Chapter 24 Grai #2
I smiled sadly. My eyes floated down to my wedding dress. It was still a beautiful gown, though not being worn for the reason intended. “Yeah, should’ve been on the dancefloor doing the Roy right now,” I whined.
Poppa and Doctor Brighton both chuckled. “Well, I’m happy you have a sense of humor because the reason you’re here today is quite simple. Can’t believe you stopped your wedding to come to the emergency room for it.”
I sucked in a sharp breath, preparing myself for the worst. Even my heart began to anticipate bad news and thumped rapidly. I reached for Poppa’s hand, and like magic, his hand wrapped around mine, giving me strength.
“What is it?” Poppa asked inquisitively.
The smile on Doctor Brighton’s face grew wider. “She’s pregnant.”
“What?” Poppa and I screeched at the same time.
The doctor laughed while moving over to the wall. She washed her hands, then put on a pair of gloves. “Oh yes, the urine test came back positive. If you would give me a minute to set everything up, I can get an ultrasound going to find out how far along you are.”
It felt like I couldn’t breathe suddenly.
My vision became spotty, and I was somehow suspended in the air with nothing to catch me.
One minute, the world was nearly fading to darkness, and the next, I was staring into Poppa’s vibrant brown eyes.
“Breathe, Bubbles,” he coached me through the panic attack I was having.
I mimicked his breaths until the world stopped spinning. His smile brought me back down to earth. I released a shaky breath with a grin. “We’re pregnant, babe.” I burst into tears, feeling a sudden surge of joy I couldn’t contain.
His arms wrapped around me while his lips planted reassuring kisses on my forehead. “Told you it would happen when it was time.”
In order for me to get the ultrasound, I had to take off my dress, but Poppa was gentle with it as he placed it to the side.
I nervously shifted on the bed. From the way I was acting, you would’ve thought it was my first time experiencing this, but for some reason, it felt new all over again.
Maybe because so much time has passed since my first two pregnancies.
I smiled up at Poppa when he took his place on my side.
He held my hand while Dr. Brighton applied the gel to my belly.
I stared at it, trying to see if there were any signs that there was a baby in there, but I looked the same, smaller than ever before, which was the craziest part.
I needed to hear a heartbeat to believe what the doctor was saying.
After moving the camera around on my belly, she clicked around on the screen. Seconds later, a steady heartbeat filled the room. “Oh my god!” I shrieked in shock. I don’t think I fully believed her, but hearing that sound made everything more real.
Tears began to stream down my face. Slowly, I turned to look at Poppa to find his eyes frozen on the screen. He licked his lips and held his head. “Yo, what the fuck?” He chortled loudly. “Bae, you hearing this shit?”
I sniffled. “Yeah, I am. This is crazy. You mean to tell me a baby is making me feel so horribly?”
Dr. Brighton looked sympathetic as she nodded. “It appears that way, my love, but this is a beautiful thing. Have you two been trying?”
“Yeah, for over a year,” I admitted.
She clicked around on the screen with a grin. I watched her reach for some photos, then hand them off to me. I stared at the image on the paper and couldn’t believe my eyes. “Well, God hasn’t forsaken you because, oh my!” She shrieked unexpectedly. “Girl, you are twelve weeks.”
My eyes nearly bulged from their sockets. “What? You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“You don’t get regular cycles?” I shook my head. “Even more reason to trust the timing. This baby is tucked in there quite nicely. From what I can tell, everything looks good; however, I will refer you to see an OB-GYN.”
I smiled. “I have one. This will be my third child.” I glanced at my baby, who’d taken the pictures from my lap and was staring at them without blinking. “And his first.”
He slowly lifted his head with the most adorable grin on his face. His excitement was so contagious that when he touched my arm, I felt a jolt race through my veins. He hooked my chin, tilting my head further back.
“Let’s get married, Bubbles.”
By the grace of God, our venue was for a full day. The majority of our guests hadn’t left, or they were close by. When we made it back to the venue, everyone was in place and waiting for us to arrive.
“I’ll see you in a few,” Poppa spoke softly with longing in his eyes. He handed my dress to a waiting Toni.
I nodded. “Yes, you will.” He began to back away even though our fingers were intertwined. Eventually, they dropped, and I went in one direction, heels in hand, while he went in another. Toni was waiting for me by the entrance.
She screamed excitedly. “Sis!” We began jumping up and down at the same time. “I cannot believe this. God has a funny way.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, He does, but I’m okay with his jokes. I am still in shock a little.”
“Girl, I would be too, but at least it’s that and nothing else.”
I nodded because for a minute there, I wasn’t sure which direction things were headed. We ventured through the hotel lobby, then took the elevator up to the suite. All the women were waiting for me just inside the doorway.
We all screamed excitedly, celebrating our good news. I was slammed in the vanity seat for touch-ups while they all fawned over me. I think Mama Dee was the most excited of all. This baby was going to be so spoiled and adored. I already knew I would have to pry him or her out of her arms.
For the next hour, my makeup artist redid my entire face while my stylist refreshed my curls, so they were shiny and bouncy again. I was helped into my dress afterward, and this time, I felt less queasy as we prepared to head down to the patio garden where we were having the ceremony.
My father came in as my train was gathered behind me. “Baby girl, you are stunning. It’s been quite an eventful day, huh?” he teased.
I sighed with a chuckle. “Yes, it has, but I’m okay with it all if this is the way I get to end it.”
He nodded once. “It took you two some time to figure it out, but no one can deny that what you have is epic. I wish you a lifetime of happiness, baby girl. You deserve it all.” He placed a light kiss on my cheek that warmed me down to the soles of my feet.
I accepted his hand as we began our walk to the entrance.
I couldn’t believe this was finally happening.
I placed my free hand on my belly, trying to settle the butterflies I felt, but it was pointless.
The moment the doors opened, and my eyes landed on the man standing at the front of the room, all I felt was joy.
The biggest, brightest smile spread across his face. He lifted his gold-rimmed glasses to dab at his watery eyes. A live quartet began to play K-Ci & JoJo’s “All My Life”. I released a shaky breath, feeling more emotional, the closer my father walked me to my forever.
He extended a hand toward me that I happily accepted. My eyes drifted down to my handsome boys standing behind Poppa in their matching tuxedos. I gasped when I saw Loh’s haircut. They hadn’t told me a thing.
“Your hair,” I cried before my bottom lip poked out. My little baby had aged overnight, and I wasn’t sure how to feel about that. At least I could say his eyes still looked playful and full of life.
“He was ready for a change,” Poppa shared.
I nodded, unable to contain my tears. Thankfully, my makeup was waterproof. “I love it, Loh,” I assured him. He was bashful as he twisted from side to side.
I turned to Poppa and lost my breath. I always hoped the day would come when a man looked at me the way he did—with intense and genuine adoration.
I couldn’t help but feel loved whenever I was in his presence.
It was crazy that Poppa had been that for me long before I knew we would end up here.
I guess it was no surprise that things happened the way they did because, like the love we had for each other, shit was just different with us.