Finding Love At Life's Crossroads: An Interracial Novel

by Skylar Ward

  Efia shrugged and mouthed, “What’s happening?”

  Ace tapped Yasmine’s arm. “Princess, are you having car problems?”

  “This red light is taking long today. It must be stuck,” Yasmine replied.

  Ace covered his mouth with the back of his hand.

  “Vroom, vroom,” Yasmine said.

  “Thank God, we are moving,” Ace said, looking over his shoulder.

  “Shush,” Yasmine said.

  Yasmine drove a bit more before Efia decided it was time for her to go to bed. After Yasmine parked the imaginary car and everyone got out, Ace kissed Yasmine’s head.

  “Thank you for bringing us home, safely, princess,” he said. “Who taught you how to drive?”

  “Grandpa.”

  Ace turned to Efia. “Tell me she is kidding.”

  Efia shook her head. “I wish I could.”

  Even after they had prepped Yasmine for bed and sent her off to sleep, Ace still had the remnants of a smile on his face.

  As they stood beside Yasmine’s bed, Ace whispered, “Kofi runs a tight ship, doesn’t he?”

  “Very,” Efia said.

  “Good night, Mommy.” Yasmine yawned. “Good night, Daddy.”

  “Good night, sweetie,” Efia said.

  Ace leaned over, kissing Yasmine on the forehead. “Good night, princess. Pleasant dreams.”

  When Ace stood, images from his child’s room in Massachusetts blanketed his thoughts and a familiar knot twisted in his gut. He closed his eyes, shutting out the pictures.

  “Are you all right?” Efia asked.

  Ace nodded. “Just a bit tired.”

  <>

  After a restless night and a busy day, Ace couldn’t wait to see Efia and Yasmine. Entering Efia’s apartment to shouts of, ‘happy birthday,’ and the sight of a two-tier, iced chocolate cake with thirty-eight candles already lit, immediately lifted his spirits.

  “Blow out the candles, Daddy.”

  “Okay, princess,” Ace said before turning to Efia. “I can’t believe you remembered my birthday.”

  “Why?” Efia winked. “Do you think, you are the only one with a good memory?”

  Ace grinned from ear-to-ear because it meant Efia had never forgotten him. I should tell her about the room, he thought. And what would that prove? Dismissing the internal monologue, he blew out all the candles in one try. Soon, they were seated at the dining table, enjoying the delicious chocolate cake and listening to Yasmine recount tales from her day.

  Chapter 25

  Cobb’s phone chimed. “It’s Mr. Davenport, he is running a little late.”

  “My mother would like to see the apartment,” Efia said. “Is it okay, if I video chat this?”

  “Go right ahead. I will wait for Mr. Davenport in the lobby.”

  “Thanks,” Efia said and called her mother.

  A few seconds later, Rosina’s smiling face appeared. Efia wandered around the apartment, showing her mother each room.

  “This is Yasmine’s bedroom, what do you think?”

  “It is beautiful,” Rosina said. “It will be good for Yasmine to be in her own space.”

  “Do you think Dad will visit?”

  “Of course, he will visit. Do you think anyone can keep Yasmine away from him? As soon as Yasmine says, grandpa, I miss you, Kofi will be knocking on your door.”

  “You are right about that.” Efia smiled. “It’s Ace and Dad I am worried about.”

  “Stop worrying about them. They have to work out their own issues.”

  “I hope so. By the way, Ace got his first car ride last night.”

  “Mercy! Did Yasmine stop at the red light?”

  “She sure did.”

  “I must tell Kofi,” Rosina said. “He loves when Yasmine imitates him.”

  “Mommy!” Yasmine dashed toward Efia, interrupting her conversation.

  “My God, Yasmine is here, Mom.” Efia reached for Yasmine, balancing the kid on her hip. “Here, sweetie, talk to grandma.”

  “Grandma, this is my new house.”

  “I know. I saw it.” Rosina blew Yasmine a kiss. “Bye, child.”

  Efia ended the chat and made her way to the great room. As soon as she and Yasmine entered, Ace turned his attention away from Cobb and onto his loved ones.

  “I can’t believe you took her out of school,” Efia said.

  “You wanted us to make this decision as a family,” Ace responded.

  Family! A satisfied smile claimed Efia’s lips. And as Ace’s words sunk in, she didn’t think she could love him more. Aware that four pairs of eyes were on them, Efia fought the urge to throw herself into his arms.

  Ace squeezed Efia’s hand. “Are you all right?”

  Efia nodded and placed Yasmine on her feet. “Let us see your room, sweetie.”

  Efia held Yasmine’s hand. “Close your eyes.” She guided Yasmine into the bedroom. “Now you can open your eyes.”

  “Wow!” Yasmine ran across the room and climbed onto the bed. “Is this my bed, Mommy?”

  “No, sweetie, get down from there. You are getting a new bed.”

  Ace stooped beside Yasmine. “Do you like this room, princess?”

  “I don’t like the color.”

  “I can paint one wall pink, and have the other walls painted with a few of your favorite animals,” Efia said.

  “No, I want all pink walls.”

  “All pink walls it shall be,” Ace said.

  Efia nodded, remembering her own obsession with pink as a kid.

  “Can we move tomorrow, Daddy?”

  “No, Princess, it will take a few weeks. We will be here as soon as we can, okay?”

  “Okay, Daddy.”

  “We have a unanimous decision, Cobb,” Ace said when they entered the great room. “The contract will be in Efia’s name. I will have my attorney expedite the title report.”

  Cobb scribbled on his tablet. “What terms?”

  “All cash,” Ace replied.

  He is dropping seven million dollars like it is ten thousand. Efia studied Yasmine, knowing that her daughter’s life would never be the same. Ace was used to the best things in life, and he was bent on having the same for Yasmine. Efia removed an HGTV magazine from her bag and flipped a few pages.

  “What do you think of this color for the main bedroom?” she asked.

  “It’s great, but you don’t have time for that,” Ace said. “Hire an interior decorator.”

  “And spend more money?”

  “Do you want to move in a few weeks or a few months?”

  “You have a point,” Efia begrudgingly admitted.

  “Efia, I can recommend someone to assist you with decorating,” Cobb said. “I know the perfect guy. He is excellent and will execute your vision flawlessly.”

  “Thank you,” Efia replied. “I would appreciate that.”

  Ace took Yasmine’s hand. “Since that is taken care of, we can swing by La Travesta Grand Hotel and have a little dinner until it’s time to fly out.”

  Chapter 26

  Ace climbed the lavish staircase of his Massachusetts’ home, carrying his sleeping daughter.

  “Don’t put her down,” Efia said, eyeballing the spacious room. “Where are our suitcases?”

  “They are in the closet over there, ma’am.”

  “Thank you, Dominic,” Ace said. “That will be all.”

  When Dominic left, Efia removed Yasmine’s sneakers, socks, and jeans, and slipped on her pajama pants.

  “Sit on the bed so I can get her top off,” Efia instructed Ace.

  As Ace sat, Yasmine, twisted in his arms without opening her eyes.

  “Ahh, no, Mommy, no.”

  “Shush.” Ace said, rubbing Yasmine’s foot. “Mommy will be finished soon, princess.”

  “Finished,” Efia said. “You can put her down.”

  Ace rested Yasmine in the middle of the king-sized bed. He lifted her hair from her face and kissed her on the forehead. Swinging his gaze t
o Efia, he asked, “Would you like a cup of tea or something to eat?”

  Efia stretched her hands overhead, loosening her limbs. “A cup of tea would hit the spot.”

  Ace guided Efia to the kitchenette on the second floor where she filled the kettle and placed it on the range.

  “Where is the master bedroom?”

  Ace’s lips curled into the semblance of a smile.

  “Don’t give me that look. I have a right to know.”

  The kettle hissed.

  Ace thanked the gods for interrupting the awkward moment as Efia went about preparing two cups of tea. Someday, he would explain to Efia the room he currently occupied was not the original master suite.

  Efia opened a cookie jar on the counter. “Would you like a macaroon?”

  Ace shook his head and extended his arms.

  Efia entered them.

  He sat placing her on his knees. He moved his lips next to her ear. “The cookie I want is not in that jar.”

  “Mr. Davenport, the only cookie you are getting tonight is from that jar.”

  Efia rose.

  As she strolled across the kitchen, Ace glanced at the gentle sway of her hips and smiled. No longer the novice, he had met at Calico Cays Resort, she was now a confident woman, a nurturing mother, and a passionate lover—his lover. He peered down at the lengthening rod beneath his sweatpants. He pinched the soft material away from his groin. It’s not happening, tonight. Down boy!

  Chapter 27

  “Wake up, Mommy.” Yasmine patted Efia’s head. “I want to go to the bathroom. I don’t know where it is.”

  Efia sprang awake. “What’s the matter, sweetie. What’s wrong?”

  “I have to go now, Mommy.”

  When Efia’s feet hit the ground, she slid fully into mommy-mode. Sleep, now the furthest thing from her mind, she held out her hand to Yasmine and took her to the bathroom.

  “I’ll be back to give you a bath,” she said. “Let me get your clothes.”

  An hour later when Ace knocked on the door and poked his head in, Efia and Yasmine were already showered and dressed.

  Yasmine ran to Ace. “Daddy!”

  Good morning, princess,” Ace said, picking Yasmine up. “Did you sleep well?”

  Yasmine shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know.”

  “You don’t?”

  “I was asleep, so I didn’t have time to think about it.”

  “Princess, your explanation makes perfect sense,” Ace said. Ace moved closer to Efia. He kissed her lips. “And what about your night?”

  “If Yasmine hadn’t awakened me, I might still be asleep.”

  “We need to get away more often,” Ace said. “By the way, my family is downstairs.”

  Efia turned back to the mirror and fluffed her hair.

  “Come on,” Ace said. “You look enchanting.”

  Ace put Yasmine down, and she ran ahead, exiting the room ahead of them.

  “Don’t run down the stairs,” Efia said. “Hold on to the banister.”

  “I know, Mommy.”

  When they reached the kitchen, and Yasmine stopped short in the doorway, Ace and Efia chuckled.

  “My goodness!” Bonnie exclaimed.

  “Mom, are you going to just stand there with your mouth open?” Piper asked, pushing past Bonnie.

  Steven made his way to his wife’s side. “What an adorable child?”

  “Isn’t she?” Bonnie said, clutching her pearls. “And we are her grandparents, Steven.”

  “We are indeed,” Steven said.

  Ace held Yasmine’s hand and guided her over to his family. “This is your aunt, Piper. She’s your daddy’s sister.”

  Piper knelt and extended her hand. “Hi, Yass, aren’t you a pretty little girl.”

  “We prefer you call her Yasmine,” Ace said, candidly.

  “Yasmine is a lovely name for a special girl,” Piper said.

  “Hi,” Yasmine said, glancing at Efia.

  Efia nodded and smiled.

  “Is that your real name?” Yasmine asked Piper.

  Everyone laughed as Piper replied, “Yes, it is.”

  “You have a funny name,” Yasmine said.

  “I agree.” Ace winked at Yasmine. “I have been telling her the same thing for years.”

  Efia came up behind her daughter, rubbing her head. “No, sweetie, we don’t make fun of others, remember?”

  Yasmine’s eyes dropped to the floor. “Yes, Mommy.”

  “You are right, princess,” Ace reiterated. “Piper is a funny name.”

  Yasmine giggled and covered her mouth.

  Efia wagged a warning finger at Ace. “Don’t encourage her. She has to learn to be kind to others.”

  Bonnie stepped closer to Efia, extending her hand. “Hi, I am Bonnie Davenport, and this is my husband, Steven. We are Ace’s parents.”

  Efia clasped Bonnie’s hand. “Nice to meet you.” Bonnie clutched Efia, catching her off-guard. “She is a true Davenport, no one can deny that. Yasmine is a combination of both of you, Efia.”

  “Thank you,” Efia whispered.

  Bonnie released Efia and Steven took over. “Welcome to the family,” he said.

  “Thank you,” Efia whispered, a little choked up from all the attention.

  Steven joined Bonnie, crouching beside Yasmine.

  “These are your grandparents,” Ace said. “Remember your mother explained that you have two sets of grandparents?”

  Yasmine nodded.

  “My, God, Ace, she has so much of you in her. Do you see her birthmark, Steven?”

  “Yes,” Steven said, his voice barely above a whisper.

  Bonnie sniffled and dabbed at the corner of her eyes. “Your great-grandfather must be turning over in his grave, knowing that his birthmark is still making the rounds. It is a carbon copy.” Bonnie ran the pad of her thumb over the mark. “Imagine three generations with the same mark.” Tears slid down Bonnie’s cheeks, and she opened her arms wide, scooping Yasmine into a tight embrace.”

  “Why are you crying?” Yasmine asked.

  “These are happy tears, sweetheart,” Bonnie said. “Today is a special day, Yasmine, because I met you.”

  With watery eyes, Steven hugged both Yasmine and Bonnie.

  “I can’t breathe, Grandma,” Yasmine said.

  “Oh, dear,” Bonnie said, easing up a bit on her hug. She kissed Yasmine’s head. “You will have to get used to our hugs because we have plenty of catching up to do.”

  Ace wasn’t surprised by his parent’s emotional reaction to his daughter. In fact, he expected it. Raised in a home with live-in nannies, his parents had always adopted a hands-on method, teaching he and Piper to always treat others with respect.

  When Bonnie finally released her hold on Yasmine, she kissed Yasmine’s cheeks. “I am Grandma Bonnie. If you think Piper’s name is funny, I am confident you will think the same about mine.”

  Yasmine giggled.

  “I will take that as a yes,” Bonnie said. “I see you have inherited your father’s sense of humor as well.”

  Yasmine yawned.

  “She is hungry,” Ace said. “It’s way past her breakfast time.”

  Piper introduced herself to Efia as they made their way to the conservatory on the first floor. After everyone had taken their seats, the maid removed the covers off the chafing dishes, revealing a collection of waffles, omelets, crispy strips of bacon, chocolate banana crepes, home fries, and breakfast pizzas.

  Efia’s eyes swept the room, noticing plates, glasses, and cutleries were neatly stacked on a round table which also showcased bowls of fresh fruit, yogurt cups, and pitchers of orange juice. A restaurant-style aluminum coffeemaker plugged into a wall socket stood alone on a third table. Efia took note when the maid Ace had referred to as Maggie disappeared and an older woman appeared dressed in a blue skirt suit.

  “Is everything all right, Mr. Davenport?”

  “Ah, Mrs. Edwards,” Ace said, “there you are. Everyth
ing is fine.”

  Ace introduced Efia to Mrs. Edwards. “Mrs. Edwards oversees my household. This is Efia Kwateng, she is the mother of my daughter.”

  “Nice to meet you, Ms. Kwateng,” Mrs. Edwards said, shaking Efia’s hand.

  Ace then said, “This is our little daughter, Yasmine.”

  Mrs. Edwards shook Yasmine’s before turning to Ace. “Is there anything else?” she asked.

  “No,” Ace said. “We can manage.”

  After Mrs. Edwards was gone, Piper said, “She took that better than I expected.”

  “I spoke to Mrs. Edwards about Efia and Yasmine several weeks ago,” Ace said.

  <>

  After an hour of eating, lively conversation, and Yasmine’s grandparents and aunt fawning over her, Efia noticed that the color had drained from Ace’s face. She rested her hand on his thigh beneath the table while following the trajectory of his gaze.

  “What are you doing here, Leyland?” Ace said without an iota of pleasantry.

  “I heard your new family was in town,” Leyland said from the doorway of the conservatory. “It would be remiss of me not to show up and say hello to my new cousin.”

  “Boys, please be civil,” Steven said. “Let us set a good example for my granddaughter.”

  Leyland strolled further into the room, staring at Yasmine. “Oh, my, aren’t you a cutie. Thank God, you took most of your looks from your mother.”

  “Don’t start, Leyland,” Piper said, shaking her head. “Don’t make me regret inviting you here. I swear you are worse than a fifteen-year-old.”

  Bonnie got up. “Have a seat, Leyland. I will prepare you a plate.”

  “Hi, I am Leyland Davenport, Ace’s favorite cousin,” Leyland said.

  “Nice to meet you,” Efia said, offering Leyland her hand.

  Leyland grasped Efia’s hand. He kissed it, lingering in the process. When he raised his head, he said, “You are a lovely sight. What did you see in this guy?”

  Ace cleared his throat. And Efia withdrew her hand from Leyland’s grasp.

  <>

  Determined to remain civil in the presence of Efia and Yasmine, Ace endured Leyland's barbs for the next forty-five minutes without retaliation.

  “Come early,” Bonnie said, breaking into Ace’s thoughts. “We want to spend as much time with Yasmine as possible.”