Page 49 of Book Bae

“Why are you being so good to me?” she asked, turning her gaze to me.

Brooke sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes. “Girl, please. It’s the least you deserve since Micky knocked you up and knocked your emotions out of wack.”

Myraj laughed and wiped her tears away. “Micky?”

“Mhm. Childhood nickname,” Brooke confirmed.

“That’s enough, Brooklyn Denise,” I replied.

She rolled her eyes, but it was Myraj who spoke next. “Thank you. I’m sorry for these tears too. I don’t want to blame it on pregnancy hormones, but I’ve never been a big crier before now. Micaiah, I would have figured something out.”

“No, he’s just doing his job, sis. That’s his responsibility. Isn’t that right, Ayden?” Brooke asked her husband.

“Absolutely,” he replied, dropping a kiss on Brooke’s lips.

“We’re going to finish mingling. I just saw you two walk through the door and wanted to speak. See you later, Micky,” Brooke stated.

As soon as they left our side, I turned to Myraj to clear some things up. I hated that she felt she should have to figure shit out. She didn’t need to feel that way as long as I was around. She had this independent spirit that I respected and admired, but it got in the way of what I wanted to do for her and be for her.

“Listen, don’t ever think you have to figure things out on your own. That’s what I’m here for. I just want you to be happy. You’re the mother of my princess, and you’re a beautiful spirit, Myraj. You deserve the best of everything. Do you understand me?”

“I do,” she replied, smiling shyly at me.

It took everything in me not to grip her chin to kiss her lips. That wasn’t what I was here for, but I wanted it so desperately, just one more taste of her.

“Good. Now, we need to find my parents.”

“There are so many people here,” she declared, looking around.

“Which was why we had it here rather than at someone’s home. There are eight of us, including my parents. Then we all have significant others and kids, my aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins on both sides are here, and then they invited their friends.

“It looks like no less than a hundred people,” she stated softly.

“Try two-fifty.” Her eyes widened, and she inhaled. “Take it easy. You’re not here for all of them. There are only two people you need to focus on and that’s these two here,” I declared as my parents approached.

“Hey, my sweet baby boy.” Mama greeted Malachi, bending to kiss and hug him. He giggled before my dad did the same, while Mama stood up to take in Myraj.

“Oh, my goodness, Micaiah. She’s just as beautiful as you and Brooklyn said she was,” Mama declared with a large smile.

She had already taken Myraj’s hands, stared her up and down, and then pulled her into a hug. When she released her, my father grabbed and hugged her, too, as I snatched an impatient Malachi back at my side.

“Please, Daddy!” he begged, pointing at his cousins.

“Chi, behave!” I warned after I’d released his hand.

“I will,” he shouted.

“Leave that child alone,” my mama chided.

“Ma, Dad, this is Myraj, the mother of my daughter. Myraj, these are my parents, Gabriella and Thomas Livingstone.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Myraj. You can call me Gabby,” my mother declared.

“You can call me Bud,” my father stated.

“Bud?”

“I’ve been known as Bud all my life, at least since I was five, and now I’m sixty-seven.”