Page 52 of Protecting Her Halo
“I know you not eating my son fruit snacks,” I questioned.
“See TT, this why Ion stop by y’all crib when I come home. All Unc does is complain.”
“All you do is eat up everything,” I shot back.
“I’m still growing,” Nash laughed. “Plus, I woke up and got right on the road so I could make the match.”
“Give my baby his fruit snacks back,” Elise laughed, snatching his pack back.
“See, my wife on my side lil nigga.”
“Ohhhh, Uncle Rashawn said a bad word,” Eliza tattled.
“Rashawn,” Ms. Candace scolded me.
“My bad,” I raised my hand in surrender. “See Nash. You come in here getting it started.”
“Ain’t my fault you don’t know how to talk around the kids. I still remember how you used to talk to me. Eliza, he used to talk to me real bad. Still do when y’all not around,” Nash told her.
Eliza cut her eyes at me. She didn’t play about her brother or sister. “Man, you wanna box, Eliza?” I fake took off my jacket.
“Daddy!” She shouted, tapping her dad’s shoulders.
“Wassup, baby girl?”
“Get Rashawn for me,” she pointed over her shoulder.
“You messing with my baby girl?” Essex questioned, pulling Eliza into his lap.
“Eliza, Ion buy snitches ice cream,” I shook my head.
“Nash will.”
“That’s right, baby girl. I buy Capri Suns, fruit snacks, ice cream, and I don’t complain about it,” Nash nodded.
“Alright, we have to get going if I’m going to eat lunch with y’all before meeting my girls,” Elise announced, looking at her Apple Watch.
“Let’s go,” I said, kissing her cheek and helping her up from the bleachers.
The entire gang was herded out of the gym and packed into various cars because certain kids wanted to ride with other people. I didn’t mind. RJ wanted to ride with Nash, giving us a moment alone. The breezy March air allowed me to ride with the windows halfway down. The fresh air felt good against my face.
“Did you see how fast Nova took that girl down?” Elise inquired. She was still in her element, and I loved watching her do something that brought her so much joy.
“I did,” I nodded. “I knew from the moment she stepped out there, all confident and shit, that she was taking the win.”
“Yes, my Niecey Pooh just had to work off those jitters during the first match. She had her stride today.”
I glanced at Elise while we stopped at a red light, and she caught me. A grin instantly spread across her face.
“What?”
“Nothing, just admiring my wife. You’re fucking perfect. An angel walking among us. Nothing and no one on this earth couldever tilt your halo,” I leaned over and pecked her lips, but Elise squeezed the sides of my face and deepened the kiss.
“Get off my sister nigga!” Essex shouted as he passed us. I pulled back, knowing that the light had turned green since he drove past us.
I reached over and grabbed Elise’s hand, brushing my thumb across her knuckle. We had one hell of a journey to reach our happily ever after, but I’d do it all again to experience that blissful moment with Elise.
