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I stepped back and allowed her to move so I could open the door, and she got inside quickly. Lowering myself, I put on her seatbelt, just like I used to do when we were in school. She was a horrible driver, and I would tease her about risking our lives every time I let her drive. With my face just inches away from hers, I looked at her lips. They looked just as juicy and soft as always. She licked them, and I had to force myself to get out of the car.
“Be safe, Shalom.”
Nodding, she avoided my eyes as she squeezed her thighs together. “You too.”
Closing her door, I took a step back and watched her leave. She was so fuckingbeautiful. Her slim-thick frame highlighted the weight she’d gained over the years in the best way. That honey-brown skin had been begging to be kissed by me all fucking day. I loved when she blessed me with her slanted, dark eyes for more than a second.
This was too much.
What the fuck was I thinking, agreeing to work with her?
If I wasn’t careful, the woman I once loved, then hated, would be the woman I loved all over again.
* * *
Symphony was sixteen weeks pregnant. She cried when we heard the baby’s heartbeat. Now that she felt more settled with everything, she was ready to talk, and our conversation had me wanting to meet with Shalom so we could talk. Symphony shared with me how nervous she was when she thought she was pregnant. Her biggest fear was the father not wanting to be there for her. She understood regardless of his place in her life, that baby was a forever thing, and that was a big choice to make.
She also shared with me how her mother’s rejection made her feel. For a while, she considered adoption. Abortion was never an option. I asked her what made her decide to keep the baby, and she said it was the thought of having a human being that was half of her in this world and not in her life. Symphony wasn’t 100 percent sold on keeping the baby. If she felt like she wouldn’t be able to give him or her the life they deserved, adoption would always be on the table, but the longer she waited, the harder it would probably be.
Before I could stop myself, I told her I would adopt the baby if she needed me to. At least that way, she’d still be in their life and able to have them back when she felt she was ready. That made her cry, which made me cry, and Unc made it worse when he called me crying after she called and told him what I’d offered.
We were going to sit down with the father and his family and see how they felt. Even though Symphony was young, I didn’t think it would come to that. With the father, her father, and me, I felt like she’d be able to not only finish school and not have to worry about work but be able to give her baby all it needed and still live her life.
It was no secret to anyone that I wanted marriage and a family, but I was particular about who I wanted those things with. I didn’t want just anyone mixing half of her bloodline with mine. Adopting my little cousin was different. I didn’t have a fear of being too attached to the child to want to give them back to Sym when she was ready. They would grow up knowing she was their mother, and I was their cousin. I chuckled as I drove, thinking about how different my life would have been if someone in my family offered me that same grace. The truth was, they didn’t know.
My parents were adamant about keeping the baby a secret. They were all I had, and knowing my grandmother was my only source of help was daunting. I kept trying not to go back to that time, but looking back on it now as an adult, especially after talking to Sym, I see things in a slightly different way. That’s why I was glad Shalom agreed to see me. Even though I was still hurt over her getting the abortion, I can understand now that it was more her decision and her choice than mine.
When I pulled into the parking lot of the pavilion, I was glad it wasn’t too crowded. The walking trail around the small body of water was the perfect place for us to walk and talk. By the time I arrived, Shalom was already there. We got out of our cars at the same time. Even dressed simply in a two-piece crop top and leggings set with her hair in a bun, Shalom looked damn good. I had to avoid looking at her to keep my dick from getting hard.
“Hey,” I spoke when we were just a few inches apart.
“Hi.”
“Thanks for agreeing to meet me.”
“It’s cool. You sounded like it was important.”
As we started to walk the trail, I tried to think about how I wanted to broach this topic. She looked up at me, but I avoided her eyes. Gently, Shalom nudged my shoulder, causing me to look down at her.
“What?” I asked with a smile.
“You’re making me nervous.”
Chuckling, I resisted the urge to wrap my arm around her shoulders. “I just wanted to apologize.”
“For what exactly?”
“I need to start from the beginning.” I paused, and she silently held the space. “I have a cousin who just turned sixteen. You remember Uncle George?”
“Oh yeah, I loved him. He was fun.”
“Yeah, well, Symphony is his daughter. We have a tight bond. I’m starting to think I had her so much as a baby because…” I paused and swallowed the lump in my throat. “She would have been two years younger than our baby.” Her feet stopped moving, but she picked back up her pace. “I envisioned how differently things would have been if they would have been able to grow up together like me and my cousins.” Clearing my throat, I blinked back my tears. “Anyway, she’s pregnant and she’s staying with me because her mom kicked her out.”
“Oh my God.” Shalom stopped walking and turned sideways, so I did the same.
“Uncle George moved to Rose Valley Hills after they divorced three years ago. She spends holidays and weekends with him. Until she’s done with school, she’s going to be staying with me. Symphony is really smart and has a bright future ahead of her. She’ll be graduating next year and will only have one class to take.”
“Wow, that’s amazing, Mecca. You sound really proud.”
