14. Church #2
Perkins pretended to gag. Honestly, I’d forgotten she was standing there. “So, you two are a couple?”
“I don’t know if she claims me, but I for damn sure claim her,” Jones responded.
“I claim you,” I told him.
Perkins’ eyes moved back and forth between the two of us. “Good luck. And good job on this project. It’s all I hear about at the salon. How the McNulty project is coming along. How nice the house is.”
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” She looked at me. “Churchy, I helped raise you, so I trust your judgment.” And with that, she walked away.
The holidays came and went, and soon enough, winter gave way to spring.
In Jackson Falls, spring meant The Stream Violet Festival.
It was your average small-town festival that celebrated the turn in weather, and to a lesser extent, the Stream Violet—a popular flower in the area that, back in the day, alerted the residents that spring had arrived.
The festival offered a carnival, a 5K run, craft booths, vendor booths, an outdoor concert, cooking contests, and a pet parade.
Though they each had their own responsibilities to attend to, I was thankful that Jones and Lex agreed to help Mari and me with our setup. Lex and Mari had stepped away, leaving Jones and me at the booth alone.
He wrapped his arms around my waist. Without even thinking about it, I wrapped my arms around his neck. “When does class start?”
After conversations with Bright to discuss where exactly he saw his future going, Jones decided to branch off from construction into safety consulting.
With his degree in engineering and his experience in construction work, it was a natural transition.
But before he could consider opening his own consulting business, he needed to be certified in safety.
“The week after next. I start with OSHA training, then I move on to—” He was interrupted by the chuckle of a male voice.
“Wow.” Timi’s gaze moved between Jones and me. “What’s up, Church?”
I rolled my eyes. Timi knew good and well that I didn’t mess with him. “Hi.” I said it as dryly as possible.
He smirked and chuckled again. “You guys look real cozy.”
“Go away,” I told him.
“Yeah. Go away, dog. There’s no reason for you to hang around here. Keep moving.”
Timi held up his hands, like he didn’t want any trouble. But if he didn’t want trouble, why did he come to my table? “My bad. I’ll keep walking. I just think it’s interesting that—”
Jones walked away from me and made his way around the table toward Timi.
“Hey. Hey. Hey. I’m leaving.” We watched as Timi walked off quickly.
Jones turned to me with his face twisted up. “And that’s the dude you were with for three years?”
“Don’t remind me.” I put my face in my hands.
“Yeah, you should be embarrassed. That motherfucka is a joke.”
“He is.”
He walked back over to me and wrapped me back up in his arms. “You upgraded.”
I had to chuckle. “So arrogant.”
“But am I lying?”
I chuckled again. “Nah, you’re not lying. I definitely upgraded.”
Mari and Lex returned, bearing carryout dishes in their hands. “We stopped by Brewer’s booth.” She set two cups of lemonade on the table.
Brewer operated a booth at every seasonal festival that Jackson Falls had. His booth always offered festival-sized servings of the most popular dishes on the Good Ashes menu. His booth was always a hit with the crowd because Brewer’s food was top tier.
“What’d you get?” Jones questioned.
“Dungeness crab cakes and truffle fries.”
“We’re gonna take our food back to my booth so I can finish setting up,” Lex told Jones, who nodded his agreement.
“You good?” he asked me.
“Yeah. Me and Mari have it. We can finish setting up the table. We’ll see you guys later.”
Before they could walk away, Jenna and Kylena approached our table.
“Oh, wow. Are they both pregnant?” Mari whispered to me.
I took them in quickly and did feel like both were sporting visible baby bumps. What the hell?
“Hey, y’all.” Jenna included everybody in her wave, even me.
“Hey.” Mari moved in to hug her.
“Damn, are congratulations in order?” Lex asked with no chill. His face was twisted up as he eyed each of them critically.
Kylena rubbed her stomach and chuckled. “Something like that.”
“How the hell did that happen?” Jones asked.
“Ugh, you know we like to play. Apparently, we didn’t follow the rule book and let the nigga shoot up the club.”
My jaw dropped.
“Yeah.” Jenna rubbed her own belly. “Who would’ve thought that he would have super sperm or some shit? I mean, he actually got both of us pregnant.”
“That is very reality-TV-like,” I commented softly.
“That’s very crazy-as-hell-like.” Mari glanced over at me.
“It’s very ratchet like,” Jenna commented. “We know. First, we’re the pretty lesbian couple. Now we’re the pretty, pregnant by the same nigga lesbian couple. I’m sure this town is about to have a field day at our expense.”
“Who’s the dude?” Lex wanted to know.
“He’s a local asshole,” Kylena admitted. “But as soon as we told him, his family swooped in and offered us a payout in exchange for a gag order until the paternity results come back.”
“Oh, so his family has paper?” Jones probed. “At least your children won’t struggle.”
“Nah, they won’t. Because once these tests come back, we’re taking the bitch-ass nigga for everything we can get from him.”
“Damn, Jenna.” Lex turned up his nose.
“What, damn, Jenna? He’s the one who went in raw. We didn’t force him. He could’ve worn a condom, . . . multiple condoms. He was the one trying to live out every fantasy he’s ever had.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Oh well. You gotta pay to play.”
“Damn!” Jones shook his head.
“Double damn,” Lex commented.
Jenna’s eyes swung from Jones to me. “Um, remember what we talked about before, Jones? Seems like you might have an answer to my question.”
I rolled my eyes because I knew exactly what she was talking about.
“I might,” he admitted. “But like I told you way back when, I ain’t telling you shit.”
Jenna eyed me. “Me and Ky still play, Church. And you know what they say about pregnant pussy. It’s the sweetest. I’ll let you taste mine if you let me taste yours.”
Kylena made a slurping sound with her mouth.
“Damn, they tryin’ to get at your girl in your face?” Lex questioned Jones.
“Say, don’t make me act the fuck up, Jenna. I don’t fight women.”
“So fuckin’ stingy.” She shook her head. She reached out and took Kylena’s hand in hers. “I’m hungry. Let’s go find food.”
Kylena waved with her free hand. “See you around.”
And the two women walked off.
“Who do you think is their babies’ daddy?” Mari asked.
I shrugged my shoulders. My face was still frowned up from Jenna propositioning me.