Total pages in book: 159
Estimated words: 149301 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149301 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
Sarah is a trip! The weekend prior, Sarah had danced erotically with a sexy male stripper at the club where the bachelorette shindig had been held. She could definitely see why Kage was so close to his mama. She was a ball of energy. A queen of joy. Sarah had wrapped her arms around her at the end of the fun night they’d shared with her friends. Tipsy or not, the woman was genuine, quirky, amusing, and loving. They practically touched noses when Sarah leaned into her under the spinning lights and loud music and said,
“Poet, you’ve made one of my dreams come true. I knew when I first laid eyes on you that you were the right lady for my boy. You’re marryin’ into a crazy family—that surname Wilde is there for a reason—but we’re gonna take care of you and this child. You have my word. Whatever you need, I got you. All I ask is that, in turn, you take good care of him, ya hear?”
“Yes, ma’am. I will.”
“I know in my heart that you will, and I promise if you do right by my son, he’s gonna take care of you for the rest of your days and do right by you, too. Even though this pregnancy took y’all by surprise, he’s going to be the most amazin’ father you’ve ever seen. I just know it. Kage has a damn good heart. He ain’t perfect. He don’t forgive easily, and he can be a lil’ cruel when someone gets under his skin, but he’s workin’ on it.” Sarah ran her thumb against her cheek as she stared deeply into her eyes, her own watering up as she poured out her soul. “You’re his dream girl—he told me that outta his own mouth—and he’d rather fall off a cliff than hurt you, and I see why.”
“You raised him right, Ms. Sarah.”
“You can call me Mom, or Mama Sarah from now on. I did the best I could, Poet. I’d like to think that I was a good mother, but I was far from perfect, and it was a struggle, ’cause my son came into the world with some odds stacked against him. Also, he ain’t like most people: He was an old, complicated soul, even as a child, but Kage also raised himself right, too. This baby y’all ’bout to have done put a smile on his face that he couldn’t take off if he wanted to. I’m going to spoil this baby somethin’ awful, ’cause they deserve it.” The woman blinked back tears. “…And you can take that to the bank.”
Poet wrapped her arms around her.
“Now you listen to me.” The woman broke their embrace, and took both of Poet’s arms into her hands and squeezed. “If Kage gives you any trouble, you come ’nd tell me, and I will straighten him right out. Kage don’t care about most folks’ opinions, and though he ain’t a mama’s boy, my opinion does hold a little weight with him. I doubt that will be necessary, but just know that I am here just in case. He’s a good son. Now, I have a daughter, too.” Then, the woman kissed her cheek once more, and sauntered back over to her strawberry margarita…
Poet dried the teary corners of her eyes with a careful swipe of her finger. Her recent encounter with Sarah began with laughter, then ended with a lot of tugging of the heartstrings. She blamed her emotional state on the pregnancy, but deep down she knew it was more.
She heard a lot of ooohs and ahhhs coming from outside. What could it be? Perhaps the caterers had arrived with the cake to bring into the house for their reception? Then she turned when there was a knock at the door. A deep voice that she recognized came from the other side.
“Good afternoon, bride. It’s your cousin-in-law, Phoenix. Cousin-in-law?” He chuckled. “Is that a real thing?”
She laughed as she approached the door and opened it.
“It don’t matter if it’s a real thing or not. We’ll make it real, either way.” She leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Man, do you look nice!”
Phoenix’s face flushed. “Why, thank you!” The tall man did a curtsey and laughed. He was built similarly to Kage—just a few inches shorter. Clad in a sophisticated black suit with a satin green tie and purple boutonniere attached to his jacket, he looked smashing. “You look… damn. Just beautiful. Anyway, I ain’t gone hold you, but Kage wanted you to have this.” He sighed as he bent down to grab a large rectangular object covered in green wrapping paper from the ground and handed it to her. “If it’s too heavy, I can bring it in myself.”
“Oh, no. I’ve got it. What is it?” she asked as she looked it over.