Page 120 of Crash: Love in Scrubs
I kissed her temple, breathing in that scent that still drove me crazy after all this time.
“Mrs. Holloway, you happy?”
“The happiest Mr. Holloway. I can’t believe that’s my name for real. From day one you said you’d change my name.”
We’d gotten married in January, on New Year’s, with just family and close friends at Sheena’s. Nothing fancy, nothing over the top, just us doing us, promising to love each other forever and a day. She’d already been my wife before the ring, the paper, the vows. From the moment I saw her, I made vows to protect and cherish her. I hadn’t let up yet. The smile on her face every morning told me what I needed to know.
My wife looked beautiful in her cream off shoulder gown. I cried as she made her way to me. Honestly, there wasn’t a dry eye. My Mama cried through the whole ceremony, and so did John-Dale as he walked Sametra down the aisle.
“I never say shit I don’t mean. I said you’d be my wife, and I meant that shit. There was no way I was letting your fine ass be with someone else.”
“Here, take your spoiled child,” she said, passing me Summer as she started fussing, and I stood up to bounce her gently. I did have her spoiled, and I wasn’t going to deny that. Summer was my entire world. I wanted her with me all the time. I called about her all the time. I was even worse than the doctor’s office now that she was here.
“What’s the matter with daddy baby?”
Her little lip poked out, and it was the same one her mama had. I groaned because between the two of them, I was wrapped around their finger. I kissed her cheek before turning the fan on her. The summer heat was probably getting to her, even with the little sun hat my mama had crocheted.
“See, when the hell did you get a portal fan, Malik?” Sametra asked, reaching for her. “Come here, mama’s baby, and give me that fan.”
“When I knew my baby was gon be in the heat. She don’t like being hot and shit.”
“You are ridiculous, but good idea.”
“Baby, you got one too; it’s in her bag. This one is hers. See, I wrote her name on it.”
She shook her head at me. My baby would and did have it all. I watched my wife settle our daughter against her chest. She was a natural at this. Not that I worried but, it had been seventeen years since she had a small baby. One that depended on your twenty-four seven. Whenever I stood back and watched her, I knew she’d been meant to have this baby, at this time in her life, with me. Summer made her so happy. She made us all happy.
“Y’all are so beautiful,” I said, meaning every word. Summer immediately calmed down, making those little content noises that always made me grin and relax.
“Love you, daddy,” Sametra said, but she was smiling that smile that still made me want to risk it all.
“LT baby, you tryna get fu-”
“Aye, Dr. Holloway!” I heard behind me stopping me from saying some nasty shit to my wife. I rolled my eyes while she grinned and turned around to see Coach Miller jogging over from the dugout, sweat dripping down his face in the July heat.
“What’s good, Coach?”
“Man, I’ve been meaning to ask you, you still interested in that team physical therapist position? Because watching that boy play,” he pointed to Samaj, who was now stealing third base, “I need whatever magic you worked on his recovery.”
I glanced at Sametra, who nodded with a knowing smile. We’d talked about this already. Pressure Points was thriving, booked solid for the next three months. She was so proud of me and that kept me going. Her support meant the world to me.
“Let me think about it, Coach. I got my hands full right now,” I said, gesturing to Summer, who was now fast asleep in her mama’s arms being kept cool by her fan.
“I bet you do. That’s a beautiful family you got there, Doc. But it wouldn’t be until next year.”
“Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind. Things change in a year.”
I knew that more than anything. I would’ve laughed in someone’s face if they came to me with this prophesy. After Coach Miller walked away, I settled back into my seat, watching Samaj slide into home plate. The kid was on fire today, and I couldn’t have been prouder.
“You want to do it, don’t you?” Sametra asked, reading my mind like she always did.
“Maybe. Part-time. When this one gets a little older.” I stroked Summer’s tiny hand with my finger. “Right now, I just want to be here. With y’all. I want to be home while you study. While we cook dinner. Being with my family is the most important thing to me. Not filling my time away from y’all.”
“We’re not going anywhere, baby.”
“Good.” I looked around at the baseball field, at my son celebrating with his teammates, at my wife holding our sleeping daughter, at the summer sun beating down on all of us. “This is everything I ever wanted and didn’t know how to ask for.”
I leaned over and kissed her, but when I pulled back, her eyes were still closed, that satisfied smile on her face. “You tryna get pregnant again ain’t it?”
