epilogue
. . .
Quameer
Tears stung my eyes as I held Rayce in my arms, Peach clutching my free hand. I stood beside Quasim, Gams, and Pops, all of us watching Capri up there in the courtroom. Rayce was only three months old, and Capri was still self-conscious about the baby weight she'd put on. I watched her scan the crowd until her eyes landed on me.
Capone, Capella, Cappadonna, and Corleon remained in the back with their father, while Jean sat right in the front. Blair and Zoya stood in the front with Jean, along with Alaia, Skyler, Aimee, and Erin. I was so fucking proud of my wife.
Capri Shelly-Ann Inferno was being sworn in as the District Attorney of New York City. I watched her nervously fix her hair. I let out a low whistle—a signal only Sim and I used to share, but one I'd taught Suga.
She looked up. I winked, mouthing *Pressure*, before kissing my two fingers. When I glanced to the other side of the courtroom, I saw Forty in the background. He saluted and winked. Nobody was going to miss this day for anything in the world. Our own was being sworn in to become something great.
My wife was becoming a District Attorney. She stood there in heels, wide-leg pants, and a blazer. Her hair was straight as she rose when Devon introduced her. Capri walked over to where he and a few others were standing.
She shook his hand as he read from a piece of paper. Capri stood there, looking straight ahead at Peach, and winked. Peach kissed her two fingers, making Capri smile. She raised her hand and took her oath as our entire family watched. I stood there with our daughters, witnessing my wife being sworn in. She was the blueprint, the example, the one our girls would look up to.
Rayce was too young to realize the power her mama possessed, but the minute she did, that shit was going to be beautiful. Devon and the others moved aside so she could speak, and Capri cleared her throat.
Not a tear in her eye, she looked straight ahead at the cameras. "Today, I am deeply honored to take this oath and assume the responsibility of serving as your District Attorney. This is not a position that I take lightly. One I will uphold with integrity, fairness, and a relentless commitment to justice. I am showing my daughters, and little Black girls, what is possible. That we can be in these positions and we will… My name is Capri Fern, your District Attorney that will work for you."
I clapped so hard I damn near gave my baby whiplash. Sim took Rayce from me as I cheered and whistled for my fucking wife. That was mine. My Suga. I wished I could show that broken woman who sat on her bike, second-guessing what life meant, all of this. All the times she cried with me on the phone, not knowing her purpose—I wished I could show her this.
This was my wife—Capri Shelly-Ann Inferno.