Page 58 of Still Made For You

“The moment Gee brought you into our lives, I accepted you as my own. You became my obligation, as you put it. My children hold my heart in the palm of their hands even though they may not see it that way. When I found out what happened, I jumped into action because I knew how much my son loved you. Renegade wouldn’t have been able to handle the details of your assault while locked in that hell hole, so I decided to do my part to protect you until you were better. I hadn’t anticipated you staying away this long, but it wasn’t my call to make. You were an extension of my child, so I did what any father would do. It’s not my place to question you or pass judgment on you. My son’s smile has returned, so I know the two of you will be okay.”

“Thank you,” I uttered. Prosper’s always been a man of few words, but when he did speak, you felt it.

“The doctors are telling me my days are numbered if this treatment doesn’t take, so while I’m still here, you’ll have me in your corner.” My breathing faltered as I processed his words. It’s the first time he’s acknowledged his failing health.

“Don’t speak like that. You’re going to beat this. You have to. Who else will keep us on our toes.” We both chuckled, he stared into the distance for a moment.

“I’m not afraid of death,” He hissed from the burn of the alcohol he’d consumed.

“I’ve lived a good life. My children will be set financially for the remainder of their lives, and I’ve enjoyed more pleasures in my life than most men my age. Every dream or goal I’ve ever manifested in my mind, I’ve accomplished. My legacy holds weight in this world; what more could any man ask for?” My eyes pricked with tears as the reality settled in.

“No tears, beauty. I’ve made peace with my fate. I have no regrets in my life outside of not being the man I wanted my sons to emulate. I raised them to be what I knew I couldn’t; I’m proud to say it worked.”

“Do you wish you could have experienced real love?” I’m not even sure what made me ask. I guess because of all of the stories I’ve heard about his harem of women.

“Naw, I’ve experienced real love many times over. I’ve loved and have been loved. It may not have been in the traditional sense, but it was real nonetheless.” He proclaimed.

“What about Ms. Tammy?” Everyone knew she held a special place in his heart even though they were no longer together.

He grinned, downing the remnants of liquor. “Tammy came into my life at a time when I needed purpose. My father assigned us positions within his organization. However, I needed more. Our friendship developed into a love I’ll cherish for the rest of my days. We may have been slightly toxic, but our dynamic worked for us.” We gave each other a knowing look. Growing up, the two of them used to fight like cats and dogs. However, when it came to spending family time, they were my favorite family to hang out with.

“Do you regret not settling down with her?”

“What’s with you and all of these questions, girl?” Prosper chuckled, running his hands down his bald head.

“To answer your question, no, I don’t. When Tammie gave birth to Tip, we tried the whole family thing. Although. I’ve never been the most faithful man, but I wanted to be there for them. We were good until we weren’t. There are no regrets on my end, though. Tammy taught me a lot about being a man. To this day, if I need her, I know she’ll come to my aid. The love we created will never be destroyed, regardless of our past. Truthfully, I want her to find love and get married someday. Preferably, after I’m dead and gone.” His answer surprised me because I hadn’t expected him to be so transparent. Most men never took accountability for their actions. Especially when it came to the role they played in a relationship ending.

It gave me comfort to know he’d made peace with the decisions he’s made in life. He’s one of the realest men I’ve ever met in my life.

“So, what’s the deal with you and my son?” I knew he’d ask eventually.

“You’re our main focus right now. Anything else can wait.” It was the truth. Since the hospital scare, the only thing we’ve been discussing were the next steps to make sure he got back on track.

“I don’t know what for. I’m a grown-ass man who doesn’t need a bunch of people fussing over him. I’ve managed to care for myself all this time, and not much has changed.” Stubborn as an ox.

“Well, your family and children see things differently, and quite frankly, I’m on their side. It would do you good to listen to them instead of being so hardheaded.” I fussed. He grinned, then shook his head.

“I knew I liked you for a reason. You don’t hold back. Renegade needs that. He acts like me in a lot of ways. He believes he has to take care of everything and everyone. I don’t want y’all making a fuss over me, because fate remains in the hands of the creator. I could eat right, exercise, follow all of these godforsaken instructions, but when it’s my time, I’m out of here.” He informed me, twisting the cap back on the liquor bottle.

I knew Renegade wouldn’t be happy knowing he was drinking like this. At the same time, I understood Prosper’s perspective. It’s an adjustment to have your choices stripped from you. He was trying to hold on to anything he could to feel as though he was still in control.

“I understand what you mean. However, you can’t blame them for wanting to do what they believe is best. We only get one set of parents, so what may seem as overbearing to you is simply them showing you how much they love you.” I reasoned. We stared at each other for a while.

“Can I show you something without you freaking out?” My eyebrows rose.

“Can you go in my hall closet and grab the box on the top shelf?” I hesitated for a moment. I felt like this would be something I wasn’t prepared for, yet I wanted to honor his request.

“What’s in this?” I ran my hands across the engravings on the back of this wooden chest. There was a scripture on it, and I made a mental note to look up the actual scripture when I left.

“I need you to keep this in a safe space until the time is right. Can you do that for me?” My heart dropped to my stomach. My gut told me the contents would destroy the people I loved. I ran my finger along the initials on the top. I recognized them all.

“I don’t like the idea of keeping secrets from Renegade. We may not be together, but I owe him my loyalty.” I’m sure his trust in me had already deteriorated from my disappearance. I knew if and when the contents of this box came out, I’d have to deal with the aftermath. Maybe I’m overthinking, but the look in his eyes told me I wasn’t.

“I’m not much of a praying man, but I asked God to cover my children in the event things don’t go in my favor. My girls have each other, but my boys are different. They hold their pain in order to be strong for everyone around them. It’s what I taught them.” He stared into the distance.

“I asked him to release Law so I could have time with him, and my prayer was answered. Then, I asked Him to bring happiness back into Gee’s life. I think it’s safe to say the Lord does answer a sinner’s prayers,” My eyes welled with tears. I shook my head to ward off the emotions.

“Don’t cry for me. I told you I’m at peace. I know in my heart they will be alright. You’ll make sure of it, and so will Tammy.”

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