Back to Love

4

May 27, 2026
Cape Verde

| Third Person Omniscient |

"How does it feel to be 12?" Karina asked with a smile. Her and Royalty were sitting outside on the balcony waiting for Chris to get dressed.

"It feels...the same." Royalty said with a shrug and a smile.

"It'll feel like that for a long time." Karina laughed softly and looked at the water.

"Do you still feel the same now like you did when you were my age?"

"Not at all. I think once I got to college that's when things felt different and life was just different in general. But some things won't change, some things stay the same." Karina said looking at Royalty. "But you don't have to worry about that stuff right now." She smiled at Royalty and Royalty smiled back.

"What y'all out here chattin about?" Chris said walking outside.

"We having girl talk so mind yours." Karina said with a close mouth grin. Chris side eyed Karina and pointed at her.

"You betta getcha girl Ro before she be swimming with the sharks." Royalty and Karina laughed. "Akekeke let's go."

The three of them arrived in Cape Verde last night around 6 pm after an almost 20 hour flight. Chris was able to get 5 days of approved time out the country since Karina got to know his probation officer pretty well and because Chris was improving in most areas. Chris still had those attitudes and moments of 'I can do what the fuck I want to do' sometimes but not often.

Even though Karina's birthday was tomorrow, she told Chris that she wanted this vacation to be about him and Royalty. Karina and Royalty grew closer over the years but they bonded the most when Chris was away for those 6 months. Royalty would call Karina practically every day after school to make sure she was okay in the house by herself, which Karina found funny because if anything she needed to check on Royalty. They would have virtual movie nights and girl talks on the weekends and when Karina went to visit Chris, she would facetime Royalty so she could talk with her dad. Karina was honored to watch Royalty grow up from the little seven year old that was her favorites student to now her 12 year old best friend.

"Chris we supposed to be going to snorkel with sea turtles." Karina said as she looked at his phone to see the wrong address.

"Oh damn I thought y'all said Shark Bay tour." He bussed a U-turn.

"Chris, what you do a u turn for? It's the same way." Karina laughed and Chris smacked his lips. Royalty was in the back shaking her head.

"Yo grape head ass could've said that earlier." He did another U- then while Karina put the right address in the gps.

"Not my fault you assumed it was the other way jiggalo."

"What's a jiggalo?" Karina turned around to look at Royalty.

"See what you don started?" Chris said with a laugh.

"Hush Chris. A jiggalo is a man whoooooo receives money in exchange for attention and companionship."

"Basically a jiggalo is a male prostitute, Ro." Karina looked at Chris as he shrugged his shoulders. She looked back at Royalty and nodded her head in agreement.

"Basically."

"Dad you're a prostitute?!" Royalty said in shock and Karina laughed loudly. Chris smacked his lips and looked in the rear view window.

"No Ro, I'm not a prostitute. Karina is just a lil slow so she says slow things." Karina continued to laugh and pushed his shoulder.

"Shut up." Karina said. Royalty found the two of them funny so she laughed along. In 5 minutes they showed up to snorkel with the sea turtles.

After their snorkeling adventure, they grabbed lunch and then headed to the Shark Bay tour where they visited stunning locations and saw lemon sharks. It was around 4 when they finished so they went back to their vacation home to rest and get ready for dinner at 7.

"Ms.Wright, can you fix my edges?" Royalty asked as she walked in Karina and Chris' room.

"Yes ma'am I can. I'll meet you in the living room let me grab the hair stuff from the bathroom." Royalty left out the room while Karina went into the bathroom where Chris was on the toliet. "You stink like hell." She said covering her nose and mouth.

"Shut up you know you love it." Chris smirked while Karina gagged. She grabbed the gel and brush and quickly left the bathroom. After doing Ro's edges, she helped her pick out an outfit for tonight and left the room so she could get dressed.

Everyone got dressed and in an hour left for a nice, private birthday dinner for Royalty. Chris let her have anything she wanted of course since all he does is spoil her and the rest of his kids. As they ate dinner, they talked, laughed and reminisced on old times that felt like it just happened not too long ago. Chris got the staff to bake her a cake and sing Royalty happy birthday in Portuguese. Once they were done, the left with the cake and went back to their vacation home.

Royalty called her mom and told her all that they did today and showed her the birthday cake. While Chris and Royalty did that, Karina took a shower and put on a tank top and leggings so she could sit outside. After about an hour and a half, Royalty came out to hug Karina and say goodnight, leaving her and Chris outside alone.

"Surprised you old ass not in the bed sleep." Chris said to Karina. She playfully rolled her eyes.

"Not too much on me cause yo old ass be right in the bed with me." They both laughed. "You enjoy today?"

"Yea. Leave it to you and Ro, y'all have me doing shit I never thought of doin." Karina laughed. Her phone buzzed and saw Ashley texted her the dress she needed for her wedding.

"I can't wait for Ashley's weddingggg! I know Imma be a crying mess in a few months." She said with a big smile.

Ashley got engaged to Andre almost a year ago and was finally going to be walking down the aisle in a couple of months. Janiyah got married to Akil in 2025 and Karina was also the bridesmaid for her wedding as well. It seemed like everyone she knew was getting married or already married, and she felt a little left out. Of course Chris and Karina have had the conversation of starting a family and marriage but every time marriage comes up, Chris gets a little hesitant. Even though he felt like Karina was his wife and that he would spend his forever with her, marriage was a really big commitment that he wasn't too sure of anymore.

"How many weddings this make? A nigga been to one too many." Karina smacked her lips and smirked.

"Boy this only gon be the second one...well until we get married." Karina said with a shrug and looked back at her phone. Chris didn't respond and that made Karina look over to him. "We are getting married...right?"

"Yea...but I don't know when."

"Why don't you know?"

"I just have some reservations about marriage. That shit a big commitment."

"But having a baby with someone isn't?" Karina asked genuinely, trying to understand his logic.

"Don't even do that." Chris said rubbing his hand down his face because he knew where this was going.

"I'm not doing anything but asking important questions, Chris. I should be able to ask questions without you getting annoyed because you don't like it." She said. "Chris, i'm not forcing or rushing you into marriage-"

"Wasn't gon do that shit no ways." He said laughing but stopped once Karina didn't laugh.

"I'm not forcing or rushing you into marriage but we both ain't getting any younger...especially yo old ass." They laughed. "And also we talk about having kids and adding to the family we already have with Milo and Reese but...I don't want kids THAT bad."

"So you don't think marriage a big commitment?"

"It is a big commitment that I am willing to commit to with you. Marriage is something that I want and it's not changing. I'm not being anyone's fourth baby mama, Chris." Karina laughed and shook her head. "But like I said, I'm not rushing or forcing anything." Karina yawned and got up. "I'm going to bed." She kissed his forehead and went into the bedroom.

Chris sat out there a little while longer to think about their conversation and where this would lead them into the future.