Demi’s eyes widened slightly, and her mouth fell open. “As in Duke Jr.?”
“Kind of,” I explained. “His name is Nathaniel Duke Ware.”
“Oh, Duke. I know that had to tear you up inside.” She hugged me then, offering me her strength and her comfort. “I’m so sorry.”
I held on to her for dear life, as the first tear spilled from my eyes finally. “I met him today.”
She pulled back, searching my eyes and brushing the tears from my face. “How was that?”
“Hard. He looks like me. Plays basketball, likes the girls. He’s even seen my Reels.”
Demi smiled. “He sounds like a wonderful boy.”
I rested my head on her shoulder. “He’s happy. His adopted parents take good care of him. I can’t take him from them.”
She trailed her fingers over my scalp and kissed my forehead. “I understand.”
“I thought about you and how you had shitty parents, but they did one thing right.”
Rolling her eyes, she said, “Justone.”
“They didn’t fight the guardianship.”
“Not because they were altruistic,” she muttered.
I drew back. “What?”
She pressed my head against her shoulder again. “That’s a story for another day. Go ahead.”
Sighing, I swept my hand over her thigh. “What would I look like if I came in there, guns blazing, demanding that he come live with me? I’d have to take them to court and put him through interviews, forcing him to choose between a virtual stranger versus the only parents he knows. I don’t want to do that to him.”
“I understand. What Carolyn did was fucked up, robbing you of the chance to be a father to your child.”
“I did the math. She had him before Trinity died, during her divorce. She must’ve hidden the pregnancy to prevent her husband from having a claim to the baby.”
“Still… she sucked. If she was alive and younger, I would beat her ass. Rest in peace.”
Unable to help myself, I laughed. “You’re silly. I wanted to tell you.”
“You really should’ve.” I squeezed her until she cracked up. “Okay, okay. You get one. And only because this was life-changing and traumatic.” She jabbed her finger in my chest. “After this, you can’t do that shit again. No lying. Not even by omission. Definitely no leaving without notice. I don’t know what’s wrong with y’all. Blake did the same thing to Lennox. That’s bullshit and—”
I kissed her silent. “Got it.”
“You hungry?”
I nodded. “I haven’t eaten all day.”
“Then you’re in luck.” She flashed a grin. “I feel like cooking.”
Eyeing her skeptically, I asked, “What you gon’ cook?”
“Stop acting like I don’t know my way around a kitchen.”
“You can’t even peel an egg,” I teased.
Frowning, she smacked my shoulder playfully. “Shut up. Those eggs were defective. I’ll make a burger.”
“And you won’t burn it?”
