…then I'm willing to try."
Relief hit me in waves. I stood and walked around the table, wrapping my arms around her tightly. "Thank you, Ma."
She held my arms. "You welcome, baby."
"Pops—?" I looked over at him
