About twenty-two hours later we made it safely to Thailand. Diri was on the phone with her mom, letting them know we made it. I did the same with mine.

Julia did an excellent job on her first flight. She's not a fussy baby, so naturally, she did well. Only issues we had was at TSA. Adira had to step aside. They did some new pat-down technique. It made her a little uncomfortable, causing me to step in. I ended up cursing the man out. He tried to do everything to deescalate the situation, but he had me tight. From hindsight we probably overreacted. Oh well, I don't play about mine.

"That man was groping me. I felt violated, pressing firm on my breast. Which are full by the way. Then he patted between my legs. I got his name off his bag. I will report him." I overheard her say to her mom on the phone.

"Bo you're room is across the hall. It's the same as ours. It has two bedrooms. That should be enough room for your wife and son." He nodded as we helped the concierge with the bags.

"Rose, your room is right next to ours. We'll have Julia for most of the time, but we'll occasionally need you to keep her." I added, and she nodded as well.

"Alright, everybody. See you tomorrow. We'll probably order in, and call it a day. We need to catch up on some sleep and get adjusted to the time change." I stated lastly.

"Yes, and Dreya, I'll call you in the morning," Adira spoke tiredly to Bo's wife. "Thank you all for dropping everything to make this trip. I appreciate it."

Everybody separated off to their rooms. The three of us got settled in washed up and ordered food.

The next morning we lounged around until we were anxious to go looking around. Di came walking out of the bathroom in her gold bikini. The side had strings tied in little bows. Her skin was oiled and glowing. Hair was flowing all over her head.

"Damn your hair is growing. I remember when I met you, it was short."

"Yeah its thicker too, that's all apart of pregnancy. It'll probably start shedding, that's what I heard." She ran her fingers threw it. "I might get it cut while we're out today."

I stood up so I could stand behind her in the mirror, looking her over. "Mmm, you smell good too."

"Do I not always?" She leaned her head back on to my shoulder.

"Yes, but I like this scent on you." I snaked my arms around her and kissed the top of her head. "So beautiful."

Julia started crying and squirming around. I went over to get her. I laid her on my bare chest as I continued watching Dira get ready. Her phone made a sound indicating she had a text.

"Can you check that for me, it's probably Char.?"

I reached over and grabbed her phone off the charger by the bed, opened it up. It was Nelson. I wish we could just ignore him and deal with him when we get back.

"Who is it, babe?" She asked while doing something with her eyebrows.

"It's Nelson. You want me to look at it?"

"Yeah, go ahead." She mumbled.

I was hesitant. I know how I am. When it comes to Julia and Adira, I have a short limit of patients left with this guy. The plane ride over everyone mostly slept but I couldn't. This is the same guy who put his hands on her, a woman. He talked about her like she was nothing.

All of the things he said on social media in the past is on the blog sites. They dug up everything they could find on her when I publicly confirmed we were together. Now he's trying to control her. This man went two months without seeing Julia and expect to see her whenever. Showing up all late waiting at her door.

I opened up the message to see an essay he'd written.

"What did he say?" She was putting some powder on her face.

I took a moment to reread the message. It was after midnight back home in California.

"Zo?" She turned to face me.

I sat up and placed Julia in her sleeper. Walked over to her, seated in front of the mirror. "I honestly don't want you to read it." I handed the phone to her, and he stared at me through the mirror as she retrieved it.

She took a deep breath then stood up to go to the spare room, closing the door behind her. I went over to the drawer to get a shirt. My phone rang. It was Bo.

"What up?" I answered, placing the phone up to my ear.

"What time were you heading out?"

"I don't know. I'll call you in a little bit. You can go ahead out, and we'll have a driver send for us. We'll meet you in town." I didn't want them waiting for us since I wasn't sure how long.

"You sure, we don't mind waiting?"

"Yeah, it might be a while for us." I sighed.

"Aight hit me up." He ended the call.

Dira came back out. She went back over to the vanity. She didn't say a word, but she breathed out roughly, frustrated. I went over to her, took the makeup brush out of her hand, and placed it on the table. Pulled up a chair and sat beside her.

"What do you want to do?" I pulled her close to me, so she was now in my arms.

She shook her head before she spoke. "We're going to town, then to the beach."

"You want to talk about it?"

She shook her head once more. "No, but I will be taking legal actions against him when we get back. I tried to hold off and give him a chance. But I'm tired of his manipulation. Trying to make me feel like shit, blaming me for his behavior." She laughed bitterly while shaking her head. "That's his last strike. I don't even want that around my daughter. He doesn't even want to be in her life. He's just doing this to torment me. It's clear now. This pattern is something I have to accept that it will never change."

We sat exchanging no words. Hearing her say she wanted to take legal action gave me a little relief, but I still wanted to take it a step further. I've been wrestling with this idea and now felt right. This whole battle between Nelson and Adira regarding Julia has been getting the best of me.

Why not make an impulse move?

"Di, do you love me?" I asked, breaking the silence.

"Yes." She furrowed her brows, noticing me turn to her giving my full attention.

"Do you trust me?" I pulled her up so I could see her eyes

"Yes." She nodded slowly with a weary look.

"Well then, I want to spend the rest of my life with you and Julia. I'm sure of that. I know we haven't been together for that long but, what is time when we can have eternity together? Especially when we've been through so much together already. —Do something risky with me, right here." I grabbed her hands. I knew this was a stretch, but this is what I want.

Some would think this is not the way to go about things, but our entire relationship has been a test. From the beginning, we've faced a lot. I've never been surer of anything. I hope she feels the same way.

I stood up, took a deep breath, and kneeled on one knee. "You're my twin flame, much more than just a soulmate. One could have multiple soulmates in a lifetime, but meeting my equal only happens once. I could never let you go. We will always find our way back to each other. It's been proving. This is how things are supposed to be. Go on this journey with me baby?"

I took another deep breath, still down on one knee, staring deep into her tear-filled eyes. "Adira Belle Thompson, will you marry?"

The air in the room felt different instantly, as I waited for her response.

She stood up in front of me. I stayed put remaining hopeful. She was about to speak, but I interrupted her. "Let's get married. I can get our families out here." I brought her attention back to me after she slightly looked away. "This isn't about my ego, I promise. You and Julia are my world."

She stared deeply into my eyes, searching them. She was shocked, caught off guard. Most of all she was scared, rightfully so. Regret filled my body instantly.

"Sorry, I know I'm springing this on you and —,, and I don't have a ring yet, but I'm in love with you Diri. I want to protect and love you for the rest of my life. Give me a chance, please baby?" I held my breath waiting.

She was still stunned and didn't have anything to say.

"Can you call Bo? I need to get out of here." She finally spoke after several moments of silence. She looked almost as if she was going to panic.

"Uh —uh yeah, sure." I got off of my knee and quickly went over to the bed to retrieve my phone.

The phone rung twice before Bo picked up. "Hello."

"Hold on Bo." I handed her the phone. She kept her eyes away from me.

"Hi, Bo." She turned away, answering. I took a few steps back and turned to take a seat on the bed facing Julia.

"Yeah, I was wondering if I could steal your wife, Dreya for a while?"

"Ok thank you, I'll be in the lobby." She said almost in a hurry. She ended the call then walked over to hand me my phone. "I'll be back later. I can take Julia next door to Rose—"

"Nah I got her, if I need to go out I'll have Rose keep her," I spoke low.

"Ok, she has milk in the fridge. I pumped this morning. " She finished her makeup and gathered her stuff, acted as if nothing had occurred. Regrets were hitting like a ton of bricks.

No more words were exchanged. She kissed Julia then made her way out the door. She left in one of her sexy ass bikinis, and a little cover-up to go on top of it.

"I don't know baby girl." I picked Julia up to change her soiled diaper. "I pushed mommy away.''

She started making little noises as if she was responding. "I know, but you know I love a challenge. So don't worry about anything, everything will be fine."

She repeated the action making noises this time she was louder. "I hear you, Julia, —mommy has a lot on her plate right now. She's starting her residency. She's a new mommy. She's dealing with other things as well."

"Hey, you don't have to try to beat me up, little girl. I'm disappointed in myself too." I said to her, she was kicking and throwing her hands and legs in the air.

I went ahead and changed her into something a little more comfortable. A white sleeved onesie with the word genius written all over it in different colors. I threw on her a soft little colorful bucket hat. Looked in the bag for her little mini shades and gold brace.

"Hold on let me get your little mini bag so you can stunt on em'."

She smiled big, making these talking laughing sounds. I snapped a few pictures then continued talking to her. She was content with that for a while.

"Aight it's time to eat." I picked her up. We went over to the kitchen. To place her bottle in the warmer.

She must've realized it was time to eat because she started getting cranky. "Its coming little one."

I walked with her over to the large windows. We're right on the beach we could easily see the waves passing. I stood holding her gazing out at the beautiful scenery. It calmed her instantly.

"I want to get you out to the beach, but let's wait for mommy. Maybe tomorrow we can." I held her closer to me. "I love you so much, Ju."

She gazed into my eyes, slowly blinking. "Nah, don't try to go to sleep."

The warmer made a sound indicating the bottle was ready. We made our way over.

"See that wasn't too long of a wait." I shook the bottle then checked the temp, making sure there were no hot pockets. We went over to the recliner and made ourselves comfortable.

"You really were hungry. I'm sorry I had you waiting." The moment I placed the bottle in her mouth, she wasted no time.

I turned the tv on flipping through to some cartoons. I heard a knock at the door.

I got up with Julia in my arms and peeked through the hole. It was Bo.

"What up?—Where's little man at?" I asked him, referring to his son, I opened the door wider for him.

He came in and joined us on the couch. "He's with Rose. She took him down to the beach with her."

"Oh, ok, cool, cool." I turned my attention to the tv.

"What's going on Zo?" He smiled at me, feeding Julia.

"I don't know. I think I screwed things up." I stared down at Julia as she was finishing her bottle.

He waited for me to go on.

"On top of everything she has going on, I sprung the big question on her. I asked her to marry me here on the island."

His eyebrows lifted. "Why now, what made you?"

"I want her to know that I'm here to stay. —That this is our little family, me her and Julia." I watched Julia's little fingers scratch at the bottle she was finishing up.

"That might've been a little selfish. You put her on the spot." He made a cringe like expression. Bo has always been like a big brother to me, so has my other guard Tyson.

"It might've been a bit impulsive, but I meant every word. I would marry that girl every day if given the opportunity." I confessed without a doubt.

"Oh I know, we've all been on this roller coaster with you. It's clear, its been clear to me for a long time. I saw that look you gave her, the day you two were in the grocery store. I saw the look in your eyes." He went on to say like he knows everything.

"What look?" I sat the empty bottle on the table, then laid Julia on my chest.

"Determination." He gave a little smile.

I sucked my teeth at him and gave him a look of disbelief. "Man gon' somewhere with that."

He laughed as if he was sitting on evidence waiting to release it. "I saw you studying her name tag. —I gave Tyson a little nod from the other end of the aisle. He saw the same thing. We knew you were on a quest."

"So this is what happens behind my back?" I joked glaring at him while rubbing circles on Julias back.

"It's true." We laughed, thinking over these past months.

"It's been about eight months since I met her. —And now I'm expecting her to up and marry me. How crazy am I?" I bit the insides of my cheeks pondering.

"It has been eight months, but it feels like its been years, honestly. The way you two are now and how close you are." He tried shedding some much-needed light.

I nodded, agreeing, silence found us. I turned the volume up a little on the tv. I switched the channel since baby girl was fast asleep. After she burped, I laid her down in the pack in play we had stationed in this spacious little living area.

"I know she's stressed especially with this Nelson guy in the picture, right?" Bo asked me. I went over to the kitchen to warm my leftovers.

"You want some of this?" I asked, knowing I wasn't going to eat all of it. He shook his head no. "There are so many things I want to say about this guy, things I know I shouldn't. —I'm only worried about Julia and Adira, that's it."

"I feel you. I still can't get over the fact we had to escort this dude out of the baby shower." He shook his head, laughing.

"Right, —and all of this trying to embarrass and blame her crap is over. It took me a while to fully see him, but I see him now. He has this pattern. His ego's too big to see. He wants Diri back. He can't have her, so he lashes out."

"He's delusional." Bo chuckled. "I've never been around someone so hell-bent on trying to tear someone else down."

I peeked, overseeing Julia still asleep. "For real. —I'm over his goofy looking ass."

He nodded. "Where do you think they went?"

"I don't know." I sighed, then discarded my trash after finishing my plate.

We hung out a little longer until his son came back from the beach. He left to go back to his suite.

Still no sign of Adira, it was almost dinner time. I decided against calling her. I wouldn't know what to say to her anyway. If something were to happen her, I would've known about it. So I decided to wait it out.

Julia was in my arms again looking around.

"Need to get ready to bathe you, but let's wait until mommy gets back. So she can help us. That's her favorite thing to do." I heard the keypad on the door beep. Adira was back. I got up to meet her.

"Hey." She smiled, walking in, letting the door shut behind her. She had a couple of bags in her hand. She placed them by the door. Her gaze landed on me finally.

"Hi." I smiled back at her, feeling the tension. We were both thinking about the proposal.

She pulled her stare away from me to look down at Julia. "Did she give you any trouble? You two had a good day?"

"She could never give me trouble. Everything was fine." I looked down at Julia, smiling. Diri smiled at us. "You want to get her?"

She nodded as if she was waiting on me to ask that, "let me wash my hands first."

I stood in the same spot near the door. She came back and got her.

"I waited to bathe her. I know you like to do that. She's probably ready for more milk, from the source. She took the bottle, but she likes your breast better. —Ima' go take a shower." I went on to say but with little emotion. I guess I was waiting for her to give me a little nudge or something.