In Spite of the Bosset Life(24)

“Do you still love me?” asked Ace, wondering why I didn’t kiss him back. I swallowed the lump in my throat and touched Ace’s face.

“I never stopped... I can’t believe you’re really here right now,” I said, trying to hold my composure. I had to touch his face to see if this was really happening.

“Good because daddy’s home for good.” Ace gazed down at my hand and noticed my ring was gone. I could tell that shattered his heart.

“Don’t worry, I still have it,” I said, wanting to run upstairs to put it on. Ace smiled and kissed me deeply. This time, I kissed him back. The second he put his tongue in my mouth, my panties got wet. It had been too many years since I felt that feeling from my husband. My soul blossomed. I couldn’t help the tears that came down. I had prayed for this a million times. Majesty poked her daddy’s cheek and we both laughed.

“Boys don’t suppose to kiss girls like that. Ma said so,” said Smoochie.

“MaMa’s kiss Dada’s though,” said Ace, getting another kiss. I smiled and hugged them both. I wanted to scream and shout for joy. Ace was home. It wasn’t no dream. He really came back. We had been through so much and I felt bad for ever thinking Ace would truly leave me.

“Ace, I’m so glad you came back. Please don’t ever leave again. You scared me. You scaring me now. I swear if you leave again, it’s going to kill me,” I said, threatening him.

“Koì, I’m never leaving. I paid my debts and I’m free to live. I told you by all cost I was coming home to my family if I could. It took time but I’m home. I’m home to stay.” Ace led us back to our room. A lot needed to be said and he wanted to explain where he went. He ordered for Akamai to lock the house down. No one could come in our home at this time. Ace wanted to talk to me and didn’t want no one home with us. Unni was sent to the hotel for the next few hours. Akamai did as he was told. He posted up at the gates, making sure Ace’s wishes was fulfilled.

“What’s my daughter’s name?” asked Ace, watching Majesty sleep. She had thrown that big temper tantrum and was sleeping peacefully now.

“What did you name her?” I brushed the hairs back on my baby’s face. She looked so innocent in her Minnie Mouse pajamas.

“Majesty Lee Jordan.”

“That’s your daughter’s name.” We sat on the bed, not knowing where to start. I knew Ace better hurry up and get to talking. He owed me an explanation.

“Thank you. I missed you so much. Can I see some pictures of her when she was a baby?” asked Ace, watching over his daughter. I lived for this moment. I wanted to tell Ace all about his daughter. But since he was home, I decided to let him go at his own pace. He would learn everything about his child in due time. I handed him the photo album that I made for our daughter. It was thick because I had put everything in it, from birth to now.

“Where did you go? You left me without saying goodbye. What happened? What made you leave her?” I asked, pointing to our daughter. Majesty was knocked out with her thumb in her mouth.

“I was here though,” said Ace, touching my heart that no longer ached. He didn’t understand that wasn’t enough for me. Majesty and I both needed more from him. He promised me more. Ace’s touch sent chills down my spine. No man but him could make my body react that way. I closed my eyes and opened them. Ace knew he had total control. I was like a remote. His remote.

“I was here too,” I said, touching Ace’s heart. “I cried so much because all I wanted was you. I wanted you home. You don’t understand. So much happened and you wasn’t nowhere to be found. I searched for you,” I said, thinking about all what I had been through. “Where did you go? I need to know.” Ace couldn’t act like everything was coo because it wasn’t. You just don’t leave your pregnant wife behind like he did.

“I was transporting and I also got thrown in a cell for some time. I was giving it up to be with you. I had plans on changing my life around, like we used to talk about. During the time of me leaving it behind, a shipment got lost. Not no little shipment. The fact I was terminating my position, it made me prime suspect. I had to clear my name. Trying to clear my name, the Cuban police picked me up on some charges. Also, bloodshed was going on. I got hit and had to recover from all that.” I knew then bodies was dropped and a war had begun. I thought about the short time I spent in jail. I never smuggled or did anything illegal. I wonder how long he was incarcerated.

“It was all three years?”

“Three years, Koì. Thirty months in this bullshit as jail getting my ass whooped. I had to do what I had to do. I’m a man. I just couldn’t say, aye man, I don’t know what happened to your bricks. He was not having that. They were on my planes! They were in my possession. I had to investigate, strategize, and knock everybody one by one. I didn’t know if it was a set up or what. Once I put the puzzle together, it had to be rearranged and destroyed. I sent my jet back because I had business to tend to. My jet never made it to the states. I couldn’t worry about that though. Once I saw they were trying to kill me and send hits, I went under a rock. I blocked everything out and prepared myself for war. I couldn’t come home if I wanted to. They would’ve came for you. I couldn’t do that to you. I took my pride and did everything to get back home. I had to ride out my sentence until they felt I wasn’t the reason all hell broke loose in Cuba. I didn’t want the Cubans coming to my home were I knew you would be. I stayed in Cuba for a reason.” I sat with tears in my eyes. I listened to Ace explain his story. A part of me wanted to slap him but I couldn’t raise my hand to him. I could see in his eyes that his story was true as the bible.