Page 31 of Nothing Without You

“Yeah,” she replied.

“Ready?” I asked, wanting to make sure it was okay to spill the good news to the boys. We had held it in for a few days because Chyna wanted time to sit with it between the two of us and settle into the life-changing moment. We’d decided that today, we would tell the boys, and over the next week, we would tell our families and friends. I couldn’t wait to introduce her to my parents and surprise them with the news. I knew they’d be shocked, but I also knew they would love Chyna and Liam like their own.

Chyna was a bit more nervous to tell her family. She was really close with her people, and she knew they would have a lot of questions. Plus, it wasn’t a secret that I was an acquired taste. I didn’t care what they thought, though, because I was here for the long haul, and everyone else needed to get with the program. Chyna Doll and Liam were mine now, and there was nothing I wouldn’t do for them. I gained a fiancée and a son all in one motion, and I was the happiest man on the planet.

She offered me a smile and reached across the table and squeezed my hand. “Ready.”

“Y’all wanna hear the good news?” I asked the boys, gaining their attention once again.

“Sure,” KJ said as if he was bored. His head was propped in his hand as he ate a piece of broccoli. Chyna always insisted on the boys, including my grown ass, eat a vegetable with every meal.

“We’re getting married,” I said with a big smile. It felt so damn good saying that out loud.

Silence stretched around the table. After a moment, Chyna asked, “Did you hear him, boys? We’re getting married.”

“Okay.” Liam shrugged.

“We know,” KJ replied.

Chyna frowned. “Oh yeah? How do you know? Did you tell them?” She looked at me.

Before I could respond, KJ said, “Daddy bought a shiny rock.”

Chyna’s mouth hung open. “You showed them the ring?”

I groaned as I slid a hand down my face. “No. They walked into the room the other day when I was looking at it.”

“You couldn’t hide it?” she asked.

“Him tried.”

“And him cried.”

“I didn’t cry,” I argued, knowing that was a lie. There had definitely been a moment where I let a few thug tears drop the day before I gave Chyna my presentation. As life-changing as this was for her, it was just as much for me.

Both Liam and KJ nodded their heads. “You had wet eyeballs.”

“Aight, man. Enough about that. What do you think about us getting married?” I asked, irritation filling me. Lil niggas stayed outing me.

KJ shrugged again and ate a fry. Liam looked at Chyna.

“I see the rock?” Liam asked. Chyna giggled and showed him her hand. Liam appraised it before he nodded. “I can have it?”

Chyna’s smile quickly turned to a frown. “What? No. It’s mine, Bear.”

Liam frowned. “But you get Kee.”

I laughed. He wasn’t wrong there. “You want a shiny rock, Li?” Liam nodded excitedly. I looked at KJ. “And what about you, Junior?”

KJ pointed at Chyna. “I get Doll, Daddy.”

“Okay, so Chyna gets me and a rock, Li gets a rock, and KJ gets Doll. What does Daddy get?”

Liam and KJ looked at each other and then back at me before they spoke at the same time.

“Us and Mommy,” Liam said.

“Me, my brudder, and Doll,” KJ said.