Chapter 24
Twenty-Four
“ O h, sweat!” Rayna chirped, attention to her phone. “Wait!” She froze. Then she sprang an inch from the bench again. “Yup! She’s in my stories!”
“Let me see!” Sundryia leaped from her seat to the other side of the room to look into Rayna’s phone. “Holy shit.” She cackled. “Ebonee Williams be trolling!” She howled so hard and loud, I rolled my eyes. “Look.” She showed Rayna her phone. “I’ve been posting pix and videos all damn day on IG !” Sundryia laughed, scrolling on her phone.
I was finishing up on my blush in the mirror. “Y’all leave that girl to her self-imposed misery.”
“Fuck her!” Sundryia swore. “You know if I can’t do nothing else, I can read people down. Her aura was so off from the jump.”
“Don’t give her a pass, Hayden,” Rayna hissed. “She was trying to have a whole child with the man who put a baby in you, but tried to be slick and feel you out before letting you know who she was. I’m with Sunny on this one.”
There was a knock at the door then it opened. Damn . His gorgeous features were so striking, even when he was scowling.
“You have new guests.”
My face folded. “Me?” I glanced around to Sundryia and Rayna who’d been in the powder room with me. Sundryia helped freshen up my makeup.
“Yeah, you, birthday girl.” Ishaan jerked his neck. “Now, c’mon.”
“Well, damn,” Sundryia playfully hissed. “It’s your baby shower, too. Are you having a good time?”
His dark eyes were on me when he answered, “I’m having the time of my life with the lady of my life.”
My face opened into an involuntary beam. I dropped my blush brush and floated over to him.
“Are you going to marry my cousin, Patterson?” Rayna asked from behind me.
What in the entire hell?
Ishaan brought his index finger up to his mouth and shushed her. “Chill, Mrs. Jacobs. I just convinced her to share a bed with me. Talks of marriage will have her ass grabbing my baby and running off on me.”
The girls fell into laughter. As Ishaan and I left the room, I did not.
“What’s up with that?”
On the move, he glanced down at me. “What?”
“The comment about me running off.”
“It’s just PTSD from earlier this summer.”
“That was a lifetime ago.”
He shook his head, opening the door of the banquet room. “I’m glad it feels like it to you, but it feels just like yesterday to me.”
I had no choice but to suspend the conversation for a later time when we were alone. As soon as we entered back into the room, people were acknowledging us with smiles and waves. It felt like my wedding day, as silly as it sounded. We made it to the back of the room. I was blowing kisses to my grad school mate’s table when Ishaan arranged me in front of him. Initially, I was confused until I studied the people at the table.
He stood while she remained seated with a soft smile.
“Happy birthday and congratulations, Hayden.”
It was my father. My fucking father. I didn’t know what to say because I didn’t know how to reference him.
“Thank you.” I blinked hard over and over again. “Thanks so much.” Then I glanced down to Ms. Melba. “Thanks for coming.”
The moment was officially awkward. Even my father felt it, judging by the way he pushed his hands into the pockets of his dress pants and rocked on his heels. They looked practically the same, just graying a tad in their hair. But being reminded of their features brought emotions I hadn’t felt in years.
“Yeah. Your friend here invited us. I hope that’s okay.”
I glanced up at Ishaan. Once again, his expression gave nothing away. “My boyfriend is quite the eagle, isn’t he?” Even if I didn’t have a reference for my father, he had the wrong one for Ishaan. Then my attention returned ahead. “I’m glad you were able to come.”
“Yeah. We brought you two a little something.” He angled his body and explained, “You two as in you and the little one.” His chuckle reminded me again of just how awkward this was for him.
“Well, thank you. I appreciate that. Ummmm …” I peered around Ishaan to the head of the room. “I’m sure there is still plenty of food left. Help yourselves.”
Melba continued to smile wordlessly.
“Okay.” My father glanced down at his ineffective wife. She’d always led with her energy instead of speaking a lot. I had no clue of her personality. “Welp!” My father clapped his hands. “I know you have to get to your party. I see you have a lot of people who love you. We’ll just hang out back here.”
I pulled in a deep breath, grateful for the pass he was giving me to leave this odd space. “Okay.” I glanced up at Ishaan again and he nodded. “Okay. Thanks again.”
With a tuck at my hip, Ishaan guided me away.
When there was enough distance between us and their table, I asked, “Did you really do that?”
“What? Get them here?”
“Yeah. How did you even find him?”
Ishaan lifted his chin and pointed to the tatted eagle on his neck. “There ain’t much I don’t know, and even when I don’t, there’s very little I can’t learn, Boo-baby.” I rolled my eyes. “I’m just glad they came.” He studied me. “I know. You’re overwhelmed.”
“Beyond! First, the beauty of this place then the people. The celebration. My mother performing karaoke on an off night?—”
“Now, that, I didn’t know anything about.” He chuckled. “Nah. I get it. But I promise I won’t do this at the wedding.”
My head whipped up and eyes exploded. Ishaan laughed just as hard as Sundryia had a few minutes ago about Ebonee Williams.
“Patterson!” Azmir called out. From feet away, he tossed his thumb over his shoulder. “They need instructions for getting the gifts in the truck. Dr. Patterson’s outside with them now.”
Behind him stood Munchie. A new Munchie. She’d lost a gang of weight and looked amazing. She, too, adhered to the color code in a chocolate brown pant suit. I’d never seen her in pants before. The jacket was long, covering her backside. Her heels hiked her ass well. She traded her glasses for contacts and opted for a simple, long ponytail draped down her back. Munchie’s new look was amazing, and I made sure to tell her earlier when we chatted about her journey.
Ishaan turned to me. “I’ll be right back. No running because of the wedding mention. Okay?”
I snorted, shaking my head. Ishaan traversed to the other side of the room, and I took off in the opposite. As I waved sillily to a cousin of Ishaan’s I’d met today and illuminated a common hatred of all things beauty pageantry, she was the first to break character and laugh. I followed her, but my humor was cut short when I saw Amaya heading my way with a plate of food piled inches tall.
She smiled in a friendly manner, I quickly surmised. As she headed my way, I thought about how I could add this to the list of shit overwhelming me today. Hopefully, this wouldn’t be a bad experience.
“Hey, mommy-to-be!” Amaya twisted her neck, making her long, black wavy wig flap in the air, similar to what Lex did with her real hair. She wore a black motorcycle jacket, jeans, and sneakers. So not with the motif. Even our father and her mother were dressed formally, though not in standing with the theme. She reached for me with her free arm. “Happy birthday, Hayden!”
“Thank you.” I returned her hug. “Long time, no see.”
“I know. When Daddy called saying you were having this party, and he wanted us to come, I was shocked as hell.”
“Yeah. This was a surprise.”
“How you been?”
I dropped my chin to glance down at my expanded pouch. “Busy. Clearly.” We both broke into laughter. “A little too busy.”
“Shit. Looks like you been alright. Look at all these people. I feel stupid as hell. I ain’t even dress up.” She laughed, glancing around. “Daddy ain’t say shit about it being a fancy party. And here my greedy ass go, straight to the damn food.” As she laughed at her self-deprecation, I was reminded of how pretty she was. Both Cill and Amaya were gorgeous girls coming up. Even now, when I could see she’d put on a few pounds—nothing extreme—over the years, her smile was still the same. “It’s been crazy years since I’ve seen you.”
“Yeah.”
“We were like…thirteen or fourteen?”
“I was twelve.”
“Damn. And that’s it? No more coming over? Do you call daddy?”
I shook my head, keeping my smile in tow. “Daddy doesn’t call me. Hasn’t called me. Didn’t call me. But anyway…” I peered over her head as she was a lot shorter than my extreme height. “Priscilla’s still getting food?”
Amaya turned around. “Oh! No. She ain’t come. Cill…” Her volume dipped. “…been in some shit. You remember how Cill move. Fast life. She been a little down, so nah. She ain’t come.”
“Oh. Well, I wish her well.”
A thought had obviously burst in her mind because Amaya’s eyes went wild and mouth burst open. “You know what? She has this guy she been messing with off and on for a few years. He told us he knew you!”
My heart began to race. “Oh, yeah?”
“Kenny, yeah. He’s not from Jersey but be around. He said he used to mess around with you.”
“Excuse me?”
She snickered shyly. “Yeah. He said that. He told Cill he stopped when he met her. Kenny said you were hurt about it, and he stayed being friends with you to like…make you feel better.” My chin dropped, begging her pardon—or Kenny’s. “Yup. Every once in a while, he’ll bring you up, saying he ran into you, and you asking what we up to.”
“What?” I couldn’t believe this shit.
“So, you’re saying it ain’t true?”
“Hell no!” I hooted hard as hell.
“Oh, my god! Kenny even told me how you be thirsty, begging for shit on us. He said he always have to curve you because he don’t do the gossipy shit.”
I rolled my eyes. “That lying muthafucka,” I whispered.
If I was as petty as him, I would have told Amaya how Kenny had been charged with accessory to murder and was currently sitting in the Atlantic City Jail. But I wasn’t. I was done with Kenny. Forever . And not because Ishaan wanted me to be. It was because Ishaan proved to me just how weaselly and untrustworthy Kenny, in fact, was. Involved with the mob? He was at the sight of a murder and didn’t report it. I wanted no parts of people with that lifestyle. It was enough to know the father of my child held such a proximity to it, something I’d still been struggling with.
Amaya laughed. “Well, he said you live in Paterson. That’s the last thing I remember.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah. I ain’t heard from him in a while. I’m sure Cill has. Those two can’t seem to be done with each other.”
The music faded, stealing my attention.
“Where is the expectant birthday girl?” Rayna asked from the microphone.
“She’s right here!” her mother, Cousin Samantha, shouted and pointed from a table nearby.
A few people did the same once locating me.
“Well, much to my husband’s chagrin, you’ve survived almost four hours in those heels. According to Ishaan, it’s time for you to relax. Come on up here, girl, and address your guests before you go.”
My attention returned to Amaya. “Go ahead and eat your food. Everything was so good. Thanks for coming.” I began to walk off, then thought of something. “And give Cill my best.”
“Okay, girl. Will do.”
“I’m wiser now.
Think twice, act once now (my block).
Leavin’ the Glock in a locked box now (my kids).
Warn once, shoot twice now.
Touch my lady, you meet the ground, clown (my wife).
Fuck me twice, roll the dice…
I fool you now.
She ask for one, I give her two now.
Five babies, four cribs now.
Shit’s smooth now, she claimed the crown now.
Hijacked my name, pull up to the bank…
Withdrawing from my shits now.
On a beach, wow.
No cameras, no rubbers, just my naked hoe loud (oooh-weee).
Looking through my rear mirror before crossing lanes now.
Fuck the money, fuck power, just my family now (my life)!”
My feet rhythmically struck the treadmill of my home gym, sweat dripping from everywhere. My pounding heart slammed into my chest as Young Lord blasting his evolved truth in my ear made me feel like I could do anything this morning. That was until I detected a presence and glanced down to find Dr. Patterson scowling my way with one fist on her little hip.
I cut the music and slowed the machine. “Yeah, Ma?” I panted, out of breath.
“We’re a week away from a baby arriving,” she fussed. When she saw I had no rebuttal, she continued, “And the baby doesn’t have a room here. How am I claiming to be a grandmother, and my baby don’t have a bedroom ready?”
Panting and still moving, I explained, “Ma, I told you we were taking care of it first thing today.”
“It’s after eight in the morning and nothing’s been done.”
“Mehki’s supposed to be bringing the furniture up to the nursery.”
“It ain’t a nursery without furniture, so you mean the room.”
Shit .
I got it. I really did. Nancy Patterson was in her nesting phase. She’d been beyond ready for her grandchild to arrive, and felt we were moving too slow. And maybe we were. Hayden’s due date was a week away, and life hadn’t slowed down to allow us to fully prepare. I’d been traveling, working my ass off on transitioning the Sun-Bronzed Maroon team into the new phase of launching. So far, there had been no terroristic threats from the locals. Business in Vegas had been slowing down for the whole town. I’d been out there, too, meeting with our marketing teams.
Hayden had just been put on maternity leave this week. She’d been working her ass off, too, with late hours and early mornings. She’d finally decided on a color scheme and chosen the room for the nursery. Which guest bedroom we’d convert had been a hard call because our bedroom was on the first floor. We couldn’t imagine being so far away from the baby anytime soon. We’d already set up a miniature nursery in the master suite. But that wasn’t good enough for Dr. Patterson. She wanted a bedroom that wouldn’t be used for months to come to be completed before the baby arrived.
“His ass better not still be sleep!” I reached for my phone to call him.
“No!” Her hands went up. “I’ll go get him. You can be so harsh. And you know how he gets a big attitude when you go at him hard. I just want this all done, Ishaan!” She pivoted to leave.
“It will be done, Ma. Today.”
“But you’re here working out instead of upstairs assembling furniture. That should have been done weeks ago, after the shower.”
“The room just got painted this week! This is on Hayden. How am I getting all the smoke?”
This wasn’t on me. Hayden had been dragging her feet on the nursery’s theme. Although she’d been saying the baby baking in her belly was a boy, she really didn’t know. I knew but didn’t care about a damn nursery theme.
“Hayden’s in the kitchen, waiting on you two. We can’t lift but so much.”
“She’s where?”
“In the kitchen having tea.”
Her ass!
She was the reason I’d been working out this late in the morning instead of my preferred time of seven o’clock. The plan was for Ki and me to get up and workout then take care of the nursery. But my ass missed the call time because when I rolled over the mattress to plant my feet on the floor to leave the damn bed, Hayden grabbed me by the elastic waist of my boxers wanting to fuck. She’d been doing that to see if it would send her into labor before the ninth, which was her delivery date. Of course, my horny ass was always down. But it put me behind schedule this morning and zapped my energy for this workout. I’d struggled earlier in my HIIT circuit.
I scoffed, “Having tea. Huhn?”
My mother waved me off dismissively. “I don’t even know what that means. I just know your ass is still here in this gym instead of where you’re supposed to be, which is upstairs with a damn hammer and screwdriver!” She headed to the door.
“I got you, Doc. I’m almost done in here!” The door closed before I was done speaking.
Damn, girl .
I hit play on my phone, bringing Young Lord alive in my ears. Then, I increased the speed and incline on the treadmill to finish out strong. Not too many minutes into resuming my run, I got a call.
“Yeah, Williams?”
“Ishaan!” she bellowed into the phone.
Giving up on the task at this point, I pressed stop on the panel. “What’s going on?”
Ebonee screamed, “They lost it!”
“Who?” I jumped off the track, going for my towel.
“The lab. They lost the embryo! Ishaan, they lost my baby!”
“Calm down, Ebonee.” I sat near my water bottle. “Calm down and tell me what happened.”
After wiping the sweat from my face, I pulled from the bottle, gulping down ice cold water.
“I knew we should’ve gone with a lab out here in L.A.! I knew I should have trusted my gut. Now they’re saying they’ve been delayed in sending the last embryo to Dr. Parrish’s office because they’re having…” She lost her breath. “…a hard time locating it. It’s taken them a whole month to be honest and they’re still trying to tell me to wait some more!”
Panting, I added, “I didn’t know you requested the final installation.”
“Well…”
I knew she’d do this. Ebonee had not changed at all. Taking another sip, the coolness of the water racing down my chest and into my belly felt like a balm, similar to this anticipated call.
I studied his chest, fascinated by his heart rate as he slept next to me. Those dark brows were a messy, indiscriminate bush of strings. Long, curled lashes fanned his cheeks. His thick lips were sealed, eyeballs making infinitesimal movements beneath their lids. His nose was long and rather broad, yet perfect for his handsome face. I never realized how defined the ridge of his top lip was—a small and odd detail adding to his beauty. And his hair. The voluminous, dark brown curls were splayed all over the pillows of my hospital bed. My baby’s daddy was art.
Yes .
I sighed, peering just beyond him lying next to me in the bed. Ishaan was officially my baby’s daddy now that she was here. Ari Sundryia Patterson was, too, asleep in her bassinet. The decision was mutual and seamless. When we discussed names the night after the baby shower, we wanted something meaningful. So, we threw around two names for boys and two for girls to stew on until I delivered. After she was born and the nurse asked for a name, Ishaan peered my way when he answered ‘Ari.’ I loved the brevity and meaning of the name, so I was with it. Ari was a Scandinavian name. It meant eagle, lion, and sun-like in that culture. Ishaan’s name, which was Indian, meant the sun and northeastern in direction.
I loved the idea of keeping with the theme of his name. He embodied the definition in his natural role of leadership, even if his role as a leader could call for human slaughter. I couldn’t lie about that being a concern of mine. What if the butcher became the prey at his next kill? I observed the ink on his arm. His tatted hand protectively clasped her hospital bassinet parked next to my bed—the bed he joined me in as soon as he got here today.
Ishaan had run home to shower earlier. He’d been here with me all day yesterday when I delivered. Staring at her little, sleeping body, I couldn’t believe I’d pushed out a seven pound, three-ounce baby girl. Ishaan and Dr. Brown let me believe she was a boy. It took hours for me to adjust to having a little girl. Honestly, I thought I’d have more help from Mehki if it were a boy. I visualized him teaching my son basketball, the sport he’d excelled in the most. I’d recently learned Mehki was quite the athlete, gifted in several sports. That’s what I envisioned for the baby growing inside of me.
But a girl?
I smiled, feeling drunk with contentment. I have a baby . And I wondered if she’d look like me or her Latin King-appearing poppa here. She sure was hairy. That brought my attention to Ishaan’s loose mane. Rarely did he wear his hair unbraided. Seeing it undone was a treat for me. It amplified his masculine beauty in ways I couldn’t articulate.
When Ishaan’s eyes fluttered open, he found me gazing down on him.
“How long have I been out?” he whispered.
Smiling, I answered, “Apparently, not long enough. You’re bushed, dude. Bushed as though you just pushed a human out of one of your orifices.”
Ishaan chuckled quietly, rubbing his eyes. “Mom haven’t come back yet?”
I shook my head. She’s still in the kitchen with Ms. Green, preparing for our discharge.”
“What time is discharge? I thought Nurse Kelly said it was this morning.”
I shook my head. “She said they started my discharge paperwork this morning. She also said I wouldn’t be discharged until after the princess eats.”
His eyes dropped to my breasts hidden behind the hospital gown.
“You wanna try now?” He turned to the baby. “She’s still sleeping.”
“She’s going to be sleeping all day for the next month or so, per Nurse Renee.” I tossed my chin. “Get her.”
Ishaan sat up then left the bed. I slowly shifted, being careful of the IV tube and my sore ass. Shit! Pushing a baby out felt like my ass was on fire for hours! It wore me out terribly. But seeing her in Ishaan, Mehki, Dr. Patterson, my mom, and Sundryia’s arms made it worth the discomfort.
“Here’s mommy, Ari,” Ishaan cooed at the baby in his inked arms. “You’ve gotta eat now. Okay?” He lifted her to his face to kiss her little cheek.
She shifted in his hands, likely tickled by his loose hair. Ishaan’s movements were so slow and strained as she exchanged hands. He was adjusting and so would I. After Ishaan gently passed her off, I went about unveiling my breast again. This was awkward, but I was determined. My boobs were unreasonably large and ready to act out their God-intended function.
Ishaan crawled back in the bed, which was a size between a twin and a full. “Wake up, Ari,” Ishaan commanded, using his index finger to wiggle her cheek. “Wake up and let your mommy feed you.” As he spoke, I placed my nipple at her mouth. “Do it for Daddy. Okay?”
As though on command, her little lips broke apart. And after a few seconds of her attempting to latch, Ari began to pull. My head shot up to Ishaan sitting next to us. He didn’t look back at me. His attention was fixed on the beauty, suckling, further crossing me over into motherhood.
“She’s doing it.”
“She is.” I couldn’t explain the wide, goofy smile stretching my face.
Then Ari’s eyes opened. She seemed to stare right at me, making my heart leap. Tears pricked then suddenly escaped down my face. Then I felt his arm snake around me and his fingers digging for my scalp. Ishaan pulled me into him and kissed me softly. His tongue was gentle yet expressive. His lips were agile and warm. I kissed him back, lost in burgeoning emotions I tried suppressing.
When he let me go, Ishaan wiped my face with the back of his hand and whispered, “Let’s do this again.” He dabbed his face of my tears, too.
“What?”
“Have another baby.”
I was stunned. Sniffling, I murmured back, “You must be out your fucking mind. You weren’t the one pushing this big thing out from your no-no special place.” I laughed softly. “Besides, how do we do this again? Role-play being a prostitute and a john?”
“It worked the first time.”
“That’s exactly what we were the first time.” My eyes bounced between him and her little cheeks. I shook my head. “I don’t want to keep making babies randomly. I don’t want another baby shower making me feel like a bride when I’m not. I’ve gotta grow up and get my shit together, Baby-Boo.” I playfully slapped his stubbled cheek.
Sniffling again, my attention shot back down to my princess. She was so small and…here. Her mere presence kept me on task. She had needs I had to meet.
“I’ll make you a bride.”
My eyes rolled back over to Ishaan. His expression was gravely stark.
“As in role-play a wedding? I’m not that desperate.” I tried laughing. When he didn’t, I couldn’t believe Ishaan’s audacity. “Ishaan, Ebonee could have your baby in as little as a few months. You know how complicated that shit would be? I mean, I get how we got here, but let’s not jump the broom before all the complicated elements are on the table.”
He blinked softly as he shook his head while studying me. “Ebonee’s not using the final embryo.”
My chin dipped. “So, she told you? She’s decided?”
Excitement blossomed in my belly at the possibility. I’d decided. I didn’t want Ishaan having natural children with anyone but me. As disrespectful as it may have been to Mandy’s memory, I was honored to be the first to carry his child. I didn’t want to share him. I wanted all of his attention and affection on Ki, me, and Ari. No one else. I wanted him. All of him. It was twisted considering the murder allegation with Mandy, something I’d been quietly struggling with all month. But that was my truth. I had no plans on parting ways with this man.
“I told you not to be concerned with that the night we got back from Red’s Island . Why don’t you trust me?”
Ishaan just stared at me. Before I could explain, I heard someone entering the room.
It was Nurse Renee. “Oh, my!” The redhead with fitted scrubs rounded the bed for a better view. “She’s getting her colostrum. Good girl, Ari!”
Biting my lip, I nodded with excitement. “I’m so proud.”
“And I’m so proud of you,” Ishaan’s deep, thick vocals expressed.
“So sweet!” Nurse Renee acknowledged his praise. “Well, Ari, that seals the deal. The paperwork has been processed, and you’ve latched. So, you three are free to go home.”
“Yaaaaay!” I cheered in a whisper.
Ishaan reached over again and kissed me deeply. I was shocked and embarrassed. Right in front of the nurse! I kept it short, pulling back within seconds.
“Okay, now, lovebirds,” the nurse teased, typing into her laptop. “I know Dr. Brown told you about the six-week rule. I don’t wanna see you back here in ten months with Ari’s Irish twin.”
“I do,” Ishaan murmured.
“And you need a prescription, Patterson,” I giggled, nervous as hell about his adamance.
Another baby?
A wedding?
The nigga had officially lost his mind.