My anxiety has been going through the roof all morning. After five years of waiting for Jay to return home, the day had finally come. I pulled Blue and the twins out of school today and had the administrators mark it as a self-care day for them because I knew they would need the whole day to mentally prepare for being reunited with their father again.
"So, where are we going again?" Blue asked, rummaging through her tiny diesel purse.
I smirked and continued to focus on the road. "Guess... you have three guesses," I said.
"Disneyland?" She asked, scrunching her nose.
"No, but good guess... two more guesses left," I replied.
I giggled as Blue really focused on her options. "Are we going to meet someone?" she asked.
" Hmm... we are, but who?" I egged her on.
She tapped her index finger on her chin as if she was in deep thought. "Nene Tina and Pop Pop?"
"Close... but more like someone you've been dying to see. Someone you've missed so much that's been so far away," I hinted.
My daughter sat there, rubbing her temples in confusion and repeating what I had just given her a hint of. She then looked up at me with bright eyes and smiled, her tiny pearly teeth and gums visible. I hadn't seen her be this happy in a very long time.
"No way... no freaking way!!" she yelled out.
"Shhhh... you'll wake up the twins," I whispered.
"Oh... sorry, Mommy. But we're going to pick up Daddy?" she cooed.
I nodded my head and smiled softly. My eyes were glossy as I held back tears from seeing how full her heart was receiving the news.
"Yes, baby, we're going to grab brunch, head to Target to get him essentials, and set him up in the guest house. Then Nana Gloria has a big surprise for him later tonight," I said.
"Can I get him a gift, please Mommy? Please?" she begged, poking her lip out and enlarging her baby-like honey-brown pigmented doe eyes.
"It'll be with your allowance money, okay?" I said.
"Okay, Mommy," she replied.
"As long as we're clear, Blue, I need you to be on your best behavior when you see your dad today, okay?" I said while looking into the mirror and glancing at Blue as I drove.
I stopped at a red light and adjusted the mirror to be more focused on my daughter who had her music turned up to the maximum. AirPods shoved in her ear by the time I looked up at her.
"Blue, do you hear me?" I asked.
She nodded her head yes and hummed along to a Justin Timberlake tune that I knew always put her in a good mood.
A part of me wanted to interrupt her but at the same time, I couldn't let her moment come to an end like this. I just exhaled and focused on the road.
The twins were however fast asleep in the backseat. Taking turns snoring louder and louder as if they competed to be the noisiest.
Above all, I just hoped that Jay wouldn't do or say anything crazy when I came to pick him up. I knew how bad his mouth could get especially when he was jealous or under pressure and he was about to be both as soon as he made his way into my home.
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In no time I was double parked outside of the county's correctional facility, waiting for Jay to walk out any minute. The alarm system let out a repeated ping of noise as The gates opened for him to walk up to my vehicle. The gates creaking open gave be butterflies like I had never known, my stomach churned at the sight of him walking out of that very gate. An officer escorted him to the car and Jay's best friend Tyty was right beside him.
