“Oh, I won’t take long. I just want to tell you about a friend of mine named Jesus,” Pastor Edmonson informs in a humorous tone. I believe he knows more about Kid’s intentions than he lets on as he places a gentle hand on his shoulder. Kid looks to me for assistance.
I shrug and say, “I have a thing over here. Holla ‘atcha lata.”
Petey’s laughter takes on an elevating volume as he walks off in a different direction. I turn and see my special guest approaching.
Before I go to them, I glance around for Rayna. She’s still conversing with her grandmother when I approach her. Rayna grabs my hand when she looks up to find me, and pulls my arm around her waist as she continues to chat. I revel each show of unconscious affection Rayna gives. It reminds me of her nurturing side; the one she thought she was void of. I can stand this way forever, having her soft frame curved into mine. However, we have to move.
I offer her grandmother, Mrs. Brimm, a polite smile before I murmur in Rayna’s ear, “You have a special guest here to see you.”
“Oh, yeah…?” Rayna asks, not looking for any answer in particular, as she angles her head around, “Who?”
I pivot her frame beneath me in the correct direction. Our latest guests stand in the center of the galley, looking each way. It takes a few seconds before I see Rayna’s hands rise to her mouth underneath me.
“Oh, my…” Rayna can’t speak.
“Auntie Na-Na!” the little princess shrills and takes off running in our direction, dropping the Barbie doll she had cupped beneath her arm. She leaves her great aunt and uncle behind with pleased smiles.
Dan Smith throws me a nod and wink after I release Rayna to rekindle with Erin. When they meet, Rayna catches Erin in her arms and raises her high in the air, even while draped in her flowing wedding gown. The site of my wife in her gown with a child gleefully in her arms on our wedding day twists something deep inside of me. I thought I had let the miscarriage go, but I see I have more work to do in that respect.
As Rayna and Erin reunite, Dan Smith strolls over to me, wearing the same pleased smile that I have covering on my face. I’m sure, though for different reasons; Rayna is my wife. It’s my job to meet her needs. She needs this little girl in her life. For Dan, it’s simply doing a good deed in the memory of his niece. Dan agreed to my surprise of waiting down in the salon with Erin until the formalities of the ceremony were out of the way. I knew that Erin’s presence before that would have overwhelmed Rayna.
“I’m glad I was able to do this, Mr. Jacobs,” Dan offers his hand for a shake.
I oblige, “Please, Azmir will do just fine, Dan. I’m glad you agreed to this. This day can’t get any better.” I then turn to face him, “I hope this didn’t come as too much trouble for you.” I honestly could give a rat’s ass if it had.
Michelle’s cousin, Amber, is a bitch with a pitchfork for withholding Erin from Rayna. Keeping with my promise not to sic my legal team on this, I tried going another route. I cut a deal to donate a sizeable contribution to Smith’s prosthetic endeavor. It isn’t just about me keeping my word to Rayna. It also has to do with the type of fight we’d have to engage in considering Rayna has no legal right to Erin, she isn’t a blood relative like Amber. If we had gone to war, it would have consisted of a dirty fight, using some immoral proclivities Amber may or may not have stashed away in her closet. I didn’t want to do that in the wake of Michelle’s memory.
“No, not much. I just had to push my familial authority in order to get Amber to reason. And now that I’m seeing these two together,” he gestures over to Rayna and Erin. “I’m only sorry that I didn’t intervene sooner.” I give Dan a final handshake and excuse myself.
The night seems to have sped by after their union. We’re on the Pacific, sailing arbitrarily, under the moon. We eat, drink, and cut up in merry. Boyd and his staff are exceptional. The food is great. I’ve flown the biggest Big Dawg Pitbull out of New York to spin the wheels on the yacht. Flex is cutting records like nobody’s business for our small crowd. Rayna owns the dance floor, even giving me a few dances after our initial dance as man and wife. At one point, there’s a line of men, waiting to dance with her. It seems all but one of my friends dance with my wife. I guess Wop is too preoccupied with her little sister to care.
Later, my bride disappears down into the lower level for a while to spend alone time with Erin. I try avoiding Chyna and her girlfriend and keeping Wop’s ass away from them at the same time. Kid gives up his chase of them after his words with Pastor Edmonson. I have no idea what he could have told that dude to spook him so, but I’m grateful for the halt in quest.