Chapter 46 Raya
Raya
Four months later…
There are few things I hate worse than baby showers.
Going to the dentist. Jury duty. Being pregnant. Looking at Kamryn’s face.
But Ace’s mother insisted, and Ace was excited, so here I am, all dressed up in yellow with this big ass fucking bump being oohed and ahhed over like a specimen in a lab.
I only have to endure this torture for two hours. Plus, I do happen to like baby shower meatballs.
Ace told me his mom was having the shower catered, and I had to put my swollen foot down on that. I told him point blank, I want my fucking meatballs. And I don’t want them catered. I want somebody’s mama or granny or plate lady to make them. In a crock pot. With grape jelly.
He came back the next day and said he took care of it.
And that’s the first thing he gets me when we arrive—a big ass plate of meatballs.
“Thank you, baby.”
“You need anything else?” he asks eagerly.
“Nope. I’m good.”
Yeah, that’s one word to describe me having my big ass perched on a chair in the middle of the room waiting to play some fuck ass games.
A fucking drink is what I need.
I’ll give Angela this; the house looks beautiful. It’s like a fairy tale. She—or whoever her bougie ass hired—did a teddy bear theme. If I was into this kinda shit, I’d be very pleased with how it came out.
Angela has packed my shower with her friends and associates, which, okay, fine. I don’t recognize most of these assholes, but as long as Tori is here, which she is, then I’m good.
Tiffany’s here, too. She keeps bringing me virgin mimosas. Bitch, it’s just orange juice, but thanks for the cute glass, I guess.
“Okay, gather round, everyone!” Angela announces. I watch the head orca in her element. The bitch ain’t much as a human being, but it’s clear that she loves entertaining. She gets us going swiftly, and it’s a well-oiled machine.
I paint on a smile while they play around me for prizes in gift bags and bragging rights of being the person who can unscramble the most baby-related words and correctly measure my belly for a toilet paper belt.
It’s cute, I guess.
Then Kamryn shows up an hour in looking like somebody forced her at gunpoint.
And she’s loud. And she didn’t bring a fucking gift.
She’s wearing sunglasses inside like a rapper at a nightclub.
Then she announces herself, but it doesn’t sound like a greeting.
It sounds more like she thinks we’ve been awaiting her arrival or something.
I didn’t even notice the bitch was missing.
I catch Ace’s eye—he’s in the kitchen with his friends—and crook my finger to call him over.
“What you need, babe?”
“Get your sister.”
“Kam’s here?”
I quirk an eyebrow. “You didn’t hear the royal announcement?”
He snickers and puts his hand on my belly. “I got you. I’ll handle it.”
One kiss on my forehead, and he’s off. He walks straight over to Kamryn, grabs her elbow, and steers her into the kitchen. I can’t hear what he’s saying, but when she comes back out, the sunglasses are off and she parks herself in a chair near the back and doesn’t say another word.
After the games end, Angela announces the winners. Ace is in the middle of it all acting like a big ass kid, and something about it is very endearing. I don’t know what him and his ex did as far as celebrations go, but it makes me happy to see him enjoying this.
I still feel…detached from this whole thing, but in this case, I think it’s justified. This shower is for him, not me, and I’m the only person here who knows that.
“It’s almost over, girl.”
I look over at Tiff and roll my eyes. “Am I that obvious?”
“Mm hm.”
“How are things going with Bron?”
“Girl, he stepped a little bit. He took me to Nobu last week.”
“Good. Keep your stiletto on his neck. Don’t take your foot off the gas for a second, because that’s when he’ll get you.”
“Look, I’m tryna get a ring. I’ma text you with all my problems. Can you handle that?”
“Bitch, do you not see this belly? I got bigger fish to fry than Bron.”
Tiff cackles at that. “I see everything is yellow. How come you didn’t wanna know the gender? You wanted it to be a surprise?”
“Yes,” I lie.
The reality is that Ace wants the surprise and I don’t give a fuck either way. But I can’t say that.
After I open gifts, which is even worse than the games, the guests trickle out until it’s just me, Ace, my in-laws, and Tori. Vanessa and Rico are cleaning up. I don’t know what Kam’s raggedy ass is doing. And Angela is flitting around this way and that.
Then she walks up to Ace and pulls him into a hug so warm, it looks like he freezes for a minute before he thinks to hug her back.
When she cups his face, her eyes are shining. “I’m so proud of you,” she says. “I can already tell you’re gonna be a wonderful father.”
I recognize the look on his face and the very slight nod he does as an answer. He just turned into a little boy for a few seconds.
You’d think that would be a big turnoff, but nah, I feel good when I see him happy. I’m actually…maybe I’m a little too happy watching this. My eyes are watering.
I walk down the hall in search of the bathroom and almost walk smack into Jackson. When he sees it’s me, he stops short, then turns in the other direction.
“Wait!” I follow after him. “Jackson.”
He turns, and it’s reluctant as hell.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah," he says. "Are you okay?”
“Fine. Just looking for the bathroom.”
He points. “Second door. Right there.”
In my mind, I make note of how good he looks. And smells. But all I say is, “Did you enjoy the shower?”
He considers me for a minute, then nods. “I did. My wife throws a hell of a party.”
“She does.”
His gaze drops to my bump, lingering for a beat before he smiles. “Looks like I’m running out of time to decide on my name.”
I chuckle at that. “Yeah. Listen, thank you for the shower. And for the use of your home. I appreciate it.”
He nods and moves along.
And I feel oddly satisfied by that boring little interaction.