"Baby, you want me to grab that?" Xavion asked Emari as she finished boxing up her Aunt Simone's cake. It was the day of her wedding and she was due at the venue very soon to drop it off before the ceremony began.
"Um—yes please but you have to be really careful, Xavi," she said seriously. "This my auntie's wedding cake," she emphasized as he came to grab the box.
"Gotchu, baby," he chuckled. He was extremely happy to see her getting back to her happiness. It'd been a week since he had come to visit her that day, and little by little she had been brightening up. It was scary for him, but important that he saw it.
He knew how to care for her properly now, and he was dedicated to learning about depression like he did diabetes when Dymond was diagnosed, that way if there was any way he could help, he would.
"You look so pretty, Mari," he sighed, looking her over. She wore a very simple fitted dress, it was green, a darker green to match the colors of the wedding like her aunt had requested. It was off the shoulder and floor length with a split that came up right above her knee, showing off her leg and the silver strappy heels she chose to pair with it.
"Aw, baby, thank you," she pouted. Her hair was in the slickest slick back ponytail, with a side swooped bang and added hair in the back so it cascaded down the dress. "You look good in a tux," she smirked, messing with his tie.
"Thank you," he smirked, kissing her forehead. He really enjoyed the fact that when she wore heels she was only two inches shorter than him rather than her usual seven. He loved her height, but kissing her was much easier this way.
Their ride to the venue wasn't long, but full of Mari reminding Xavion to keep his hand on the cake at all times, as to not let it move an inch, or let the box touch the very intricate frosting. He wondered how she did it alone.
When they got there, he grabbed the cake, and she took the other desserts, up to the reception hall so she could have them in the fridge until the reception.
Xavion looked around the reception hall and he was amazed at how it was decorated. When he told Mari he hadn't been to a wedding in a long time, he meant since he was like fifteen, at his sister's wedding. This was huge and it was beautiful.
"Um, yo auntie rich?" he asked quietly when she came back out and she laughed. "I'm serious! Look at this man!"
"No, but her husband is," she snickered. "My new uncle got money, he paid for everything," he told him, and Xavion's jaw dropped. He couldn't imagine how much that costed. Desireé's wedding was pretty big but her husband's parents insisted on paying for everything.
"Man tell him to donate to his niece and his nephew in law, we in need," he joked and she laughed at him again.
"Mommy," Sahara took a deep breath before speaking into the mic again. The wedding was over, and everyone was seated at the reception now. The first dance happened and now food was being served while Sahara and her brother Sebastian stood in front of everyone.
Emari was already ready with the tissues for her.
"Mommy, I am so happy for you. You're really my best friend, sorry Mar," she giggled. "You sacrificed so much for me and Bash, we couldn't thank you enough. You're the best mom we could have asked for, we appreciate and love you so much. We're so glad that you found somebody to appreciate you just the same, and that makes you happy, and treats you like the absolute diamond you are," she sniffed. "Thank you Rodney for loving our mama and treating her the way you do every day. Thank you for welcoming us into your family with open arms, we really do love you, and we wish you two nothing but happiness," she grinned, blowing them a kiss, and her mom blew one back with tears in her eyes.
"Ugh my other family," Mari pouted, seated between Xavion and Tariq. Their families were naturally close so the Fletcher's were also in attendance for the ceremony.
After some more speeches, the cake was cut, and the music started up. Xavion wasn't really a big dancer, especially in public, he got flustered, but he was enjoying watching Mari drink and dance with her family and Sahara, even Sahara's 14 year old brother and her aunt Simone.
He had his one drink and was satisfied, because he knew once Sahara got Mari to take her third shot, she was done for, and he definitely didn't want her driving.
She'd been having a hard time this month, and he was loving seeing her let loose, smile and laugh. She rarely drank so he wasn't concerned about her drinking tonight, especially because her family was around too.
Later on, the music slowed down a little bit, and Nothing Even Matters by Lauryn Hill and D'angelo came on, causing her to flick her head towards him and quickly scurry back his way.
"Dance with me," she smiled, holding her hand out.
"Dance?" he raised his eyebrows.
"Please, Dooda. Only one song," she poked her lip out and he couldn't resist her as much as he tried to. "Yay! Thank you," she laced their fingers together when he stood up.
They made their way to the dance floor, hugging each other close, reminded of when they slow danced for an hour in her living room. It was different with so many people around but the atmosphere around them felt the same, as if they were in their own little bubble despite the crowd.
"A girl?!" Emari, Zion, Mycah and Tariq gasped when Jaida gave them her ultrasound pictures from earlier that day. She was now five months pregnant, and starting to show more and more.
"Yup! I'm tellin' y'all whenever mama guess the gender she right. We having a little girl again. Lemme tell y'all—your niece is ready to be a bis sister," she chuckled.
"I bet, she gon be bossing around y'all newborn like she try to do everyone else," Zion snickered.
"Aht! You let a four year old boss you around, we do not," Mycah pointed and everyone laughed. Today, the siblings were just out to eat, child and parent free, just to spend time together. They tried to do this every so often, so they could all catch up. Jaida was first with her announcements because everyone was eager to know what she was having.
"I have decided I'm running for homecoming princess," Mycah said, sipping her lemonade. "But I just know if I tell my friends I'm running they'll tell me not to," she rolled her eyes.
"Fuck them," Tariq immediately said. "They some hater ass kids, they know if you run you gon win, over they ass" he curled his lip up.
"Period, my baby gon win and show all them stank ass kids," Jaida rolled her eyes.
Tariq and Jaida being the oldest, they genuinely treated Mycah like she was one of their children too. She didn't mind, although Tariq could be extremely protective and she'd rather not have boys she liked interrogated, she knew it was because he cared, but she also knew how to get his sisters to shut him up.
"Moo, anything goin' on with you?" Jaida leaned her hand on her fist, popping a chip from the basket to dip in the crab dip they ordered.
"Umm not really," she shrugged. "Oh! Me and Sahara's trip is coming, we're leaving at the end of next week, Rashaad and Xavion are coming," she smiled thinking about him.
"Aw shit na' she finna get her back broke on the beach," she snickered and Zion audibly gagged. "Stop, Buddha," she rolled her eyes.
"Please stop talkin' about my sister having sex, please," he fake gagged again and Emari slapped his shoulder hard.
"Yeah I'on wanna hear all that, she a baby," Tariq joked.
"Bean, I am almost twenty five," she stuck her tongue out. "But yeah, I'm excited our first lil baecation," she clapped her hands excitedly.
"So you're really liking him huh?" Zion wondered.
"More than like him, yes. He's fantastic, I love everything about that man. He's really just...whew don't get me started I will give a whole speech about him," she waved them off.
After last week, she was really able to see what kind of blessing that he was. He filled the empty spaces in her life so healthily, she knew she was in love already, but that really proved to her how he felt about her in his heart, because he didn't have to do her laundry, he didn't have to cook for her or stay up with her for hours when he had to work the next day.
He did it because he loved her, and he showed it in every way possible.
"Not my big sister in love love," Mycah pouted. "Ugh! This is so precious! Y'all are the cutest couple," she gushed.
"Thank you Munch," she giggled and it was Zion's turn to tell his business.
Mani was in her kitchen that weekend, trying to keep busy while Xavion was gone. He had a match over the weekend, but Mari had an event so she couldn't go and she was sad, because she had so much fun last time.
doodabug🥺🤍: I miss you baby
She smiled reading his message. She hadn't really talked to him that day, they were both pretty busy and now he was probably done at the gym.
: i miss you more, dooda 🥺 come baaaack
doodabug🥺🤍: ima be back soon my love. Ima come straight to you I promise
She was already excited to see him.
After she finished her tester cupcakes she placed one in the fridge and ate the other, afterwards going into the bathroom to shower and get ready to lay down. It was extremely late, but she figured it was better late than never.
She took the liberty of rinsing the gel out of her hair and slathering some co-wash in it, just to give herself a clean slate for yet another slick back. She was getting braids on Thursday so there was no need to get all dolled up.
Once she was out, and dressed—partially, she stood in the mirror ready to do her hair before she looked herself over and had a wonderful idea.
: baby you wanna see something?
She sent with a slight grin on her face. She remembered a random conversation they had before about nudes and things of that sort, and he said he'd never really received them, and she felt like it was her duty to sexually liberate her boyfriend. As much as she wanted to feel good she was sure he wanted to as well.
And while a picture couldn't make him feel good, it would certainly be something he wasn't used to, and it would make him feel something—hopefully.
She took some pictures while she eagerly awaited his response, making sure it wasn't too much, but just enough to tease. All she needed was a tease.
Once she got a reply from him, she sent one in invisible ink, chewing on her lip as she saw him read the message. For some reason she was very nervous as to what he was going to think. Not like he hadn't told her he loved her body before, but something about sending the picture was a tad nerve wracking.
Instead of texting her back, her phone rang, and she laughed loudly, her worries easing a bit once she picked up.
"Hi Xavi," she grinned innocently.
"Man, why you doin' this to me when I'm not five minutes down the street from you, Emari? Huh?" he asked, and he truly sounded like he was distressed, making Mari want to laugh although he was probably serious.
"I just wanted to show you a lil bit of what's gon be waiting when you come home," she spoke lowly, and he leaned his head back on the wall behind him, biting on his bottom lip, making Mari's stomach tingle just at the sight.
"A lil bit?" he finally responded and she nodded. "S-so you got more?" he asked and a smirk quirked up on her lips.
"Of course," she replied and he just licked over his bottom lip.
"You gon' let me see em?" he wondered and her smirk only grew wider.
"I have a better idea," she said, setting her phone down on her bathroom counter so he could see her whole body. "How bout I just show you now?" she tilted her head and toyed with the lacy band of her panties.
"R-right now?" he asked, hungrily looking her over.
"Right now," she nodded and all he could do was nod in response. "Whatchu want off first?" she smirked.
After their very eventful moment, Mari and Xavi sat up talking about any and everything, Mari was trying to fully figure her man out.
"You like being called daddy?" she tilted her head. She didn't say it last time although she felt the overwhelming need to, because she didn't know if he was comfortable with it, but she did want to know.
For future reference.
"I'on really know, I only ever hear my name...or baby or some shit," he informed her. "Do you like saying it?"
"Depends on if you giving it too me good enough or not," she chuckled and he gave her a look, making her laugh. "No but, I do have the tendency to. If you're not comfortable though, I'll keep if hush hush," she made sure to say.
"I'm sure Ima love anything you say to me, honestly," he chuckled. "We gon see. Now I have a question,"
"Okay wassup?" she wondered with a slight yawn. They had been talking for a little while now and it was nearing 3 in the morning. "You into some super kinky stuff? Lemme know," she joked.
"Emari—you play too damn much," he chuckled. "I was wondering...I don't know why I never asked but um, you on birth control?" he asked and she smirked again. "Aight don't get cocky lil girl," he laughed.
"If you wanna feel me you could just say that," she teased and he laughed again, she could tell he was blushing a little bit. "But I am not on birth control, that can be taken care of though. You wanna stop using condoms?"
"I mean...maybe not every time," he spoke. "I don't wanna like inconvenience you or anything so if you'd rather stay off—"
"No, it's better I get on, the only reason I wasn't was because I wasn't having sex consistently and when I did it was always protected. So now that I most likely will be doing it on a more consistent basis, it's better I take the extra precaution because honestly, I can't see us remembering one every single time," she explained and he nodded in agreement. "I'll call my OB on Monday,"
"Aight cool. We could go get tested too, just as a extra extra precaution,"
"Aw, you so responsible, Dooda," she cooed and he chuckled, shaking his head. "We can get tested on Monday too, my OB works upstairs at the same building as me, so it'll be fast, just come straight after work," she said and he nodded.
"Bet. Remind me though, Ima be dead tired. You know what you could do for me though? That I would really really love?" he grinned widely and she already knew what was coming.
"What do you want me to make, Xavion?"
"See why I love you? You treat me so good," he sighed contentedly and Mari laughed.
"Dr. Franklin please come get your MA away from me," Emari groaned because Sahara would not stop hugging her. She had been clingy all day, because she claimed she missed her.
"No! Dr. Franklin please allow me to show my best friend love," she spoke and he just laughed at them, taking his food out of the fridge. "I haven't seen you since Friday, pooh! You didn't miss me?"
"Of course I missed you, baby but I'm very hungry and I'm tryna eat," she giggled. "Can I do that? Is that okay?"
"Mhm, I guess," she rolled her eyes playfully. "How was your weekend?" she asked, cracking open a smoothie she got.
"Good, I slept a lot on Sunday after my event because I was up all night on the phone," she chuckled. "But the event was good! It was a baby shower, I cannot wait to do Jaida's," she sighed happily.
"I know! I honestly can't believe it was her, I could have sworn Zion went out and impregnated somebody daughter," she chuckled.
"Bitch, you and me both. Mama, Big mama, Nana, chile they would have whooped his 25 year old ass. They don't play with him and these girls, he needs to pick one and give me a sister in law, I'm genuinely tired of his ass," she chuckled.
Zion wasn't really the 'settling down' type. He made sure all of the women he dealt with were the same because he wasn't in the business of stringing people along or hurting feelings unnecessarily, and Mari always respected him for that.
But she also wanted him to get married and have babies for her to spoil.
"He gon get called out the streets one day," she laughed. "But! You excited?! Maui is literally four days away!"
"Oh my goodness yes, I done bought like ten bikinis, my hair appointment is set, I'm getting my lashes done tomorrow...I'm getting on birth control today—"
"Oh you nasty bitch," Sahara laughed. "I knew it was coming. I recommend the implant chile,"
"I been researching, I think I'll go with that. You know I'm not good with pills," she chuckled.
"You certainly are not, I would honestly give it a month before you end up with child,"
"You ain't shit," Mari laughed.
hello friendssssss!
i hope we enjoyed this update :) let's get into it!
congratulations to tete simone 🥺 she is married to a rich black man we love to see it!
also! big sister jaida is having a baby girl 💞 y'all drop a name ill pick a first and middle from y'all 🥰
next, mari and xavi getting a lil freaky over the phone 🌚 idk if y'all wanted to see that, but if you do, i will add it next time lol i just didn't know how we felt about phone secks.
mari tryna figure out what her man like y'all, what you think she got planned for this vacation?? she getting on birth control. chiiiiile 🌚
and lastly! tell me y'all favorite part of this chapter :) hawaii is next! i hope we're readyyyyy
till next time ✌🏾😗