I licked my lips, eyes locked on hers as I swallowed hard. Heart thumpin’ in my chest.
“You gave me my son, a peace I ain’t never known and a love that ain’t change no matter what. I’ma always love you loud, messy, and all that. I’m always protect your heart and always be your savior. Even when it’s hard, even when it ain’t beautiful, even when I gotta carry us both.”
My voice cracked, and I shook it off.
“I fuckin’ love you wit’ every breath in me, baby. ‘Til my casket drop.” I slid the weddin’ ring onto her finger, the muthafucka damn near blindin’ me the way the lights shone down on the diamonds. I had snuck to my jeweler a few weeks ago and picked it out. Been hidin’ it ever since.
Nyomi stared down, eyes wide, bottom lip caught between her teeth. I caught the lil’ shake in her hand before she steadied it and flexed her fingers, lettin’ that ring sit pretty as fuck. Tears glossed her eyes, but she refused to blink them shits out. Winkin’ at her, she rolled her eyes happily.
The officiant joined his hands, nodded, and lifted his voice for everyone to hear. “By the power vested in me and in the presence of these witnesses, I now pronounce you husband andwife. What God has joined together, let no one separate.” His smile widened. “Keon, you may kiss your bride.”
I ain’t even hesitate. I slid my hand behind Nyomi’s neck and pulled her in to tongue her the fuck down. Shit, I’d been waitin’ to kiss my wife since the day I proposed at Kassim’s baby shower. Everybody started clappin’, hollerin’, and snappin’ pics and shit.
I was still kissin’ her when I heard Mikki scream, “Yessss Mrs. Jones, bitch!!! Period!!”
When I pulled back, Nyomi’s lip gloss was smudged, but her smile was big. “On God, I love you so fuckin’ much,” I murmured.
“I love you,” she whispered back.
My muthafuckin’ wife. A nigga was married now.
“A i g h ty ’ a l l, the moment we’ve been waitin’ for! Make some muthafuckin’ noise for The Joneses!”
As the DJ’s voice echoed through the speakers, the doors burst open, and Knuck and I stepped into the reception like we owned the whole damn night.Back That Azz Upwas bumping through the speakers, and the crowd went wild as we danced our way in.
I lifted the bottom of my dress and moved my hips while Knuck threw up his set with that signature smirk on his face. Phones flew up in the air, people yelling, clapping, hollering. Wock was front and center, his blunt in one hand and his camera phone in the other.
“That’s my muthafuckin’ brother!”
Knuck dipped me real low, and everybody screamed, then he pulled me back up and leaned in close to my ear. “I can’t wait to get you back to the room. Fuckin’ you through the floor.”
I laughed breathlessly. “Jesus, help me…”
The DJ transitioned the music smooth as hell, fading us out of our entrance turn-up and right into our first dance. Everyone cleared the floor asBest Partby Daniel Caesar featuring H.E.R., and Knuck tugged me closer with both hands, real low on mywaist. His hands slid even lower, and I swatted at him, laughing as we moved together in slow rhythm. The whole room blurred around us for a second. It was just us.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Sia wiping her eyes with a cocktail napkin while Mikki zoomed in on her phone. My mother was smiling from ear to ear, holding Kassim, and even Carl, with his edible clearly kicking in, was nodding with happiness. The vibe shifted again when the music faded, and the DJ called for speeches, starting with my mom, Carl and then came the best man.
Wock stepped up to the mic. “Lemme just say this,” he slurred slightly. “I been ‘round my bro through it all, and all I gotta say is salute to you, Ny. You tamed the demon. On God. Salute to you, sis.”
Knuck dropped his head with a small smirk, shaking it likehere this nigga go. The room clapped, hooted, and cheered, and Wock handed the mic off to Sia, who stepped up with a wine glass and a grin. “I knew Knuck was serious about my girl when he started up everywhere, breaking her down slowly but surely. It was crazy,” she said, sipping after her punchline as everyone cracked up. “But… you love her genuinely, and nobody deserves this happiness more than y’all.”
Mikki was next, pointing straight at me. “The way she used to say, ‘I ain’t ready for love’ and Knuck’s so crazy and this and that. Now look… a mother and a wife. Y’all did it, and y’all look good as hell tonight. Love you!”
Then the room really lost it when Granny Evie stood up and took the mic. “Don’t mind me, I just came for the free food andopen bar.” Laughter came from everywhere. “I’m just kiddin’. I love this knucklehead, and I know his heart. Keon… Ny… y’all are a picture of perfection, and I know through it all y’all are gon’ make it. Love ya.”
Once the plates were cleared, the cake was cut, and the pictures were snapped, the DJ turned the party up, and everybody hit the dance floor. I had my heels kicked off by then, dress pulled slightly to the side, mocktail in my hand. I was vibing with my girls and blowing kisses at my drooling son, who was being held by Keema.
Pretty soon, the dance floor cleared, and Knuck appeared, dragging a chair to the center of the floor. His eyes found mine, motioning with his head for me to come over as he rubbed his hands together. “What are you up to, Mr. Jones?” I asked with narrowed eyes when I got closer to him.
He placed the tip of his finger under my chin to lift my head higher and sucked on my bottom lip, drawing excitement from the wedding guests. “Sit down,” he demanded against my mouth.
I sat in the chair, laughing nervously while he sank to his knees, slid my dress up just enough, and dragged the lace garter down with his teeth slowly. The eye contact was everything, and the crowd went crazy.
“Oh, it’s like that?”
“He ate that garment, up, y’all!”
“Get a room!”