Prince: Love Always Wins

Prince

“You got that for me?” I asked Priest.

“Yeah, calm your nervous ass down.” Priest smiled goofily in my direction as he handed me keys to my house that had just been completed back home. I knew I was about to deal with his ass all day. I could take it for the cause. If you didn’t know any better you would have thought we were heading to a joyous occasion instead sending a nigga home permanently. We had finally pinpointed Hamp, and it was past time to make his ass a memory. My life has been smooth these last few weeks, and I plan to keep it that way. I had my woman, my business was thriving, and I was completely happy. I wasn’t going to have Hamp popping out like a jack in a box at an inopportune time. His son, I’m sure, would be smoked out by his murder. I was ready to deal with any blowback necessary.

Priest didn’t need to come. I told his ass to bring me the info and take his ass back home but he was my brother. We were each other’s keepers. It would always be that way.

“You need to be somewhere under sis’ ass, nigga,” I teased in Priest’s direction.

“In six hours that’s exactly where I plan to be. Fuck you mean?”

“Real shit, me, too.”

“That shit crazy, huh?” he asked.

“It is but it ain’t. Grown man shit,” I acknowledged.

The plane taxied on the runway, getting ready to take off for Hamp’s safe house in South Carolina. Chaz used some of his connections, and word was that Hamp had been hiding away for the last few days. Priest’s phone rang.

“What you mean?” He sat forward and looked at me. I sat up.

“Who is it?” I mouthed.

“Chaz,” he answered and that was enough for me. I grabbed the phone from his hands and ignored the look Priest gave me.

“What’s up, Chaz.”

“Gone. Both.”

“What you mean?” I asked the same question Priest asked looking for clarity.

“Nigga I just told you. Gone. Both.”

“Chaz, this ain’t no time for games. We on our way.”

“You think I’m playing? Nigga I’m trying to get my woman back. I wouldn’t play like this. Shit. I wanted to handle this shit for her.” I could hear the frustration in his voice.

“I ain’t saying I don’t believe you cuz but I need some proof. It don’t make no sense. I thought you said you had somebody sittin’”

“I did. That’s what I don’t understand, but I can’t be more sure than by checking myself. Check your phone. It made the news.”

He sent me a link and I tapped it. I’d be damned if he wasn’t right. Hamp apparently had more enemies than me and his son was identified with him.

“Cuz, you hear me?”

“What?” I asked missing everything he said.

“Tomorrow, Nesha gone be there too, right?”

“I told her. I think she will make it.”

“Bet. This sealed then. Wheels down ‘til tomorrow,” he disconnected.

“That’s legit? It’s over.”

“Yeah, I guess so.” I said leaning back in disbelief. It was sacrilegious to thank God for someone getting murdered. I was changing from the man I was when I was younger when I just jumped up and did that shit like it was a regular day. I had someone else to consider. Maybe even more than one. I saw the fear in Le’s eyes when she understood what I was coming to do today. After that night, I gave her the food truck. I promised no more secrets. She asked where I was going today and I told her I was getting our freedom. Her eyes stretched wide as saucers but she nodded. She would be on pins and needles until I returned. Now, I could spare her heart palpitations.

“Well shit, I’m going home. Get ya ass out,” he said.

“Yo’ ass ain’t gotta tell me twice. I’m running home to my woman right now.”

I remember that there was a time when I would run to everyone else. Now, my mind was only turning in one direction. I had finally obtained the balance I was seeking in life. I was completing the hotel build and I saw now I couldn’t keep up with it all. I was going to have to take a step back and prioritize the family I was building. I was working on hiring a crew and allowing Cairo to take over some real responsibility. The only prerequisite was that he get in school and finish. Remy was stepping down for good, as he should be, and I was going to heed his words. No more starving my woman chasing a life I felt like was running faster than me.

I stepped off the plane and I dipped my head back in to give Priest one last reminder.

“Don’t forget I need everything in place tomorrow.”

“Nigga if you don’t gone somewhere and stop being a bitch. I told you I got you.”

I corked a smile and headed home to my woman.

***

“I don’t think I can handle any more surprises,” Le said with her arms spread out in front of her.,

“Stop whining.” I admonished, and she smiled, showing all thirty-two teeth.

“I mean, I had to fly here this morning; now I couldn’t even get off the plane without being blindfolded. You know how hard it is to be blindfolded over an hour.” She whined but the sweet smile communicated how anxious she was.

“Since you whining so much, you can take it off.” I pulled the tie from her eyes. In front of us was the home I designed. There was a farm-style wrap-around porch that gave her all the feelings of back home. Just like I asked Priest had placed a bow that needed to be cut away at the entryway.

“.” She breathed out. “Oh my God. Are we in Michigan? What is this?”

“This is our first home baby.”

“Oh my God!” She looked at me with those big beautiful brown eyes. The tears that clouded her eyes were the only ones I wanted to see her cry.

“Let’s go inside. Let me show you what I been working on for months.”

She pulled the ribbon away. “This is beautiful. Look at this porch.”

“Just wait until you see the inside.” I gave her a soft push, She went to the door and opened it.

“Surprise!!!” Everyone yelled.

“What?” Le turned to me again. “What are y’all doing here?” She sobbed as Satisa and Nesha came and hugged her. Priest and Pria were there with all the kids. So was my mother and I looked to the side to see a nigga hanging back a little. I surmised immediately he was with Nesha. I guess that explained the absence of Chaz.

All the women were caught up in squeals.

“Why are y’all here?” Le asked again.

“To celebrate you baby. Turn around.” Nesha said as I got down on one knee again.

“,” Le breathed again. She started fanning her eyes.

“Le Monroe you mean the world to me. I can’t imagine life without you. When I was broken you showed me what love truly was. I will never run out of ways to say I love you. I want to ask you again today, in front of our family and friends, Alesha Monroe Montgomery, be my forever. Be my wife baby.”

I cut it off right before my words started to choke. I knew she would have been emotional but I felt myself losing it thinking of all she meant to me.

“Yes, of course, .” She nodded and I slipped another ring on her finger. I wasn’t sparing any expense. I had another one made that would sit right below her yellow stone and compliment it. When the band was added it would make it complete.

“Ooh shit! Those Richards men all about two proposals and two rings!” Nesha called loudly and everyone laughed.

“That nigga got it from me. Priest wish he was this smooth.”

I pulled Le into my arms. I dipped her for a kiss and everything melted away. I would stay caught up in her world as long as she would allow me.