Page 46 of This: Blake & Emon

Chapter 20

The Next Day

Blake groaned as she shuffled in bed, slowly waking up to start her day. Last night had thrown her for a loop, and they’d stayed out way too late helping with the kids and then christening every room in the house. As she rolled over, the light hit her ring perfectly, causing her to smile. She was now engaged and blown away, but there was guilt. She felt it. It was slight, but it was there. She was upset with herself, and no matter how many times she apologized to Emon for her accusations, it still didn’t feel like enough.

“Stop looking at me like that,” he said in a low grumble, catching her watching him again. He’d grown to love waking up to her. He smiled at her and opened one eye. She was beautiful with her hair piled on top of her head, with a white cut off shirt that slightly showed the bottom of her breast, and in a pair of his boxer briefs. Her eyes held her feelings, and he didn’t need to hear it, but knew she was going to apologize again anyway. “Blake baby, we good.”

“No, I need to say I’m sorry about last night again. You didn’t deserve that,” she whispered, twiddling with her fingers. Emon didn’t say anything, just pulled her close and let her rest her head on his chest.

“I ain’t trippin’ on that shit.”

“But you should be. You’ve been nothing but good to me and I was wrong.”

“And you apologized. I’m a simple man. That was enough for me.”

Blake didn’t understand her future husband because had it been her being accused, she’d be fuming for a week. But that was Emon. He didn’t hold grudges or play games. When something was handled, it was handled. He put his energy into moving forward, not looking back. It was one of the things that made him successful; his ability to address shit and keep it pushing.

“How do you do that?” she asked, tracing the clouds tattooed on his chest.

“Do what?”

“Just... forgive so easy.”

He shifted to look at her. “Ain’t nothing to forgive. You saw something that didn’t add up and you called it out. That’s what I love about you. You don’t just accept things blindly. I don’t need blind obedience.”

“Still...”

“Still nothing, woman. Plus, the way you let me fold you up like a Cinnamon Sugar pretzel from Auntie Anne’s last night made us even.” He smirked shaking his head at the visions of her throwing ass, deep throating, and contorting in ways he’d never seen before. Shit, he hoped he got to see it again, and soon.

“Emon, be serious.” She laughed, swatting his arm.

“Okay, for real. Let that shit go. What we gotta talk about is them kids.” He sat up, suddenly serious. “What you think I should do?”

“What do you mean?”

“About them staying at my mama’s. It can’t be permanent, but...” He trailed off, and Blake understood. Thesekinds of decisions weren’t simple. He’d done enough and put himself at risk by taking them last night, and from the scene of a crime at that. However, Emon didn’t care. He was never going to leave those kids to fend for themselves, and to be honest, it would be hard for him to turn his back on them after this.

“You already know what you want to do,” she said softly. “I see it in your face.”

“Yeah, but I want to hear your thoughts. Obviously, some real shit is going on at home, but we also tryna start our life together. I don’t even know these kids. I’m conflicted, and what’s up with the mama shit?”

Blake was quiet for a moment, thinking about her own relationship with her mother. They loved each other, but there had always been this distance, this inability to really connect. They didn’t do girls’ day, nails, hair, or talk boys. Her father had been the one who really got her, who she could talk to about anything. Sometimes that mother-daughter relationship just wasn’t as smooth as it should be. “Kids need stability,” she said finally, but she had an attitude. Her mother and her didn’t have a perfect relationship, but she was present. She still made sure they had a good life until she couldn’t. “Sometimes kids just need someone to show up for them. To choose them.”

“They do. I know it’s a lot to consider, so keep it a buck with me,” he said, removing himself from the bed and sitting with his elbows on his knees. He was conflicted and trying to consider everyone involved, his mother included.

“It’s not though. Actually...” She sat up too, pulling the sheet with her. “Watching you with them last night? That was everything. You just jumped right into action, and I could’ve beat that cop’s ass. Rude. ”

“Man, fuck twelve,” he laughed, and she rolled her eyes. “But for real, it’s not a decision we gotta make today.”

“No, but we can. You worried about me, and I’m not worried or bothered at all. Whatever you decide, I’m fine with it. Yes, we are trying to start our own lives, but just like I didn’t turn my back on you, I can’t turn my back on them.”

“Baby, we don’t even know these kids. They seem like good kids, though, but what if they got trauma and shit?” That was Emon’s biggest concern. These kids had probably seen a lot, been through a lot, and missed a lot.

“I know, and if so, we can help them with that. They just need somebody to give a damn and be there for them.”

“So what does that mean for us? Are we adopting these kids? Or what?”

“I think we should take them and allow them to stay until we know something different and what our options are.”

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