My baby, Ramiro Reason St. Pierre, was already so loved by our family, and I was overwhelmed with gratitude. I was exhausted, but I wouldn’t let myself fall asleep because I felt like I’d miss something.
There was only one other person besides my Aunt Patty who was missing, and I wished was still here. And it was no disrespect to Doc because he seemed to be a good man, but Mr. St. Pierre was one of the greatest men I’d ever known. I wish he was here to meet his grandkids and see what a great job he’d done raising his son. Reason had surpassed the type of life and accomplishments his father had wanted for him.
My eyes landed on Rhema, and I smiled at my beautiful girl. My baby girl had already been so helpful before the baby got here, so I knew she’d be the best big sister. Watching her blossom in our new life was a blessing. She was living her absolute best life, spending time with her father, her grandmother, Doc, Cassie, and me. The life I dreamed of giving Rhema had unexpectedly become a reality, thanks to her father.
There was a knock on the door, and I wondered who it was because all our visitors were already here. I looked at Reason, who was making his way to the door. He opened it, and I was surprised to see Nehemiah and Amara walk in with a beautiful bouquet of blue flowers and a fluffy teddy bear.
“Hey, everyone,” they said in unison. “Congratulations, Reason and Ember.” Amara smiled as she walked closer to me.
“Thank you so much, Amara,” I said.
Reason came over and stood on the other side of my bed. “Em Baby, this moment wouldn’t feel right if Nehemiah and Amara weren’t here. Besides God doing his big one, these two played a huge part in bringing my first and only true love back to me.” He sniffled before continuing. “Not only did they bring my woman back to me, but they also helped bring my kids into my life too. I really got a daughter and a son with the love of my life.”
Reason looked at Nehemiah and Amara and thanked them. He looked so happy it warmed my heart. I looked around at everyone’s faces through teary eyes.
My man got down on one knee, never taking his tear-filled eyes off mine.
“Baby, thank you for unselfishly making that decision you made many years ago. I’m sorry you had to go through life without me by your side, but I promise y’all will never have to be without me again. You sacrificed your life to give our children life. You sacrificed your happiness so I could go out into the world and accomplish the things we used to dream about.” He kissed the back of my hand as tears fell from his eyes.
“Thank you for being you and never changing that beautiful heart of yours. Ember Heart, I love you, and baby, I ain’t never stopped. Life finally feels complete with you and my babies, and I don’t want to go another day without you being my wife.” He opened a black box, diamonds blinging. “Em Baby, will you marry me?”
Tears streamed down my face rapidly as I looked deep into my man’s soul. “Yes, My Reason. I’ll marry you.”
Everybody started screaming and crying at the same time, but before the room could calm down, our baby boy let out a loud cry. The nurses rushed in, saw that it was just a proposal, and before long, the whole room was laughing, celebrating, and crying together.
CHAPTER 35
REASON
My life changed in a matter of months. If anybody had told me my high school sweetheart would show back up in my life with a daughter I never knew I had and was pregnant with our son, I would’ve told them, “Yeah, aight. A miracle like that only exists in a make-believe world.” However, I would’ve been proven wrong. Everything not meant for me was phased out so there would be room for the miracles I didn’t see coming.
I knew Rhema was my daughter before Ember admitted it. When she stood next to her mother on the yacht, I saw the resemblance right away. After hearing Ember’s reason for doing what she did, I couldn’t lie; it was a bittersweet moment for me. I couldn’t stay mad at her even if I wanted to. Ember was right. If I had known my girl was having a baby, it wouldn’t have been a question. I would’ve stayed and said fuck college. She sacrificed her own college dream, so I could get the full experience instead, while she held it down. Now, my family didn’t have to want for anything. It was my turn to hold them down.
Another thing that brought me happiness these days was getting to know Rhema and seeing how she was the perfect mix of her mother and me. She was beautiful, intelligent, kind, andambitious, even at a young age. Ember had done a phenomenal job raising our daughter, and I made sure she knew it every chance I got. I wanted Rhema tied to me in every way possible, so changing her last name to mine was one of the first things I did. It was usually a three-month process, but with my connections, I had that time cut in half. I wanted it done before I proposed to her mother, and that’s what I made happen.
The gender reveal started off as the worst day of my life and quickly turned into the best day of my life when I saw Ember. My Em Baby had finally found her way back to me. After the shock wore off, I saw she was in danger when she almost fainted, and I sprinted toward her. It didn’t matter that I hadn’t seen her in years. Protective mode kicked right back in when our eyes connected.
Finding out all the shit Saje was up to hit me hard, because I never thought she’d be the one to do me foul like that. That bitch was living multiple double lives and playing like she was a good wife. Thank God, she hadn’t given me any diseases. If none of her secrets had been exposed, I can’t imagine how it would’ve been if I had brought my son around her. Especially after hearing how much she really didn’t want him. Honestly, if things had gone another route, I probably would’ve ended up killing that bird.
Not only did Saje’s messed-up ways fuck with me, but imagine how I felt when I heard about Basheer. Many times, I’d vented to the nigga about wanting kids with Saje, and the whole muthafuckin’ time, the busta already had a child with the woman I married. That threw me way off because that was my dawg, my bro, and one of the only people I trusted with my business. When I threw his ass in the ocean, I really didn’t give a fuck if he was alive or had crossed over to the afterlife. Our friendship was dead, so Basheer was no longer my concern.
There was a reason I never had a baby with Saje. All along, my path was leading me right back to the woman who was made for me.
I filed for divorce the day after the gender reveal. I would never have to worry about seeing Saje’s hoe-ass again because we were leaving this marriage with no ties. Nothing would get in the way of Ember and me building our lives together. I didn’t understand it in the moment why everything had happened the way it did, but now I realize it was nothing but a blessing in disguise.
I didn’t care that I was technically still married, but separated, and now engaged to someone new. There was no doubt Ember was the woman I wanted to be married to for the rest of my life. I knew it when we were teenagers, and I know it now. She was for me, and I was for her. And if she hadn’t walked away back then, it was guaranteed that Saje would’ve never existed in my life.
Days after my unexpected reunion, I got some business affairs squared away with UTN and was on my way back to LA, my home, with Ember and Rhema. I had a team of people who would run the network in Miami, and I’d do my part from LA, but, for now, my focus was on my family.
I swaggered into the laundry room and went straight to hug my mama. She was loading the washer with detergent and our white clothes.
“Mama, Ember and I appreciate you washing our clothes, but you know I would’ve done it.”
She stopped loading the machine and looked at me. “Son, stop talking that nonsense. You know I don’t mind. AnythingI can do to make you and Ember’s life easier, I’ll do in a heartbeat.”
“I believe you, Ma.”
I took a moment to process her words. Seeing her in this element was new, but it came naturally to her. How present she was now compared to when I was with Saje was night and day, and it turned out she had good reason to stay away. It seemed like this was the role she’d been waiting to fulfill her whole life.
