Page 167 of Falling Into Gravity

When they turned to face their people, hand in hand, two lives now forever tied, Noodle whispered through her tears to Ahvi, “She really found her yellow brick road.”

Beside them, Pharaoh whispered, “You… made it… cuh… now run.”

Malik fell to his knees, hugging Pharoah so tight…so hard ‘cause they’d been down since four flats and even with altered lives, Malik was blessed to still have him. “I’ll always be your legs, cuh.”

Everyone had smiles on their faces and couldn’t keep their hands off Aku’s protruding belly. Her wedding was more than she could’ve imagined, and to think they put together a full production within months, while she nurtured Malik and made sure she was taking care of her body. They were still at her parent’s house.

The first few notes of “Daddy” by Beyoncé floated through the air and wrapped around Aku’s chest.

Her eyes found her Daddy with a cheeky smile on her face.

French was already halfway to the dance floor, one hand adjusting his cufflinks, smiling proudly because regardless of how she got there, he was proud of his baby girl.

Aku met him halfway.

Her gown shimmered with each step, belly full with the twins she’d created out of love. Her smile stretched like a child who still believed her Daddy could fix anything.

“You ready, baby?” French’s voice was always warm.

She nodded.

Their hands met, and suddenly she wasn’t a grown woman with a husband, about to change her last name. She was little again, standing on his feet while he taught her how to sway. She was twelve, crying over something stupid a girl at school said, and he was in the kitchen making her laugh with one of thosestories about how Jason used to whoop everybody. She was seventeen, in a dress too tight, and he was pacing the living room waiting to see if that boy brought her back by curfew.

Watching a girl dance with her first love, everyone had tears in their eyes. French had shown up for Aku the moment she came out her Mama’s womb, even when parts of him still needed to heal.

They moved slow and gentle, chest to chest, her head tucked against his shoulder like it still belonged there. The lyrics played behind them…

“I want my unborn son to be like my daddy, I want my husband to be like my daddy…”

Aku broke listening to the lyrics. “You gave me that,” she whispered. “You’re the first man that made me feel safe, that made me think I was magic.”

French swallowed hard and squeezed his eyes shut. “You always been magic, baby. I just tried to make sure you never forgot.”

He held her a little tighter, chin tucked, while breathing through his own emotions. Every beat of the song was a year of their life. Every lyric was a lesson he gave her in the way he showed up, not perfect…not even always right…but consistent, loving - her Daddy.

When the song faded, Aku kissed his cheek and wiped her face with the back of her hand.

French looked like he was about to say something else, but Qamar’s tall stature interrupted.

“Alright, that’s enough now!” Qamar cut in, stepping onto the dance floor with a goofy dramatic grin. “She ain’t the only one who love you, French.”

“Get your brother,” Javen said to Luna who had to keep wiping her face. Seeing her family thriving always choked her up because she didn’t get to experience it with her brother. Time nor distance would ease her grief. “Just let him love on French…he deserves it. We all do. You and French are the glue that kept us together.”

“Luna,” Javen choked. “Com’ere, baby,” he pulled her into his chest where she cried hard.

“I’m just so happy…my niece is beautiful.” Luna’s voice shook. “I’m so happy you were my endgame…so happy we went through what we did. but I’ll give it all back to have Lunar.”

“Shit, me too,” Javen wiped his own face. “I miss that nigga…I can still hear him laughing or plotting another scheme.”

That made Luna laugh as Javen continued to hold her. The two of them often found themselves back in The Jig, in the park while Lunar called out plays like he was Javen’s coach. Those small moments kept them grounded and made them appreciate the journey even more.

Qamar slid in between Aku and French like he’d been waiting all night for his turn.

“Nigga, go sit down,” French grinned.

“No, ‘cause you acting like you only raised three children,” Qamar huffed, adjusting his suit like he was about to do a full routine. “What about me? What about all them times I called you at 3AM and you picked up on the first ring? All the fake job interviews you sat through, just so I wouldn’t feel like a failure? All the therapy you gave me with a cup of Hennessy in your hand? I’m your son too!”

Luna, Javen, Solar, and Aku were wheezing now, and French was trying not to crack a full smile.

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