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“Your location,” he said, shrugging as if it was nothing. “And when you ordered all of that fucking jewelry, they called to confirm the transaction and the shipping address. Thought it was fraud. That’s how I got the exact apartment number. I’d already checked out every possible floorplan in the building. None of them would be able to house us all comfortably.”
“That’s what you have a house and an entire farm for. Let’s not start with the amount of acres on that land.”
“Then, let’s not. I’m a suburban nigga, baby. I went there to heal. Now that my healing has occurred, I’m ready to get back to the suburbs. Weekends, summers, holidays; whenever we want to, we can go there. I’ve hired staff to keep the land in superior condition. I still wish to grow the food we eat, even if I’m not the one caring for the crops full-time.”
“You’ve given this much thought, huh?”
“As much thought as I’m going to give it, yes.”
His plans were set in stone, which led me to believe he had plans of fighting for our thing all along. Because I knew he wasn’t one to give up so easily, it didn’t surprise me at all.
* * *
The sunset was gorgeous.I watched out the floor to ceiling windows of my apartment. Malachi’s head rested against my chest. His hand caressed my growing belly. Aussie laid at the foot of my king-sized bed, having fallen asleep watching television.
Malachi’s stickiness had yet to run its course. I’d cleaned my vagina and the crack of my butt before climbing into bed to nap, but I could still feel the slipperiness. As much as I hated to disrupt his comfort, I needed to shower. He was so peaceful and so striking as he slept. I brushed his hair with my fingertips, over and over and over. It was the most soothing thing ever.
Tranquility supplied me with a fuller, healthier heart. Since Aussie and Malachi had stepped into my apartment hours ago, serenity consumed me. The simplicity of our dynamic left me utterly and wholeheartedly gratified.My people.
Though it wasn’t the stickiness between my legs that forced me out of bed, I still hated the idea of possibly waking Aussie or Malachi to relieve my bladder. Unfortunately, the option to wait wasn’t one I was privy of. It was always now or never when there was a baby occupying space in your belly, leaving your bladder with little room to expand and hold on to urine as it normally would.
Inching out of the bed, I replaced my body with a mound of pillows. As quickly and as quietly as possible, I tiptoed into the bathroom and closed the door behind me. The cold tiles on the floor cooled my elevated body temperature. Malachi and the heat that radiated from his body left me warmer than normal.
Relieving my bladder left me feeling lighter and less antsy. I started the shower shortly after cleaning myself up. When I finally stepped inside, I wasted little time placing my head under the faucet. I’d been promising myself I’d shampoo my hair for a full week and had yet to get to it. I sealed my lids, ready for whatever was behind them. I’d come to terms with my truth and found peace in knowing I’d been gifted with the ability to tap into a world beyond and before mine.
As of late, I hadn’t seen much of Anna and I was beginning to wonder if she’d finally found the peace she craved. In more ways than one, I missed my time with her. Her life was as beautiful as she was and it was well-lived. Though it ended tragically, I doubted the world deserved her to begin with. She was too pure for a place so hellbent on breaking every person birthed into its atmosphere.
Rest easy, I mourned, knowing I may never see her again. The last vision ended with her blood spilled, concluding her story. The tragedy stuck with me for weeks. It wasn’t until I added meditation to my daily routine that I was able to shift my thoughts in a different direction and overcome the sadness that haunted me.
The air from my bedroom rushed into the bathroom. I opened my eyes to see Malachi as he passed the shower, stopping at the toilet. After a minute of hovering, he flushed the toilet and made his way over to me. He pulled the glass door after removing his clothes, stepping into the shower as well.
“You left me,” he complained, wiping the sleep from his eyes.
“You were sleeping so peacefully.”
“I haven’t had a full night’s rest since three days before you left.”
Hearing his confession left me weary.
“Then why are you awake now? You should be sleeping.”
“I don’t want to sleep without you anymore. When I noticed your absence, my heart wouldn’t allow it. I’ve tried it enough in the last two months to know it’s never going to work.”
I gnawed on the inside of my lip as I placed my arms on Malachi’s shoulders. I intertwined my fingers behind his head and placed my shoulder near the crook of his neck. Just like that, with the water cascading down my back, I waited for my heart’s pace to regulate.
“How are you?” The question was heavy on my spirit.
“As of a few hours ago, I’m better, Aeir. I don’t know how the fuck I was doing before that.”
“I’m glad you’re better now.”
“Me, too. Your hair… it’s getting wet.”
“I know. It’s the only way I’ll shampoo it. I’ve been putting it off for a week now. I haven’t had the energy.”
Malachi said nothing more. He grabbed the bottle of shampoo from the shelf that was built into the shower wall. I watched as he squeezed a large serving in his hand and set it back down.
He gently pushed my body underneath the showerhead. I drenched my hair a second time and stepped forward again. He covered my hair in shampoo, using his fingers to massage my scalp and create a rich, bubbly lather.
