Sometimes, the love that you wished would come from those that it’s “expected” to come from… doesn’t. Nina wanted her and her mama to have this perfect relationship, but they weren’t there yet. She didn’t doubt that it could happen, but she’d reached a place where she was no longer holding her breath for them to draw towards each other like magnets. She was not a mother. She had never bore a child. She knew nothing about what it meant to carry a baby in your womb for nine months. But surely… if she did… she liked to believe that she would treat her baby much better than her mama treated her.
It was almost as if Nina felt like her mama had children because it was the ‘right’ thing to do.
Marry the man. Buy the house. Have his children. Start a family. Make the house perfect.That was her master plan. More like million…billion…dollar plan before taxes were paid to Uncle Sam.
Nina prayed for the day when she got to walk in the shoes of a mother. She was gonna love on her kids so deeply to the point where every generational curse would be broken almost immediately.
But until then, she was finding mentorship and guidance elsewhere.
It wasn’t to say that she didn’t love her mama because she did. But she loved her from a healthy distance and that was that.
Once she climbed out of her feelings of despair and regret, the sun began to shine again and all was made well. Life was good.
Nina spent her days working as CEO with minimum interaction with her father and no mention of Jiorgio Gotti. She prayed it stayed that way.
Everything in her world felt softer and warmer. This was what she needed to stay focused. Discord caused her to lose focus and she couldn’t afford that right now. She was too desperate and determined to plant her feet firmly at the top of the ladder that had a sign over it that read, “Family Business.”
Life felt so normal again that she’d forgotten all about the mishap with Talia until she reached out saying that she wanted to talk. Nina was so thirsty to have a relationship with anyone who shared her last name. And without shame. From the outside looking in, it may have given The Cosby’s, but they were the complete opposite. However, she was going to do her best to reconnect with her sister and the first step was to apologize over dinner. Nina had been cooking for the last two hours. She was proudly whipping up all of Talia’s favorites. The smell of food filled her loft. Garlic, butter, thyme, and curry wafted through the hallways. Nino was munching on whatever she was gracious enough to spare on the floor. The sounds of R&B played softly in the background as Nina moved around her kitchen with a big ole smile on her face. She’d picked up Talia a bouquet of what she remembered to be her favorite flowers and grabbed her a Bible in case she’d misplaced the one her grandmother gave her many years ago.
“Can I stay for dinner?” Her man asked, leaning against the counter rolling a blunt.
“If you want, babe.”
Truth is, she wanted alone time with her sister. Seeing Jio, considering he was why Nina pushed her ass down the steps in the first place, may not be the best way to get on the right foot.
He never planned to stay, he just wanted to see what she was gonna say with her cute ass. She seemed happy and at peace. It was all in how she hummed, swayed her hips and sung along with every single song that played. She was in good spirits. This was the woman that he fell in love with. He needed it to stay that way and he didn’t think her sister being around was the remedy.
“Nah, I got something to do. I hope y’all enjoy your girls’ time.”
Jio sealed the blunt with his thick lips before sticking it behind his ear.
“Do I get a kiss before you go?” She fake pouted as she sauntered into his personal space.
“You can get whatever you want from me, mama.”
Music to her sweet girl ears.
Her smile made him glow. She was a bright light in his life and off her aura alone, everything in him lit up.
“You in a good mood.”
“I am.”
Jio’s expression didn’t change, but something in his eyes sparkled.
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah,” she nodded, her smile widening. “I think Talia is getting clean.”
He pushed off the counter slowly. “Word?”
“She sounded… different,” Nina whispered. “Like maybe she’s done with the bullshit.”
Jio added, “People change when they need to.”
Nina didn’t catch the weight behind that, because was too busy feeling hopeful.
“I’m excited,” she admitted.
