AUGUST, page 26
I leaned over and kissed Asia on her lips. “So it shall be, baby girl.”
The person we waited for came strolling into the imaging center thirty minutes later. I stood to shake Dr. House’s hand and so did Asia. He rushed to the front desk for some hand sanitizer, just to come back over and reach for April.
“She’s beautiful!” He beamed like April was his grandbaby. Truthfully, between him and Asia’s OB, they made sure Asia was well taken care of her entire pregnancy. If it wasn’t for their kindness and promptness to help whenever we had questions, that shit would’ve been a nightmare.
Asia wiped her tears, and said, “Thank you.”
Rocking April, Dr. House glanced at us and cleared his throat.
“Mr. and Mrs. Wells, I’m not sure how to tell you this, but there’s absolutely no evidence of a tumor present.” The news even had him teary-eyed as if he was in disbelief.
The vice that was on my heart released. When Asia fell into my arms crying, I joined her. Because honestly, a nigga was terrified as hell. I held her tight and kissed over her wet cheeks.
“We will check again in one year. Your labs are normal, there’s no evidence of a tumor, and you have a healthy baby girl. If that’s not a miracle, I don’t know what is,” he finished.
We returned home and delivered the good news to Gran-Gran. I swear, every time I looked at her it was like years had been added to her life. There was so much more joy in her smile than I’d ever seen before. This was all I wanted for her. Placing April in her arms, I stood back to snap a picture of this exceptional moment.
Later that evening, I had to meet with Pastor James. So much and nothing was on my mind. The wind was brisk and cold as fuck. Christmas was right around the corner. Life had really come full circle in the matter of a year.
“Enjoying marriage?” he asked.
He knew I was, so I looked at him like he was crazy to which he chuckled.
“So, what earned me this middle of the night meeting?”
Sighing, I tilted my head up towards the dark, cloudy sky. No stars were out tonight.
“I just wanted to tell you thank you, bruh. You saved my life.”
“That’s all on you, August. I’m proud of you for taking heed. Now, what have you learned about yaself?”
My mind briefly shifted to my mother.
“It means that the very situation you’re running from is the very situation that will teach you the greatest lesson of your life.”
“I learned that it’s okay to be me. It’s okay to have fallen, and it’s okay to make the hard decisions.” Nate was a hard decision, one that I didn’t regret. He deserved death way sooner than it came to him. He didn’t even deserve a burial service. The only good thing to come from that nigga was another brother. His death brought us closer together, and for that, I was grateful.
“Where are ya thoughts with Granny?”
Thinking back to the day of the fire, I realized that not once did I think about my granny as I entered that building. My mind had been on saving Mary.
“Finally.” My granny’s smile was radiant. “I love you, August Wells. Continue to make me proud.”
I glanced around as if my granny was sitting right next to me. Something inside my chest warmed to the point that I knew it was my heart being completely healed in a place where it had been broken.
“I miss her, but I know she’s looking down on me. I know she’s satisfied with the man I am today.”
“What else have you learned about yaself?”
“King has always been strong. So has Grey and Blu, and now Cage. I look up to those niggas. Even though I admire them, I’m not them. My story is different, and that’s okay.”
“So, who are you?” Pastor James prodded.
“I am the healed…and redeemed version of myself.”
“Who. Are. You?”
“I am August.”
THE END.
M MONIQUE, AUGUST
