Page 41 of Nobody But You

Tsk. Angel?

If she only knew her son was akin to a demon, the way he just had me pinned to that desk.He’d just ravished my body and stood in front of his mother like his dick didn’t crawl inside of me and take possession.

I’m probably going to need an exorcism. Damn. Well, at least I didn’t lie because it was definitely the dick. Do not get wet again, JoJo!

“Who is this beautiful young woman? Oh, and I love this dress. Where did you get it?” She asked, spinning me around in a circle.

“Hell, nah, Ma. This dress ain’t for you. This is Jourdan, my…”

“Girlfriend, I’m Stephon’s girlfriend,” I blurted out. Stephon grimaced and turned to his mother, who now looked confused.

Shit why did I say that? Now she’s going to think I’m a few screws loose.

“Ma, this is Jourdan, my fiancée and soon-to-be wife. And Jourdan, this is my mother, Adriana. We called you here today to be a witness so that we can have a civil wedding,” he said to his mother. The confusion that had previously existed was replaced with excitement.

“Call me Adri until you feel comfortable enough to call me Ma. Stephon Angel, you do not run me! If Mama wants the dress, Mama will get it,” she said sternly, effectively shutting Stephon down. I laughed because of his look. It said she would get this dress if he pushed hard enough.

“I know that’s right, Mama!” I said, raising my hand to high-five her, which was swiftly returned.

“I like her! Oh, Nene, why didn’t you tell me you were dating when I asked you weeks ago? This is awesome. Now I get to have my grandchildren.”

“Ma, let us get married first,” Stephon groaned.

“Yes, yes, of course,” she said and clapped. She spoke with a heavy Puerto Rican accent that wasn’t present in Stephon’s voice. He spoke like he was straight up from New York, and it did things to me. Stephon’s mother was beautiful. There was no way that she had a thirty-nine-year-old. She didn’t look a day over it herself. She wore her hair in its natural curly state. It was a luscious, thick, and rich black, the same as Stephon’s, and hung down her back. To me, and I’m sure to others, she favored Jennifer Lopez; her complexion, however, was deeper. As I continued to study my fine, soon-to-be husband and his very fine mother, we were directed by the bailiff to the cashier’s office. There, we paid our ceremony fee and got a marriage license. Then we headed to the magistrate.

I glanced over at Stephon; he was calm, as if he had no qualms about the lifetime commitment we were about to enter. We were told to sit on the nearest bench and wait for our names to be called. The hallway was quiet. It was so quiet that my dark thoughts started to filter in. They began to fill the space in the hall just as the dust particles filled the air by the windows where the sunlight was pouring in. The sadness started to overtake me because I should be sharing this moment with my mother. My father should be walking me down the aisle to meet the man I knew he’d be proud to have me marry. My leg began to bounce, and my heel taps on the marble floors resonated through the hallway.

Brice and Tayla are going to kill me when they find out I’m doing this without them.

A hand on my leg stopped my movement. Calmness flew through my body and overtook me. I looked down at my leg, where the sunlight met it, expecting to find Stephon’s hand. However, it wasn’t; it was his mother’s. I looked back up to see that Stephon had stepped down the hallway to take a call. I hadn’t even realized that he’d left my side.

“Jourdan, the look in your eyes is one that I’ve experienced many times. It’s the look of a child experiencing a monumental moment and wishing to share it with her parents. My parents died when I was a teenager. Same as with Stephon’s father. I can’t replace them, but I can be a stand-in and be here for whatever you need. I may never know why you two are rushing to get married, but Stephon is happy and has brought you into our family. I want you to be the same. I intend to make you feel nothing but welcome. He’s not trusting, so if he loves you, so will I.” She smiled, and a tear rolled down my cheek at the gravity of her statement. I quickly wiped my tears before Stephon saw me and nodded to his mother.

“Thank you,” I said, leaning in to hug her, relishing the feeling of a mother’s touch that I hadn’t felt in years. I breathed in deeply, accepting that this man was made for me.

“You’re welcome, Mija. Now let’s get you married so I can have those grandbabies,” she said. I laughed, but she appeared very serious.

“Stop, Ma, I heard Stephon say, who had now knelt before me. He gently wiped my face where my tears had fallen. I wasn’t surehow he’d known, but he did. I nodded to him and smiled, and he showed me his dimples.

Those damn dimples will be the death of me!

“Rockwell,” the magistrate called out. We all stood and headed inside. We walked into the small office, which looked like a tiny courtroom, to find him with his head down, signing documents. When he lifted his head, he peered in recognition.

“Stephon, the Stephon Rockwell?” He said.

“Oh shit, what’s good, Kenny,” Stephon said as he dapped him up.

“Long time no see. I see somebody finally tied you down. I thought you would run through women forever.”

“How many women, Stephon?” I cut into the conversation.

“Kenny, my nigga,” Stephon’s voice lowered, signaling for Kenny to shut his damn mouth.

“Let me introduce you to my wife and mother. This is Jourdan, and my mother, Adriana. This is Kenny Smith. We went to college together. Now let’s hurry up and get this over with before she rips up that marriage license fooling with your ass,” they both laughed.

“Let’s get to it then. Please turn toward each other and hold hands. Repeat after me: I, Stephon Angel Rockwell, take you, Jourdan Nichelle Washington, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, to love and to cherish, from this day forward." Stephon repeated the vowels and patiently waited for me to recite mine.

"I, Jourdan Nichelle Washington, take you, Stephon Angel Rockwell, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer or poorer, to love and to cherish, from this day forward,” I spoke.

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