sorry.”
Willow smiled sympathetically as she reached out and grabbed Liberty’s hand. “You have nothing to be sorry for. Come on. Let me catch you up on my son.”
The two ladies sat down at the kitchen table and flipped through the large photo album as Willow told Liberty the story of A’shai’s upbringing. She explained each photograph, allowing Liberty to share in A’shai’s rejuvenated past.
“You gave him such a good life,” Liberty commented.
“We tried to. He was and will always be our world,” Willow replied.
“Mine too,” Liberty answered as she looked Willow in the eye.
Willow was usually a jealous woman who liked to have the love of her son and husband to herself, but Liberty’s devotion to her son was admirable. They had spent more time apart than they had together, but fate had still brought them back to one another. Willow could tell from the starry gaze in Liberty’s eyes that she was genuine.
“I didn’t mean for things to get so out of hand,” Liberty said. “I wasn’t trying to come into Shai’s life and ruin everything that he’s worked so hard for. He was lucky. He got out of the system. He broke free. But me? I’m trapped. I sold my soul to the devil a long time ago. I barely remember where I came from. The only time I remember love is when I think of Shai. I think that’s why he means so much to me. He’s always taken my pain away.”
Willow fell hard for Liberty and liked her in that very moment. The only thing that a mother could want for her son is for him to find a woman who sincerely loves him. A’shai had found that woman and although their circumstance was unconventional, Willow was a firm believer in happy endings. She was rooting for them, and she now fully understood why A’shai had chosen to remain loyal to Liberty despite Baron’s wishes.
“You know the two of you being together has started a war? Samad…”
Liberty cringed at the mere mention of his name.
“You’re afraid of him?” Willow noticed picking up on the way that Liberty’s body tensed up.
“He was going to kill me. He was crazy over me… over anything that he thought was his. He treated me like I was a possession,” Liberty said with emotion.
“No man should have that much power over you, Liberty… not even my son. The moment you start to feel like an object is the moment you leave out the door. You have to know your own self-worth. Coming from where you come from, I know that’s easier said than done… but you don’t belong to anyone anymore sweetheart. The past doesn’t define your future. Be the woman that GOD designed you to be. Trust me, with beauty like yours HE didn’t make you simply to decorate some man’s arm. You’re special… that’s why Samad wanted you for himself. He saw it… A’shai has always seen it. Now that I’ve met you, I can see it. Now all you have to do is open your eyes,” Willow schooled as she touched Liberty’s chin and gave her a smile. “You take good care of my son. He is putting himself at risk by being with you. I know him, and he wouldn’t do that for just anyone. You be good to him.”
“Always,” Liberty replied.
A’shai stood in the living room listening to their conversation. He had noticed his mother’s car as soon as he pulled up and had rushed into the house expecting to interrupt a confrontation between the two most important women in his life. He already knew how she had found him. Nico was the only person who knew where to find him. A’shai was pleasantly surprised to find his two ladies getting to know one another. He could tell from the tone of Willow’s voice that she was smitten with Liberty, and it pleased him to know that she supported him. He knew that Liberty had a checkered past and that by being with her, he was adopting her problems with Samad but it was all worth it to him. He would lay any man down in order to protect her. He had no problem rocking a nigga to sleep, and if Samad wanted to go night night A’shai would gladly oblige him. As he stood in the doorway he thought that he was looking at the two most beautiful women in the world. He cleared his throat to announce his presence and interrupted their bonding moment.
They turned around, and Willow stood to her feet to embrace him. “I’m glad you’re okay, Shai. I was worried about you. Things are going to get very bad,” Willow stated.
“I can handle any beef that comes my way. You don’t have to lose no sleep, ma,” he stated surely as he kissed her cheek. “What you doing driving all this way? It’s bad out there. I know your little Benz was sliding all over the road.”
“It was hell getting up here but a woman does what she has to do to protect her family. You didn’t answer my calls. I needed to come and see with my own eyes that you were okay. Samad isn’t to be underestimated, A’shai,” Willow warned as she took his face between her hands and kissed his forehead.
He nodded his head, choosing not to respond with words.
“You’re not superman, boy. You may be a grown man, but you’ll always be my baby boy. You took his woman. That’s a grudge that doesn’t die. Just promise me you will be careful,” she said.
“I promise, ma. You don’t have to worry about Samad,” he assured. Willow hugged him, and A’shai held her tightly as he winked his eye at Liberty, who was still seated at the table. “I love you,” he mouthed.
She smiled and blew him an air kiss.
“I’m going to get out of here. I know your father is wondering where I am,” Willow stated. “I just couldn’t resist driving up here to check on you.”
“You can’t drive back home tonight. Your car won’t make it down the block in that snow,” A’shai argued. “Call pop and tell him you’ll be home tomorrow.”
Willow shook her head and replied, “No, I need to get back. You have really ruffled your father’s feathers. I need to be there for him right now. Maybe I can convince him to give the two of you a chance. I know once he meets Liberty he would approve.”
A’shai went into his pocket to retrieve his car keys. “You can take my car. It’ll get you through the snow better,” A’shai said.
“Walk an old woman out?” Willow asked.
“If there was an old woman in the room I surely would,” he replied smoothly, flattering Willow. She was in her late 40s and far from being an old head. She still had it and they both knew it, but it felt good to hear her son say it. Liberty stood to hug Willow.
“Thank you for accepting me,” Liberty whispered in her ear.
Willow hugged her tightly and Liberty could feel the sincerity radiating from the kind woman.
“I’ll see you soon. You remember what I said, beautiful girl,” Willow complimented.
Liberty went to the window as A’shai walked his mother to the car. He opened her door for her and said, “Tell pops I’m sorry. This is something that I have to do.”
“I know Shai and now that I’ve met her, I understand why. I believe in love and that girl in that house is your soul mate, Shai. She looks at you the way that I look at Baron. She’s good for you. She softens you. You be a good man to her, and you both stay safe. If you need anything just call my cell phone. I will never turn my back on you, Shai. You have made my life so much better over the years. I know you have a pretty young thing in your life now, but don’t you forget about your old lady,” Willow said with misty eyes. She shivered slightly as her tears hit the cold wind, and she pulled the mink shawl she wore tighter around her neck.
“Never,” A’shai said as he kissed her cheek and pulled her coat tighter around her. “Get out of this cold weather, ma. Call me when you make it home just to let me know you made it. I’ll answer.”
He hit the top of the hood once she was inside and turned to walk away. As he stepped onto the porch he heard her blow her horn. He turned and saw her smiling face as she gave him a wave. He waved back and then remembered that the duffel bag full of money was in his backseat. He held up one finger to signal for her to wait and just as he took a step toward the car, he watched her turn over the ignition…
BOOM!
A’shai was thrown to the ground as his car exploded before his very eyes, sending burning $100 bills flying into the sky along with a cloud of black smoke. “Nooo!!!!” he shouted as he scrambled to get to his feet, crawling
