Chapter 13
brION
“You nervous?” Hymn asked as I sat in the exam chair
“Maybe.” I was definitely nervous, but I didn’t know why.
I had just taken a pregnancy test two days before.
My period had only been one day late, but I knew the day that it was due that something was up.
Yes, I had been working hard and dealing with wedding planning, but the fatigue that I had been feeling wasn’t normal at all. I had no energy.
“What are you nervous about? I thought you wanted to have my baby.”
I kissed my teeth and rolled my eyes. “Not that kind of nervous. We planned this pregnancy crazy. My nerves are just shot. I haven’t been pregnant in like seven years.”
Hymn stood up, walked over, and kissed me. “There isn’t anything to be nervous about. We got this. If you want to stop working, stay home all day, and stuff your face with food and snacks, you can do that. You know that, right?”
“I know.”
I had worked so hard to build my makeup bar.
The reality show got my business a lot of recognition but at the same time, it was my skills that had people booking me on a daily basis.
There were days I did at least nine clients.
There were females that came in every day we were open to get their makeup done because they were bartenders, bottle girls, or strippers.
The women that made money based off their looks viewed paying to get their makeup professionally done as an investment.
When they went to work looking good, they made that money back plus plenty more.
Maybe I would close my books for a month or two just until the fatigue got better.
I had done the whole stay at home mom thing, and it wasn’t something I wanted to revisit long-term.
The door opened, and the doctor came in.
She was a short Indian woman. I had a doctor that I’d been going to for years but for my prenatal care, I was going to a doctor that was used to dealing with high profile patients.
I didn’t want people trying to sneak and take pictures of me and Hymn every time I had an appointment.
I needed people that were used to seeing celebrities.
I wasn’t even sharing the news of my pregnancy with the producers or any of the cast members.
I wanted to wait until I was almost four months in case I miscarried.
“How are you doing?” she asked me shaking my hand then she did the same with Hymn.
“I’m pretty good,” I smiled not feeling the need to share the fact that I’d been tired because what pregnant woman didn’t have that symptom?
The doctor went over all the particulars then she told me to lie back, so she could listen for a heartbeat and try to get a photo of my little bean.
Hymn had sat back down, so he stood up and came over to stand beside me, to have a better view.
I licked my lips nervously as the doctor inserted the ultrasound device into my vagina.
What if there was no heartbeat? My heart was racing, and I just wanted my nerves to settle.
Once she told me the baby was fine, I’d be able to relax.
“Thereeeee we go,” she smiled as a soft swishing sound filled the room. It was amazing to me that something so tiny could have a heartbeat. Like, the baby didn’t even have fingers and toes, but the heart was beating.
Aside from my baby’s heartbeat, the room was silent. I felt slight pressure as the doctor gently moved the probe to the side. When the doctor glanced over at me, my heart pounded harder.
“Is something wrong?”
“You must be one of God’s favorites. Either that or your eggs don’t like to release alone. I see two sacs.”
“No,” my heart thudded. “No please be lying to me. How the hell? What the hell? If you tell me you see three, I’m getting up off this table, and I’m not coming back,” I threatened as tears filled my eyes. One of God’s favorites hell. I was starting to think He hated me.
Hymn laughed at my over the top reaction making my eyes shoot in his direction. “I don’t see anything funny.” I whined. “Why does this keep happening to me?”
“You already know that having multiples automatically makes your pregnancy high risk. I understand the shock, but try and calm down, so you don’t stress and raise your blood pressure. It’s a lot to process, I know. There are two sacs, so they are fraternal twins.”
My mind was blank as she gave me an official due date and all of the other necessary information. After I made my next appointment, Hymn held the door open for me. “I can never touch you again, huh?”
“I’m glad you know.” I sulked.
Kids were an absolute blessing and for some reason, God saw fit to triple and double bless me every time. I was willing to give Hymn two babies, and there they were. As soon as they were born, I wanted my entire uterus removed and tossed into the trash can like Jordan shooting a three pointer.
Inside the car, Hymn grabbed my hand. “Look at me.” I did as he asked. “What is it about having twins that has you upset?”
“It’s a lot,” my voice cracked. “Being pregnant with triplets traumatized me. It hurts. My belly was so big. I was so uncomfortable. I couldn’t sleep.
I had to pee every thirty minutes. For three months, I couldn’t keep anything down.
I was severely dehydrated and didn’t have any energy.
I literally felt like death. I hated it,” I cried.
“So, it’s the pregnancy part that has you worried.”
“I mean having multiples is a lot. Corey wasn’t exactly super hands on after the first week or so, but my family helped a lot.”
“Listen, I know you’re Ms. Independent like to get everything done, but I can get you all the help you need.
You don’t have to cook or clean. The only thing you have to do is what you want to do.
If you want to sleep all day you can. You can even hire someone to come in and help with the girls when I leave for training camp.
They can help with homework or anything you need them too.
Okay? And you already know once you have the babies and the season is over, I got them.
You can leave the country and take a vacation or some shit. ”
His comment made me smile. It was a sad smile but still a smile.
I simply wasn’t looking forward to being pregnant with twins but if I could do three, I could handle two.
Prayerfully. Out of all the things I was nervous about, being pregnant with twins or another set of triplets didn’t cross my mind.
Because I’d never get pregnant with multiples back to back, right? Joke was on me.
“Thank you. I appreciate you so much.” I leaned over the arm rest and kissed Hymn on the lips.
I was a psycho times ten when I was pregnant with the girls.
By that time, Corey and I had been together for two years, so it wasn’t fun for him, but it wasn’t enough to run him off.
My relationship with Hymn was still fairly new.
I was going to try as best I could to keep my attitude in check, but I knew it was going to be hard.
I’d probably just have to tape my mouth shut.
Alisa, Josie, and my parents were the only people I was going to tell about my pregnancy before the second trimester.
And maybe London. I was just scared to tell people and then I would have to explain to them if something bad happened.
My phone rang, and I pulled it from my purse to see who it was. Alisa. “Hey, boo.”
“Did you get the text message I sent?”
“No, my phone was in my purse. I’m with Hymn. Hold on.” Removing the phone from my ear, I went to the text messages and smiled so wide it damn near hurt. “Alisa!” I screeched as I stared stunned at the positive pregnancy tests. All four of them.
“I can’t believe it. I’m still in shock.
I took three tests last week and another one two days later.
I really can’t believe that I’m going to be somebody’s mother.
I’m so nervous and Dre is so happy,” she chuckled.
“My first appointment is today. I wanted to wait to tell anybody, but I couldn’t keep it in any longer.
I won’t be able to turn up at your reception,” she sighed.
“Congratulations, babe. I’m so happy for you and Dre. You are going to be an amazing mother. And don’t worry. I won’t be able to turn up either. We can drink sparkling water out of champagne flutes.”
There was a brief pause. “You’re pregnant too?!” she screamed.
“Yes,” I laughed. “I just left the doctor and surprise, it’s twins.”
“Brion, I know you fucking lying. I know you are fucking lying to me!”
“Oh, how I wish I was friend. I cried. Girl, I want to cry right now.”
“I’m terrified. I don’t know what your reproductive system is made of, but I pray to God I am nothing like you.”
“I’m not even mad at you for that prayer, friend. Somebody done told Sky Daddy that my womb was one of his strongest soldiers.”
Alisa and Hymn laughed, but I was dead serious. How that kept happening to me I had no idea.
“You want something to eat, babe?” Hymn asked.
“Um nothing heavy. Maybe a salad from that place Chopped.”
“Bet.”
With a smile, I listened to Alisa talk about her pregnancy.
How nervous she was but excited at the same time.
My friend had focused on her career and gotten pregnant when she was ready and felt the time was right.
I loved that for her. I loved it for me too.
I was still in shock and a little scared, but doing pregnancy the second time around with a man like Hymn was going to be amazing.
Something in my gut was telling me that, and I was going to choose to believe it.