“I am his son, Alejandro. I will be heading up the Miami office starting a few weeks from now. My father thought it would be a good idea if we met.” Both men study me briefly but intently. I feel like I should be packing or something.
“Babe, can you take your son?” I see a woman come down the stairs holding the hand of a toddler little girl and holding an infant. She hands the infant to him and I watch as he kisses and coos at the baby. I want that with my Pequeña so much.
I hear him clear his throat and I realize I have been staring. It can be deemed disrespectful if he thinks I was looking at his woman. Shit, I get it.
“My apologies, sir. My girl and I are expecting as well so when I see babies I pretty much turn to mush.” I tell him. What? If she isn’t pregnant she will be soon so technically it isn’t a lie.
“You are not the only one.” The bigger dude says. “This place is like baby central. My wife is pregnant and my sister just gave birth to hers.” They got a damn daycare sounds like.
Say, if you and your girl need friends once you move, you are welcome here anytime. As a matter of fact, I own all of the empty houses in this subdivision. If you see one you like, let me know. I will give you a deal.”
“Thank you for the offer Mr. Lassiter.”
“Call me Dario.” He gives me his card and I hop in the car waiting for me.
Once all of that was done, I went to Harry Winston’s. I picked out a beautiful platinum necklace with five carats worth of diamonds that came with matching earrings and a bracelet. While that was being packaged up, I searched the display cases for the perfect engagement ring. I had almost given up when I saw it. A ring that reminds me of my love. My Pequeña. My heart. “How much is this one?” I asked the lady behind the counter.
“Ten thousand dollars.” she stated, her eyes glowing thinking about the commission.
“How many carats is it?”
“Four.” That would be perfect. My girl wouldn’t want something gaudy and tacky, but I need something obvious and that can’t be missed.
“I will take this as well. Please include the letter of authenticity.”
“Absolutely sir. Right away sir.” I feel good about the choice. She is my heart, so what better way to show her than with a heart shaped diamond solitaire on a platinum band surrounded by smaller diamond rubies.
Purchases done and all things I set out to do complete, I headed home. By the time my flight landed it was late and I knew she was asleep. That didn’t stop me from sneaking in and looking in on her. I sat in her room staring at her beautiful face in slumber.
I watched her chest move up and down. I put my ear to her mouth to hear every breath she took and feel her breath on my skin. At one point she rolled over on her back and I put my face to her stomach and whispered words to our unborn child that I prayed every night to be inside of her.
Yes. I pray. I have no choice. Once she became everything I never knew I wanted, I had to pray for patience, fortitude and the strength to do what I had to do to keep her. Did I mention I had to pray for forgiveness for the deception as well?
This morning I woke up and everything seemed possible. Today is Friday. It is the day of prom and I am praying for the start of the rest of our lives. My Pequeña still does not know what the plan is for getting her out of the house and to be honest, neither do I. What I want to do is march over there and demand he let her out. I want to sneak into her room and carry her out into the night and never look back. All I know is in the end, she is going to be in my bed, with my ring on her finger and a baby in her belly if I can help it.
Pulling up to the school, something feels off. Actually it started this morning. I watched her father leave and drop the girls off, but it didn’t feel like it normally does. I am usually hyper focused on the car that has her in it. Obsessed with my possession that is inside of it, anxious to see her when she gets out. But my head and heart were still back in the house looking out the window. That should have been my first clue.
I am running late because I had to stop and make sure her corsage and rose order is going to be ready. Pulling up to the school, I run inside hellbent on meeting her at her locker only to find she isn’t there. “Looking for someone?” I turn to find bitchboy standing in front me with a smug look on his face.