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“Hey,” he said, coming from the back, wearing a pair of low slung pajama pants and a sleeveless t-shirt.
“Hey,” I returned. “Are the girls sleep?”
“Yeah, they took a shower and laid down. They’ve had a full couple of days,” Morris answered.
He handed me a glass of wine he’d already poured.
“Thank you,” I said after accepting the glass. I followed Morris to the couch, tucked my legs under me, sipped my wine, and waited for him to speak.
“So,” he started. “This was some day, right?”
“Yep, what do church people say? The devil is always up to something?”
“I think the saying goes, the devil is always busy,” Morris corrected.
“Exactly, we had that good day at church and came home to the devil and I’m not talking about Beatrice. I’m talking about Le’Ghetto,” I chuckled.
“Le’Asia,” Morris laughed. “Although your name fits her better. I haven’t spoken to her in years, not even hello or goodbye. I can’t stand her, so I stay away.”
“I can see why. She’s too much. I know her mouth has gotten her into some terrible situations.”
“Her and Bee. But I want to tell you that you handled that situation well. You even handled me and I appreciate it. I know that’s not easy stepping into the middle of a pre-existing situation like that,” Morris said.
“I just want everyone to be okay. I think that she gets on your nerves, so you handle her like she gets on your nerves. I get it. I just don’t want the girls to suffer because adults can’t communicate. And I get it. I know she’s done some dumb stuff, but I love you and the girls enough to referee. I don’t mind.”
“I love you, too,” Morris said.
I froze after his words registered.
“It’s not a figure of speech, and it’s not too early. It’s not in response to what you just said because maybe you meant a platonic neighborly love, but I’m in love with you. I’ve known that I loved you for a long time. My plans for us are not temporary, they are permanent. House, more kids, marriage, dog, black picket fence, exotic fish, all of it.”
Morris took my wine glass out my hand and placed it on the table. He took both of my hands in his.
“We can move as fast or as slow as you want. We can go dog shopping tomorrow, or we can start working on our son. I will follow your lead. Just so you understand my words, I want you, Cambria McLaren, to be my life partner in every way. I want you to be my family, and I want to be yours. No matter how slow or fast we move, our final destination is together.”
“Morris,” I removed my hand from his and cupped his face in my hand. “Is this some post-church, good feeling stuff you talking right now? Like are you still looking at your neighbor and repeating what the pastor said?”
He threw his head back and laughed.
“Leave it up to you to ruin a romantic moment!” he said between his laughter. “I’m serious!”
“But you know we looked at each other and repeated a phrase at least twenty times today during church, right?”
“We did! Everybody that got on the mic had some instructions for our neighbors,” he continued to laugh.
“Right? It was like turn and high five your neighbor. Touch your neighbor and say you missed it. Poke your neighbor in the eye and say you can’t see me!” Morris said.
We both laughed.
“And when that old deacon was trying to get up the steps, and he wouldn’t let anyone help him? It felt like the entire church was holding their breath, hoping he didn’t fall.”
“I know, I was like, please somebody help this man. He was shaking his leg and talking to it while he climbed those two little steps,” Morris laughed.
“If he would’ve fallen, he wouldn’t have been able to get back up!” I wiped the tears of laughter that had fallen.
“When he finally made it to the top, several people released an audible breath!” Morris added.
“I don’t know if anyone else was praying, but I was like, Lord, if you ain’t never listened to me before, please, oh please don’t let this man fall down these steps in front of the church. I ain’t gone be no good!”
