His Emancipator🖤 [His Duet #1]

CHAPTER NINETEEN

I eye her floral powder blue dress. "You're fine, Zuri." I assure her. "Besides she's not a flowers person."

"What about wine or champagne?"

I pat her exposed thigh, causing goosebumps to appear. "I can assure you the idea of you not bringing a gift will not rattle her as much as of her not seeing you. She'll love you."

I start the car as she settles back in her seat, a long silence following. "Isn't it weird that you're a mafia princess and also work for the police?" I ask, making conversation

"You do realize those two things are mutually exclusive right?"

"Fair enough."

"Anyway, do I want to know why I'm here and your girlfriend is not?"

"She had other things to do. And let's just say she doesn't get along quite well with my family."

Zuri nods in understanding. I'm glad she doesn't pry. That's the good thing about her, she knows when to hold back.

"What do I need to know about Mama D?" She changes the subject swiftly.

"Not much really. Just don't call her Mrs. Larue."

"Yeah I figured." She affirms. I know exactly what she means; my dad wasn't used as leverage in any of the threatening texts, he was only used to threaten Arielle's presence in our lives

I'll be damned if I let a drunk gambler raise my sister. A man who finds his happiness at the bottom of an alcohol bottle is not fit to raise any child. I'll die before he spends one second with my sister let alone two years. I won't put past him to gamble her away. The thought alone drags a lethal taste in my throat.

"What happened to your cheek by the way?" She's full of questions today

"Madison bought a cat." She can barely take care of herself let alone an animal. "Her feral nature condescends with mine."

The rest of the ride she sings along to the playlist while I alternate between driving and stealing glances at her. The way her full lips sing along to every lyric as if they're encrypted in her brain just goes to prove how beautiful she is. Before I know it, Zuri is curled on her seat, sleeping peacefully, her thick lashes softly brushing against her cheekbones.

The tranquility that emanates from her sleeping form impels me not to wake her up but I have to. I want to see mom's face when she sees her.

I nudge her gently. "Princess, we're here." She stirs and eventually wakes up with a yawn.

"You're in my face." She says groggily.

I accord her a shit eating grin. "We're here."

Together we walk towards our single storey cream house, a place holds so many memories for me. I remember how much mom worked to put a roof over our head after we left my father. The many jobs she worked just to get the mortgage paid. I refuse to let someone take it away from her.

I ring the bell and seconds later, the door opens. "Darelle!" My dark brown mom shrieks as she pulls me into a hug. "Oh I've missed you." she says pinching my cheeks but then her brows knot in worry. "What happened to your cheek?"

"Madison's cat."

"Darelle!" Arielle descends the stairs at a lighting speed, saving me from having to explain. She throws herself onto me. No regard for personal space.

Finally, after the smothering, they notice Zuri. "Is she the pregnant one?" Oh my God.

"Mom, we already talked about this." I complain. "She's the surprise. Look again."

At my request, she takes her time to analyze Zuri's features. Slowly, pieces start falling together as shock dawns all over her face. "Keilee Bakari, as I live and breathe. Good God your resemblance to her is uncanny." Her voice is wobbly as she brings Zuri into a tight embrace.

"Um. Hi?" Zuri says uncertainly.

Mom pulls away her cheeks creased with small tears. "You've grown so much since I last saw you."

"Yeah my life's purpose has been to eat." Zuri jokes, with a smile of her own.

"I like her. Keep her." She whispers. I can't keep what I can't have.

"Let's take this inside." I urge.

The house smells just how I remember it; like home. The brown leather sofas hold three throw pillows each. The TV plays a reality cook show. The windows are drawn with white shears. Warmth radiates from across the whole house and I've never been at peace than I am right now.

Mom leaves us to our own devices heading back to the kitchen.

Arielle moves like an antelope and throws her hands around Zuri making her take a step back from the impact. "Hi I'm Arielle but you call me Elle."

"Hi, I'm Keilee. You can call me Zuri." We make eye contact and she has the audacity to wink knowing damn well I'm the only person allowed to call her that.

"If y'all are done eye fucking, I would like to show Keilee your embarrassing photos." Elle gushes.

Lunch goes over pretty well and I can't help but notice how Zuri settles in like she belongs here. I find it hard to avert my gaze away from her every time she speaks. Mom blessed our tongues with her iconic Jamaican jerk chicken. Zuri complimented every bit of it something Madison never did. In fact, she once said the chicken gave her too many calories.

"I have a million things to tell you about our high school days with Celine." Mom says excitedly as we eat our dessert.

Zuri checks on a fake watch on her wrist. "Seems like all I've got is time." Mom laughs lightheartedly.

Zuri is invested in everything mom tells her, I discreetly watch how she buoyantly laughs at the funny parts, how her lips curl in distaste at the bad parts, the incredulous look that creases her eyebrows every time mom tells her something nobody would think of doing but the best friends did anyway.

How her face smooths out in relief after the unhinging parts. The radiant smile that materializes her plump lips when she's told how amazing her mom was.

Through all the dissimilar expressions that engird her face, not once does her beauty dissipate from my study.

I'm not supposed to love any of those features but I do anyway because in the wise words of Anatole France, if the path be beautiful, let us not ask where it leads.

A/N

Hey guys.

How are you?

Ik this chapter is longer than the other ones but hope you enjoyed meeting D's family