Epilogue
Six months later…
Dakar, Senegal, West Africa
Zaine waved at the dark-haired teenaged boy from across the street. The past months, he always bought something he didn’t need from the teenager to help him make some money. Gum, water, candy. The sad reality of Senegal also made him help find inexpensive, sustainable ways to build homes for the poor, particularly in rural areas.
He’d come up with a plan in his first month of living there, and within two months, asked his contacts to host fundraisers and invested some of his own money. He couldn’t change the world, or, hell, the continent, but starting with small areas on the outskirts of Dakar seemed like a good compromise.
He parked his car in the garage of the building and took the slow elevator to the tenth floor. Because of their hectic schedules, they’d never built a house in one of the nicer neighborhoods—nor had they wanted to. Why contribute to the crazy social and financial disparity in the society by choosing to live in a luxury mansion? The three-bedroom apartment worked just fine for now.
He was about to insert the key in the slot when Monique opened the door, greeting him with a smile. A colorful, long dress made from cotton covered her luscious body.
“Were you waiting for me?” he asked, kissing her hard.
She broke the kiss, saying, “Class ended early today. I saw you driving home and took a shortcut to make it on time and surprise you.”
He kneaded her delectable ass, pulling her so close to him he could barely breathe. “That’s the kind of surprise I like.”
She chuckled, patting him lightly on the chest. “There’s another one, too.”
He kissed her cheek. “Yeah?”
She smoothed her ponytail, then straightened her shoulders. A flicker of excitement touched her green eyes. What else could she possibly have to tell him? Spending extra time with her was enough. He loved when they teased each other, cooked together, and the many times she fell asleep in his arms twenty minutes after they’d begun to watch a movie. Moments like this he treasured. Moments like this he loved. “I’m pregnant.”
His heart jumped, and he covered his mouth with his hand. Pregnant? They hadn’t made immediate plans, and both had agreed on waiting until she finished her first year in her contract to revisit the idea. “What?”
Her smile lit up her face. “That’s why I left early. I visited a woman’s clinic for an exam… I had to make sure before telling you.” She flung herself into his arms, and he held her tight. “I’m so happy.”
A baby? He lowered his hand, touching her belly. “Me too.”
“We should go back to LA before the baby’s born. I want your family to be present.”
“Are you sure? I mean, what about all the work you’ve been doing here?”
“I’ve been hired for a year and intend on fulfilling my duties. But I want this child to have family around, and your mom and sisters will dote on him or her. We can continue to travel here and oversee your projects.”
“What about your family?” He had to agree—he’d met her mom and brothers and loved them, but her English was better than his French. He was learning, especially after moving to Senegal, but going back to his family for the baby’s birth would be a dream come true.
“You better buy them tickets at least a couple of times a year so they can visit us. I’m sure my mom will want to be there for the birth.”
“Sounds good. I…I can’t believe this.”
He swept her off her feet, and she chuckled as an inner glow oozed from her. A happy energy zinged between them, and everything fell into place. Their family was now complete, and he’d be a dad at the right time, with the right woman.
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