"Malia, are you done changing into your pjs?"
"Yes momma! I am comin' down."
The sound of pattering feet against the hardwood stairs fills my ears as Malia runs down the stairs. With an oven mitt on both hands, I pull out the last sheet of oatmeal raisin cookies that Malia and I had baked together. Careful to not hit the skillet simmering with tonight's dinner, I take each cookie off the pan with a spatula and place it with the other cooling cookies on the counter.
Malia tugs on the hem of my apron as I set the pan in the dishwasher. Turning towards her, her toothy grin stares upwards.
"Momma can I have a cookie? Pretty please?" She sticks out her bottom lip, batting her thick eyelashes. Obviously she inherited her mother's innocence.
Grabbing a cooled chocolate chip from the earlier batch, I break it in half and bend down infront of her. She takes the cookie with both hands before letting her right hand drop and drag along her pajamas. "Thank you momma"
"Mal, don't wipe your hands on your pj's please."
She giggles before bitting down and talking with her mouth full, "okay momma."
Eating the other half of the cookie, I wash my hands and put away the ingredients from baking while watching Malia giggling over her cookie. She sits on her knees on her chair at the table, bouncing her head back and forth. When she finishes she walks over to the sink and climbs onto her step stool and washes her hand. I hang my apron up in the kitchen closet.
"Brush teeth now?"
"Yes lets go brush your teeth."
She runs to the bathroom where she eagerly grabs her tooth and the container of toothpaste. "Brush my teeth, brush my teeth. I brush them everyday"
Taking the toothpaste, I squeeze a tiny bit onto her toothbrush and brush her hair with a comb, "Up and down and all around."
Brushing the toothbrush back and forth she grins into the mirror, "I make my teeth clean."
She goes on for a few seconds before spitting into the sink and sticking her toothbrush back into the holder. Turning with her hands on her hips, she looks up with her lips pulled back showing her teeth.
"All clean."
"Good job, but you forgot something." She gasps and her eyebrows knit together in confusion.
"I don't know momma."
"Remember you have to clean off your toothbrush with water?"
She laughs and grabs her toothbrush, thrusting into the running water as I turn it on. "I know that silly."
Chuckling, I help her finish up as she wipes her mouth and the counter.
"Is Ze coming over today momma?"
Smiling I take a hold of her hand and walk towards the kitchen and dinning room, "Yes, but you have to go to sleep."
She frowns, "But I want to make tea with Ze. He said he plays with me next time."
I can't help but chuckle remembering Ze being pressured into saying yes to Malia asking to make tea with Kings the next time he came over. Giving her hand a soft squeeze, I pat her head with my other hand.
"I promise he will make tea with you and Kings in the morning. It is already getting late baby. Maybe tomorrow you can even let him try one of your cookies."
She stops looking upwards, "Really?"
Bending down, I kiss her head, "Yes really."
The bell rings and my heart flutters at the thought of spending another evening with Zeke. Malia pulls away as she runs to door. I don't understand how toddlers can be so fast. She has the door open and pulls Zeke in before I even reach the doorway.
He is chuckling as pushes the door shut with his foot and bends down, taking both of Malia's hands into his as she rambles on about nonsense. He doesn't seem to mind as she nods and engages in conversation.
My heart flutters in my chest with awe as I watch the two engage in conversation, or at least Malia talking. Since the first day Zeke met Malia, I could see the love in his eyes that he had for her. Immediately, he stepped in as a fatherly figure, offering to watch her while I attended meetings. Working from home had its advantages however, there were still at least five days a month where I had to attend meetings all day.
"I told you that you would like those pajama's." He tickles her stomach causing her to giggle and push his hand away with a yawn.
"I like the elephants. They are big, like a house. I hope I never get that big, momma might though, she is big already."
I laugh causing Zeke's head to look up as a genuine smile dances across his lips before he looks back down at Malia, "Momma is just really tall. I don't think she will ever be an elephant."
She yawns again and rubs at her eyes with a smile.
"She is bigger than me."
Zeke strips off his jacket hanging it in the closet before pulling off his shoes. He wears a plain white shirt and black pants. I can't help but notice his blue shark socks. I make a mental note to tease him later.
Yawning once more, Malia reaches her arms up towards me. Picking her up, her arms wraps around my neck.
"I think it's night-night time. Say goodnight to Zeke, Mal."
"Goodnight Ze." She mumbles against my shoulder. As he kisses her head, I tell him that I'll be back.
Carrying Malia back to her bedroom, I flip on her bedroom light and pull back her blankets before laying her down and covering her back up. Her eyes are closed as she cuddles against the sheets.
"Goodnight Mal, I love you." Kissing her head, I turn on her night light and turn off her main light.
"Good night momma. I love you much more." And with that I shut her door, leaving her to sleep.
Brushing my hands down my jeans, I pull my shirt down as I round the corner into the kitchen. Immediatly, I am gently shoved into the wall as Zeke's hands wrap around my waist and his lips claim mine. My hands thread through his hair as I pull him closer to me. He sighs and trails his lips across my cheek and down my throat. My eyes close as my head tilt backward.
"Z...eke." I whisper as his lips move back up my throat reconnecting with mine.We are kissing like madmen as his tongue parts my lips. If it weren't for Zekes arms holding onto me, I surely would've collapsed. His lips press fervently against mine as his hands squeeze my hips and with the gentle grace of a God he pulls me tighter against his chest as my legs wrap around his waist.
"Zeke..." I whisper between breathes.
With an aflamed chest, my heart pounds against my rib cage and I involuntarily dig my nails into his back. All of his other kisses are gentle and warm, that makes my heart flutter. This is unlike any other kisses.
"Dinner..."
I can feel his smile against my jaw before he pulls away staring into my eyes.
When I first met him, his eyes caught my attention. They were not the typical brown instead they were a fools gold dancing in the sun mixed with a rich black coffee.
In his eyes, I realized how beautiful brown truly is.
"Be my girlfriend."
My mouth drops open for a few seconds before I find the words, "Are you serious?"
"I am dead serious."
I can't help but to stare flabbergasted, "But... I thought you said you never wanted to be in a relationship again."
He smiles and rests his forehead against mine with a smile, "That was until I met you."
"I mean, I am happy and all and of course I will say yes, but I just want to ask a question."
He pecks my lips, "Of course."
"Why me?" My feet connect with the floor as he takes ahold of my hands gazing deeply at me.
"Before I met you Luana, I was locked in my own world, drowning in my own disparities and hardships. When we met and I learned about your backstory of becoming pregnant at eighteen and then left by both your family and the father, it made me realize how small my problems were compared to yours. Even though everyone abandoned you, you found happiness with everything you were given. The love you have for your daughter is something I have never felt from my own parents. You are a strong woman who would do anything for others. Your heart is pure and you live with good intentions. These past several months have been a blessing and I would be honored to be by your side officially."
I didn't realize I was crying until Zeke's brushes his thumb under my eye. "I didn't mean to make you cry. I hope I didn't say anything to upset you."
I can't help but laugh as worry etches across his face. Wiping at my face, I pull him into a hug and bury my face into his neck.
"You have no idea how much you mean to Mal and I. You immediately stepped in as the father figure without a second guess. I never thought I would see the day when Mal would not mop without her father. No matter how hard I tried to keep her happy, she just couldn't understand why her daddy wasn't in her life. I can't lie, the past four years of raising her have not been easy. There have been days where I lie in bed questioning if I am doing everything right and that I am giving her the life she needs and raising her right. With you, I feel at home. I feel something that I thought I would never feel again. I would be honored to be your girlfriend."
His lips find mine but this time it is much more gentler than any other kiss as if we would simply savor the moment.
But life has a funny way of working out.
The smell of burning food fills my nostrils and I pull away to see dinner that was cooking on the stove, smoking.
"Son of a biscuit!" I rush over to the stove and grab the cool handle and push it off the burner as I swish the towel back and forth and turn on the stove fan. I sigh heavily as I stare at the burnt food in the pan.
Warm arms wrap around my waist from behind as Zeke rests his chin on my shoulder. He huffs out a laugh that rumble deep in his chest against my back.
"Guess this means we can order Chinese now."
Turning, I wrap my arms around his neck, "I promise one day I will make a fancy dinner for us without having it either taste horrible or burning."
He kisses my forehead, "I will be looking forward to that day love."
"And I will look forward to the day that you stop wearing crazy socks."
With a grin he holds me against him, "Never."
"I know, it was called Sharkcasm." I laugh at my own pun. He raises an eyebrow.
"Wow that was so punny Luna, I think I forgot to laugh."
I slid my hand into his, intertwining our fingers as I gaze up into his eyes.
"ʻOʻoe kaʻu mau mea a pau."
"aʻoʻoe pū kekahi."