13. November

THIRTEEN

Kneeling, brown kids searched her eyes for things that reminded them of themselves. Her eyes belonged to them. Her skin belonged to them. Even the bow of her lips belonged to them.

Cup touched her mama's face, outlining her bell pepper nose. Cake touched her hair, feeling the coils her mama fussed about on wash day.

"So, you our biological mama?" Cake asked. Her southern drawl was just the cutest and told a story about her upbringing. Dallas, Texas, ran through her with her little cowboy boots on. Her twins were six years old and kind of tall for their ages.

Candi looked up to the woman and man who had raised her babies. She didn't want to disrespect them and what they'd taught her babies. When Jessica nodded, Candi thanked her with her eyes. "Yes. I am your biological mama and you two are so pretty."

Cup rolled her eyes. "We look like you, duh!"

Jay laughed at how fiery Candi's girls were. Sass had to be genetic.

For the past three months, he'd employed four private investigators to find Candi's twins. When they found out she was pregnant, Jay knew she needed to lay eyes on the first set of kids she'd birthed.

Candi had made so much progress with her healing and he was proud of her. She opened up more to him and even invited him to a few of her therapy sessions and AA meetings. His support was much needed and appreciated. Jay showed up every day for her with a smile on his face.

Her sister, Jazze, got married a little over a month ago and she decided not to attend. It hurt her to not be there for her big sister but she still had shit to work through when it came to her prior relationships. Jay stood behind her decision one hundred percent and became a mediator between Candi and Jazze, encouraging them to continue taking steps forward.

They had been through some things over the last few months like a possible baby that turned out not to be his. Jay wasted no time clearing that up. As soon as Nobi had the little boy, a DNA test was done. When it came to his Magic, he did any and everything.

Like, find her babies.

"That's your husband?" Cake asked, darting her eyes over to Jay, who stood at a distance to allow Candi her time with her kids.

Snickering, Candi turned toward Jay with nothing but love in her eyes. She was going to suck the skin off his dick later and give him full access to beating her kitty up. "He will be one day. What's your name?"

Cup answered first. "I'm Consuela, but my ma calls me Cup."

"And I'm Courtney. They call me Cake."

Candi's eyes went to Jessica. She was emotional behind them keeping the nicknames she gave them in the hospital room. It was the one way she knew she would be able to find her girls again. The name came from her best friend Navee's nickname. They called her Cupcake. Thoughts of her friendship or lack thereof made more tears fall. One day, she prayed she could get herself together to at least get her sister and best friend back.

Candi wiped her face. "Those are pretty names."

Cake placed her hand her Candi's small pudge. "You gonna have a baby?"

"Mhm." Candi nodded, still trying to control the water in her eyes.

"Can we love him, too?" Cake asked, reaching to wipe one of her tears that rolled slowly down Candi's face.

Jessica and Ben approached. They were ecstatic when Jay's private investigators reached out. They wanted their girls to know where they came from and hopefully be able to form a safe and healthy bond. She and her husband were both in Tech and couldn't have kids. Instead of paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to try to get pregnant, they decided to adopt. When they got the call about Cup and Cake, they flew to Jade City to claim the prettiest, dark brown girls she'd ever laid eyes on.

"I think he would love to have two big sisters like you." Jessica smiled, leaning down to rub Candi's back.

Them accepting her made Candi sob. "Oh God," she whispered, trying to control her breathing.

"Can we love him too?" Cup pointed at Jay standing behind Candi.

Still with tears in her eyes, Candi turned again to look at Jay. "No." She sobbed more, covering her mouth.

Jay was on one knee with a black box in his hand. "Come here, Magic." He pushed out a smile, despite him wanting to cry too.

The day was already the best day of her life. Candi didn't think she could take all the love she was receiving. Her heart had to learn to expand—it had been compressed for so long. "Jayshun." Her voice was muffled by her hands covering her face. She peeked through her fingers, hoping he had gotten up.

"Come here, Magic." He laughed at her silliness.

"I think you should go, Magic." Cup laughed at the cute pet name.

"I think so too," Ben urged. "You might have to come get'er, man."

Candi did her best to gather herself before standing. Her legs felt like noodles and her heart felt like it was going to explode out of her chest. She was so full. Felt so complete. So healed. So loved. Her hands shook when he reached for them.

"You so fuckin' pretty," Jay growled lowly, loving the designer overalls she wore with a cropped top that showed off her moisturized little bump. Candi was three months pregnant. They didn't know what they were having but everyone seemed to believe it was a boy.

They had been living on the farm and Jayshun purchased every animal she could think of. Her favorite had to be the black and brown horse she named Magic. Candi loved being in Alabama, surrounded by her man, animals, and his family who loved on her like she came from them.

"Jayshun." Candi pouted.

Slipping the ring on her finger, Jay didn't have to ask her if she would marry him. He knew she would. He knew everything about her—knew what she needed before she needed it. Knew when to love her more and when to dial it back. Jay never left a stone unturned when it came to her. "Yours to have, mine to love." He spoke his promise to her.

Nodding, Candi waited for Jay to stand before she jumped into his arms. "Mine to have, yours to love… for-fuckin'-ever!"

The End.