Read Wishing On A Starr Online
Authors: Adrianne Byrd
Wishing On A Starr (11 page)
“Ma, there are some people I’d like for you to meet.” Gia motioned for Daniel and Starr to come forward.
Ma Belle turned her head. “My Lawd, chile. Do you know who you look like?”
“She looks like her father,” Gia said.
` Ma Belle’s face pinched with confusion. “You mean to tell me...but how?”
“I’m not sure how myself,” Gia chuckled with fresh tears.
“Gia, this is your daughter?” Glenda asked equally astounded.
“Yes. Her name is Starr Davis. Isn’t she beautiful?”
Starr blushed and fidgeted with her hands.
“My prayers have been answered.” Ma Belle’s tears streamed down her face. “Praise be to Jesus, chile. Come over here and give your great grandma a hug.”
Starr blinked and glanced over at her father.
Daniel gave her an encouraging nod and then watched as his daughter was enfolded in the elder woman’s arms. His eyes stung with emotion watching his little girl with her newfound family. His gaze swept toward Gia and he was overwhelmed by the love he saw radiating there. The fact that she was looking at him confirmed that there was indeed a future for them-together.
“If I remember right, today is your birthday, chile.” Ma Belle said, gazing into Starr’s eyes. “I’m ‘fraid I ain’t got anything for you.”
“That’s okay,” Starr swiped her tears and then reached for Gia’s hand, and then motioned her father over. “I’ve already gotten the best birthday and Christmas gift ever.”
Daniel’s gaze again returned to Gia’s. “That goes for me, too.”
“And who are you?” Ma Belle asked, squinting up at him. “You a handsome devil. I’ll give you that much. And you even look a little respectable, too.”
“I’m Daniel Davis,” he chuckled. “I’m Starr’s adoptive dad.”
“My dad,” Starr corrected.
Daniel winked at her. “Starr’s dad...I’m also the man who is in love with your granddaughter, Gia. I’m hoping that she will have my hand in marriage.”
Gia and Starr gasped.
“Well, well, now.” Ma Belle’s smile broadened. “The gifts just keep on comin’ this Christmas.”
“Oh, Ma.” Gia returned her attention to her ailing grandmother. “We should be letting you get your rest.”
“Rest, hell. What is it you do for a livin’, Mr. Davis?”
“I’m a doctor.”
“Humph. I don’t care too much for them.” Ma Belle said bluntly and rolled her eyes. “The one I’m seeing is tryin’ to tell everyone I’m dyin’. I’m fine I tell you. Women in my family live a long time. I just needed some time off my feet that’s all...and maybe get some of these chil’en’ to quit worrin’ me so much.”
Starr slapped a hand across her mouth and snickered.
“Anyways, I hear that doctorin’ makes a pretty good livin’. You think you can take care of my Gia?”
Gia glanced at Daniel again. Even in that cold and dim hospital room the intensity in his gaze stirred her butterflies.
“I think we’ll do a good job taking care of each other,” Daniel responded.
“We’re going way too fast,” Gia said, shaking her head.
“There’s no such thing.”
Joy burned the backs of her eyes while hope bloomed within her heart, but somehow words failed her.
“Gia,” Glenda hissed under her breath and then a small smile curved her lips. “I think he’s waiting for an answer.”
“We all are.” Ma Belle said, glancing from Daniel to Gia. “If you love him, marry him.”
Gia blinked in surprise. She suddenly realized that the room was slowly filling with the Jackson clan.
“What can I say?” Ma Belle shrugged. “I ain’t too old to change. Do you love him?”
All eyes turned toward Gia as tears leapt over her lashes. “I love him with all of my heart.”
“Then that’s a
yes
?” Starr asked, clutching Gia’s hand.
Gia nodded. “That’s a
yes
.”
The Jackson clan applauded as Daniel pulled Gia into his arms and kissed her soundly.
“Well, chile,” Ma Belle whispered to Starr. “Strange enough, it looks like your mom and dad is gettin’ married.”
“It’s not strange. It’s a wish come true.”
Epilogue
One year later.
“Four, three, two, one...”
The lights flashed on and the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center was once again a magnificent sight. Everyone with the Davis family squeezed their eyes shut and made a wish.
“What did you wish for?” Daniel whispered, cozying up to his beautiful wife.
“I wished for us to always be this happy for the rest of our lives.”
“Sounds good to me.” He kissed the tip of her nose.
“What about you?” she asked, gazing up at him. “What did you wish for?”
Daniel gently roamed his hands across the bulge of her belly. “I wished or a girl with your eyes and smile.”
Gia glowed. “You’re not disappointed that it’s not a boy?”
“Heck, no. With boys you’re a hero for a few years, but girls love you for a lifetime.” He kissed her again. “Plus, there’s always next time.”
Gia laughed and tightened her arms around her husband.
Starr sighed as she watched her parents and then turned toward Neve. “Aren’t they cute together?”
“Hardly,” Neve moped.
Starr frowned, and then followed the direction of her best friend’s gaze. “I wasn’t referring to your mom and Principal Hedley.”
“Yeah, well I was,” Neve said. “Of all the men in New York, why in the world does she have to date
him
?”
“Hey, she looks happy. I thought that’s what you wanted?”
Neve grunted. “Do you know how uncool it is for your mom to have a thing for the principal? It’s humiliating.”
“She looks happy,” Starr sing-songed.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”
“So what did you wish for?” Starr asked.
“For them to get married
after
I graduate.”
Starr chuckled and turned toward her other guest. “What about you, Ma Belle?”
“I wished for ya’ll to get me out of this damn cold. Good Lawd, it must be thirty below. How in the world do any of ya’ll stand it? I get better and now ya’ll tryin’ to give me pneumonia.”
Starr rocked her head back with a hearty laugh. Ever since she and her Aunt Glenda moved to the city, Starr delighted herself in her great-grandmother’s off-the-cuff remarks. Though most of the family marveled over Ma Belle’s miraculous recovery, others like her Uncle Byron simply believed Ma Belle was simply suffering from a broken heart and had practically willed herself to near death.
Aunt Glenda was fun, too, because she treated New York like it was some fantasy land, and she was amazed by almost everything in sight. This Christmas Uncle Byron’s family promised to come up and everyone was to meet the members of the Davis family. In other words, it was going to be one
large
Christmas dinner-just like Starr wanted.
“So what did you wish for?” Daniel slid his arm around Starr’s shoulders.
“You mean since my
dumb
plan worked?”
“All right, all right. I deserved that one. So what did you wish for?”
“Nothing,” Starr said smiling. “Everything is just perfect, Dad.”
“I’m about to be mushy in public,” he warned.
“Me, too,” she said, and leaned up on her toes to kiss him softly on the cheek.
Daniel returned the favor by planting one against her forehead.
“You know, there is
one
thing, Dad. With the family exploding like it has, I’m going to need an increase in my allowance.”
Sounds reasonable to me,” Gia cut in.
Daniel chuckled and rolled his eyes. “What am I going to do when there’s three of you?”
“The only thing you can do,” Gia said, leaning against him.
“Yeah,” Starr said, flanking his other side. “Just keep loving us.”
Daniel nodded. “I think I can handle that.”