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“You did it,” he whispered, eyes watering from the influx of emotions.
Nodding, slowly, I communicated the only way possible at the moment. Childbirth had exhausted me, leaving me without energy or enough strength to do anything other than lay in silence.
“You did it, my love.”
He leaned over, kissing my forehead and pushing the hair that had fallen down out of my face.
“My God, you’re incredible, Anna.”
Hearing Anna’s name was startling. I opened my eyes, staring back at the screen in front of me. There she was again. The child who still felt foreign to me in more ways than I wanted to admit. Determined not to fall into the trap I’d just set for myself, I typed in the numbers on the card where they were requested and changed the delivery address from my apartment in Channing to my new home.
Before pressing the payment button, I double-checked the details and took a second to consider what was actually happening. For the man’s name who was sprawled on the card, I longed, wanting him to share the moment with me. But, for the life of me, I couldn’t pull myself away from the table or muster the gumption to pull him from his work in the field to watch me purchase merchandise for what could very well be my first failed business.
Sighing in defeat, I clicked the mouse pad on the laptop a final time before shutting the top down completely. I’d done it. Something that had been at the top of my to-do list for years, I’d finally done it. The urge to run out into the yard and share the good news was staggering, but I settled for a text to the one person I had no doubt would be proud.
Even after a coma, dreams can still come true. The grumpy Grinch has funded the start-up of the jewelry business I once couldn’t shut up about.
I sent the message, and before I could exit the thread, Jae was already texting back.
Stop lying!she replied. As I read the message, an incoming call from her made me cackle.
“Okay, maybe he isn’t the grumpy Grinch I imagined him to be,” she started, instead of greeting me.
“Well, hello, Jae.”
“Fuck all of that. How did this come about? You haven’t been there a full week and he’s buying you jewelry to start a business?”
“Yes.”
“Why?” she yelled. “I mean, I love it, but why? And, does he have a brother because I need one.”
“Yes,” I answered. Though he hadn’t revealed that detail, I understood why and how I knew it. “Four of them.”
The memories came flying in as I listened to Jae.
“Okay, well, I only have two usable holes, so that won’t work.”
Chuckling, I responded, “Jae, you play like you want a man until you get one.”
“And, then, I want nothing to do with them.”
“Exactly.”
“I’m getting better. I promise.”
“Did you date while I was—”
“No, but for good reason. And, that doesn’t mean I didn’t get my back scratched and my legs bent behind my head.”
“Isir?” I questioned, unable to control my laughter in the process.
“Honey, Isir couldn’t scratch my back with a back scratcher even if I lost both of my arms. Some men you can’t even let get close to the coochie and that man is one. I don’t care that he’s your cousin. He is the epitome of a fine ass, toxic ass son of a—”
“Okaaaaay. I get it.” Somehow, I enjoyed getting her worked up when I mentioned men I knew she was the furthest from interested in. I saw some things would never change between us.
“Umm hmmm.”
“I did hear that his dick is worth the toxicity, though. I’m just not trying to find out. Besides, doctors work too many hours. I’m already at work all the time it feels like. I need someone with more availability. Someone who sets their own schedule and it doesn’t collide with mine. That’s why I avoid the folks around the hospital.”
