Starlight 2
Summary: Amani is an orphaned heiress who’s spent most of her life raising her younger sister. T’Challa is a widowed King and Father. Neither of them is expecting much from their night at the Lotus. But the coming months have many milestones in store for these young adults. Will becoming a family be one of them?
A/N: This is long overdue. I’m applying to school to continue my education, so life is a little crazy. Hopefully after November everything will slow down and I can update more regularly. A new chapter of this story is half done, as well as a chapter of Redemption and Dress Up. They should be out in the next few weeks, probably after November 15. Keep me in your prayers, I’m slowly losing my mind y’all.
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Amani rolled over yawning as the sun streamed through her window. She grabbed her phone off the nightstand and walked into the bathroom. She shot her sister a good morning text and hopped in the shower. After she brushed her teeth and washed her face, Amani threw on a sundress and some sandals.
She grabbed an apple from the kitchen and skipped out to sit on the porch. Amani sighed watching the sun creep up over the buildings.The young woman bit into her apple and watched traffic build up in front of Atlantic station. She noticed a limousine cruise through the traffic light and grinned. She tossed the apple core,washed her hands, and grabbed her small purse off of the couch. After grabbing her camera off of the kitchen counter she hurried back to the porch.
The untimely death of her parents gave her and her sister a lifetime of financial security. Faced with this reality Amani decided to give YouTube a chance. She started a vlogging channel a few years back and had a significant following. She had quickly discovered her passion for content creating. Checks from YouTube and waitressing were her means of income for shopping and travel. She double checked all of her necessities once more as the limo pulled silently to the curb. Amani forced herself not to run down the porch stairs, stopping herself halfway when the front door of the car opened. A woman in all black stepped out, opened the backdoor, and out bounded a very energetic Ada. The young princess ran across the yard into Amani's arms. "Hello to you too," Amani laughed as she hugged the little girl back.
Amani looked up to find T'Challa grinning and stepping out of the car. "Hello" he greeted.
"Hi," the young vlogger breathed, before coming back to her senses. Ada pulled her over to the car. "Let's go Amani," Ada bounced as the woman in black opened the door. Amani laughed and followed the princess into the car. T'Challa filed in next to her. The two smiled at each other before looking away.
"Where are we off to first?" Amani asked the little princess, as the car pulled onto the highway. "Baba reserved the aquarium since they have the most visitors," the little girl explained as she looked at the buildings. "Look Baba, That building looks like a pink piano!" Ada exclaimed as she jumped up excitedly.
"I see princess, but what did we talk about ?" He gently reminded her. The little girl's mouth formed an “o” as she settled in her seat. "Sorry Baba,"She said, still looking out of the window. T'Challa smiled,"no need to apologize."
“Tell me about Wakanda.” Amani propositioned the king beside her. The father watching as his daughter eagerly stared at all of the buildings. “What would you like to know?” he turned to face her. “What do you want me to know?”
“It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. We have the best sunsets, and at night, you can see the stars like a blanket above you. There is so much to say that words can’t express it all,” T’Challa stared off outside the window.
The young vlogger grinned. "Well you'll have to show me around one day. A city tour for a city tour" she joked as they pulled up to the aquarium.
They stepped out of the limousine and the woman in black escorted them inside. The building was empty as the unofficial family wandered through together. “Baba! Baba! Look! Over here! Look!” Ada’s squeals tickled Amani. The young woman snickered as the four year-old dragged her father over to a tank. Amani wandered close by before settling on a bench. A smile spread on her face as T’Challa bent over the tank to pet stingrays with his daughter.
"You look beautiful by the way,"T'Challa said as he sat next to Amani on the bench a little while later.
"Thank you," Amani blushed as T'Challa grabbed the camera."What’s this for? You haven't taken any pictures today." The handsome man looked at Amani expectantly.
“I'm a vlogger on YouTube. I make videos about my day to day life for a week, then I edit and post them." Amani explained. "Would you mind if I take some video?"
"Sure,” he stood up offering her a hand. "Everything will have to be approved by the public relations team in Wakanda before you could post it though." The couple stood up and followed Ada into the sea walk.
Fish, sharks, and stingrays of all sizes swam the glass tunnel around them. The little girl ran from side to side pointing at fish as each new one swam by. Amani laughed and ran up to Ada, “Look princess,” Amani lifted her up so that she could reach for the ceiling. Her eyes growing huge as a whale swam directly by her hand. Amani placed Ada back down as they moved further into the exhibit. The glass walkway opened into a large glass exhibit hall. Ada ran down to the front row. Her face pressed to the glass. She squealed excitedly as the animals swam by. Amani and T’Challa took a seat on one of the carpet terraces.
“The video approval is fine. The approval by the relations team I mean,” The vlogger smiled, finishing the conversation from earlier. “I guess I should make sure I only get your good side huh?”
“Every side is my good side,” the king teased.
"That’s the truth,” Amani muttered.
“Why thank you Ms. Okeke.”
Amani's face flushed red as she realized what she said. "You’re welcome," the young woman shrugged fumbling with her camera. She began recording the different fish and Ada, who was still running all around the aquarium exhibit. Amani and T’Challa followed along together in silence. The two stole glances at each other in between Amani recording, and T’Challa responding to his daughter.
“How does she have so much energy in that tiny body,” Amani laughed. She waved back at the little princess as she watched the fish in the tank across from them.
“Her mother was the same way. Always lighting up the room when she walked in.”
“Will you tell me about her?” Amani turned off her camera. She studied T’Challa’s face as he watched Ada convince Ayo to watch the penguins with her. Her four year old body trying to drag the warrior with her. “We had known each other since high school. We dated in college, and then we married young. We were so happy, so in love. Then she became pregnant, and I was over the moon. We spent months taking birthing classes. I cleared my schedule to go shopping for the baby. As she got further along in the pregnancy I would stay up with her talking about baby names until we both fell asleep. She gave me my Ada, and I love her for it.” T’Challa sighed, twisting a ring around his left ring finger.
“She sounds wonderful,” the waitress smiled sadly.
“Thank you, for doing this for Ada, I know she misses her mother when we go on these long trips.” T’Challa smiled, squeezing Amani’s hand. “Baba!” Ada ran up to the couple. “They have a penguin show! We have to go, they said I could meet the penguins” The little girl jumped up and down, pulling her father along behind her.
Amani sighed, pulled out her camera, and trekked along behind the two into the auditorium. Guilt, jealousy, and hurt flooded her system and she watched father and daughter. She knew that she shouldn’t get attached. He just seemed too good to be true. He seemed to be a good father. He was royalty and he was charming. Him being single was just too much to ask of the universe. This day was for Ada and then they’d both go home to another woman. His wife, and Ada’s mother. Though, Amani knew she was already in too deep. She wouldn’t be able to stop her growing attachment now.
The rest of the afternoon she kept her distance, stayed mostly with Ada and avoided T’Challa’s gaze. That afternoon Amani found herself and Ada leading the way to the ice cream shop. “Which flavor are you gonna get princess?” Amani twirled the little girl as they walked down the street.
“I don’t know. I’ve only had chocolate. It was my mama and baba’s favorite. It’s the only thing he buys.” Ada hopped over a crack in the sidewalk. “Then we’ll have to get a bunch of samples.”
“Not too many,” T’Challa walked up to the duo. “Of course your majesty.” Amani replied, winking at the young princess when her father wasn’t looking.
Ten samples and a double scoop deconstructed waffle sundae comprise later, T’Challa watched as his daughter and Amani split the warm fluffy waffle covered in ice cream, syrup, whipped cream, and toppings. People milled around the open air mall as the incognito king and princess enjoyed their Saturday. It wasn’t hard for him to notice the distance Amani had created after talking about Nakia. He mentally kicked himself for possibly ruining it. It wasn’t hard to see that Amani had effortlessly melted into his little family. She and Ada were a joy to watch together and her smile lit up the room. He knew he wanted to cultivate a relationship, even if only a friendship.
“Who’s up for pizza?” T’Challa grinned. Amani and Ada frowned at him. “What? I’m still hungry.” T’ Challa insisted as he cleared their double scoop waffle sundae from the table.
“How about we get some pizza to-go and we can walk over to my house. It’s just a few streets over. By then Ada and I will have worked off our sundae. Just in time for pizza.” Amani suggested. T’Challa shrugged.
“Is that a yes?” Amani frowned. “Please Baba, please?” Ada pouted.
“I never said it was a no.” the king smiled, helping Ada down from her stool. He and Amani reached for her purse at the same time. The waitress grabbed her purse and quickly avoided his hand. T’Challa sighed as she sent him a soft smile and grabbed Ada’s hand. After a slightly amusing debate between Amani and Ada about pizza toppings the small band, pizza in hand, started the walk to Amani’s house. T’Challa watched as Amani tried to lift an extremely sleepy Ada.
“Trade you,” the king chuckled, handing the woman the pizza. Amani grabbed the warm cardboard box and watched as T’Challa pulled Ada into his arms. The princess snuggled into her father’s neck and drifted off to sleep. Awkward silence filled the space around them.
T’Challa cleared his throat, “Today was fun.”
“It was, thank you for inviting me along,” Amani replied. The two walked up the stairs to Amani’s house. As she fished for her keys, T’Challa grabbed the pizza box with his free arm. “Thanks, the waitress sighed using both hands to unlock the door. “No problem,” the king followed her into the townhome. Amani grabbed the box and pointed T’Challa towards the spare room, “You can lay her in there. There should be a blanket at the bottom of the bed, it can get a little chilly in there.”
“Thank you.”
Amani nodded as she washed her hands and grabbed three plates and some cups. With T’Challa’s retreating footsteps Amani took her first deep breath of the day. “Get it together sis,” Amani mumbled. “ What am I saying?” Amani grabbed a plate from the stack.
“Do you often talk to yourself?”
Amani cursed as she dropped the plate back on to the counter. The porcelain shattered into a million pieces. “I did not mean to scare you,” the king chuckled, walking over to help Amani gather the pieces.
“Haha.” Amani hurried to grab the pieces. “Be careful. I would not want you to cut your hand.” T’Challa reached out to pull Amani’s hand back. “I got it,” she jerked away, consequently slicing her hand. “Frick,” she muttered tears brewing in her eyes. She pulled her hand closer to her chest, trying to stop the incessant shaking.
“May I see?”
Amani nodded, biting her lip to keep from crying. The king wet a paper towel and began to wrap her hand. “Are you okay,” he looked up from wrapping to search for her eyes. He felt her tense as his finger traced the planes of her hand.
“I will be,” Amani pulled her hand away, purposefully avoiding T’Challa’s eyes. “Amani just let me help you,” the king insisted. “The pizza might be cold before I get back. Feel free to eat as much as you want. There is lemonade in the fridge.” She hurried away as T’Challa called out to her.
Amani took the time to gather her thoughts as she wrapped her hand. She sighed once the cut was cleaned, medicated, and bandaged. With nothing left to escape reality she walked back into the living room. The king was still sitting at the counter. The pizza was untouched. He looked up at her approach. “I cleaned up the rest of the pieces for you. And I took the pizza out of the box and put it in the oven to stay warm.”
“You didn’t have to wait on me to eat. I would have been fine using the micro-”
“I wanted to wait on you Amani.” the king silenced her. Her mouth formed an ‘o’ as she settled across from him at the sink.
“How is your hand?”
“It’s all good. I took some pain medication too.” she raised the now gauze wrapped hand into view.
“Good. I’ll take out the pizza.”
“Cool… Umm. It’s getting kind of late, you and Ada are more than welcome to crash here. Spend the night that is. I can put her in my sister’s room and you can have the guest room.”
“We would not want to inconvenience you.” T’Challa raised the pizza from the oven. “It’s not an inconvenience. Think of it as a thank you,” the woman shrugged.
“Well, then who am I to say no eh?” the king smiled, reaching over Amani to grab her a plate. She backed away from his arm.
“Did I do something wrong Amani?”
“No,psht, why would you think that?”
“You are a horrible liar,” the king sighed, placing the plate in front of her. He quickly made his own plate and went back to his seat. The two ate in silence. “I wanted to explain about earlier.”
“There’s nothing to explain. I understand-“
“Please Amani let me finish!” The king roared. Amani jumped slightly in her seat. “I am sorry I did not mean to-“ T’Challa started to apologize.
“I think that we should wake Ada up now-“ Amani started, trying to shuffle away from the counter.
“Amani-“ the king reached out to grab her hand. Amani practically leaped away from his touch. She hurried down the hall into Ada’s room. T’Challa sighed, his face falling into his hands.
Amani listened silently as Ada rambled on with her father. She moved her pizza crust around on her plate before getting up to throw it away. “Amani?” Ada’s tony voice pulled Anahi out of her head.
“Yes princess?”
“Why are you sad?” She tilted her head to the side. Amani’s lip trembled and spread into a small smile. “I just miss my little sister,” Amani bluffed. “It always helps me and my dad to talk about mama when we are sad.”
“Ada-“ T’Challa warned.
“She is fine,” Amani stopped him, “Maybe tomorrow princess,” Amani watched as the little girl hopped down and ran to hug her legs. “Thank you princess, I really needed that.” Amani picked her up and held the child close before letting her go. She grabbed her hand and began to lead her to Amare’s bedroom. “I got it,” T’Challa stepped in grabbing his daughter's hand.
“Oh okay. Bedroom is upstairs, the second door on the left. There’s a bathroom in there, and some towels in the closet. I’ll bring a t-shirt for her to sleep in.”
T’Challa nodded and led his daughter up the stairs.
Amani sighed and grabbed the pizza box to throw away. She flipped off all of the downstairs lights and pulled out a pair of her father’s old pajamas for T’Challa to wear. She chose a set of towels from the linen closet and placed them on the guest bed. She trudged upstairs into her bedroom and grabbed a t-shirt for Ada to wear after her bath. She tiptoed down the hall to drop Ada’s shirt off. She smiled to herself hearing the child and her father singing a song together she listened for a few more moments before slipping back out into her room. She took a quick shower and pulled on pajamas and a bonnet. She sat down at her computer to edit.
A few minutes into editing footsteps echoed outside of her door before T’Challa knocked. “Come in,” Amani’s heart pounded when the king walked into her room. “I just wanted to thank you for everything. You’ve been more than amazing and Ada adores you. Which is rare cause she’s always weary around strangers. She associates strangers with her mother being gone.”
Amani beamed, then let it fall at his last sentence. She swallowed. “I live having her around too. She’s so sweet.”
“Just like someone else I know,” T’Challa smiled leaning against the door frame. “Yeah you told me your wife used to light up the room like that,”Anani forced a smile. “Yes. But I was talking about a certain YouTuber whom I’d like to take out sometime.”
“What would your wife think?”
“I think after four years she would want me to meet someone new.”
“She left you?”
“Amani, Nakia is dead.”
Amani’s eyes widened. “I…” she gaped at T’Challa. “That’s what I was trying to explain earlier in the kitchen.”
“Why didn’t you say that earlier at the aquarium?”
“It did not seem relevant to the question.”
“I asked about your wife?”
“Yes you asked about Nakia. She is more than just a dead princess. She was a friend and a mother.”
“I understand. That doesn’t make it right though. You don’t think you should’ve clarified that before asking me out on a date?”
“I know and I apologize for making you uncomfortable,” T’Challa moved out of the door frame and into Amani’s bedroom. “I noticed that you avoided me for the rest of our day out with Ada.”
“I didn’t feel right flirting with a married man in front of his daughter.”
“So now that neither of us is married..” T’Challa moves to sit on the bed. Amani stood up. “I think that we should call it a night. There are towels, toiletries, and pajamas on your bed downstairs.”
T’Challa sighed and walked back towards the door. “Goodnight Amani,” he bowed.
“Goodnight,” Amani responded facing the wall by her desk. Only turning to look once she heard T’Challa’s footsteps leave the room.
She fell on to the bed and sighed before sitting up, “Shit. He’s single.”
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