8. Omiri #3
“Please tell me you didn’t go throwing money at these people.”
“I didn’t have to, but I would have. They’re used to dealing with situations like ours. I didn’t have to ask for anything special. Only accommodations they already offer.”
Avi’s doctor’s office had a private entrance for who they considered VIP or exclusive patients. After she told me who Avi’s pediatrician was, I hit them up to see how we could make this work.
If the goal was to make sure I wasn’t attached to them, I damn sure couldn’t walk up in there with Makari and our daughter.
Ten seconds after we walked in, the first person who recognized me would post pictures.
Baller Alert would be running a story about my secret love child.
They would also pick Makari’s life apart because it wouldn’t be enough to put the story out there, they would have to dissect every detail of how I ended up with a kid in the first place.
“That’s why you asked who her doctor was?”
“Yeah, I was cool with having them pull up at my crib so her appointment could be private or either hooking her up with a new doctor who would mind their damn business about who her parents were. But I’m sure you weren’t going to rock with either of those options.”
“I absolutely was not.”
I smirked at the look she gave. “This is the alternative. We use their private entrance and the doctor will see her in a room set up for privacy.”
“I didn’t know they offered that.”
“You wouldn’t…”
She cut her eyes at me. “And before you assume shit, all I mean is you didn’t have a reason to know. That’s not how your life is set up.”
“That wasn’t how my life was set up.”
“Consider it a privilege, not a problem.”
“Perks of my baby daddy’s fame. We get in undetected and treated like royalty as opposed to sitting in the lobby with gen pop and having to wait with other potentially germ infected little people.
Yeah, no, I’m going to consider this a win.
No complaints from me on this one,” she teased.
I was happy she wasn’t going to give me shit about this because something as simple as not being able to pull up to a doctor appointment for Avi was another reminder about how me being in her life disrupted everything they were both used to.
“Damn, that actually sounds like you’re giving me a compliment,” I joked.
“I’m accepting the privilege of your life. Let that ego simmer a little bit.”
We pulled up twenty minutes later, parked in the back of the building, and entered through a door with coded access. They had a separate check-in desk, and no one waiting, so we were immediately escorted to a private exam room.
After the basics were handled—measurements, questions about Avi’s development and feedings—the doctor announced that Avi was getting shots.
I argued about that shit because nah, I didn’t want them sticking my baby with a needle, but it still went down.
I wanted to punch the fuck out of Dr. Cole for making my baby cry and Makari was on my ass about acting like I had some sense.
We wrapped up and were out of there in less than an hour.
“I have never been in and out so quickly. Most of the time we’re waiting no less than half an hour just to get taken back to the room.
I might actually like being connected to your privilege,” she said, sliding in the passenger seat instead of fighting me on it.
Little by little she was adjusting to me being in their lives.
I appreciated that everything wasn’t a damn battle of wills with her.
Once I had my baby locked in, I dropped kisses all over her face then eased into the driver’s seat.
Makari was frowning hard as hell, staring out of the window which had me wondering if I overestimated just how comfortable she was letting me be a part of all of this.
“You good?”
She turned to me and sighed. “Yes, this just feels weird.”
“What do you mean?” I pushed the power button to start my Range and backed out of the spot we were in.
“We literally just sat in a doctor’s office discussing medical history like we’re a normal couple.”
I nodded, thinking about the doctor running down questions about mine and my family’s medical history to add to Avi’s records. It made shit very real for me.
“It’s about Avi. Not really a big deal.”
“I don’t have an issue with any of it.”
“Then why do you look like somebody stole your bike?”
She grinned and rolled her eyes. “This is not how I visualized things for us.”
“That’s because you didn’t visualize me being a part of this at all.” I cut my eyes at Makari and she shrugged.
“I won’t deny that. When I found out I was pregnant, I made up my mind that this would all be on me. Now I’m riding shotgun after a doctor’s visit and you’re at my house, doing midnight feedings and changing explosive diapers.”
“You can keep them shits… literally .” I frowned and Makari laughed.
“Nope, we’re fifty-fifty, buddy. You wanted this so you’re getting the full experience.”
“That bother you?” I asked, hoping she wasn’t having regrets. I didn’t want to be at odds or fighting her for time.
“You changing explosive diapers? Not at all.”
“Not them damn shitty ass diapers. I mean that we’re doing this together.”
“At first it did, but mostly because I felt like it wasn’t really about being a good father and it was more about you wanting something you couldn’t have. I half expected you to get custody and disappear but you’re here and a lot different than I thought you would be.”
“I guess so since you thought I wasn’t gonna be shit.”
“I thought you weren’t going to be serious about being a father and you can’t really blame me.”
“Yes the fuck I can.”
She grinned and shrugged again. “Well, I was wrong. You’re good at this and whether it’s what I wanted or not, I’m glad you bullied your way into our lives. Not that I can’t do this by myself but I’m glad I don’t have to.”
“You sure about that?” I looked at her and she smiled big as hell but nodded.
“Yeah, I am.”
“Good, then don’t give me shit about the next couple days. I’m going to be out of town with work, but if you need me to move some things around, I can try to see if they’ll work with me.”
“No, you don’t have to do that. You’re a professional athlete. I understand that comes with commitments. There’s a difference in you disappearing on us for a week without saying anything and you letting me know you have work stuff. Just don’t use that as an excuse to not show up for Avi.”
The lie felt heavy as hell on my tongue when I delivered it but even more weighted when she responded with understanding instead of giving me a hard time about it. I was fucked up for the lie but also knew there was no other way to disappear without pissing her off.
“I’m not.”
“Then we’re fine.”
I tossed my chin and left the conversation there, feeling like shit because she trusted me but I wasn’t ready to share why I needed the next couple days away from them.
I couldn’t face her or Avi, because even if I wasn’t the one who pulled the trigger that night, my bad fucking decisions were what put O’Rion in that car.
So his death would forever be on me and in me.
I had to carry that weight on my shoulders and I wasn’t sure I could.