Chapter 29
A couple months later
“All of the measurements look great, and I’m very satisfied with baby girl’s weight, so we can schedule the next appointment a month from now. You are officially at the halfway point of your pregnancy, so this is when you start to see your body go through the most changes. If you have any questions in the meantime, you can always reach out to me. If not, I will see you at your next scheduled appointment. Continue to drink your water, take your prenatal vitamins, and relax. You’ll have plenty of time to stress when it’s time to push,” she teased, although I was terrified of the idea of giving birth. It’d been so long since I’d done it, and I worried about all of the things that could go wrong.
“Thank you, Doc. I’ll make sure she relaxes, so you won’t have to worry. We appreciate you.” She smiled at him, and for a moment, it made me jealous. Was he attracted to her? I mean, Dr. Mitchell did look incredible. I would have never guessed she was forty-five.
“Can you help me up?” I barked, breaking the little sidebar conversation they were having. Dinero chuckled before coming over to help me button my jeans back up. I didn’t know why I wore these instead of a dress.
“Come on, big mama.” His hand caressed my back while he helped me off the bed. I stood there while he adjusted my shirt over my belly, trying not to be a weirdo. Whenever he was in my presence, my nerves were all out of whack. It reminded me of when we were in school together, and I hated feeling so vulnerable with him.
Dinero held my hand, walking with me to the nurses’ station and then to my car.
“Did you eat today?” The genuine concern in his question made me smile.
“No, I haven’t. I was going to treat myself to lunch once we left here.” My lip was poked out, even though I had no reason to be upset.
“Same ol’ Sunny. What do you want to eat? We can go to a restaurant, or I can grab some food to bring to your crib.”
“Are you allowed to be seen with me in public? I don’t want to end up on someone’s blog with the caption of ‘Pregnant homewrecker spotted at Pappadeaux’s with Money Sutton.’”
“Man, gone on somewhere with that. I’m grown and can eat with whoever I want. Now is that where you want to go, or were you using that as an example in your sarcastic ass comment?” I loved getting under his skin for a reason. I enjoyed the look of annoyance on his handsome face.
“I’m being serious. Your fiancée already messaged me on some Barbara meets Shirley shit, so I want to make sure I’m not tripping.” He ran his fingers through his beard while staring at me.
“Are you always this difficult, or is today some special day or something? Come on now. I need to make sure you and my baby eat before I head out of town tonight.” The mention of him leaving bothered me more than it should have, but I kept a straight face.
“Okay, well, I want some shrimp and grits from Morton’s Place.” It was a newer brunch spot that had opened up not too far from my house. Tamia and I had eaten there about twenty times, and it'd only been here for six months.
“Alright, bet. You can follow me. We’ll drop your car off at the house and then head out there.”
“Are you asking me or telling me?”
“You already know I’m not good with asking unless it’s concerning pussy. You always gotta have consent for the pussy,” he said with a grin. My mouth dropped in shock because I didn’t see that one coming.
“You need serious help. Come on, fool.”
“It’s daddy or Dinero to you.”
“Boy, fuck you!”
“You already did. That’s how we ended up here,” he boasted, pointing to the OBGYN building.
“Real cute. The only people calling you daddy in my household are our children.”
“Our children. I love the sound of that.” He grinned while I rolled my eyes. This wasn’t the way I imagined it in my head, but I was happy all my children were by him. If nothing else, he was an excellent father.
“Mmmm, this food is so good it doesn’t make any sense. Usually, new restaurants are always good in the beginning, and then they fall off after a couple of months, but not this one. They are really doing the damn thing.” I moaned, scooping another spoon of creamy grits into my mouth. Dinero chuckled, so I glanced up from my bowl.
“What’s so funny, baby daddy?”
“I think it’s funny that you never used to like grits, but now it’s all you like to eat.”
“You’re not wrong. I’ve always hated the texture; now I can’t seem to get enough.”
“What else can’t you get enough of?” he probed with humor laced in his tone.
“Check, please,” I joked.
“I’m just messing with you. Anyways, how have you been? I know I check on the baby a lot, but are you straight?”
“I guess you could say that. Work is going well, and the boys are happy, so I have no complaints. The only thing I’m focused on right now is delivering a healthy baby and being the best mama I can be.”
“Well, from what I can see, you’re already doing a great job. Anytime I take Cash and Moolah anywhere, people always compliment them for their manners. Although Moolah has me on edge every time, I’m realizing that he only tries that shit with us.” We both laughed and shook our heads.
“I try my best. I’ve accepted the fact that I’m raising Money Jr. He acts like you in so many ways, it’s crazy.”
“Yeah, it’s wild to see yourself in your children. I never thought I would get to experience it, and it blows my mind every time. They both have different traits of mine, which makes me feel like I’m bipolar. Cash is so calm; meanwhile, Moolah stays trained to go. I almost had to stop him from knocking out one of the players on my team a while back.”
“Yeah, you were a little thrown off back in the day. I used to think you were so quiet and sweet until I witnessed you beat several people’s asses.”
“You know what’s so crazy? I swore up and down I would never get into a fight over a girl, but you came and changed all of that. I had hands for whoever tried to fuck with you. I didn’t give a damn who it was either.” My breathing hitched, remembering all the times he came to my rescue.
“Do the boys know you’re leaving this weekend? It is your weekend with them, after all.” I gave him the side-eye because since he had been in their lives, he hadn’t missed a weekend with them.
“Actually, I planned to bring them with me, if that is okay with you. One of my former teammates and a few other well-known players are hosting this event for young and up-and-coming players. They don’t know it yet, but they’ve been nominated for an award.”
“What kind of award?”
“It’s basically a recognition of young players around the country who are projected to be the next big thing. It’s one of the reasons scouts came to their games. They have started observing players younger than they did when I was playing. I think this would be a really great opportunity for them to see people on the high school, collegiate, and professional level since they are on track to be on the same path.” The passion behind his words warmed my heart.
Dinero’s chest always swelled with pride at the mention of our children, and I loved to see it. While we may have had a rough start in the beginning, I could see how much happiness having a father brought them. They talked about him constantly, and at night, I would see them watching old clips of his college and high school highlights. They idolized him not only as a player but also as a parent, something I wanted them to have more than anything.
“It sounds incredible. I’m sure they are going to be geeked about it. I’m kind of sad, because the boys and I have never traveled without each other. Are you driving or flying?”
“I’m driving. It’s only five hours away, so I figured it would give us a chance to hang out and stuff.”
“Oh.” I probably sounded like the biggest hater right now, but all of this was so new to me. It’d always been us, and now I had to adjust to it being them and him.
“Why are you looking like someone stole your best friend?”
“I don’t know.” Here came the waterworks. I swore being pregnant made me even more of a crybaby than I normally was.
“What are you crying for?” Nero shook his head before reaching over to wipe my face with the napkins on the table. I turned my head so I wouldn’t draw any attention from the other patrons. “Talk to me, with your crybaby ass.”
“You guys are a family, and I’m by myself.” I shrugged, and more tears fell. I had been thinking about this for a while as I became further along in my pregnancy. In my head, I pictured Dinero and our three children having dinner together as a family while I stood on the outside. Dinero got up from his side of the booth, making me scoot over so he could sit next to me.
“Do you really feel like this, or are these pregnancy hormones? ’Cause either way, you’re tripping. We’re all a family, even if it may not be in the traditional sense. I’m not taking them away from you. We’re sharing them and raising them together.”
“I understand, but it still feels like I’m an outsider. Pretty soon, you’ll be coming to take all three of them for the weekends to spend family time together, and I’ll be alone.” I hadn’t planned to tell him about my feelings because, deep down, I knew this was all on me. Still, it hurt to think about how different our lives had become since high school. We made all these plans for the future, and it saddened me to think none of them would come true.
Dinero wrapped his arm around me and allowed me a moment to be in my feelings. I appreciated him being here, even if he felt I was being emotional.
“How is the food tasting? Is there anything else I can get for you two?”
“The food was great. We’re ready for the check now,” Nero answered. I was sure he couldn’t wait to get the hell away from me with all of these damn tears. I heard Tamia in my head telling me to man the fuck up, and that was exactly what I planned to do.
The ride to the house was silent outside of the millions of thoughts in my head. Tamia texted me about my appointment and her plans for the baby shower I told her I didn’t want. Of course, she did not care about my whining either. The people in my life could go to hell for the way they treated me during this pregnancy.
“Come on, Susie cries a lot. Let’s get you in this house so you can take a nap.”
“You really get on my nerves.”
“I’m glad to be of service to you. Now hurry up before I have to carry you inside.”
“Oh, please. Those weak ass arms can’t lift a damn thing except a football,” I challenged, knowing I was only talking shit.
“Ahh! Dinero, put me down before you drop me!” I squealed, with my arms wrapped tightly around his neck.
“Naw, don’t scream now. You love to talk shit but can’t back any of it up.” Instead of responding with a smart remark, I kept my arms wrapped around him. I waited for him to ask for my key but got the surprise of my life when he retrieved a key from his pocket.
“Umm, when did you get a spare key made for my place?”
“After the DNA results came back. I need to have access to any place my children rest their heads. Speaking of which, the camera installers are supposed to be here next week. I wanted to do it this weekend, but since we’ll be gone, I rescheduled it.”
“Camera installers for what? Am I missing something?”
“Yeah. I plan to have security cameras installed in the front and back of the house. As well as the foyer, garage, and basement. I’ll probably have some baby monitors added to the nursery, too. I heard babies choke in their sleep and shit, so I want to be prepared.”
“What is all of that for?”
“I want to make sure you’re safe, and the only way I can do that is by keeping eyes on the house at all times.”
“Okay, I guess it makes sense. It would have been nice to know, though.”
“I’m telling you now.”
“You really don’t know how to ask, do you?”
“I don’t need permission to protect what’s mine.” My heart fluttered, even though he only meant the children. I loved how protective he was of them because he had always been so protective of me.
My head rested on his shoulder as he led me to the living room. After the lunch we had, I could use a good afternoon nap. I took off from work on my appointment days so I could relax after my appointments, and it was one of the best decisions for me.
“Your feet are a little swollen. You need to try to stay off of them as much as possible.”
“Yes, daddy,” I replied sarcastically.
“Yeah, alright. Keep playing with me if you want to.” Dinero sauntered down the hall and then returned with a bottle of oil in his hands. I remained silent, watching him move around the room. When he set the oil down on the coffee table and then removed his shirt, my eyes grew wide.
“Put your feet up here.” He gestured to his lap, but he never gave me the chance to move because he took it upon himself to place them where he wanted them.
“Has anyone ever called you a bully?” I fussed, lifting my feet onto the pillow in his lap.
“A few times. Right after I beat their asses. Why?” I wanted to smack the stupid grin right off his face. Instead, I sat back while he performed magic on my aching feet. Since I spent so much time on my feet, I’d noticed a lot more swelling lately. I’d been trying to take it easy, but it was easier said than done.
“Ooh, right there. Mmmm,” I moaned as he applied the right amount of pressure to my heel.
“Right here?” My eyes rolled to the back of my head as he applied even more pressure to my sore spot. I almost leaped off the couch when his thumb rubbed circles around my nonexistent arch.
“Hold still, girl.” Dinero chuckled, holding a firmer grip on my foot.
“I’m sorry. It feels so good,” I moaned out breathlessly. The feeling was orgasmic, and I fought hard to keep my legs closed. The sound of him clearing his throat caught my attention, and then I noticed him subtly adjust himself. The devious part of me wanted to push the envelope, but we’d been doing enough of that lately.
“Now that the season is over, what are your plans?”
“The school offered me a contract for a full-term coaching position. I pitched the idea of off-season training and conditioning as well. They approved it, so I’ll work with my players throughout the year. I’ll also be offering one-on-one coaching and development for players who need extra help. I’ve already had a handful of parents reach out to me about it. They’ll pay independently, but these parents are invested in their kids’ progress.”
His passion was evident in the way he spoke about his players and the game.
“I’m proud of you. You accomplished everything you ever dreamed of.”
“Not everything.” I gulped, suddenly feeling a ball of nervous energy. Sleep began to take over while Dinero continued to work his magic on me. Within no time, I fell fast asleep.
“Every time I turn around, you’ve got your mitts on my mama.” Moolah’s voice jolted me out of my sleep. When I opened my eyes, my boys were standing in the living room with their backpacks on their shoulders.
“You sound like a hater. If I never put my hands on your mama, you wouldn’t be here,” Dinero fired back.
“Eww, you could have kept that to yourself. I just want to know if you put this much energy into that plastic lady with the dry knuckles.” I didn’t mean to laugh at Moolah and his antics, but it slipped. Even Dinero let out a low chuckle.
“Your mama should have whupped your ass more. How was school?”
“It was straight. We got our report cards today,” Cash informed us, reaching into his backpack to retrieve his.
“Dang, bro. We haven’t been in the house for ten minutes. You’re way too pressed.” Moolah huffed.
“Naw, he did the right thing. Go ahead and get yours out. I need to see what you’ve been doing in those classrooms besides flirting.” Nero interjected. I loved being able to sit back and allow him to run the show. Moolah had changed for the better since he’d been around.
“Before we hand these over, I need to know how much money you have in your pockets.” Moolah badgered.
“Yeah, I agree with my brother. You told us that if we got all A’s and B’s, you were gonna give us a hundred dollars for every B and two hundred for every A. I need to make sure you’re gonna uphold your end of the deal,” Cash pressed.
“Are y’all ganging up on me?” Dinero pretended to be shocked as he sat up in his seat.
“Call it what you want, but we want our money.”
“You should already know how I’m coming. My pockets are never empty. Let me see what I’m working with.” They both handed their grade cards over to him. He started with Cashmir first.
“Damn, Son. I see you weren’t playing any games. All A’s in all seven classes. That’s what I’m talking about! This is dope as hell.” Cash beamed with pride as Dinero hyped him up. When he moved to Moolah’s grade card, he grew silent for a moment. Moolah performed well in school, but we’d been pushing him to apply himself more. Colleges loved a great player, but you wouldn’t last long if your academics weren’t up to par.
“Are you serious?” I grew nervous until I saw the cocky grin on Moolah’s face.
“Let me see.” I snatched the paper before Dinero could even object. When I saw his grades, my eyes widened. Five A’s and two B’s. “Moolah, this is the best report card you’ve ever had!” Getting up from the couch, I hugged both of my boys. They were doing exceptionally well in school and in life.
“Way to go, y’all. You might not see it now, but with grades like these combined with your football skills, many doors will open for you in the future. I’m proud of you,” Dinero praised and hugged them both, and I swiped the tears from my cheek as I watched them.
“I appreciate it, but it’s time to empty those pockets. Didn’t you tell us that a man is only as good as their word?” Moolah reminded him.
“Don’t you get enough of my money as it is? Damn.” Dinero fished into his pockets before pulling out a knot of money. He counted out the bills before passing the money to each boy. I fell out laughing when Moolah licked his thumb and proceeded to recount the money.
“You ain’t shit,” Dinero grumbled.
“It was a pleasure doing business with you. I look forward to the next quarter.”
“Mom, can we walk to the corner store?” Cash pleaded.
“Naw, you can ride with me.”
“Oh, are you leaving?” I tried to keep my tone casual, but my feelings were hurt.
“Yeah, I’ve got to get the Lambo cleaned out. Plus, I have to call and adjust my reservations so the queen can come with us,” he replied with a wink.
“Where are we going?” Cash inquired. I tuned out their conversation, thinking about the fact that I would be spending the weekend with Dinero and our kids. We’d been to a few outings together but nothing that required us to stay overnight.
“Cash and Moolah want soul food from Hattie Mae’s spot. I told them I would pick it up when they were ready to order. If you want something different, send me a message, and I’ll grab it for you,” Nero offered, leaning down to kiss my forehead. I bit down on my bottom lip as I waited for him to step back. Instead of moving right away, he squatted down and placed kisses all over my belly.
“I’ll see y’all later.”
Cash and Moolah followed him out of the house as I turned to sit back on the couch. God, I love this man. What am I suppose to do?