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“Ummmm.”
When it was time to rinse, I went under the water again. He repeated the same steps with the conditioning moisturizer. Instead of lathering, it slipped and slid all over my head. We rinsed it and allowed my hair to rest while focusing on the body.
Malachi chose a peach-scented body wash to soap my towel with. Starting with my neck, he made his way to my shoulders, down my chest, across both breasts, under my armpits, and across my belly where he paused.
“I’m having a son, Aeir.”
“And I can only pray that he’s even half the man you are.”
“Am I really that great of a man?” he scoffed. “I don’t know anymore, Aeir.”
He continued down my belly, twirling me in a half circle so he could get my back. When he was done, I turned back around to face him.
“A few bad decisions don’t make you a bad man, Malachi. Your heart is good. Your intentions are good. You’re one of the smartest people I know. You raised your daughter alone for two whole years and she’s smarter, wiser than any child that’s ever stepped into a classroom of mine.
“Malachi, she’s not even three yet. Up until Anna’s death, you were the husband that women dream of. You’ve made a life for yourself. You built an empire. If you lost it all today, I’m positive you could rebuild it.”
“I did lose it all. I lost everything.”
He stopped wiping my body. Pausing, the realization left his mouth agape. I wished this man nothing but happiness and joy for the days to come. He’d suffered enough. I was tired for him.
“But you didn’t lose your tenacity, your drive, your grit, or your grind. You took a break. You rested. We all need rest sometimes. It’s not the end. It’s usually the beginning of something bigger, something better.”
“Hank, though?” He shook his head, eyes saddening immediately.
“I knew the moment you brought him into the classroom. I wished I could’ve told you then. The visions were sparked the second I saw his face. I didn’t have to close my eyes or fall asleep. They came rushing in. From that moment on, I was unwell. Sick to my stomach knowing it was your best friend that took the life of Anna. I was scared to even close my eyes at night.”
“Every night you woke up in sweat, fighting for your life.”
He washed my body, cleaning the soap from all the places he’d scrubbed with the towel. I began soaping the towel with a more neutral scent, one that wouldn’t have him smelling too fruity. I started with his neck, working my way down.
“She fought for hers, Malachi. I want you to understand. To the last second, she fought for you and for Aussie and for her parents. It just wasn’t enough. She wasn’t a true warrior. She was a wife. That was enough for her.”
“I know. I dropped the ball. She always joked about learning to… I just… I won’t make the same mistake again. Everything you said to me that night, it was true.”
“It was,” I agreed. “I never wanted to express it in that fashion but—”
“I pushed you. I drove you to that point.”
“Yes.”
“I know. I’ll apologize until I’m blue in the face.”
“You don’t have to. All has been forgiven. I want to let go of the past and focus on our future. At this point, it’s all that matters.”
“You have to meet my people.”
“I have.”
“You’ve met a few. There’s still Pops, Mercer, Makai, Ledge, and Chem.”
“Chem?”
“You don’t remember him?”
“I wish I did.”
“I’m not surprised. He doesn’t live in the States anymore and he’s hardly around. It’s rare that we hear from the nigga, but when he needs to be… he’s around.”
