Chapter 8 #2
There was a concert scheduled for tonight. One I’d gone to every year for the past five years with Kendra, Tyrell, and Leo.
I hadn’t even considered attending. I didn’t have the energy to think about it, let alone make plans.
My phone started ringing for the third time.
At this point, I was too annoyed to ignore it. Begrudgingly, I lifted my head and reached for the phone. My arm felt like it weighed a hundred pounds.
Dragging my tired eyes to the screen, I saw a name that made me sit up straight in bed: Mrs. Rachel Simmons.
Kendra’s mother.
“Mrs. Simmons, hello,” I rasped into the phone, clearing my throat as I adjusted to a sitting position. “How are you?”
She chuckled softly on the other end of the line, pausing to catch her breath. “I feel like I should be asking you that.”
I let out a weary laugh, dropping my head into my hands.
“How’s it going over there?” she asked.
“Great,” I lied. “We’re all great.”
“You don’t sound it.”
I inhaled deeply, closing my eyes tightly.
I had purposely avoided reaching out to the Simmons. They were still grieving the loss of their daughter, and the last thing I wanted was to burden them with our struggles. Leo and I were grieving, too, but it wasn’t the same. This was something we had to figure out ourselves.
“I’m just a little tired,” I admitted. “We had a very fun night last night. And yes, I am being sarcastic.”
Mrs. Simmons burst into laughter, and despite my exhaustion, I found myself chuckling along.
“Lawd, it’s been a long while, but I remember those nights very well,” she said warmly. “What is it? Y’all sleep training? Is he teething? Got gas?”
“Colic,” I said with a nod, even though she couldn’t see me. “That godforsaken colic.”
She giggled knowingly.
I frowned as I rubbed my aching eyes. “I don’t understand how he can cry for so long without running out of breath.”
“Mmm-hmm,” she murmured, the understanding clear in her tone.
“He’s been colicky for a whole week now. Always at night, for three straight hours,” I explained. “Then he falls asleep for maybe fifteen minutes before he’s up again. He finally went down an hour ago.”
“Well, why didn’t you call us?”
Her question made me pause. My gaze wandered across my room, landing on my high-tech workstation. The multiple screens sat untouched, reminders of the professional life I’d barely had time to consider since Baby Love entered my world.
“Myself, Walt, and Tyrell’s mom all told you that if you ever needed anything, you could call us,” she said gently.
“I know,” I admitted quietly. “It’s just… you’re still grieving. And while Leo and I are, too, it’s not the same as what you and Tyrell’s mom are going through. If the hardest thing for us right now is dealing with a lack of sleep, we can handle it.”
“But you don’t have to, Ivy,” she said firmly. “We were prepared to help Kendra and Tyrell the moment they told us they were having a baby, and we want to be that help for you and Leo. You don’t have to do this alone.”
Her words hit me square in the chest.
“The baby needs you two at your best,” she continued. “And if you need a break to rest, tell us. We’re here for you. The saying ‘it takes a village’ is more than just a saying. If you’re depleted, let us help.”
I exhaled a shaky breath, her reassurances sinking in.
“Would you like us to take the baby today?”
My head shot up at her offer. “Would you?”
She laughed softly.
“I mean…” I cleared my throat, pressing a hand to my chest to steady myself. “It’s so last minute, Mrs. Simmons. I couldn’t ask y’all to—”
“We’d love to,” she said, her voice kind. “We’d absolutely love an opportunity to spend time with…” She paused, then asked, “What’s his name?”
I bit the inside of my cheek, cringing. “We haven’t chosen a name yet.”
“Oh.”
“It’s just…” I started, feeling the weight of my hesitation. “Kendra wanted it to be a surprise. She never told us or you guys what name she was considering, and I don’t want to pick just anything.”
“It’s okay,” Mrs. Simmons said quickly. “You’re doing great. You two are doing great.”
“We’ve been calling him Baby Love,” I said, a small smile tugging at my lips. “You know, Baby, and Kendra and Tyrell’s last name.”
She chuckled. “That’s clever. A good placeholder until you decide.”
I nodded to myself.
“Look,” she continued, “Walt and I can be on the road in half an hour and at your place in about an hour. We can pick up… Baby Love, is it?”
I smiled. “Yup. Baby Love.”
She giggled again. “We’ll take him for the weekend and bring him back Monday. Does that work?”
“Like a dream,” I admitted, my voice breathless with relief.
“Wonderful,” she said warmly. “We’ll start getting ready now.”
“Thank you so much, Mrs. Simmons. I’ll have everything ready when you get here. Is there anything specific I should pack in his bag?”
“Nothing at all. Whatever he needs, we’ll take care of it.”
I felt a rush of gratitude wash over me as I pictured uninterrupted sleep for the first time in weeks.
“We’ll see you soon,” she said before hanging up.
Springing to my feet, I headed straight for Leo’s room.
I knocked lightly at first, then a little harder when I got no response.
“Go away, Ivy,” Leo mumbled, his voice muffled.
Ignoring him, I opened the door to find him lying face down in his pillow, his long limbs hanging off the edge of his bed.
“Ivy, please get out—”
“Mrs. Simmons just called,” I interrupted. “She and Mr. Simmons are coming to pick up Baby Love for the weekend.”
Leo’s head shot up so fast, I thought it might fly off.
“They’ll be here in half an hour,” I said, grinning. “All we have to do is get Baby Love ready—”
“Say less,” Leo said, jumping out of bed.
“Wait,” I said, stopping him mid-stride. “Shouldn’t we decide what to pack?”
“What?” Leo threw his hands up dramatically and spun to face me. “No. Pack everything. Throw it all in the bag.” He held his thumb and index finger close together, his expression exaggerated. “I’m this close to throwing Baby Love in the car before they even park.”
“Leo!”
He raised his hands in mock surrender. “Look, I love the kid, but I’m tired. So…” He tilted his head toward the nursery. “Let’s get him ready, ship him out for the weekend, and then I’m crashing. Straight to sleep.”
I laughed as I followed him back to Baby Love’s nursery, his long strides easily outpacing mine. “Same.”
* * *
“You ready?” Leo called from my bedroom door.
I stood in front of my full-length mirror, sliding the final earring into place.
“Yeah,” I replied, brushing a hand over my high bun to ensure it was smooth. “Just need a few more minutes.”
“Aight,” Leo said, lingering in the doorway. “The car will be here in fifteen.”
With Baby Love safely with Kendra’s parents and a glorious seven hours of uninterrupted sleep behind me, I was ready for a much-needed night out.
The Back in the Day Bash was a tradition. Every year when the 90s R&B concert rolled through Manhattan, Kendra, Tyrell, Leo, and I made a night of it. We shared a love for 90s music that bonded us, and this was the event we never missed.
Tonight was different. It was my first concert without Kendra and Tyrell.
Satisfied with my look, I nodded, pleased I kept it simple.
A cropped leather jacket over a knotted graphic tee featuring Aaliyah’s face, black leggings, and knee-high boots.
This was my usual concert attire, a nod to my love for 90s R&B and to Kendra, who always said I could never go wrong with that outfit because I resembled the singer which always made me blush.
Leo reappeared in the doorway, his voice interrupting my thoughts. “Our driver’s five minutes away. You ready?”
He looked effortlessly cool in a brown suede shearling bomber jacket over a plain black tee, paired with black jeans and black-and-white Nike Air Jordans. His closet was practically a shrine to Jordans—he owned every pair imaginable.
“Yes, I’m ready,” I said, grabbing my crossbody bag.
“You look nice,” he said, his gaze lingering a little longer than usual.
I frowned playfully. “I wear the same thing every year. You used to call it my ‘concert uniform.’ Remember? You tease me about it every year relentlessly.”
He shrugged. “It looks good on you this year.”
I stared at him for a moment, noting the smirk tugging at his lips before he turned and headed downstairs.
“Weirdo,” I said, trying to hide the blush creeping into my cheeks.
I couldn’t explain it, but things felt different with Leo lately.
* * *
On the drive to the venue, we checked in with Kendra’s parents to make sure Baby Love was doing well. True to his routine, he had fallen asleep right on time. I just hoped the Simmons could handle his colic when it inevitably hit in a few hours.
“Earth to Ivy,” Leo’s voice cut through my thoughts.
I turned to find him staring at me, an amused expression on his face.
“Where the hell did you go?” he asked with a laugh.
I chuckled, shaking my head. “I was just thinking about the baby.”
His brows furrowed slightly.
“His colic,” I clarified. “And whether the Simmons will—”
“They’ve got it,” Leo interrupted with a snicker. “They have way more experience with babies than we do.”
“I know, but they’re older, and—”
“They’ve got it,” he repeated, cutting me off again. Then, grinning mischievously, he reached over and took my head in his hands, giving it a playful shake. “Clear that head of yours. Empty it just this once.”
I shoved him away, emphasizing it with a glare, which only made him laugh harder.
“Tonight is about fun,” he said, his tone lighter as he settled back into his seat. “Reconnecting to baby-less Leo and Ivy. Let’s enjoy it. Let’s get it!”
The streets of Manhattan buzzed with energy as our driver pulled up near the venue’s private entrance. The vibrant lights of midtown seemed to reflect the excitement building inside me.