Page 206 of Lau Ahi
Cautiously, I pulled out the box and a smile broke over my face. It was a picture of a princess. A real-life Black American, Creole, Persian princess. Baby Valencia Henriette Mahdavi Cannon was the joy that we’d been able to hold on to after we’d lost Ori. We’d been happy to hear about the pregnancy and the only time I’d made an appearance was to celebrate baby Henriette’s baby shower. Xerxes and Vanya’s little girl was going to be the most spoiled baby in the entire world. Taking a tour through their mansion in Charlotte after the baby shower had been impressive. Their home was stunning and Valencia Henriette’s room was something out of a dream. The crib they had made was one of the most beautiful creations I’d ever seen. It was hand-carved and in the shape of a princess carriage. It had to be brought into her room in pieces and reconstructed inside. There were inserts that allowed the bed to convert from an infant cradle to a toddler bed to one that could fit three people. I just knew her mother and father were going to be in her bed with her. The carpenter was talented having designed and carved a music box that would play lullabies and gently rock the entire bed with the touch of a button.
The portrait was beautiful. This baby had no chance of having deep melanin with her father and mother’s complexion and she’d been born with her mother’s curly red hair andfreckles. The picture belonged in a magazine with baby Valencia Henriette draped over a floral crescent moon with a soft pink background. Even in my joy I was temporarily brought back to grief.
I thought back to the weeks after the funeral when my body cramped. Signaling pain’s return as my heart prepped to endure another loss. I hadn’t thought about the possibility but when the first cramp hit I realized that I’d been late. And now I was only aware of the miracle as I was losing it.
So now I had two angels watching over me in heaven. I tried not to be sad because no one would’ve been better to protect our little one than its father. And now I knew he wasn’t alone on the other side.
The remembrance didn’t make me sad as I went through the unboxing of this beautiful picture and thought of where I was going to hang it in the hallway gallery. I placed the box outside the door and rang the bell nearby so that concierge would come and retrieve it.
I was thankful that I had a purpose for the day. Somewhere to be that would continue to give my mind what it needed to function. I would hang the portrait up when I got back but for now this meeting took precedence. I was being summoned to handle something for Ori and the idea of taking care of something for him had breathed life into me today. I was about to dress in my best rendition of an outfit to make Olivia Pope proud and get this handled for him.
“Why is it that I’m here?”
I hadn’t seen any of these people since I’d put Ori in the ground and seeing them now made me angry. There was so much that I wanted to say to all of them but I was still too disgusted to put voice to it.
Jemma Marie had things going on with her life that were causing issues but no matter what she still kept me in the loop ofConsortiumbusiness. My father was almost too afraid to speak Ori’s name, given how despondent I’d been. Grief was something that seemed to have a grip on me so tightly I couldn’t breathe some days. And since I couldn’t stand the people who were now trying to claim my husband’s barely occupied seat, they would be lucky to walk out of here with their heads still attached to their necks.
The office we were in wasn’t one I was used to but clearly Pappy was comfortable here. I’d come dressed in all black, widow’s weeds, the only color I’d worn since I learned that Ori died.
“You’re here because you are the widow of the most recent head of the family. The problem that has arisen is that since he had a wife, we have to discuss whether it’s possible for you to be carrying his heir.”
Pappy could barely keep the hope out of his voice and I wished that I could give him the good news that he wanted but it wasn’t meant to be.
“No, I’m not pregnant.”
I tried to keep my voice strong but it was hard with everything that was going through my head. Feeling like I’d failed. The thought of being able to hold on to a part of Ori brought tears to the backs of my eyes but I blinked them away before they could fall. He would be so disappointed in me seeing me this fucking emotional.
Tighten up, Semira. Remember who the hell you are.
I could almost hear his voice in my head encouraging me in that voice that was an octave so low it seemed to match the depths of the ocean. It was so appropriate that his family worked on the sea because that was the only thing that could capture his depth.
Why did you have to leave me?
I swallowed the emotion and put on my poker face ready to handle business in the name of my husband. I wasn’t going to embarrass his memory by not handling whatever this part of the family was about to throw at us and I knew it was some bullshit.
I was surprised at everyone in attendance for this family meeting. From what I understood, only the active members were the ones who should’ve been able to attend. My presence was already in question since I wasn’t technically family but the question about my being pregnant explained away what my purpose was for being here. Faith was sitting at the table next to Pappy, Hakeem and his mother were on her side and I was on the other side of Pappy. Across from us sat Faith’s brother James and her nephew Theo whose presence irritated my soul. I remembered his behavior at the wedding and I didn’t want him near me at all.
“Well, that clears up that issue.” Pappy cleared his throat and I knew it was because he was getting emotional as well. Instead of saying anything else he patted my hand before looking across the room. “I know you all are attempting to take over my grandson’s seat at the table and that can’t happen no matter what you believe.”
“What are you talking about?”
Mr. Miller who’d introduced himself at the wedding cleared his throat to get the attention of Theo and James.
“You all are attempting to step into this position when you are missing one very obvious fact.”
“What’s that? She just said that she wasn’t pregnant so I don’t understand what the hold-up is.” James was growing as he spoke like I had somehow pissed him off when my being pregnant had cleared up confusion for him.
“You seem to forget that the original person who was supposed to hold this seat is still alive, well and back in town.”
Their eyes went straight to our side of the table and Faith sat there looking stronger than I’d expected her to. She’d been hit just as hard by grief but stayed and checked on me. This meeting came out of nowhere, and I was surprised that she hadn’t given me a heads-up about what it was for.
“You mean her? Faith? Faith’s ass can’t do shit. Her ass wasn’t strong enough to handle it when she was young but now she’s trying to step up to the plate? Why? And y’all are so easy to let her back in the fold? Tell me X, you don’t think it’s suspicious that she’s back and then her son winds up dead so soon after?” James was damn near laughing at the idea of Faith taking over this seat and I was getting angrier at this dickhead who thought he was better than her. He wore a maroon suit that had a cut befitting a pimp or a preacher, with oversized lapels. His large afro was parted to one side and his son was almost a mirror image of him.
The implication of what he was saying made my stomach turn. I glanced at Faith and could see the way her brother’s words hurt her.
“You don’t know me at all if you think that I don’t love my son.” Her voice wavered even if her features didn’t.
“Oh, is that what you feel? You weren’t even around the lil nigga for the majority of his life. You let this one sweep in and take over shit that our family worked for like it didn’t mean shit to you!” James was leaned up out of his seat and I was ready to whip out my blade and put it into his neck for how disrespectful he was being.
