Honey

13.) Dear Mama

Honey and Lovey went swimming together in the lake. Honey had always enjoyed the time she spent with her mother, just the two of them. There had never been a time she couldn't enjoy it.

After their showers, the two had dinner together, sitting at the table in their cabin.

"You really love that man, don't you?"

Honey could only smile at the thought of Tristan. She began blushing.
"You'ont even understand, Mommy. He's the man. You should see him with his mom or his sister or his little girl. And when I'm with him... I feel like... the most important thing to ever happen to him. I know we just met. But love and time don't make good friends, do they?"

"Listen to your heart, but hear your mind out, too. Don't fall in love and fall dumb as well, Honey."

Honey nodded. There was silence awhile as they finished dinner. Lovey watched her daughter smiling, and she knew that she was thinking of Trap.

After they washed their dishes, they went to the bed they shared and looked out as the moon shined over the water.

"Ma?"

"Yes, baby?"

"How did you and Daddy meet?"

Lovey smiled as she looked back on fond memory.

"We met in junior high. He was a grade ahead of me and real popular. Everyone loved your daddy then like they do now. Your daddy always been the type to make more allies than foes. Even the ones who hate him admire him. I would look at him every day in the cafeteria, all the girls surrounding him as he made them laugh. I thought your daddy was even cuter than Smokey Robinson! I had it bad fo' that there man, Honey. I was like you is over Juelz Santana."

"Aye, that man sexy, Ma!"

The two laughed and Lovey continued her story. "But yeah, I watched him with all these swarms of girls. He had a couple of girlfriends at the time, and damn did I want to be one. Your daddy always been charming. Even when he was a little thirteen-year old eighth grader. When Valentine's Day came, I was surprised to have him come to my locker. I didn't even know that he knew I existed. But he gave me this big ass teddy bear, a box of Sweethearts, and some chocolate with a card asking if I liked him. Then he just walked away. I put the stuff in my locker and wrote yes on a paper and slid it in his locker.

"The next day, he came and asked for my phone number. We talked every day after that. He still had the other two girlfriends and all the girls swarming him. But he paid me the most attention. When we was in high school, I finally asked why he walked away, and he told me about how he was embarrassed and thought I was gon reject him. Like hell. By then, it was just me and him. But then when we was in our senior year, he met Marciana. She already had a son, but his dad had passed and Ross started picking up that slack. The same year, he met Melissa. The next year, he met Adina."

"It don't bother you to share him, Ma?"

Lovey shook her head no. "Your daddy never started messing with them without talking to me first. I knew at a young age what we was getting into. I was his third girlfriend then. And if I accepted it then, knowing how he was, then I accepted it. I love Marci and Mel. I even love Adina. This is the kind of love I made a conscious decision of accepting. To me, it's nice to have so many of us. Sometimes, when Ross with one of them, it get lonely. But what can you do? The three of them have qualities I don't. Just like I have qualities they don't. Your daddy always been open and generous and he got a lot of love to give. I don't feel like it's fair to be the only one receiving that. But this type of relationship is not for everyone, and that's fine. Some people need all of their lover's attention. I was never that way. Whatever makes you happy in your love, Honey, that's what you do. Never stay somewhere that bring more grief than joy. Your daddy told me that when I was eighteen. I didn't understand it then, but the older I get, I do. As long as I known your daddy, it's always been more joy than grief. You're at your best when you can smile."

Honey nodded and lay on her mother, taking in all that she had learned in the day. She couldn't share Tristan. She needed all of his attention.

She fell asleep and cuddled into her mother, missing her man. The weekend with her mother had been awesome. But she couldn't wait until the morning to pack up and head home.

*** ***

When Honey got home, Tristan was on the sofa with a sleeping Anastasia, and she jumped out her skin.

"Warn a chick," she told him, holding her chest. He laughed, laying his daughter down.

"How was the weekend with Lovey?" he asked, getting up to kiss her.

"It was great, but I missed you," she said, pouting.

He smiled and kissed her again, pulling her closer. She put her arms around him, loving the feeling.

"Baby?" he asked.

"Hmm?"

"Do you really love me?"

"Of course," she told him, looking up into his eyes. "I love you."

Tristan couldn't bear to wait and would prefer to do this privately.

He took the ring out of his pocket, his heart knowing she'd say yes but his mind worrying, his palms sweating. His throat dried up.

"Will you marry me?" he asked, swallowing hard, looking up at her shocked face, opening the box.

For a minute, Honey was in so much shock, she just stood there, making Tristan nervous as he thought he'd fucked up by asking too soon.

"Yes!" she managed once she was unfrozen. He smiled and slid the ring on her finger, getting up to pull her in for another kiss.

"I love you," he told her.

"I love you, too."

When Tristan asked his mother how long she and his father dated before getting engaged, her reply was two months. She encouraged him to propose if deep down, he knew it was right. So he did.

"I want a spring wedding," Honey said. "Next April."

"I can wait, Honey," he assured her, kissing her face. "As long as you don't plan to stand me up at the altar, it's all gravy."

"I have to call my mom."

Tristan watched Honey grab her phone and sit in the arm chair. "Ma, I am engaged to be married!"

"Congrats, baby. I'm sure your daddy will be so happy to hear."

"Hey, Ma. Thanks for the weekend, too. I appreciate it."

"Anytime, baby. Call me later."

"Okay. Bye."

The two hung up, and Honey just smiled as Tristan came and cuddled with her. "Say it."

"Honey Trueheart." She smiled.