Chapter 35 Pressure Mensah
Trill-Land, Jungle Estate
Three weeks later…
It was the middle of the night when I felt my shoulder bein’ rocked.
My sleep was deep too, that kind of sleep where you forget what day it is, but I felt Pluto’s touch and knew somethin’ was off.
I turned slow, my face still pressed in the pillow, and when I opened my eyes, Pluto was lookin’ down at me with that worried crease in her forehead.
Her hand was still on my shoulder, her voice soft when she whispered, “I think it’s time. ”
For a second, I just stared at her, tryna wake up enough to process what she said.
Then I blinked a few times, looked at her belly, and everything clicked.
My heart jumped even though I kept my face calm.
I reached over and placed my hand on her stomach, rubbin’ slow like I was tryna talk to my baby through my touch.
“You sure, baby?” I asked, my voice full of sleep.
She nodded quick. “Yeah, I’m sure. I been up for a while. My contractions like five minutes apart now.”
I moved closer, kissin’ her shoulder before leanin’ down to kiss her belly. “A’ight, lil’ man,” I whispered, “you ready to come out and meet us, huh? You pickin’ a wild hour, but it’s all good. I been ready.”
Pluto smiled weakly but then winced, her hand movin’ to her side as another contraction hit. I kissed her stomach again, whisperin’ another soft promise that I got her. Then I sat up, slid out the bed, and hit the light.
Pluto looked beautiful even in the middle of labor. Her black silk gown was thin and see-through, showin’ that long brown line runnin’ down her belly. I came around to her side of the bed, crouched down between her legs, and kissed that line slow, both my hands on her thighs.
She tensed up again when another contraction came through, breathin’ heavy and squeezin’ the top of my head for balance. I let her, lettin’ her pull as hard as she needed to. I wasn’t movin’ nowhere.
“Breathe, baby,” I murmured. “You good. Just breathe through it.”
I was watchin’ her every move, watchin’ the time between the contractions.
I wanted to be sure before I made any calls.
The first time, when she had Prestyn, everything had been crazy as hell.
I was speedin’ through traffic, my heart beatin’ out my chest, not knowin’ what the hell I was doin’.
That night had changed me. It taught me patience and control.
I swore I’d never let my woman go through somethin’ that wild again.
Right after Pluto had our first son, I walked out them hospital doors thinkin’ I could finally breathe.
Then Kashmere popped up. She was cryin’, talkin’ crazy, and before I could even make sense of it, she pulled that trigger.
I felt every shot hit me, one after another, like fire runnin’ through my body.
I dropped right there in front of the damn hospital.
That’s why I wasn’t lettin’ Pluto have no more hospital births. Fuck all that. That night showed me how fast peace could turn into some bullshit. So, this time, I stayed calm. I had control. I had my people in place. I wasn’t lettin’ nothin’ touch my family again.
I counted her contractions. I paid attention to her breathing, her expressions and the rhythm of her pain. Every time one came, I kissed her belly, talked to her and reminded her that she was built for this.
“You good, baby. You got this,” I whispered against her skin.
Her eyes were watery, but she nodded. “They getting stronger.”
“I know,” I said, standin’ up and rubbin’ her arm. “Hold tight, I’mma get everything together.”
I moved around the room quick, but careful. I pulled on a shirt and some sweats, grabbed her bag, and set it by the door just in case. I wasn’t takin’ her to no hospital this time, but I still wanted everything we needed ready.
I made a couple calls. First my mama. She picked up quick like she already knew what was goin’ on. Then I called my aunt Treasure. She was the one we trusted to deliver the baby at home. She’d done this her whole life, and she already told me she was just waitin’ for my call.
When I hung up, I went back to Pluto. She was sittin’ against the headboard now, her hands on her belly, breathin’ through another contraction. I could see the sweat glistenin’ across her chest and the tiny tremble in her thighs.
I climbed onto the bed behind her, pullin’ her back against me. My hands rested on her stomach, my lips brushed her ear. “You doin’ perfect, baby. I’m proud of you,” I said.
She leaned back into me, whisperin’ that she was scared, and I kissed the side of her face. “Ain’t nothin’ to be scared of this time. We ready now. We done practiced. We done prayed. We good.”
I wasn’t just sayin’ it for her either. I believed it.
Every class I took, every book I read, every talk I had with Aunt Treasure, it was all playin’ back in my head now.
I knew what to look for and what to listen for.
I knew when to help her move, and when to help her breathe. This wasn’t panic. This was purpose.
As the contractions got stronger, I started massagin’ her back and helpin’ her change positions. I rubbed her lower back in circles, then kiss her shoulder and told her she was killin’ it. She gripped my hand and moaned through the pain, and I whispered that we was almost there.
At one point, I slipped out to make sure the kids was good. I told the nannies to keep Prestyn and Zurie on the other side of the crib and not let them come near. I ain’t want them hearin’ nothin’ or gettin’ scared. This moment was for me and Pluto, and soon for our son.
When I came back, she was standin’ by the bed, leanin’ over and breathin’ heavy. I went straight to her, slid my hands up her sides, and kissed her shoulder. “You good?”
She nodded but didn’t speak. She just gripped my arm tighter as another contraction hit. I started countin’ in my head, kissin’ her cheek while she breathed through it.
“Good job, baby. You doin’ so good,” I whispered when it passed. “They gettin’ close together now.”
Before long, I heard the sound of car doors outside. My heart jumped again, but it wasn’t fear. It was excitement.
A few minutes later, the door opened and my mama and Aunt Treasure walked in. They came in calm and professional, carryin’ bags full of supplies. Aunt Treasure looked like she was in her element. She set her stuff down on the dresser and went straight to Pluto.
“How far apart?” she asked me.
“About four minutes,” I said, watchin’ her closely.
Aunt Treasure nodded and told Pluto to lay back. She pulled on her gloves, talkin’ softly the whole time to keep Pluto calm. Then she checked her cervix and looked up at me with a small smile. “She’s four centimeters dilated.”
My stomach flipped. I looked at Pluto, her eyes half-closed, her face glistenin’ with sweat, and I swear I felt the same rush I felt when Prestyn was born. My heart was poundin’ but in the best way.
“Four centimeters,” I repeated. “A’ight. We on our way.”
I took Pluto’s hand, kissed it, then kissed her forehead. “You hear that, baby? We almost there.”
She gave me a weak smile, whisperin’ that she was tired, and I brushed her hair back from her face. “I know. But you strong. You the strongest woman I know, and I’m right here with you. Ain’t goin’ nowhere.”
As aunt Treasure started settin’ up everything, I stayed close. I brought Pluto ice, rubbed her belly and helped her breathe through every contraction. I ain’t care how long it took. My son was on the way.
Time was passin’ and my damn nerves was all over the place.
I was tryna stay calm, but it felt like my chest was beatin’ from the inside out.
My wife was in pain, sweatin’ and breathin’ heavy, and all I could do was be right there.
I ain’t never felt so helpless but proud at the same time.
Every few minutes I looked over at her, whisper somethin’ soft to calm her down, and she’d nod, tryna keep her focus.
My mama was right by her side, holdin’ her hand and whisperin’ in her ear, tellin’ her how good she was doin’.
Aunt Treasure was movin’ around the room, checkin’ things, and givin’ out instructions.
The whole room felt charged. I couldn’t help but pace back and forth, my mind bouncin’ between excitement and fear.
Every now and then I stepped out the room for a quick second just to go down the hall where the nannies had Prestyn and Zurie.
Both of ‘em was sleep, peaceful and innocent, not even knowin’ their baby brother was on the way.
When I walked back in, Pluto was holdin’ on to my mama’s hand tighter. Her face was glistenin’ with sweat, and she looked tired but determined. I wiped her forehead with a towel and kissed her temple. “You got this, baby. You got it,” I told her.
She nodded weakly, her breath comin’ in short, quick pulls. Aunt Treasure knelt down to check her cervix again, then looked up with a proud smile. “She’s eight centimeters. We almost there,” she said.
My heart jumped. Almost there. That meant my son was almost here. I rubbed Pluto’s leg and whispered, “You hear that, baby? You almost done. You doin’ so damn good.”
She smiled a lil’, even through the pain. “It hurt, Pressure,” she mumbled.
“I know it do, my love, but you strong. You stronger than you think. I’m right here with you.”
Time moved slow after that. The clock on the wall kept tickin’, but it felt like the longest hours of my life.
I watched her breathe through every contraction, her body tremblin’ with effort.
Aunt Treasure kept encouragin’ her, Mama kept holdin’ her hand, and I just stayed right there, rubbin’ her leg, kissin’ her hand, whisperin’ anything that might help her keep goin’.
After what felt like forever, Aunt Treasure checked again and said the words that made my chest tighten. “She’s ready. It’s time.”
Mama looked at me with tears in her eyes, and nodded. “It’s time, son.”
I swallowed hard, movin’ closer. Pluto was cryin’ but still pushin’ through.
Aunt Treasure told her she was gonna help her stand, and they lifted her up gentle.
She guided Pluto to squat, sayin’ it was gon’ help the baby come down easier.
I got behind her, supportin’ her back while she leaned forward, breathin’ heavy.
“Okay, baby, I need you to push,” Aunt Treasure said calm but firm.
Pluto pushed, her whole body shakin’. She cried out, and Mama wiped her tears, tellin’ her she was almost there. I kissed the side of her face, whisperin’ how proud I was, and how beautiful she looked even right now, sweatin’ and cryin’ and fightin’ for our baby.
“Push again, Pluto,” Aunt Treasure said.
She did, screamin’ this time, her voice breakin’ from the effort. I rubbed her shoulders and whispered, “That’s my wife. That’s my woman. You doin’ it, baby.”
Her hands reached for mine, squeezin’ tight. She was so strong. So damn strong. I looked down, and that’s when I saw my baby. The top of his lil’ head peekin’ through, covered in a head full of dark hair. My heart almost stopped.
“He got hair,” I said, my voice crackin’.
Aunt Treasure smiled. “He almost here. One more big push, Pluto. Come on, baby girl.”
Pluto clenched her eyes shut and pushed one last time, her whole body tremblin’ with it. I moved down just in time, my hands reachin’ out. And then, right there, my son slipped into my arms. My own hands caught him.
For a second, time froze. He was warm and slippery and so small, but the second I held him, everything around me disappeared. Aunt Treasure cleared his lungs, and then that cry came. It was loud, strong, and perfect.
The sound hit me hard. Tears filled my eyes before I could stop ‘em. My wife collapsed back against me, breathin’ heavy and cryin’ too. Mama was cryin’, Aunt Treasure was smilin’, and my whole world was right there in my arms.
“Look at him,” I whispered, my voice shakin’.
Pluto’s eyes found mine. “You caught him,” she whispered, her voice full of disbelief and love.
I nodded, kissin’ her forehead, then lookin’ down at our son. “Yeah, baby. I caught our son.”
Aunt Treasure cut the cord, wrapped him in a soft towel, and handed him to Pluto. She was cryin’ and smilin’ all at once. “You did amazin’, my love. You did that,” I told her, my voice soft but full of pride.
My mama rubbed Pluto’s arm, whisperin’, “You did beautiful, sweetheart.”
I leaned down and kissed Pluto’s lips, then kissed my son’s forehead. “Welcome home, lil’ man. Welcome to the world, Kaylon Mensah.”
Hours later, after everything calmed down, Pluto was propped up in bed holdin’ Kaylon against her chest. The room smelled like a new baby and peace. I sat beside her, just watchin’ her hum to him. I felt like my whole life had been leadin’ to this.
A light knock came at the door, and the nanny walked in with Prestyn and Zurie. My heart melted all over again when I saw ‘em. Prestyn was rubbin’ his eyes with his lil’ durag on, lookin’ confused, and Zurie’s face lit up when she saw the baby.
“Can we see him?” she whispered.
Pluto smiled. “Come on, baby girl.”
They climbed into the bed, Prestyn crawlin’ into my lap while Zurie leaned close to Pluto’s arm. Prestyn pointed with his tiny finger. “Baby,” he said, his voice sleepy but curious.
“Yeah, that’s your baby brother,” I told him, kissin’ the top of his head. “That’s Kaylon.”
Zurie gasped softly. “He’s so cute. Look at all that hair.”
Pluto laughed through her tears, her voice soft. “He do got a lot, huh?”
I looked down at Kaylon again, his tiny chest movin’ slow as he drifted to sleep on Pluto’s chest. “He perfect,” I whispered.
Pluto nodded, her hand slidin’ into mine. “Just like his daddy.”
I smiled, kissin’ her again.
The room was quiet after that, just the sound of our kids breathin’. I wrapped my arm around all of them, feelin’ a calm I couldn’t even explain. This was it. I had my wife and kids.
And that was all a nigga really needed.