Darius 

“Come on, Lissa, dance with your old uncle!”

 

I heard Mike, Melissa’s uncle say as he pulled her out of her seat. I walked out into the backyard holding Raynique in my arms. She jumped down immediately as she saw her cousins playing in the backyard.

 

“Daddy, can I go play?”

 

“Go ahead, baby girl.” I barely got out before she started running across the yard.

 

The Juneteenth barbecue that Melissa’s parents were throwing was already in full swing. I could smell Charles’ famous burgers sizzling on the grill. 

 

Melissa spun in a circle around her uncle, breaking it down as he turned around to face her and pulled her in as “Ain’t No Woman Like the One I Got” by the Four Tops blasted through the speakers.

 

When she smiles so warm and tender. A sight for sore eyes to see…

 

Those lyrics hit me as I watched her laugh and smile on the dance floor. The summer sun had her glowing. I wanted so bad to step in and wrap my arms around her. I missed her. 

 

I made my way over to her father on the grill. He immediately handed me the pan so I could collect the burgers that he was finishing up.

 

 “How you been?”

 

“Miserable.”

 

“Yeah, nothing like realizing that the grass ain’t greener on the other side.”

 

“It’s piss in that grass and the shit is yellow.”

 

“We all fuck up. It’s how we move afterwards that makes the difference. How you been moving?”

 

            He looked up in my face and I knew he knew that me and Melissa were messing around. But what else had I done to make her see that I couldn’t live without her?

 

“I got some work to do.”

 

“You know Melissa is a giving person. When she was little and her cousins came for sleepovers, she took the floor while they slept in her bed. When she had Ray, she would spend her nap times doing stuff for the baby, walking around here looking like a zombie. She was either studying or taking care of the baby. Plenty of men sniffed around, and asked her out, but she was always in the house tending to our baby girl. Her mama and me had to force her to start taking care of herself. She still ain’t got it all the way. But my point is, you hurt her, but she’s afraid of hurting you and that’s why you standing next to me and not dancing with her. She don’t want to get back with you and then struggle with trusting you and then mess you up.” 

 

I knew how Melissa was, but never had I thought it would apply to this situation. 

 

“Fuck.” I whispered. Charles whistled and moved around the grill next to me like he didn’t just give me wisdom that could save my relationship with his daughter. 

 

“Well, put them burgers up and get to work.”

*************************************************************************************************************************************************

“Can I cut in?” I said to Uncle Mike as the last song ended as “This Is for the Lover in You” by Shalamar started to play.

 

“Lissa?” He looked over at Melissa who smiled and nodded. Her handed me her hand and walked off to join his brother.

 

Melissa stood there, absolutely shimmering under the setting sun. Her hair was back in its natural blonde and brown ombré curls, and she was wearing a light blue maxi dress that moved like water around her every time she took a step.

 

“So, you just gone stand there and look at me?”

​

I snapped out of it and immediately took her in my arms, swaying to the music.

 

“Melissa, I don’t even know what to say. I been a shitty man. But truthfully, I don’t want to sleep with you anymore unless it’s in our bed, in our home, and you staying.”

 

“You talked to my daddy, didn’t you?”

 

“Yeah, but I want you home, doll. Don’t you know that?”

 

“Darius, what do you want me to say?”

 

“I want you to say you bout to go pack your shit and come home with me tonight.”

 

“Did you quit your job?” She fired back.

 

“No. If you want to know, Toya quit, and I moved pharmacies. I couldn’t stay there. I did put in a reference for her, just so you know. I couldn’t let her lose her job off some fuck shit that was my fault.”

 

“You did what?”

 

“Melissa don’t do that. I haven’t talked to her since that day you saw us at the pharmacy. I did this all through somebody else. I wouldn’t do that you. I was at fault.”

 

“Well look at you, always a gentleman. Always taking care of your girls, right? Both of y’all were at fault, you know.” She spat out, bitterness dripping from her words. I stopped moving and looked down at her, the genuine pain in her face, hurt my chest.

 

“Stop playing, Melissa. Just because I fucked up doesn’t mean I have to be fucked up. I did the right thing considering, would you have wanted me to me an asshole, huh?”

 

“No, you stop playing. Are you still talking to her?”

 

“Of course not, I told you that I took care of things at work, and I haven’t seen or talked to her since.”

 

“Did you kiss her, or did she kiss you?” We stood, dead smack in the middle on the makeshift dance floor, staring at each other. Everyone else shifted from around us like they knew we needed the space.

 

“She kissed me. I stopped her and left right away.”

 

“Why did she even call you? Like help me understand how you even got to that.”

 

“I don’t know baby, it just got too out of hand. One moment she was a friend and the next-” I ran through it in my mind, trying to find an explanation for her, and for myself that got me where we were in this moment. Aside from being the love of my life, Melissa was my best friend, and I allowed another woman to feel like she could take that spot. That was the real sin.

 

“I’m sorry, Melissa.” I let out a deep breath and pulled her off the dance floor and to one of the patio tables. I led her to a seat and ran my hands down my cargo shorts before kneeling in front of her.

 

“I just let shit get out of control. I don’t have a good enough answer for you.”

 

“Am I not enough for you? I wanna know.”

 

“Melissa, you’ve always been more than enough for me. There is no one, and I swear to God, no one who could fill the place you have in my heart. Shit! You and Ray are my heart, I love y’all with everything in me and I swear I would tear down the fucking sky for y’all. I would lay down my life and give everything up for y’all. As long as I live, I’ll never make you feel like you aren’t good enough.” I reached up to wipe the tears falling from her eyes.

 

“I miss you, will you come home, please?” I could see in her eyes that she was fighting with herself, and I would glove up to get in that ring with her and knock out all the doubt that was pulling her away from me.

 

 

“Darius, I’m pregnant. 12 weeks.”

 

She said it so casually as she stroked her hand down the side of my face and into my beard. Melissa and I had talked about having more kids, but both of us were dealing with shit at work. There was a merger happening with the dental practice she was working for, and we weren’t sure that she would have the same opportunities once things were finalized. Something similar was happening at Hope pharmacy with the owners in the process of selling their small company to a larger organization. The shit has us both stressed the past two years, so a baby wasn’t in the cards at the moment, but to me this was a sign. I needed to make shit right more than ever now that I had a timeline.

 

“Your birthday.” I whispered and she nodded. I leaned into her lap and hugged her waist. Melissa and I had this way about us that could turn any moment into our own island. With just a touch or look and it was me and her, nobody else. Some of my favorite memories of ours were when we shared a touch in a crowded room and suddenly the world fell away. Finding out that the love of my life was carrying my child, would make this one of the memories that solidified my love for her, for us and our family. She rubbed my back, and we shared in the moment, just me and her.

 

“Mama!” Raynique slid into our bubble, stepping around and climbing over me and into her mother's lap. The dress she wore matched her mama’s and I managed to make the puff in her hair look just as good as when Lissa did it.

 

“Ray! You climbing all over your daddy, say excuse me.” She laughed and I stood up and took the seat next to Lissa, draping my arm across the back of her chair.

 

“I’m sorry daddy, I just didn’t get to see Mama cuz she was dancing with Uncle Mikey and then I saw her dancing with you.”

 

“It’s ok, Ray, I was trying to get the same attention from mommy.”

 

“Mommy, can we go home?” She looked up at her mother, her big brown eyes wide with hope.

 

“I need you, Lissa.” I leaned into her neck and nuzzled. Her vanilla smell assaulted my nostrils.

 

“Tomorrow, baby.”

 

“Yay! Daddy, mommy gets to come home!” She jumped over into my arms and nearly choked me, her arms were so tight around my neck.

 

“Ray, daddy, can’t breathe!” Melissa said, gently pulling her off me and she scurried off like a little squirrel. Melissa and I watched her, smiles playing on our faces. I could stay here forever, my heart feeling overwhelmed with love for this princess I was raising and the queen that brought her to me.

 

“I wonder if we’ll have a girl or a boy.” She looked down at the tiny pudge pushing through her dress.

 

“Can I?” I asked hovering my hand over belly and she nodded. I caressed her gently and leaned over to place a kiss on her lips. She didn’t fight me like I thought she would, but opened her mouth and slid her tongue in. I was in trouble if she kept this up cuz God knows I couldn’t resist this woman even if I tried.