Chapter 76 - Chicago Tree Lightning & Kisses

A/N: Song of this chapter is Feels^. Thought it'd be very fitting.

Sadé's POV:

— Tuesday, November 22, Detroit

Marshall and I had just arrived at the airport after he picked up all three of his daughters so that we could arrive together, all at once. We had all boarded the jet, but we weren't set to depart until 12:30; It was only going to be an hour and a half flight. So because we were early, we were all just sitting around, waiting. Marshall was talking to Hailie and Alaina about something while Stevie and I were both on our phones.

I was slowly working my way back into social media so I decided to host a Q&A on my Instagram stories.

Within minutes, questions began rolling in. I waited a few more minutes until we took off to answer them so that I could have more options to chose from. When I read them, I saw questions about all types of things: Am I coming back to social media, when will I post again on YouTube, some people saying they missed me, my favorite food, favorite place I've ever traveled to, etc. I picked some of my favorite ones and some random ones, answering those first.

I was also being asked a lot of questions about me and Marshall: Are we really dating, how'd we meet, can I confirm the relationship, is he actually mean, etc. I didn't want to publicize our relationship because it wasn't anybody's business, honestly. Our relationship is exactly that, OUR relationship. Not hers, his, theirs, it's, yours, nobody's except for Marshall and Sadé's. So I didn't answer any of the questions pertaining him for that reason, but also because I felt like I didn't need to. Let's be real, it's pretty obvious we're dating or at least have something going on to the public eye. It's not that we hide it because we don't, we just don't plaster it everywhere. It is what it is; It's private not secret. But, I did want to tease them because I find it hilarious how people are so curious as if they've never seen two people date before. So I decided to answer a different question about one of my favorite Nicki Minaj songs, answering it with one that he was featured on. It was very discreet because I could simply say I like the song - Nothing less, nothing more. It genuinely was one of my favorite songs though.

It was almost 30 minutes later when I decided to call it a day for the Q&A. It was nice to be interacting with my supporters again, being on social media. I definitely missed it. Maybe I'll post a video to YouTube soon. Who knows. I sat my phone down on the table, deciding to join in on the conversation that Marshall, Hailie, and Alaina were having until we landed.

— Chicago, 1:03PM

"Ladies and gentlemen, this private jet welcomes you to the beautiful Windy City, Chicago. The local time is 1:03. For your safety and the safety of those around you, please remain seated with your seat belt fastened and keep the aisle clear until we are parked at the gate. Thank you and enjoy the holidays." The flight attendant announced over the intercom as we began to touch down.

I was super excited to be back in my hometown for the holidays with those that are near & dear to my heart. I was all giddy when I looked out the window, seeing we were practically at the gate.

I was practically wiggling around in my seat from excitement and happiness as I looked out the window. Marshall, who was sat next to me, took note of my excitement. He nudged my arm, making me look over to him.

"You really that excited?" He asked with amusement laced in his voice as he leaned over to whisper so that it was a private conversation between just us.

"Yesss." I answered happily.

The holidays always made me happy. It gave me the dopamine boost that I needed. I loved the festive spirit that everyone had in them, the way random strangers would smile or wave when walking by, cheer radiating off of their bodies. It was just the best time of year because everyone was filled with joy, had a hot chocolate in their hands, and were surrounded by loved ones!

"You're too cute." He chucked to himself as he looked away, shaking his head.

—

Eventually, we were able to get off of the plane. I checked myself out in the mirror one last time, before stopping off of the jet. I actually had another Make-A-Wish charity event that I needed to attend briefly in a couple of hours so I needed to make sure I looked presentable. This was the only day of the week that I was technically "working", which was really me just spreading kindness to people around the holidays like I normally do.

Anyways, I was wearing an army green dress paired with a long sleeve body suit that was made out of the same material as stockings. I wore my lucky Van Cleef bracelet & dainty diamond cuban link bracelet on one wrist and a Cartier bracelet on so other. In addition to that, I wore a black jacket over my outfit with a silver Coach Tabby bag to match my silver cross necklace, and a pair of black boots I found at target one day. My hair was in a high ponytail and my makeup was done as per usual. I thought I looked great while still keeping it family friendly for today's activities.

We were all escorted by my security to the black Escalade, where we would be picked up at. They grabbed all of our bags, putting it in the trunk as we all stuffed the car. Once everyone was seated and situated, we made the almost hour drive to my family's house where we would all be staying. The home had more than enough rooms for all of us, and we'd be going there every single day if we decided to stay in a hotel so it just made more sense to stay at the house. And plus it's technically my house anyways, so if I wanted guests to stay there nobody could tell me otherwise.

— About An Hour Later

All five of us arrived at the house, the security parking the car back in its rightful place in the garage. I made sure to have them on surveillance while Marshall was here just so that he could feel more at home and more comfortable. They helped us bring our bags inside as we all walked in. Before I could even give them a welcome or any words could come out of my mouth, Grandma Dolly was right in front of us, a hint of a smile on her face as she greeted all of us.

"Hi, Grandma Dolly." I said softy as I hugged her.

"Hey, Sadé." She replied before moving over to Marshall, who held a smile on his face, "And hello to you too, Marshall."

"Hello. How are you, Ms.Myers?" He greeted her as they exchanged in a short embrace.

I'm actually a little taken aback that she's being so kind. I did expect her to be considering she did invite him and his family over, but I wasn't expecting her to go in for a hug with the man. I was getting the feeling that maybe she was taking a liking towards Marshall, but part of me was refusing to believe it.

"I'm doing alright, but I'd be even better if you'd stop being all proper and calling me Ms.Myers, boy. I cannot go four days hearing that, making me feel old. Just call me Grandma Dolly like everybody else." She replied, causing Marshall's cheeks to tint a light shade of pink.

I heard Stevie and Alaina snickering next to me, laughing at their father being scolded by my grandmother.

"Yes, ma'am." He replied sheepishly.

"And who do we have here? Are these your babies, Marshall?" Grandma asked, turning to Hailie, Alaina, and Stevie, hugging each of them as well.

"Yes, it is. That's Alaina, Hailie, and Stevie." He pointed to each of his daughters, a proud smile displayed on his face as he showed them off.

"Hello!" They each said individually as they introduced themselves further.

The four of them conversed in a small conversation momentarily.

"Oh and by the way, Stevie goes by they/them instead of she/her." I told my grandmother so that Stevie would feel comfortable.

She looked at me completely clueless about what I referring to, however. My grandma wasn't the type that judged other people based off of their sexuality or anything of that nature despite the generation she was born into, her old age, and her ruthlessness. She was very accepting, and is actually a part of the reason that I'm so accepting of everyone myself. She always told me that you can't help who you love, or change who you are - You are you.

"What's that?" She asked, looking at Stevie with a confused face.

"That instead of saying she did xyz or that's hers for example, you'd say they did xyz or that's theirs. It's pronouns." Stevie clarified nicely.

"Oh, okay. That's fine by me, Stevie." She brushed it off, not making a big deal out of it.

Once all the introductions and greetings were out of the way, I began to give them a tour of the house and rest of the property. We started outside, where I showed them the backyard/lounge area, the pool area, the the garage, and the basketball court. I didn't drag it out too long considering that it wasn't warm out.

Next, we came back inside where I led them through the front door, walking them through the foyer. We all walked from the first floor, making our way up to the fourth slowly, but surely. I went through the kitchen, bathrooms, living room, theatre room, and a few other rooms. They took everything in, making note of where everything was. Along the way, Malik and Trinity actually joined us, introducing themselves before going their separate ways again.

Afterwards, I showed Hailie, Alaina, and Stevie their respective guest rooms, which were located in a different wing of the house: The guest portion. It was away from Malik and Trinity's wing of the home, but also away from Grandma Dolly's wing - She had her own section as did I. The rooms each had their own adjoining bathrooms. I even took the time out of my day yesterday to think about which room was going to whom, making sure it matched each of their personalities and taste.

They got comfortable, getting settled in as they began to unpack. While they were doing that, I walked with Marshall over to my wing of the house where my bedroom was located. He'd be sleeping with me in my room, of course, so I saved that room for last. We watered the bedroom, putting our bags down by the door for now. My bedroom was white with accents of grey & mauve. It was feminine yet simple. It wasn't over the top in my opinion, but was very much obviously mines. It not only had an adjoining bathroom like all the other rooms, but a balcony too.

"And this is my room where we'll be staying. Do you like it?" I curiously asked Marshall, who was sprawled out across the bed in no time.

"I do, baby." He answered.

"Good."

I took a seat next to him, looking down at him. He had his eyes closed, probably wanting to take a short nap from traveling. I studied his face, admiring all of his features. His fair skin, extremely faint freckles that were barely visible to the naked eye, his singular dimple, his perfect eyebrows, the little wrinkles on the corner of his eyelids, and his beard that drives me crazy. He always was and still his so attractive to me: Handsome.

"You know you're really handsome." I spoke what was on my mind.

I earned a shy smile from him in return. He opened his blue eyes, making direct eye contact with me.

"Thank you." He replied in a soft tone.

You're welcome." I said, leaning down to give him a quick peck on his cheek.

As much as I would love to cuddle up with him right now, I had to leave for some charity work. It was only going to be for a few hours, but I still wanted to stay regardless to lay up under my man.

"I have to get going in a minute. Are you going to be alright alone?" I asked, reminding him of my schedule.

"I'll be fine. Don't worry about it. Go do what you gotta do." He reassured my anxiety.

"Okay. Don't forget to get ready for tonight. I'll remind everyone else too."

"I know." He said as I got up from the bed, "Be safe, Ight? I'll see you later."

"I will. I'll see you later too." I replied before leaving the room.

I informed everyone else of the plans for tonight to go to dinner then visit the annual Christmas tree lighting, and to be ready so that we wouldn't be late. I then made my way downstairs, going to the garage. I got inside of my other car, a light brown Mercedes G Wagon. I put the car in drive, making my way down to the hospital to hopefully makes some children's and families day.

Marshall's POV:

— Meanwhile At Sadé's House

Sadé had left to go volunteer at a hospital for the Make-A-Wish foundation, leaving me & my kids by ourselves for a little bit until she got back. I wasn't upset or uncomfortable about it because I knew she was out, doing a good deed. Plus, we weren't completely alone because we were here with her family.

I was grateful of how her grandmother welcomed me and my family into their home, making us feel comfortable here. She was very nice to me and my kids, wasn't judgmental, and seemed genuinely interested in having us over for the holidays. Her sister and brother, Trinity and Malik, were also very friendly and welcoming of us with open arms.

I had actually taken a short nap because I was slightly jet lagged, and I was currently unpacking my belongings for the next few days to get settled in. I was unpacking some of Sadé's things too for her so that she wouldn't have to do it later. However, she didn't bring much since she already had clothes, toiletries, and a few other things here considering this is her bedroom and her home as well. Once I was all done with that, I checked the time, seeing it was pushing 5:00.

I decided to start getting ready for tonight. We were all going to be going out to a casual dinner, followed by watching the annual Christmas tree lighting that the city hosts. I know the girls and Sadé all really wanted to see it happen in person so that's what we're going to do. And to be quite frank, I was pretty eager to watch the ceremony too. I'd never seen it before, and I wanted to experience more of the city whenever I could.

One thing about Sadé that I always found refreshing was how she was so adventurous, ultimately making me come out of my shell & my hermit tendencies. Before her I never really went out often or simply did things that seemed so small, but made all the difference in my happiness, like going out to dinner, or going on a walk, or even just doing something fun like that time we went to a water park and a boat ride. I always talked it up to not being able to go out because I didn't want to be spotted, but in retrospect it was because nobody genuinely made me feel like I really wanted to do those activities with them. She is always willing to set things up so that it can happen for me regardless of my star-status, like making sure there's extra security, or renting out the entire place, or planning to go at times when it's less crowded. She's always pushing me to live my best life and enjoy life experiences. No one's ever done that for me before, and for that I adored her.

I didn't need to do much to get ready: All I had to do was freshen up and change my outfit from a Nike tech tracksuits to something more fitting for the occasion. I changed into one of my typical all black ensembles that consisted of black pants, a black album shirt that had Run DMC on it, and a black jacket. I paired it with a pair of my white Nike Air Max 90 Ultra 2.0s, a black Kangol hat, and my silver jewelry. I checked myself out in the mirror, satisfied with how I looked.

I then walked over to the girls' rooms to check on them, but none of them were in there. I checked all three, and they were all gone. Assuming they went downstairs, I made my way to the living room. I found them all sitting there, chatting it up with Trinity and Malik. They were all seemingly dressed, ready to go. I dapped up Malik, side hugging Trinity as I entered the room. I took a seat next to Alaina on one of the couches, deciding to join the conversation.

They were simply getting to know each other better, talking about some of their favorite things, little things that they find weird about themselves, etc. I was so happy that we were all able to talk without any awkwardness like it was when I first met them. It was like we all just meshed together - Sadé and I's family. I was relieved in that.

It was wasn't until about fifteen minutes later that Sadé had made her way back to the house, walking into the living room. She didn't need to get ready since she had already been dressed the entire day, her outfit more than suiting for where we were going to go. I thought she looked gorgeous like she always does.

"Hey, y'all. Is everyone ready to go out?" She asked, standing near all of us.

"Yea. I'll go get Grandma." Malik said, exiting the room.

The rest of us nodded our heads in agreement, following Trinity and Sadé out to the garage. We needed to take two separate cars since it was 8 of us and couldn't all fit inside of one. So me, Sadé, Hailie, and Stevie rode in her brown Mercedes G Wagon whilst Malik, Dolly, and Alaina rode with Trinity in her white Mercedes E-Class.

Sadé put the car in drive, Trinity and the security guards following behind her in their own respective vehicles as we made our way to the Mexican restaurant.

Sadé's POV:

— The Tree Lighting

We had finished our dinner at a Mexican restaurant a little while ago, and were now arriving at our next stop. We all had a great time there, eating some amazing authentic food, conversing amongst one another, and being full of joy and laughter. We were at Millennium Park in Downtown, Chicago for the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony.

For obvious reasons, we couldn't be in the main area of the park where the tree was located because of the huge crowd. There were hundreds of people gathered around to partake in the festivities, and we would've gotten spotted without a doubt. Neither of us wanted to be plastered on news articles, in gossip podcasts, or bombarded by supporters. We wanted to enjoy the night with our families in private. So to avoid that happening and to make everyone was more comfortable & relaxed, I had managed to get a private section at a nearby rooftop lounge all to ourselves. No one would be able to see us because we would be so high up, away from everyone else. It was only across the street from the park, and we actually had the perfect view of everything.

I got out of the parked car, Marshall grabbing my hand as we all formed a group, security being on all four sides of us for protection and privacy reasons. There was a few looks from people, wondering why there was so many security guards, but they all simply minded their business, ultimately not caring. We walked over the course of a minute from the parking garage to the building, making our way inside. We all got on the elevator, going all the way to the top floor.

Once we made it to the rooftop, we were able to separate from security, no longer needing them for the time being. The lounge was heated so it made it feel less cold than what it really was outside. We all quickly found ourselves vibing out to the music from the live concert that was happening below us. You could see the entire view of the park, the famous bean, and other tourist attractions as well. There were people walking around, couples holding hands, and people taking pictures, creating memories that would last a lifetime.

—

Alaina, Stevie, and Trinity were dancing lightly, sipping on cocktails that they had ordered from the bar. Grandma Dolly, Hailie, and Malik were sat, taking everything in, exchanging in light dialogue as they looked out into the distance. It seems as if everyone had formed a group, enjoying the night away, leaving Marshall and I to ourselves for the first time tonight. We walked over to the balcony together, looking at the beautiful, dark sky that was lit up by city trees and buildings. I laid my head on the side of Marshall's body as he instinctively rested a hand on my hip. There was a comfortable silence between us as we admired everything until he spoke up.

"Ya know, I never knew anything like this before I met you." He aimlessly said what was on his mind, catching me off guard.

"What do you mean?" I asked him, not entirely understanding what he meant.

"Like..." He paused, thinking about how to articulate his thoughts.

I rubbed his arm, soothingly to help him be more at ease with what he wanted to say. I turned to look at him face to face when, but he was still looking out into the distance, pondering.

"I never knew what it felt like to feel at home with somebody, a person. You just make me feel so good and worry free about everything when I'm with you. You make me feel normal. And the more I visit here with you, the more Chicago feels like home to me too. Kinda how Detroit is a second home to you." He confessed, finally making eye contact with me.

A small smile spread across my face at his words of endearment. I didn't realize how I had began cheesing and blushing like a schoolgirl until I accidentally let out a short, shy giggle. I felt butterflies forming in my stomach, which has been happening with me a lot recently.

Whenever I'm around him, I always get this weird fuzzy feeling that I don't recognize at all. It's not bad, it's actually a nice feeling. I just don't understand it. I've never felt anything like that before. It was warm, and tender, and innocent, and pure. And I felt that again, right now in this very moment; Much like when I told him that I really really liked him yesterday. It made me all happy, and giddy, and shy.

Out of habit, I turned to look away from him as I hid my face with my hand, covering my smile and cheek. I heard him let out a deep chuckle at my antics before he grabbed my hand to stop me from hiding away from him.

"You're so cute when you act all shy and innocent." He commented, only making my body heat up even more as I become flustered by the second.

"Thank you... You know you don't have to worry about being on guard, or feeling like you can't be yourself around me. You're safe with me... Your heart is safe with me." I replied sincerely.

"I know, Sae... I just wanted to tell you how grateful I am for you." He explained to me from before looking back into the distance.

He quieted back down, after sharing his emotions, not wanting to talk more about it. I respected his boundaries, understanding that he wasn't the type of man to really spill his guts or talk about how he felt.

"Me too." I whispered to myself, feeling w motions overcome me.

I wasn't emotional because I was sad or angry, but happy. I was extremely grateful for Marshall coming into my life when I least expected it. He made it all the more special, allowing me to feel emotions I've never felt before, be happier than ever, and show me want it truly means to have a healthy, romantic relationship where you just understand everything about the other person inside and out.

Not wanting to stand here in silence, listening to music, I decided to change the conversation, bring up a new topic.

"You know, I'm very happy that everyone is getting along just fine. I was a little worried at first, but it's going so good!" I said, gaining his attention.

"I noticed that. I knew there would be nothing to worry about this time around. I told you so." He said matter if factly, making me roll my eyes.

"Oh, whatever." I shot him a side eye.

"Look, baby." He pointed down to where the tree was located, "I think they're about to light the tree!" He said excitedly.

There stood a few workers, a giant button in one of their hands, and a cord in another worker's hands. The music was starting to quiet down, signaling that the tree really was about to be lit up.

"You're right!" I squealed equally as excited as he was.

No matter how many countless times I've seen this happen while living in Chicago, I still held the same amount of spirit every single time. This very moment signified that the holidays were in full effect, my favorite time of year!

"You all! They're about to light the tree, come over here." I called out to everyone.

They all came to the balcony with us, looking over the edge in anticipation. The announcer then made his presence known over the speakers that were embedded in the park.

"Hello, ladies and gentlemen! I hope everyone is having a splendid time tonight. In 30 seconds, at 8pm, we will light Chicago's 109th annual Christmas tree! Be ready to be shook, blinded, and most importantly, amazed." He gave a little speech as the seconds swindled down.

I looked over to Marshall, who held the biggest smile on his face as his eyes lit up with delight. I turned back around, focusing on the tree as the countdown started. We all began counting down from 10 in unison.

"10, 9, 8, 7... 3, 2, 1!" We all chanted.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

We all cheered as the lights came to life, colors of blue, purple, green, and red illuminating the sky.

"WOOOO!" Marshall yelled.

"YAYYYYY!" Trinity and Alaina thrilled, throwing their hands up in the air.

I simply did a little happy dance, jumping up and down as I clapped my hands together with a smile on my face from ear to ear. Then the fireworks went off, taking some of them by surprise. However, it wasn't the fireworks that took me by surprise. Instead, it was Marshall grabbing my face and kissing me affectionately in front of everyone. It seemed as if he didn't care about who was watching or who was around. I kissed him back before he pulled away to cheer on some more. Nobody blinked an eye or even noticed as they were all focused on what was happening down in the park. Or at least I thought because not even 5 seconds later I felt my phone buzz in my purse. I was going to ignore it, nothing being more important than family time until Hailie walked over, tapping my shoulder.

"You should look at that." She smiled at me, sending me a wink before looking down at the tree.

I gave a puzzled look before taking my phone out of my purse. I unlocked it, seeing a text message from Hailie followed by an attachment: A video. I played the video, quickly realizing she had captured the moment Marshall and I shared in her video that she was taking for herself. Initially, she was recording the countdown, focusing on the tree as it lit up. However, in the corner of the video you could see Marshall and I cheering, then him turning to me as he looked at me for a few seconds with an unreadable expression on his face. Seeing as she noticed, she pointed the camera in our direction, zooming in right in time as he grabbed my face forcefully yet gently as he leaned in to kiss me. I replayed the video once more before thanking Hailie.

"Thank you." I yelled over to her so she could hear me over all the commotion of the crowd.

"No problem. You two are so wholesome. I'm so glad you make my dad happy. I love you, Sae." She gushed, embracing me in a hug.

"Awwwe, I love you too, Hailie!"

— Later That Night

We didn't get home until around 10 because we wanted to see the tree up close. So we all had decided to wait for the crowd to fizzle out so that we could be right next to it without any hassles from anyone. We had taken a few pictures as well, some together as a group and some individually, then headed home. I actually decided to post a couple of them to my Instagram.

When we got home everyone was so exhausted that we all went to our rooms, calling it a night. Marshall and I had taken our showers for the night and had completed our nighttime routine. Now, we were laying down on the bed together about to go to sleep. That was until he asked me about the video that Hailie sent the both of us.

"Did you see what Hailie sent? The video." He asked me as he spooned me, his deep voice tingling in my ear.

"Mhmm. Wasn't it adorable?" I replied.

"It was. I can't believe she caught that and wasn't even trying. You looked beautiful today by the way." He complimented me.

"Thank you, love." I said shyly.

"You're welcome."

He then gave me a light kiss on the lips. Then he gave me another one, and another one, and another one. Then it turned into a make out session. I had turned my body to face his, my leg thrown over his lazily. Our tongues found friendship within each other as they crossed paths. It went from sweet to passionate to a frenzy.

"I really really like you." Marshall mumbled against my lips in between kisses.

"I really really like you too." I mumbled.

And that was true: I did really really like him. A lot. More than I knew. And once again that unknown feeling was back as if it never left. What was it?