Wickman •Nardo Wick•

48• last chapter

"Tell that nigga to shut the Fuck up," Nardo cusses as I roll my eyes to check on my son Polo.

"Hey, mamas here," I tell him. We've been in Panama since the day after he proposed. It's been so fun and beautiful here. Like seriously, even we've been good. No fighting or anything- well unless it comes to polo. I mean nardo acts like he's scared of the baby. He barely holds him and when he has him, he just stares.

But today is the wedding. And yes we're getting married and no it's not gonna be a big wedding. I'm not even getting all dressed up. Nobody is gonna be there but us and the pastor. We're having a Panamanian wedding too which is so cool. I love it here.

I just don't know how nardo knew I always wanted to live here and Africa? Like how the hell.

"You cuss out my baby one more time and imma shoot you," I whisper under my breath.

"Speak up," Nardo responds and I obviously do not. I'm not finna risk getting ugly on my wedding day. "That's what the Fuck I thought."

"Don't mind him," I tell the baby. "He just mad cuz you look better than him."

Polo looks up at me and smiles and reaches out to touch my face.

"Man," Nardo cusses.

"It's our wedding day, Nardo. Our wedding day. Can you stop treating the son that YOU wanted like he's some kinda unwanted animal? This is your child. Your seed. You haven't even held him, Nardo."

Nardo just looks at Polo, gets up out of bed and walks out the room.

"I'm not marrying you bro," I yell as I sit down with the baby.  "Your daddy loves you. I love you. We love you, mama baby. He just doesn't know how to show it."

Polo smiles again, and I grab his bottle to feed him. I love my son so much. I wonder what the hell is going on with Nardo. He was the one who wanted this child first. He fought for this. This is his seed. He wanted a boy. Got that. So what's his problem?

"Horace Benard Walls the third," I say after putting polo down for a nap. I enter the kitchen with an attitude. Nardo is on the phone.

"Bro fuck you calling my government out like that fa," he cusses.

"Cuz you really expect me to marry you when you're acting like that with your child," I tell him truthfully. Polo doesn't deserve that. "You can't neglect him forever."

"I'm not neglecting him," Nardo says. "Ion even know what that word means."

"Nardo, I feel like a single mom. All I do is take care of him while you're out all day. I'm not marrying you. I'm tired of this. I'm taking my son and leaving."

"Fuck you mean," he says standing up. "You ain't going no where."

"Then what's your problem," I yell. "Nardo, that's your son."

"He almost killed you," Nardo says, and I look at him confused. Wait. I almost died giving birth to Polo.

"He didn't do anything," I defend him.

"I almost lost you cuz of him. That lil demon-"

"My son is not a demon. You're the demon. I got shot because of you. Lost friends, family, my job. My life was lost cuz of you. That baby, that child, Polo, OUR son, that is the only thing good that came out of this shit. You took me from my happy place and fucked up my life. You're the demon. You're the son of fucking satan."

Nardo stares at me.

"Fuck," he mumbles.

"Yeah, fuck," I repeat. "He didn't almost kill me. You did."

"Im sorry," he says. Seconds go by and I stare at him because how the fuck do you respond to a sorry? He finally speaks up. "I don't want him to end up like me. I don't want him to be a killer."

"Then raise him not to kill. Teach him love. Teach him peace. Don't be like your father," I tell him.

"I don't want him killing me at 14," nardo says. "Ion want him to sell drugs. I want him to have good life and be everything I'm not. Shit, college diploma. Good job. Nigga could go to the Army and save people. There's so much he can do besides this street life."

"Then do right by him," I tell him. And suddenly Polo begins to cry. I grab Nardo's hand and guide him to our room where Polo is. I pick Polo up and go to change his diaper. I lay him down and pull Nardo besides me. I hand him the wipes and the diaper.

"What you doing," he asks me.

"I'm not doing nothing. You change your sons diaper," I tell him, stepping back and folding my arms.

"No I'm not," he argues.

"It wasn't a question, it was an order."

"Who you think you are," he gets in my face.

"A girl that's gon rock yo shit and leave if you don't change that boy."

"Fuck," he cusses as he cleans up his sons butt. I laugh as he gag's because of the smell. At this point, I'm used to it. I done changed so many diapers already. He struggles putting on the diaper so I help him. "This how it's gon be?"

"What you mean?"

"The baby, this. All of this."

"Yes," I respond.

"For how long?"

"As long as possible."

"You gon stay?"

"Yes," I say, smiling as he wraps his arms around my waist.

He slowly picks up Polo and places him on his side.

"I could get used to this," he says. "It feels like you just instantly get happy when you hold him."

"It's called peace, Nardo," I tell him. "Polo brings peace."

"Ian never felt peace like this before," he says. "Having my girl and my son."

"Well now you have, Nardo."

"You gon be my wicked witch," he jokes.

"For now," I respond.

"Fuck you mean?"

"Until I'm youre wife." We glance at each other.

"Come on, then. Let's go get married," he says, starting to place Polo down on the bed.

"Okay, Wickman," I giggle, seeing his excitement.

I could get used to this.