Chapter 8 P’Nee #2
Yes, I wanted Jacob to be held accountable, and I didn’t want a relationship with Jordan, but I didn’t want the family business to suffer. I knew that would affect my brother too.
Josh huffed, then said, “Jacob only owns five percent of the farm. I bought out a majority of his shares years ago. Dad owns forty, I own thirty, and you twenty-five.”
My drink went down the wrong way. I coughed. What did he mean that I owned a part of the farm? Bolt patted my back until I got myself together. “Wait, what? I own some of the farm business?”
Josh glared at me like I was slow. “Yes. Why would you not have ownership? You technically are a Nichols, P’Nee.”
I was sincerely confused. “I never knew that. Did my mama know that, or is it like a recent thing?”
Josh chuckled. “Pops said that there’s a trust in your name that all of your money goes into.
It’s a high interest bearing account.” He must have seen my confusion because, why wouldn’t he tell me that?
Like he read my mind, he answered my question.
“He planned to tell you that night he was here for dinner, but that shit went kind of left.”
This was crazy! “So, there’s a bank account out there with my baby’s name on it?” Bolt shifted in his seat to face me. “P’Nee, you’ll be my suga mama?”
My laughter came out so hard that it almost hurt my throat. He looked at me like I offended him with my laugh. “Shut up, Bolt! What makes you think I can be your suga mama? You need to be my suga daddy.”
He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me toward him. His lips kissed my neck, but the pleasure was short lived by the hate of a big brother. “Man, I don’t want to see that shit. I’m out, y’all.”
We laughed at his childishness. “Don’t be like that, Joshy Poo. If it were you and Jojo, I wouldn’t say anything to you.”
When Josh’s eyes tightened, Bolt’s laugh heightened. My girl was giving my brother no act right. It was a cat and mouse game with the two of them. I already told them that one day, one of them would get caught. “Man, whatever, Nee. Like I said I’m . . .”
Before he finished his sentence, Mama Sandra walked through the front door with a pan in her hands. Granny Cat, Bethany, and Benji weren’t too far behind. “Mama, what y’all doing here?”
She didn’t respond until she came out of the kitchen. Granny Cat and Bethany had already taken their seats. Benji disappeared, but we knew he went into the game room. That was his favorite room at his uncle’s house. “I came over here to make sure that girl right there eats.”
My face drew back when she pointed at me. “Mama Sandra, thank you. You didn’t have to make sure I eat. I’ll eat eventually.”
“Lil girl, you didn’t eat breakfast this morning before court. Have you eaten since?” Granny Cat asked. “You need to eat. Oh, and here.” She reached in her oversized purse that she carried everywhere. She pulled out a plastic bag and passed it to Bolt, who was closest to her.
She told him to give it to me, but like the nosy man he was, he opened it. His face tightened. “Why does she need to take this?”
My eyelids spread and made room for my bulged eyes. It was a pregnancy test. “Granny, why are you carrying around a pregnancy test? I didn’t know you were out here being irresponsible.”
“I will slap you, lil girl,” she quipped with her finger pointed at me. “Go take that pregnancy test so I can stop dreaming about these damn fish. I don’t even like fish.”
My stare fell on Bethany. “Don’t look at me, sis. I told you last week that I thought you were pregnant. You told me and Jojo that we thought we knew everything because we had kids.”
Mama Sandra sat in the open seat next to me. “Baby, just go take the test to put my mind at rest. It’s been a stressful lil bit and you’ve been stressing. School is about to start back, so your principal hat is about to go back on. We just want to know if you need a mommy hat too.”
Bolt jumped up from his seat. “Come on so I can find out if I’m going to be a daddy.”
When he reached his hand out for me, I took it. “All of y’all get on my nerves. Let’s go.”
I led the way to our bedroom. Bolt sat on the bed while I went into the bathroom to take the pregnancy test that Granny Cat bought.
I took the time to read the instructions.
I didn’t need to, but I wanted to stall a little.
I had taken a test or two in my past, so I was well aware of how to take the test.
“Nee, it doesn’t take that long to take a test. Stop reading those instructions and piss on that damn stick!” His voice scared the shit out of me.
I sucked my teeth. “Shut up! You don’t know me.”
I heard his mumble but couldn’t make out what he mumbled. I took care of my business, washed my hands, and was back in the bedroom in less than ten minutes. My nerves really kicked in when I sat on the bed next to my man. “What if it’s positive?”
His gaze was soft. “Then it’s positive, and we’re going to have a baby, and you’re going to be a Abloy.” His eyes tightened for a moment. “Actually, you’ll be a Abloy before we have a baby, but yeah.”
Today must be confuse P’Nee Day. Before I asked the question on my mind, he stood up and moved in front of me. He pulled a small box from his pocket before he got down on one knee. My breath hitched.
“P’Nee Margie Anderson, I love you. I can’t see myself doing this life thing without you. I don’t want to do this life thing without you. Will you be mine for life and let me be yours?” He opened the ring box and turned it around.
When my hand flew over my mouth, I felt my tears hit it. Through my hand, I said, “Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you.”
He gingerly took my hand from my mouth, then placed the ring on my finger. Once it was on, I took a closer look at it before I leaned forward and kissed his lips. We laughed after we fell on the floor. “So, you ready to be Mrs. Abloy?”
I stood to my feet, then walked into the bathroom. It felt like time stood still when I picked up the pregnancy test. I stared for a beat before my smile came through. I walked back into the bedroom with the test in my hand. “I’m ready to be Mrs. Abloy and a mommy.”