Page 210 of Taeja

“Okay,” Zain said.

Damon exhaled a heavy breath. “Okay, baby.”

Taeja smiled. They spent the next few hours talking about their relationship — both individually and as a group — and setting down rules that would ensure everyone was comfortable in their complex relationship.

“We can’t get married?” Taeja asked, pulling her brows together.

Damon cleared his throat, scratching the back of his head. “Polygamy isn’t exactly legal—”

“We a go prison?”

Zain narrowed his eyes at her. “No.”

“People don’t get arrested for practicing polygamy, gorgeous. But it’s illegal to be married to more than one person,” Damon explained. “So, if you want to get married, you can’t marry both of us.”

“But I want to get married,” Taeja said, thinking back to how happy her parents were. Even if it became an act over the years, she knew her parents genuinely loved and cared for each other once upon a time. She wanted that for herself — a happy marriage, family, and life.

Damon and Zain exchanged glances. Then, Damon looked at her and said, “You’d marry Zain.”

“You don’t want to be married?” she asked, her shoulders slumping.

Zain didn’t strike her as the marriage type, but Damon did. She thought after what happened to his last marriage, he’d want to try again. With her.

“I’d want nothing more than for you to be my wife, gorgeous. But Zain was connected to the military. Realistically speaking, you’ll benefit more from a marriage with him.”

“And if you want kids, they’ll be Damon’s,” Zain added.

Taeja looked between them. “You put a lot of thought into this?”

“Yes,” Damon answered while Zain nodded.

Taeja frowned. “Mi nuh like this. I don’t like the concept of calling one of unu mi husband and the next my… boyfriend? It doesn’t even sound right anymore. And what about kids? I want kids. Lots of them. Just not before I graduate. Andnow this mek mi feel like that nago happen.”

“You’re thinking too hard, gorgeous,” Damon said. “Zain would help with our baby. Babies. Whatever amount you want.”

She looked at Zain. “You don’t want kids?” she asked, and he shook his head, making her shoulders slump more. “But what if something happens and I get pregnant by the both of you? Like what happened with your mom?”

“That won’t happen,” Zain said.

“How yu know dat?”

“That doesn’t happen very often, and I don’t come in you.”

She looked away from him, her voice lowering to say, “Oh…”

“You want to have my baby?” Zain asked.

Her head snapped up as she nodded. “Yes,” she said. “The both of you.”

Zain sighed, looking at the ceiling and mumbling something Taeja couldn’t hear.

“We ears dem deh ova here so, Zain,” Taeja said.

“I said you’re making me confused.”

“Me?” she asked, shocked. “How?”

“I don’t want kids of my own, but I want to give you what you want—”

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