Khia

"Yea babe I'm working a little late tonight. I'll be there right after I get off",I said looking at the clock. I was so pissed that I had to work thanksgiving but at least I'll get off at a decent time to go to dinner with tiago's church and family. I felt so bad I couldn't be there for the beginning.

I counted down the 30 minutes I had left.

I brought my changing clothes cause I was not about to walk in the dinner with scrubs on.

I charted in my last 30 minutes and once it was time for me to go, I punched out and grabbed my dress to change.

Santiago

While everyone was in line for food, I stood in the corner and watched. Damn my church was huge and there was a lot of people in here. And it didn't help that ebony was here either. This chick begged me to invite her to my proposal & I thought it was fair since she helped me pick this ring out.

"Bro where ya plate at?",Marcus said to me while eating.

"I can't eat right now. I'm nervous as hell,"I said to him.

"Boy you see how many people in this joint? You don't eat now and their won't be any food left later."

"Nah there's a lot of food. I made sure of that plus some of the ladies from the church cooked as well so food ain't gonna be a problem tonight",I said waving him off.

"Where ya girl? Can't do anything without her being here yet."

"Yea I know. I gotta go pick her up in a couple mins I'm just waiting on her to call me."

"She at the crib or somethin?"

"Nah she had to work today."

"Damn. You better hope they don't keep her long."

"Nah they won't. I can't have nothing else messin this up for me."

"You said that too soon. Look behind you man."

I looked towards the entrance and it was some guy I didn't recognize. Security ain't put him out yet so he must be fam or somethin. Dude was dressed all in black and came in with khia's mom. Because he was with her, I ain't trip.

"You know who that is?",I asked Marcus.

"Dude look familiar. I think he was at the funeral",he said putting a spoonful of rice in his mouth.

"Must be her dude or someone from her fam."

"Check it out. We don't need no drama tonight."

I listened to Marcus cause he was being reasonable. I walked over to the two and hugged Ms. Kim.

"How are you son?",she said caressing the side of my face. She was so warm and it made me chuckle when she called me her son.

"I'm good Ms. Kim. How are you?"

"I'm excited. Oh I brought someone I hope you don't mind",she said referring to the dude.

"TJ this is khia's boyfriend Santiago."

"The dude that killed my brother. Nice to meet you",he said dappin me up but it was awkward.

"I'm sorry we have to meet in such unfortunate conditions",I told him.

"It's cool man. I knew how my brother roll. I just didn't know he used to do my little niece dirty like that. Much respect to you for protecting her though",he said.

"Thanks for understanding man. Just did what I had to do."

"Yeah. My sis in law tells me you tryna propose tonight I wanted to come and see it for myself. Where you from young blood?"

"Dominican republic."

"You a immigrant?"

"TJ that's rude",Ms. Kim hit his arm and said.

"I just wanna know more about him. Making sure he ain't tryna marry her for papers."

I laughed cause I knew where he was getting at and although it was insulting to my culture, I ain't pay him no mind cause it just shows the ignorance.

"Nah. I ain't no immigrant. I'm a u.s citizen. Took the test like everybody else."

"So how you met my little niece?"

"We go to the same school."

"Oh you educated? What you in school for?"

"Business",I told him and left out the criminal justice part cause he look like he'd clown me for sayin that knowing I got a million mugshots. I'm pretty sure this cat googled them or some shxt.

"Ight Ight. You strapped?",he asked me and it was random.

"Always so don't try nothing slick tonight",I said. He laughed and said, "I like this dude. Welcome to the fam",he said pulling me into a hug. He thought I was playin but i was serious. I watched as they went and got to meet my family and get aquatinted. I told my security to keep a eye out on him cause I ain't trust him being that he related to khia's dad.

"Hold it down for me. I'm gonna go get Khia",I told Marcus.

"Ight I got you. He cool?",he said head nodding towards TJ.

"Ion know yet. I don't trust him."

"Ight we all strapped just in case."

"He won't try nothin now. Khia ain't here and I'm about to leave."

"True that."

I dapped Marcus and left to go pick up Khia from her job.

While driving, I looked at the time and it was a quarter until 7. As time went by I got nervous. I'm tryna replay what I'm gonna say to propose to this girl without making a fool of myself. I had no doubt in my mind that she would say yes but it's a crowd of people at that restaurant right now. It's one thing to do it in front of family and friends but I gotta do it in front of the entire church and her uncle which is the closest thing to her pops. I don't even know the dude like that and I need to know how close Khia is to her dad part of the family. When I pulled up in front of the orthodontist, it took Khia a while to come out. While she came walking towards my car, she was looking badd af. Her hair was curly and she wore a red dress that hugged her petite figure and showed her curves. She had her purse in one hand and her heels in another. I got out the car and greeted her with a kiss on her lips.

"Is this too much?",she asked me.

"No babe",I said smiling.

"Okay. You look so handsome",she complimented me and fixing my collar.

"So do you. I mean beautiful not handsome",I said getting nervous a little bit. She laughed and kissed me again.

I could feel my heart beating a mile a minute but I couldn't let her see me sweat. I couldn't believe I'm about to wife this girl and make her mine tonight.