Chapter 20 #2
“I think you and I could fit in there, but it’s nice. Just as nice as the other 4,022 cribs we’ve looked at in the past two hours. Let me say that again: we’ve been here for two long hours, Nari.”
“What happened to the whole ‘I love shopping’ thing?”
“Absolutely nothing happened to it when it is about me. I love to shop for myself. When you asked me to go with you, this . . . ” She flicked her wrist, causing the Love bracelets that circled it to clash against each other.
“. . . is not what I had in mind. You know some people do this for a living and are really good at it? I can find ten designers right now who would gladly take over.”
I rolled my eyes and she flashed a smile. “What? It’s true.”
“I’m sure, but I want to do this, and I bet as soon as it’s your turn, you’re going to want the same thing.”
She shoved her hand toward me, arching her brow. “Hi. I’m Alisha. Have we met?”
I knocked her hand away and laughed. “Yes, fool. We’ve met, but I’m right about this.”
“No, boo, you’re not. If it happens, I will most definitely enlist a team to get it done. I already have my top three designers saved in my contacts.”
“When, not if.”
“If. We don’t know what’s going to happen.”
“Maybe not, but I’m speaking it into existence the same as I know you are. Especially if you already have your top three designers on speed dial ready to decorate your baby’s room.” I stuck my tongue out and she grinned. “How soon before you start the process?”
“We’ve already started. It’s only been a round of tests to ensure I’m healthy enough.
Next, we pick our donor. That part should be interesting.
We get to read all the fun facts about them to help decide who better fits our expectations for our dream child.
Sort of a ‘build a baby’ kind of process.
Race, hair color, height, eye color. We go through the traits of the donors to craft our kid and I’m being really general right now.
It’s far more intricate. Just fucking weird. ”
“It is weird, but the end result is a baby, so it’s worth it, right?”
“Yeah.”
“And Darius is okay with it not being his?”
“He says he is.”
“Do you believe him?”
“I do.”
“Good, then that’s all that matters.”
The day they argued about it, Darius apologized and explained how he understood why she was against him going half with a donated egg.
He swore he was the one being selfish and told Alisha he really did want kids, and he didn’t care how, even if the kid was adopted.
They met halfway, which meant Alisha would try to carry an embryo first, but one that was completely donated.
If that didn’t work, the next step would be to adopt.
“And I swear if I don’t breeze through my pregnancy the same way you are, then you’re going to pay.”
“That’s completely out of my hands.”
“Possibly, but if I suffer, I’m giving you hell because it will be all your fault.”
“Imagine that. You blaming me for something I have absolutely no control over.”
She shoved my arm. “Stop. I told you I was sorry. Call it pre-pregnancy hormones.”
I burst out laughing. “No, let’s call it ‘woman gone mad’ because you, friend, had a moment of temporary insanity.”
“Maybe I did, but you love me, so you can’t hold a grudge.”
“Fine. I agree, and I don’t. I completely understand and can’t promise that my reaction would have been much different.”
“Yeah, but you didn’t say that when it happened. You hit me with the ‘try to see his side. Let him explain.’ Fuck that shit. That’s not what I needed. You were supposed to be like, ‘Cut his ass, Lish; he’s tripping.’”
We looked at each other and burst out laughing at the same time. “You’re right. From now on, I’ll play my role.”
“See? Problem solved.” She pouted, offering me pleading eyes. “Now, can we go? I’m so over this.”
“Fine. Let me take pictures of these before we go so I can call back and order this set. I think this is the one I want.”
“Oh my God, this place is adorable,” a woman screeched near the door. Her sentiment mirrored my own, so I looked up just in time to glimpse a familiar face.
Small world.
“See, I told you it was perfect. If you can’t find what you’re looking for here, then it doesn’t exist. Their selection is exclusive.”
As the two women traveled in our direction, I shot Alisha a look, but she was already in motion. One, whom I didn’t recognize, was very pregnant but she was accompanied by Aila, whom I hadn’t seen since my father-in-law’s funeral.
“Look at God. I was just thinking about you while we were in here trying to decide what furniture Nari should purchase to decorate her baby’s nursery.”
Aila paused mid step, her eyes landing on Alisha first before bouncing over to me, where they immediately lowered to my stomach. Her lips parted and she was temporarily lost before she snapped out of it.
“Excuse me, do I know you?” She lifted her brow, frowning at Alisha. The reaction only further fueled Alisha’s pettiness.
“You know, it must be truly devastating to have had everything you ever wanted right at your fingertips, only to blink, and poof!—it’s gone.
All that shit you gave me because you assumed your life was so much better than mine, and now .
. .” Alisha grinned. “Well, I won’t bother reminding you just how fucking pathetic your life is.
” She tilted her head to the side. “You look good, though. Maybe you’ll have better luck if you lower the bar a little next time.
” Alisha’s smile spread wider before she grabbed my hand, dragging me toward the store entrance.
“Shouldn’t I be the one to check her?” I asked once Conner pulled away from the curb with us in the backseat.
“Oh, trust me, you did the minute she looked at you and saw everything she would never be or have.”
“You’re truly evil.”
“And that hoe is truly pathetic, but God don’t like ugly, and karma is a whole-ass bitch. I’m glad Caid took the ring back. She was out here in the world still posing like they were good.”
The first thought I had was of Kincaid saying how fragile minds were. Aila was truly a representation of fragility.
“Prime example of lethal dick.” I smirked, causing Alisha to snicker.
“Girl, can I testify?”
My eyes shot over to her and she sucked her teeth. “To my own lethal dick. I’m talking about my husband, not yours. I’ve had my fair share of stalkers and unbalanced hoes because of him.”
“I’m just making sure. I’ve learned I can’t leave anything to chance regarding that man. Apparently, he gets around.”
“Got. Make that past tense or I’ma have to pull up.”
“You and me both.”
Alisha whipped her head around, squinting like she was searching for something.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m looking for Caid because you know good and damn well the only pulling up you’re going to be doing is to that big-ass house of yours. At least until you’re no longer carrying that precious cargo, but probably even after. He’s not playing with you, not even a little bit.”
I shot her a bird and noticed Conner grinning in the rearview mirror, which granted him the same hand motion, and he full-out laughed.
“All of y’all can kiss my ass.”
“Nope. Won’t be any of that happening on his watch, either.” Alisha grinned harder and I couldn’t help but laugh. She was right. No sense in me arguing the point.