Page 50 of Quasim III: King Inferno

She smiled. “She’s so kind and beautiful, Daddy. And she loves you very much.”

“I love her too, Har… Damn, I miss you so much, baby.”

Harley kissed my cheek. “I want you to stay with me and mommy… you can if you want, you know.”

As I stared into my daughter’s eyes, something I had been desperate to do since she passed, my soul wanted to stay with her forever, but my heart knew that I couldn’t stay here.

“Harley, I wish I could stay with you. Baby, I have to go back for Anjo… I made a promise to her, and I can’t break thatpromise. My baby needs me… you understand that, right?” I slowly looked into her brown eyes, and she nodded her head.

A slow grin widened on her face. “Good answer, Silly Goose Butt.”

When she was alive, she would call me silly names, and my heart smiled hearing the innocence that I watched disappear when she became sicker, return. “You were testing me, huh?”

“Anjo and Elijah need you more than me, Daddy. I’m going to be alright; I have mommy. When it’s your time to be with me, you will be. It’s not that time now, and I need you to go back so you can welcome my sister when she comes. I sent her perfect for you.” she smiled, and her small hand wiped my tears. “You won’t hesitate when it comes to naming her… I placed it right there.” She patted my chest.

When Anjo told me that Harley sent the baby, I never doubted her. It all made sense in this moment, as I held my daughter in my arms, and she told me about her sister. “You always said you wanted a baby sister.”

“Now I have one. I will watch over her, and you too. Daddy, never doubt that I’m not there because I’m always here.” She placed her hand into mine and lifted it to her heart. “Whenever you pray, I hear your voice and I’m right there beside you. I’m never going anywhere. The happier you become, the less you need me around… I’m not in pain anymore. Keep being happy and don’t feel bad, okay?”

My shoulders shook as I sobbed. “Har.”

She held her hand up. “Promise me that you will continue to be happy. Protect Anjo, Elijah and my sister. Promise me that you will be strong for them and let them be strong for you, too. Nobody can be strong like you, Daddy, but let them try… okay?”

“You think so?”

The timer on the stove sounded and she smiled. “Food is done, Mommy. Love you forever with my whole heart Stinky Moo-Moo Pants… forever and ever, right?”

“And even after that Har Boo-Boo money butt.”

She paused and smiled. “Not bad… oh, and Daddy?”

“Yes, baby?”

“Get Ryder a dirt bike, please. I hear her prayers, too… protect Auntie Capri. Uncle Meer loves her so so so much… He’ll always have double the blessings.” She blew me a kiss and ran out the room, and a bright light flashed, nearly blinding me.

“Sim,” I heard Cherie’s soft voice as I stood up, turning to face her.

She came over toward me and we embraced. “She’s right, you know.”

“Yeah.”

“Stop punishing yourself about me. This was on me, not you, Quasim.” She wiped her own tears. “You have done everything to protect me, and I should have listened to you. The only positive in this, is that I was waiting for Harley when she made it up here, huh?”

“Why the fuck you didn’t listen, Cherie?” My voice was hoarse as I stared at her in the flesh. Still perfect as she had always been.

I kept my distance because I was a married man. Anjo would kill her ass again if she knew I was up here hugging my baby mother.

Because that was what she was.

Anjo was my wife. My future, and everything I had silently prayed for, but feared at the same time.

She gave me the same crooked smile that our daughter had given me moments before. “You know I’ve always been hardheaded… always doing what I wanted. This time, my hard head got me in something that I couldn’t get out of. Quasim,live your life and accept all the blessings being sent your way. I promise, I don’t blame you. I will always love you… I want you to always know that.” She came closer, stood on her toes and kissed my cheek.

I didn’t need Anjo popping up here and calling Cherie Chex mix or some wild shit. She sauntered over toward the door that Harley had gone through, and then turned around. “Sim, I need you to know it wasn’t Rich.”

“What you mean, Cherie?”

She heard that same oven timer and looked at me. “It’s time for you to head back, King Inferno. I know you’re going to give ‘em hell. Baby girl is safe with us until she’s ready. She’s beautiful, Sim. Mina’s curly hair has won again… time for you to wake up, Sim,” she whispered, stepping out the room as another powerful flash nearly blinded me.

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