“Ma, don’t start. We’ve found a rhythm that works for Demi. Let’s not mess with it.”
“It’s very uncouth of you to get that girl pregnant and not make an honest woman out of her,” she continued, her voice tightening with that old school disappointment. “A man needs a foundation. Someone who understands his world. Amina understands you. She doesn’t come with complications.”
I knew what complications meant. To my mother Amina was the straight paved road and Nique was the winding backroad full of history and heartache she didn’t want her son anywhere nearby. What she never understood was that the backroad was the only one that ever felt like home.
She hadn’t been fond of Nique since the shooting. In her mind, me being close to her was a liability. What she never knew was that I almost didn’t go to Howard at all. I was ready to stay in Mobile and attend South just to be near Nique while she recovered. Nique was the one who shut that down.Go be great,she told me from that hospital bed. So I went. I just never stopped thinking about her.
Ten minutes later, I pulled into the driveway of Amina’s mother’s house. Amina was already standing on the porch,looking effortless in a black yoga set, her hair pulled back neatly. Next to her, Demi was jumping up and down, her little braids bouncing as she spotted the Escalade.
"Daddy!" Demi shrieked, breaking into a sprint.
I hopped out and swung her around, and for a second the noise of everything else went quiet. Just my daughter and her laugh and the way she said my name like it was the best word she knew.
“Hey princess,” I murmured into her hair. “You gonna be good for Grandma while we’re gone?”
“I’m gonna go to the park!” she announced, already planning her whole week.
Amina walked down the driveway, her stride confident. She waved at my mother through the windshield before turning to me. “Hey Dex. Thanks for doing this. I know you’re on a schedule.”
“No problem,” I said, setting Demi down and watching her run over to give my mom hugs and kisses. I reached for Amina’s suitcase and our hands brushed for a second. She didn’t pull away immediately, her eyes searching mine with a familiarity I had learned to ignore.
“You okay?” she asked quietly. “You look like you’ve had a long couple of days.”
“I’m fine,” I said, my voice clipped. “Just grab your carry-on and let’s move.”
Amina rolled her eyes but didn’t push. I loaded her bags next to my mother’s, said a final lingering goodbye to Demi, and climbed back into the driver’s seat. The atmosphere in the Escalade shifted the moment Amina pulled the door shut. Her perfume was light and floral, filling the cabin, and my mother immediately commented with an approving hum.
“What scent is that, Amina?”
“Gucci Flora,” Amina said cheerfully.
“That smells amazing. Dex, I want that for Mother’s Day.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I nodded. The lady knew she could have whatever she wanted.
“Here, Mama Nash,” Amina said, passing something toward the front seat.
“Oh, no sweetie, you keep it,” my mother said, as I realized it was the perfume in a travel size.
“I have another in my carry-on,” Amina assured her, her voice smooth and helpful.
“Thank you, sweetie,” my mom smiled, tucking the bottle away. “I was just telling Dex how wonderful you are. I really hope the two of you take the time to talk and work things out during this trip. It’s a rare occurrence as a parent to be kid-free, so enjoy it and try to remember the love y’all had for each other when you made Demi.”
My mom was preaching now, and there was no stopping her.
“Yes ma’am,” Amina nodded, her eyes finding mine in the rearview mirror. “I’m hoping the same thing. I think Tulum is exactly the right place for that.”
Amina reached forward and squeezed my shoulder, her touch lingering just a second too long.
I kept my eyes on the road. It wasn’t just Amina I was worried about. It was my mama and the campaign she was clearly already running, and we hadn’t even made it to the airport yet. Getting through this week with my sanity intact was already looking like a long shot.
My legal troubles were behind me somewhat after yesterday’s court appearance, but I still felt uneasy as I sat waiting to board our flight. I had gotten over one hurdle, but this trip to Mexico presented two more. Seeing my mother and her "perfect family" and avoiding the temptation who was Dex.
Even with a fresh start in front of me, the tension from Sunday night was still stuck in my chest. Walking into a courtroom yesterday was a wake-up call I hadn't asked for, and now I was headed to a wedding where I had to pretend everything was fine. I was just trying to keep my head above water without letting anyone see the cracks.
"You planning on telling Unc and Auntie about the arrest?" Nel asked, leaning back in the uncomfortable airport seat.
"Hell no," I snapped, keeping my voice low. "I’ve been the family disappointment since I was eighteen. I don’t need them knowing I’m almost thirty and still making stupid mistakes."