“Okay, I’ll handle dinner. Don’t worry about it.” He pulled his phone out to make it happen.
“Thanks, babe. I’m going to finish my book. I’m on the last three chapters!”
He loved his little bookworm. The fact that they both loved to read was a bonus.
Ten minutes later, Jio found her curled up, lost in the pages of a book that she swore she couldn’t put down.
“What's this?” she asked since he’d handed her an envelope.
“Open it.”
Nina looked suspicious. “Should I be nervous?”
“Girl, open it up and see.”
Nina ripped it open. “NO. YOU. DID. NOT!” She hopped off the couch and read it again to be sure her eyes weren’t playing tricks on her.
Her favorite musical. Front row seats. Nina couldn’t believe it.
Her mouth dropped open. “How did you get these? They sold out on the first day!” she told him in case he didn’t know.
“I heard you on the phone with your mom asking did she have a plug.”
Nina looked up. “And you remembered and got me tickets?” Her eyes welled with tears.
“Yes, for you and Ephrem. I know how much yall both love the Theatre shit.”
Ephrem had spent months complaining about missing the original run. Jio figured he would kill two birds with one stone.
“You really love me,” she recognized.
“You just now figuring that out?”
Nina hugged the tickets against her chest. “Thank you baby, so much!”
Jio kissed her forehead. “You welcome.”
“I want you to go with us.”
His expression shifted because that wasn’t a part of the plan. “Aah, you and Ephrem are going.”
“It’s three tickets in here.”
“Huh?”
She pulled the tickets back out and counted them.
He thought to himself,“Damn, is that why I paid so fuckin’ much?”
“I want you there.”
“Nina—”
“I know you’re busy and this isn’t your thing, but it would mean a lot to me if you came,” she expressed. There were parts of Jio's life that still existed outside her understanding.
“I'll be there.” She was requesting a little bit more of him and he would give her that. Nina wasn’t asking for much.
“You promise?”
