The Woods [Book One]

Twenty Three

"Baby? Where you at? It smell good in here." I asked coming in the house and taking off my jacket leaving it on the couch.

"In the kitchen babe." She said coming around the corner with a pot in her hand stirring.

"Wassup." I mumbled grabbing her hips and bringing her in for a kiss.

"Hey." She smiled. "Taste this for me." She held the spoon up to my lips for me to taste. I licked the spoon and then licked it again.

"That's good, what is it?"

"Teriyaki sauce. Chicken and rice?" She asked getting out of my hold going back into the kitchen.

"Yeah babe," I said looking through the sliding door. "Jupiter and your dad here?" I asked.

"Yeah, they're there." She called looking at me from the kitchen.

"Imma go holla at em." I said walking out the door and closing it before she could say anything.

I walked down the steps and around the pool going to the guest house. I peeped through the glass door before I knocked and waited until someone pulled the door open revealing Jupiter.

"Wassup bro?" He asked dapping me up.

"Wussgood bro? Where ya pops at?" I asked stepping inside.

"He's in the back," he pointed to the back room. "Want me to get him?" I looked back and then looked back at Jupiter.

"He busy?" I asked.

"Nah, he just went back there a few minutes ago to look for something." He said and I followed him to the couch. "Sit down, I'll go get him." I nodded and sat down on the couch as he disappeared toward the back of guest house.

I played with the box in my pocket. I was really about to do this. All my player ways going out the window.

"Hey Eric." I looked up from my pocket seeing Jupiter and Marcus come from the back.

"Hey Man, how you doing?" I asked as they sat down across from me.

"I'm good. Very good actually." I smiled taking the box out of my pocket.

"Oh no this nigga is not." Jupiter said plopping down on the couch next to his dad.

Marcus looked at me then looked at the box.

"I know it's been pretty fast, me knowing Toni for a year, us on our way into parenthood, moving in together, I want to make this next step, and this next step is asking her to be my wife." Jupiter looked at his dad and then looked at me nodding.

"I'm coming to you as a man, saying that I love your daughter. I love her more than anything in me, and I'd give her the moon and the solar system if she asked." He nodded his head. "May I have your daughters hand in marriage?"

By now sweat was forming on my forehead and my mouth became dry, shit I was nervous as fuck.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked.