Page 48 of Standing In The Sun
Then he looked down at Kamari, and in that moment, Ahvi saw it clear as day. She saw it in the quiet way his eyes softened, in the way he breathed just a little deeper, like Kamari made the air feel different. The windows to his soul opened wide, and there it was…
The desire to love, and just as deep…the desire to be loved back.
“Took your ass long enough!” Aku’s voice pulled Ahvi’s attention away from Lunar and Kamari.
“Aku, stop being a baby,” Noodle shook her head.
Ahvi licked her lips hoping she didn’t have a starstruck look on her face. There was no way she was actually in the room withTheJacory. Like, she’d talked to her over the phone, then again even that felt like a dream.
Noodle held out her long arms. “Ahvi, come give me a hug, girl…acting like you don’t know who I am.”
How was this even her life? she thought, looking at them circling her as if she belonged.
Like Aku, Noodle had height on her. Ahvi wasn’t short—she was more of an average height at five-feet-five and Noodle and Aku seemed to be at least five-seven.
“What’s up?” Bu slithered beside Noodle, smiling down at Ahvi. He was even taller than the three of them but not quite up there with Javen, Maverick, or Monday.
How was everyone in the circle so damn fine though! Ahvi thought, hoping no slobber dripped from her mouth from all the drooling they had her doing.
But Bu’s voice was the fuckin’ topper. With his red cap flipped backwards, Ahvi could see why Noodle had transitioned into wearing so much red. There had been a whole expose on her style change on social media with one blog even making Times magazine - it was that important. People seemed to care just that much. Ahvi thought it was kinda weird but seeing them in person, she might’ve cared too much too.
Over her thirty-day stint, Lunar had three-wayed Bu a few times when life behind bars was becoming too much for her. His tone was smooth, deep, and sometimes jumbled with quick wit and knowledgeable banter that stuck with her.
“Took y’all long enough,” Qamar came over passing Bu a glass with brown liquor in it. “Come chop it up with me about this damn wedding.”
Noodle and Bu got engaged a little over a year ago. The engagement had been fun, with them handling their business and traveling the world together. Bu wined and dined her every chance he got, but she was ready to set a wedding date. Now, the budget was what Qamar wanted to talk about. With Noodle’s biological father dead, Qamar wanted to step up and pay for her wedding. Bu wasn’t all the way onboard since his landscaping business brought in enough money for him to give the love of his life the wedding of her dreams.
“Qamar,” Noodle whined, following behind them. “I’ll be back, girl.” She said to Ahvi.
Ahvi snickered and went into the kitchen to grab a drink. She wanted to hit some of the weed that she’d smelled coming from outside, but she didn’t want to smell like it around Kamari. Even though he didn’t seem to want to be up under her anyway.
After grabbing her drink, she went into the living room to catch a breather. She wasn’t in there long before Lunar walked in with Kamari.
“You okay?” Lunar asked, sitting close to her, their legs touching.
Placing her drink down on the beautiful wooden coffee table, she grabbed Kamari. “Yes, it’s a lot being here with y’all.”
“Why?”
“I mean, do you not see all that black excellence in there?” She kissed all over Kamari, making him laugh. “Mommy, missed you so much, Mari.”
Kamari grabbed her face, giving her slobbered down versions of kisses. If she could fall in love more she would, but the way she loved her son…she knew there was no higher she could go.
“Aww, baby,” Ahvi cooed with love in her eyes.
“They be calling my boy bad but don’t even know he gives the best love.” Lunar looked at Kamari with pride like he saw a future where Kamari could do and be anything.
“He is kinda bad, though,” she laughed, turning to face Lunar. “I know I’ve said it before, but I really can’t thank you enough, Lunar.”
“Man, I should be thanking you.” He dragged his hand down his face. “Not just for the phone, but for him…Kamari came into my life when I needed him the most. I just hope you let me still be in his life when all this is over with.”
When it was over? Ahvi swallowed, thinking about no longer having him when she hadn’t even experienced him fully. “You already tired of me?”
“Hell nah,” he said quick, thinking there was no question about it. If he could, he’d keep her and Kamari forever because it felt like something he was supposed to do…felt like his dad had given them to him as his last wish from God.
Kamari started falling asleep in his mama’s arms. “Guess, my night almost over… he’s sleepy.”
“Jaci’ll come get him, if you want?” Lunar suggested, already texting his little cousin who was in the basement with the other kids.
