Page 29 of Still Made For You

Nayeli: Have you given it any more thought? This could be a really great opportunity for you. Plus, I wouldn’t have to be out here by myself.

Isighed,readingoverthetext I’d received from Nayeli. Rule wanted to hire me as a hair stylist for his international tour next year. It was the opportunity of a lifetime; however, I wasn't sure if I should take it. With Justice and I being newlyweds, this may not be the best time for me to be making major moves like this. Plus, I’d be away from him for up to six months.

While I wanted to jump on the chance, I refused to put my relationship in jeopardy so early. I told her I’d think about it once I talked it over with Justice, but I’ve been avoiding the topic altogether. I needed to give them an answer soon, so I had no choice but to put on my big girl panties.

Me: I’m going to talk it over with Justice tonight then I’ll let you know.

In my heart, I believed Justice would give me his support, but what if he didn’t? Would I really have to give up on my dream for the sake of my relationship? With everything Justice had sacrificed for me, I owed him more than I could ever pay back. However, being a hairstylist for an international superstar could open so many doors for myself as well as my business.

I slipped my phone into my purse since I’d made it to my destination. This was another conversation I’d been avoiding for the last few weeks.

“What’s up, baby girl?” Papa Truth greeted me the moment I walked through the door.

I’d told him I was stopping by because I needed to talk to him about something. Ever since I talked with Wisdom, this conversation had been on my mind.

“Hey, how’ve you been feeling?” The boys said he was having breathing issues when they went on their latest fishing trip, so I wanted to make sure he was feeling okay. Papa Truth was one of those people who never complained about their health, but that also meant he kept a lot of secrets.

“I’ve been just fine, baby girl. I had a bit of a lingering cough, but it’s cleared up since last week. How’ve you been holding up? You don’t have too much longer before you’ll be walking down the aisle.” I kind of felt bad because three weeks had passed since I talked with Wisdom and I was just now making it over here to ask him such an important question. I don’t know why I was so nervous. Justice thought I was being ridiculous as well as everyone else.

“Yeah, I’m excited about it. We’ve been planning this event for months, and now it’s time to make things official.” We walked down the stairs to his man cave since it was his favorite spot in the house.

“So, what brings you by? You seem like you’ve got something on your mind,” he replied. My heart sped up as I tried to get my words together. We stared at each other for a while until he finally got tired of it.

“Yani, what’s wrong? You’re making me nervous, and that isn’t an easy feat for a man like me. Talk to me.” Concerned laced his voice, and I felt guilty because he probably thought it was something life-altering.

“Umm, I’ve been meaning to ask you this for a while now, and I understand if you can’t do it. It’s just that I don’t really have anyone else, and well, you’re like a father to me, and I was thinking maybe you could-”

“Ciyani! Stop rambling and spit it out, girl!”

“Will you walk me down the aisle and give me away at the wedding? I know you’re technically Justice’s dad, but you’re kind of my dad, too, and I’d really like it if you could. You don’t have to if you don’t want to, but-” Papa Truth held his hand out for me to stop talking so I waited for him to speak.

“I thought you were never going to ask.” My eyes shot up at his face to make sure I heard him correctly.

“You’ve got me ready to bring out my pistol because I’m thinking someone was messing with you or something.” He chuckled while I wiped my sweaty palms on the side of my pants.

“Baby girl, I had every intention of walking you down that aisle whether you asked me to or not.” I held my breath to stop the tears from flowing, but nothing seemed to work.

“The day Justice brought you and those boys into my home, I knew you would be someone special. Of course, I assumed it would only be for my son, but it’s deeper than that. You, Cayden, and Cartier are my family. I may not have birthed you, but I’ll lay down anyone who even thinks about hurting you.

“I’ve watched you grow into a strong, determined, and bright young lady these last few years. You’ve helped me build a better relationship with my children, and you’ve never judged me, even when I’ve made mistakes. You are marrying into this family as my daughter-in-law, but no matter what the future holds, I’ll forever be in your corner. I would be honored to give you away and welcome you into the family that is rightfully yours.”

Papa Truth stood in front of me with his arms outstretched while I ugly cried into my hands. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve this family, but I counted all of my blessings. Standing up, I walked right into his embrace. My tears, mixed with snot, dripped all over his shirt as he held me tight. I’ve spent the majority of my life feeling unwanted, and now God had blessed me with people who choose to love me. They chose me, something my own mother refused to do. The feeling of acceptance brought me a sense of purpose in life. I matter to someone, many people actually.

“You’re alright, I’ve got you now,” he whispered above my head. He might as well get rid of this shirt because it wouldn’t be any good after I finished unloading all of my tears onto it. Papa Truth swayed side to side with me in his arms. We remained in this position until my sobs turned into hiccups.

He kissed the top of my head before letting me go. We both reclaimed our seats, with me tucking my feet until my butt. My eyes started getting heavy from all of the crying I’d done. I chuckled lightly, thinking about the family calling me a crybaby. I couldn’t even deny the claims because since they’ve been a part of my life, the waterworks were always in full effect.

“Outside of who’s walking you down the aisle, how are you feeling? This is a major milestone, so it’s normal to be nervous.” Papa Truth reassured me.

“I’m ready to marry Justice, but there’s a lot that goes into planning a wedding. I told him yesterday, we’re going to be together forever because there’s no way I’m doing this more than once,” I joked. I’m a simple girl, so a quick trip to the Justice of the Peace would have sufficed. Justice wouldn’t hear of it, though. He wanted to make sure our wedding lasted in my memories for a lifetime. Fancy wedding or not, it would be one of the greatest days of my life.

“I hear you. When I married Ophelia, I made the same promise. I’ve always hated being the center of attention. Plus, we spent so much time planning for the ceremony that only lasted ten minutes at best. It made no sense to me at all,” Papa Truth grumbled. He sounded like me because the venue alone cost an arm and leg. Justice told me to mind my business since my money wasn’t being spent, but still, it seemed a bit expensive.

“I keep telling your son the same, but he pays me no attention,” I told him.

“He gets his determination and stubbornness from his mother. Whenever she would put her mind to anything you might as well consider it done. It’s one of the things I loved the most about her until I was on the other end of things.” He laughed, and the smile on his face caused me to smile, too. I loved it when he shared stories about his life with Mrs. Ophelia. In a way, it made me feel connected to her.

“Then you know exactly how I feel. He makes it impossible for me to tell himno, so I don’t even bother. Plus, he’s doing this for me, so I can’t complain. I’m grateful to have someone in my life who cares enough to go this hard for me.” My heart swelled thinking about my future husband. He goes to bed with an idea and wakes up with a plan on how to execute it. I admire his drive and determination. It motivates me to shoot for the stars.

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