Page 171 of Certified to Handle You
“What?” he asked.
“Nothin’,” I said, smilin’ back at him before I leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Just lookin’ at you.”
He laughed under his breath and shook his head, squeezin’ my hand a lil’ tighter, and I just smiled to myself before leanin’ back in my seat while the plane took off, tryna settle into the moment instead of lettin’ my thoughts run too far ahead of me.
The flight itself was easy, and smooth enough for me to sit here with my head restin’ back while I looked out the window every now and then.
By the time we started gettin’ closer to Trill-Land, I could feel all them emotions creepin’ in whether I wanted to deal with them or not.
I was happy to be goin’ back. I was happy to finally see my people and be there for My’Love and my godbaby Isley. I was really lookin’ forward to holdin’ my baby girl in person instead of just seein’ pictures and videos, but underneath all that, there was still somethin’ sittin’ in me that I couldn’t just ignore no matter how much I tried to focus on the good parts of this trip.
It wasn’t just about showin’ up to a party.
It was about everything that came with me bein’ there, everything I had left behind when I walked away and everything I might have to face now that I was comin’ back around it.
I moved a lil’ in my seat and turned my head to look at Couture, watchin’ how relaxed he was sittin’ next to me.
That alone grounded me ’cause he had been consistent with me from the start.
It mattered enough for me to remind myself why I made the decision I did.
I straightened up a lil’ and adjusted my hair, refocusin’ myself on what was in front of me instead of what I had already left behind.
After we finally landed and got off the plane, Couture handled the rental.
I sat in the passenger seat watchin’ him move while I scrolled through my phone again, checkin’ messages from Toni about the party and everything they had set up.
We dropped our bags off at the room, keepin’ it quick since we already knew we was runnin’ a lil’ behind, and after he grabbed the gifts we had got for My’Love, we headed right back out.
The drive to the party felt longer than it probably was, and the closer we got, the more I found myself sittin’ up straighter in my seat.
Couture reached over and grabbed my hand again, bringin’ it up to his lips and pressin’ a soft kiss to the back of it before settin’ it back down on his lap.
“You good?” he asked, glancin’ at me for a second.
“Yeah,” I replied, givin’ him a smile before lookin’ straight ahead again. I kept that same expression on my face even though I knew I was doin’ more convincin’ than actually feelin’.
I guess on paper, everything about my situation was exactly how it was supposed to be, and I had a man sittin’ right next to me who showed up for me without confusion.
I moved my hips in my seat and reached up to adjust my hair in the mirror, takin’ a quiet breath.
Right now, I was pullin’ up to my baby cousin’s birthday with a man who chose me.
Couture squeezed my hand again before lettin’ it go so he could park, and when the car finally came to a stop, I sat there for a second.
“Come on, baby,” he said, smilin’ at me while he got out and walked around to my side.
When he opened my door and held his hand out to me, I looked up at him for a second before placin’ mine in his and lettin’ him help me out.
I smoothed my outfit down once I was standin’, then looked toward the party, hearin’ the music and the laughter before we even made it all the way up.
“This gon’ be nice,” I said softly, more to myself than anything.
Couture grabbed the gifts, stepped beside me and wrapped his arm around my waist, pullin’ me close while we started walkin’ toward the entrance together.
“Long as you good, that’s all I care about,” he said, pressin’ another kiss to the side of my head.
I smiled at that, leanin’ into him just a lil’ more while we walked in together…
