“She should be here soon with her girls. We are going to get dressed real quick,” I said, running past them.
Amir and I went into one room while Sammy and Keith found somewhere to go.
We got into our suits; I tied my tie, then showed Amir how to tie his.
“Is Islah going to try to act like my mom?” he asked.
I smirked. “Has she?”
He shook his head. “No, but things were different then.”
I nodded.
When we finished with his tie, I sat him down on the edge of the bed.
“Islah loves you just like I do, and she will never replace your mom or try to, but she will be an extra person to love you and be there for you like she has been.”
“Are you gonna forget how to be cool and play the game with me when the baby comes?”
I laughed. “Nigga, yo’ daddy that nigga! I’m always cool. And me and you will always have our time. I’m talking guys’ trips and all. Things is gonna go up from here. I promise.”
Amir nodded and hugged me just as Keith knocked on the door.
“Come on, I think we need to leave before they get here.”
Amir and I walked out of the room and down to the living room. Islah’s parents smiled at us, and her mom adjusted our ties.
“Y’all men look great…and you, lil’ man, you are showing them how to wear it.”
Amir nodded. “I thought I would.”
We laughed, and I assured them that Islah would be there soon, and we left out and passed them at the light down the road.
Back at the wedding spot, the DJ was spinning some fire shit as he practiced, and the food smelled so damn good. The preacher and some people I told to slide through were pulling up and taking their seats.
We went around and lit all the damn candles that were sitting out just in time for Kenya to tell me they were pulling up.
“They are here!” I yelled out, and my heart started beating in my ears.
I took a few deep breaths as Keith pulled me to the side.
“It’s time, my boy, you ’bout to become a man, low-key.”
I tried to laugh, but my nerves wouldn’t let me. Then Kenya walked up to us.
“She looks amazing,” she said with a smile. That made my heart beat even more.
I nodded, and Keith told Kenya I was nervous.
“When you see her, all of that will go away. We got this. We are about to walk down the aisle, then Amir, when you hear your song, then you come.”
I nodded, and they walked off.
I thought I would have some more time to get my thoughts together, but nah. Kenya got shit started.
The DJ played a sax instrumental of “We Belong Together,” and I watched from the side as her girls and my niggas walked down the aisle, followed by my son. Then, I made my way around, heard the music switch to “Back to You,” and I started to walk down the aisle. As I made it to the front, standing with our people and the preacher, the sun dipped lower, and a slight breeze came through just as the driver of the truck walked around, opened the back door, and helped Islah and her parents out.
Kenya was right. All my nerves went away when I saw her. She was breathtaking in her cream-colored, flowy dress. My eyes started to water as the music changed to “I’m So Into You," and Islah started to walk toward me with a smile on her face.
