36. Asif

“I will give you some time to look around.” The realtor left the big ass den with a hell of a view.

Sophie was asleep on my shoulder, having tired herself out from running around the last five fucking houses we saw.

“I love this one. How much did she say?” Anastazia quizzed.

“Don’t matter.”

“Something could happen, and I’d need to pay the house note, budget, all that, Asif.” She paced, taking in the high ceilings and shit.

“I’m gon’ pay cash for it, so won’t be no note, only the taxes and shit,” I replied. “But it’s nineteen.”

“Nineteen what?” She turned to look at me with parted lips and wide ass eyes. “Million?”

“Yes. Definitely not thousand, love.”

“Shit. I never even dreamed of living in a house this expensive.” She continued, taking it in.

Nearing her, I said, “That’s my job to make yo’ fucking dreams come true.” I smirked. “Give you shit you never even thought of having.”

“You have definitely been doing that, and not just with material things.” She leaned her head back for a peck, and I obliged. “Hmm.” She looked around again before hugging me on the side since Sophie had taken over my other. “We are gonna need the room.”

“Word?” I looked down at her, wondering if she was finally confirming my fucking theory.

“Yep, we’re having a baby—Asif!” She screeched when I picked her up with my free arm to kiss her neck. “You being this strong just turned me on.” She laughed before kissing my lips.

“Damn, I know it’s a boy too.”

“I don’t know, could be a girl.” She fixed her dress as the realtor stepped down into the room, seeing me place my girl to her feet.

“I really don’t care, but I just got a feeling it’s a little me in there.” I touched her stomach, making the agent smile as if she knew what the fuck was going on.

“So what do we think? Or would we like to schedule some more showings?”

I looked down at Anastazia, who was blushing with her pretty ass, even prettier now that I knew for sure my baby was growing in her womb.

“We will take it,” she answered.

“All cash offer, and I need a fifteen-day closing,” I added.

“Yes, sir.” The agent rushed up, shaking my hand and then Anastazia’s.

“Thank you, baby,” she said as we started out of the room and eventually out of the house.

“No need to thank me, love. I told you, you only getting what you deserve. I don’t just talk; I walk that shit too. So I can show you that shit better than I can tell you.” I kissed her hand that was cupped in mine. “Always remember, you rare, and I’m lucky.”

“Where you going?” I asked Anastazia as she climbed her naked ass out the bed.

“I wanna show you something. I was gonna wait and do it tomorrow, but I want to now.” She went into her bag that sat on the bedroom floor. Walking back, she sat on the bed and handed me some papers. “I’d planned to wait until after we were married, but I figured, for what? We’re engaged already, have a baby coming, and a new house.”

I read it over, making sure I understood that Sophie’s last name had been changed to St. Thomas. I’d already adopted her, so this was the last official step.

“You change yours too?” I joked.

“No. I need my marriage certificate and wedding first.”

I studied the papers again and said, “This shit means a lot to me, love, for real.”

“I know, and I love that it means a lot to you. I always felt bad that Sophie wouldn’t have a father like I had, because she had Cedric, but then I met you. I never thought I’d say this, but sometimes you rival my daddy.”

“That’s a big ass compliment.”

“It is. Surprisingly, my mama agrees.” She nodded as I put the papers on my nightstand. We lay down, her head on my chest like usual. “The invitations have gone out, so we will be official in just under a year.”

“I know, and I can’t fucking wait,” I admitted.

“Me either.” She turned onto her stomach to kiss me. “I love you, Asif.”

“I love you too, baby.”

The next morning…

My phone buzzing like crazy woke me up just as the smell of bacon and buttery pancakes danced up my nose, letting me know Anastazia was in there whipping it up.

Sitting upright, I massaged my eyes before snatching my device off the nightstand.

“Hello?” I cleared my throat after speaking, massaging the tiredness from my eyes.

“Hi, Asif, this is Brian. I’m using the hospital phone,” he replied, sounding sad as fuck and making my stomach plummet.

“Yeah, uh, what’s good, Brian?” I stood up, going to look out of my penthouse windows for the last time. We’d be moving in to our new spot this weekend.

“Nori, um, she…” He broke down crying before he could finish, and next thing I knew, the nurse was on.

“Hi, Mr. St. Thomas. What Mr. Davies was trying to say is that, sadly, your mother has passed away.”

“What?” I frowned. “How? I get she had a stroke, and it damaged her brain, but she was alive and seemingly aight. How the fuck she die?” I felt my chest get tight, and I hated it. Hated that I gave a fuck, but that was the downside of being human, I guessed.

“Yes, but she suffered from another one this morning, and that one proved to be fatal. We did everything we could to save her but?—”

“Tell Brian I’ll pay for the funeral arrangements and shit, just hit me.” I hung up, not wanting to hear any more of what the fuck she was saying.

The way she talked, like she did this shit every day, fucked with me. She sounded like she was telling me how to bake a fucking pie instead of that my mother had died.

“Ready to eat? I made pancakes.” Anastazia appeared smiling, but it vanished as soon as she looked at me. “What’s wrong?”

“She gone.” I sat down in the chair near the window, in disbelief. For as long as I’d been alive, Nori had always been there, somewhere, and now that wasn’t the case. I’d spent so long hating her ass, I didn’t know what the fuck to feel at the moment.

“Who? Nori?” Anastazia came closer before sitting in my lap.

“Yeah.” I ran my hand down my face. “I told her husband I’d pay for the funeral arrangements and shit. One thing she did do was give a nigga life, so I can repay her for that.”

“Are you sad?”

I paused, thinking for a beat. “Lil bit, but not the way I would be if this were Lisara. I’m more so sad that we never got to mend our shit while she was here.” I swallowed hard, hugging Anastazia around her torso as she caressed my locs. “I’m thankful I got Lisara, though, for real. I couldn’t imagine dealing with this shit and having no mother figure.”

“I get that, and she’s a great replacement.”

“Real shit.” I bobbed my head. “Woman don’t love me no different than her actual sons. I think she may fuck with me more than them.”

We cracked up.

“I wouldn’t blame her if she did. You’re a hard man not to love.” She lifted my face some to kiss my lips.

Anastazia gave me a few more as my hand grazed her stomach, grateful for her and the life that was there. The thought made me stand her up so I could kiss her stomach.