Chapter 32 Pluto Monroe
Trill-Land, Jungle Estate
The night before our wedding…
Ihad just gotten settled into bed and the house was quiet except for the faint sound of laughter and music drifting in from outside.
It was late, and everyone who was still at the estate had either gone to bed or was winding down.
Toni Roc was across the hall, probably on FaceTime with Kay’Lo, and my aunt Deanne had fallen asleep on the couch in the living room after helping me fold the last batch of baby clothes.
The whole day had been long but beautiful, and it finally hit me that this was it. Tomorrow, I was marrying Pressure.
It was the night before my wedding. Even just thinking about it made my heart feel full.
These last few weeks had been a whirlwind.
Between the bridal shower, the fittings, and all the family that came into town, it felt like everything had moved fast and slow at the same time.
My girls surprised me with a trip to Marosa, a private island off the coast of Trill-Land.
The whole place looked like paradise with clear blue water, white sand, and little glass villas built right over the ocean.
It was luxury everywhere you turned. We spent four days there laughing, swimming, eating good, and talking about life.
The nights were filled with music and mocktails since I couldn’t drink, and the girls still made sure I had fun.
Toni got drunk enough for everybody, while Pressure’s cousin Zy’Lani was on the mic talking about how she better catch the bouquet next.
That trip was exactly what I needed before the madness of the wedding kicked in.
When we got back, Abeni threw us a joint celebration at Cloud 9 Dining.
It was supposed to be a simple dinner, but it turned into a whole event.
People were dressed like they were walking into a royal gala.
The tables were covered in gold cloth, candles were floating in tall glasses, and there were huge portraits of me and Pressure hanging up on the walls.
I remember sitting beside him, watching our families toast to us.
For a moment, it hit me how far we’d come.
There was a time we couldn’t even sit in the same room without arguing, and now we were being celebrated for the love we fought so hard to keep.
I looked down at my belly, rubbing it slow.
The baby was due next month, and he had been kicking like crazy lately.
This pregnancy felt different from when I had Prestyn.
Back then, things were messy. Pressure and I were fighting, and he was engaged to Kashmere.
I had spent most of that pregnancy alone, trying to act like I was fine, even though I was breaking inside.
This time around, it was nothing like that. I had my man every step of the way.
Pressure had been so hands-on that I barely had to lift a finger.
He wouldn’t even let me carry a grocery bag.
Every appointment, every craving, every back rub, he was right there.
Even with all his business moves and long days, he made sure his family came first. I had seen him with Prestyn every single day.
Our son had him wrapped around his little finger.
They were like twins walking around the estate, both wearing gold chains, both thinking they ran the world.
Seeing them together made me love him even more.
I smiled to myself, thinking about how I had to get my dress adjusted four times already because of this growing belly.
Every fitting, the seamstress would shake her head and say, “He’s growing fast, Pluto.
” And I’d just laugh because she was right.
The baby was strong, just like his daddy.
My wedding dress was hanging up on the rack across the room now, glimmering in the low light from the lamp.
White silk, hand-beaded, soft but royal.
The top was fitted perfectly, and the bottom flared out like something out of a dream.
It felt unreal that tomorrow I’d be walking down the aisle in it.
Pressure was out right now with Kay’Lo, Renza, Blaqson, and Uncle Lionel for his bachelor’s party.
I had told him to have fun but behave, and he had just laughed, saying he was a married man already in his mind.
I pulled out my phone and stared at the screen for a minute before unlocking it. My messages with him were already open.
Then, a new one popped up.
How’s my lil’ man?
That made me smile right away, but then a funny feeling hit me. That exact same message was familiar. I typed back without thinking.
He’s fine. Been kicking all day.
Not even a minute passed before his next message came through.
That’s good. I miss feeling him kick. Can I come lay with you tonight?
My fingers froze. My heart thumped once, hard. That was the same thing he’d texted me back when he was about to marry somebody else. I could see it so clear, like it had just happened yesterday.
Back then, I was pregnant with Prestyn, at home, trying to act like I didn’t care that the man I loved was getting ready to marry another woman.
He had texted me that same message, asking how our baby was.
Told me he missed feeling him kick. Then he asked if he could come lay with me.
At that time, I had gone off on him, telling him he had no business wanting to lay with me when he was supposed to be with her.
We argued for almost an hour, both of us saying things we didn’t mean.
I told him to leave me alone, and he told me I’d never understand him.
But somehow, that night, he still ended up at my place.
I remember the sound of his knock on the door, the look on his face when I opened it, the way my heart refused to listen to my head.
He laid with me that night. We talked, we cried, and even though I knew it was wrong, I let him hold me like he always did.
It was messy, but it was real. That was the night I realized no matter how much we tried to fight what we had, we could never stay away from each other.
Now, here we were again. Same words. Different story.
I smiled at the phone, shaking my head a little.
You can come lay with me after you marry me.
A second later, his reply came through.
LOL. I love you so much, baby. I can’t wait to slip that ring on your finger tomorrow and officially make you my wife.
That made my heart melt. I could almost hear his voice in those words. I smiled so hard my cheeks hurt.
I love you too. I can’t believe it’s really happening.
We been through too much not to make it here. I told you I was gonna marry you. Look at us now.
I’m so proud of us.
Me too, baby. But don’t go into labor tomorrow. I’m not tryna deliver no baby at my own wedding… again
I laughed out loud, covering my mouth.
You the one that didn’t wanna wait until after the baby got here.
You damn right.
I can’t wait to see you tomorrow.
I love you, baby. Goodnight, Mrs. Mensah.
I stared at that message for a second, my eyes stinging just a little.
I love you too, Pressure. Goodnight, Mr. Mensah.
I placed my phone on the nightstand and rubbed my belly slow, whispering to my baby. The little kicks under my palm made me smile even more.
As my eyes got heavy, I thought about everything we had survived to get here, the heartbreak, the rumors, the fights, the chaos, and how none of it had been enough to break us. We had been through storms that would’ve drowned other people, but somehow, we always found our way back to each other.
The last thing I remember before falling asleep was the faint sound of laughter from outside and the feeling of peace in my heart. Tomorrow, I was walking down that aisle to marry my best friend, the father of my children, and the love of my life.
I was finally getting everything I prayed for, and this time, I knew it was mine for good.
The Garden of Kings
The dressing room was packed and I was struggling to get into my dress, which scared the hell out of me.
The fabric hugged every curve, and even though the designer had adjusted it four times already, my belly was still growing by the day.
Every move I made felt like I was carrying the world in front of me.
My aunt Deanne was on one side helping me keep my balance, and one of Pressure’s cousins was on the other side holding the train of my gown so I wouldn’t trip on it.
Everybody in the room was moving around fast, fixing little details, whispering about last-minute things, and trying to make sure I didn’t trip or fall.
We were inside The Garden of Kings, a building that looked like it belonged in a dream.
The ceilings were high, glimmering with chandeliers that sparkled like stars.
The marble floors stretched far enough to make your footsteps echo, and the walls were covered in gold-trimmed patterns that told stories of royalty and legacy.
This wasn’t just any venue. The Garden of Kings was a place only billionaires could afford to touch.
Millionaires tried to rent it for events but could never make it past the waiting list. Every corner smelled like fresh orchids, and the massive glass windows overlooked acres of manicured gardens with water fountains, rare flowers, and white peacocks walking around.
It felt like something out of a fairytale, and I still couldn’t believe this was where I was getting married.
My makeup had already been done hours ago, and it was flawless.
My skin glowed like honey, and the soft shimmer around my eyes brought out every bit of the love and excitement I felt.
The artist had given me a nude lip with a touch of gold gloss, just enough to make me look timeless.
My curls were pinned up into a soft bun, a few loose strands framing my face just the way Pressure liked.