Chapter 15 #3
“I do and I’m grateful for them.”
“Good. Let’s exchange numbers and do lunch sometime.”
I nodded and pulled my phone out just as she did the same.
After exchanging numbers, we talked for a few minutes longer, her telling me she’d send me information for the school out here and programs. Once she left, I was back in the house.
Kicking my shoes off, I moved to the kitchen, babbling with myself before I finally emptied the contents of the pharmacy bag onto the counter.
Before any more overthinking could cloud my brain, I snatched the damn test from the counter and rushed to the bathroom.
This wasn’t my first time taking one of these, and nine times out of ten, messing with Rennix, it wouldn’t be my last. I had to rip the bandage off and just do it.
So through my anxiety and overthinking, I pissed on the stick.
When I was finished, I cleaned up and set it on the counter.
As soon as I exited the washroom, there was a knock at the door.
I moved toward it, wondering who it could be seeing as how I wasn’t expecting anyone until later.
I was doing Beyah’s hair for an event she had going on tonight.
Plus she would have called had she been here.
When I reached the door, I saw two figures on the other side. I swung it open seconds later and was greeted by two men, obviously police, an older and a younger one. The older of the two was the one who spoke, nearly stepping forward, but I stood firm, not moving.
“Good afternoon Ms. We’re here on official police business. My name is Detective Juleus Coles and this is my partner detective Nathan McDaniel.”
“Okay.” I could tell they expected me to give them my name or even introduce myself, but nah, that wasn’t happening.
“Ms. We’re here following up on an incident that took place a few weeks back. Is this the home of Rennix Blac?” The younger of the two eyed me lustfully after speaking, never changing his stance. He gave straight creep.
I just looked at them, blank eyes and everything. “Yes it is and he is not home at the moment. If you all can leave a card, I’ll gladly give it to him.”
The older one scoffed. “Well how about you let us in and we have a better conversation there.”
I shook my head. “Nah.”
“Are you obstructing the la—” the younger one started in a condescending tone.
“Now we know that shit ain’t happening. You think sis is a rookie or something?
C’mon, Nathan, I thought you knew better than that.
All you pigs are the fucking same. Go on in, baby.
Lemme kick shit to the chitterlings.” G handed Beyah the white plastic bags, then looked at me.
“You good, sis.” He then nodded for us to go into the house.
I turned to go in and Beyah followed.
We entered the kitchen, both quiet for a moment.
“Don’t worry,” she offered, setting her phone and everything down on the counter.
I shook my head and laughed nervously. “Funnily enough, I don’t. I mean I did when he got shot, but something about the weight of his convictions makes worrying hard. It’s like damn, he isn’t worried so why should I be?” I shook my head, feeling absolutely nuts.
“Well, that is one way to put it. Here, we brought you food. You know, since neither of you cook.” She handed me a carton, then I moved to grab forks.
I laughed because it had literally become their family joke that neither me nor Rennix liked to cook but we tried and ended up eating out plenty of nights.
I waved her off. “You are not funny.”
She was still tickled at her statement while I handed her the fork.
The door opened and shut then footsteps made their way into the area where we were. G looked irritated, but the moment he looked at his wife, it dispersed. He smiled in her direction, assuring her before looking at me. “They’re gone and I already called Rennix.”
I nodded.
“Where is Adonis?” Beyah asked, handing her fork to her husband and reaching for the third one I set on the counter.
“With my sister. She promised him she would take him to The Shedd yesterday, but she ended up keeping him for the weekend.”
Beyah nodded. “I didn’t know you had a sister. She’s older?”
I shook my head. “She’s a college student at UIC. She was supposed to come to the pool party, but she’s young and caught up in her own life most of the time.”
Beyah giggled. “Yeah, college age. I remember those days and I was indeed caught up in my own world a lot.”
Of course G cleared his throat, peering up from his phone.
She laughed and so did I. Dimitri stayed for a while before ultimately leaving Beyah and me alone. For the most part we talked and cracked a few jokes, but I had every intention of getting her hair finished as quickly as possible because I was exhausted and it seemed to get worse as time went on.
“You’re quiet, what’s up?” Beyah’s voice interrupted my continuous thoughts an hour into me finishing up her hair.
“Honestly, I’m wearing thin. Lately I get so damn exhausted out of nowhere.”
“Are you pregnant?”
Her saying pregnant immediately made me think about the pregnancy test in the bathroom. There was no way I could forget I took a pregnancy test, but with recent events, my focus was a bit thrown off. But her saying it made me feel like I needed to get to that bathroom.
“Um… hold that thought.”
I rushed out of the living room straight to the master bathroom.
When I walked in, the test was waiting for me, sitting on the counter in the exact place I had left it.
On the screen there was no line because of course I bought digital.
The test read pregnant, nothing special, nothing spectacular . Pregnant.
“ Um, are you alright in here?” Beyah’s voice broke my trance with the test I now held in my hands.
“Uh, yes. I’m uh?—”
“Pregnant.” She finished for me, then began to clap happily. Then she stopped abruptly. “Wait… are we not happy about this?”
“Yes, we’re happy. We’re just processing.”
She nodded. “Process all you want, just know we got you. We are family. Wait till you tell Jade. She’s gonna go nuts and be all in your face. As a matter of fact, she’s gonna start randomly sending you supplements.”
I laughed at the thought, but I welcomed it.
Though I was petrified of this pregnancy, one thing was very clear about everything happening right now.
This time was nothing like the last. Now, I had more than just my mother, sister, and Harlem in my corner.
I had a man who had singlehandedly made me love him and integrated both me and my son into his life. What more could I ask for?