Nova
The morning sun spilled through the wide kitchen windows like liquid gold, casting warm light on the hardwood floors and marble countertops.
For once, there was peace, no threats, no fear in the pit of my stomach.
Just Crew leaning against the stove shirtless, frying bacon with one hand and sipping coffee with the other, while Timberly danced around barefoot in her pajamas and oversized bonnet.
“You made the eggs too runny last time,” Timberly said matter-of-factly, hands on her hips.
“Didn’t nobody ask you to be Gordon Ramsay this early, baby girl.” Crew said, glancing down at her in mock offense.
“You asked me if I wanted breakfast.” She giggled.
“I did but I didn’t ask to be on Chopped .” He laughed.
I smiled as I slid onto the barstool, one hand unconsciously drifting to my stomach.
It still felt surreal, that there was life growing inside me.
That after all that darkness… I was still here.
We were still able to find joy without being on edge .
Then a loud knock on the back patio door jarred me from my thoughts.
A small pinch of unease gripped me until I saw Tyra's head wrapped in a leopard scarf, holding two Starbucks cups and an attitude.
“Y’all really got me driving cross town for breakfast like I don’t got gas prices to pay,” she said as she walked in.
“Good morning to you too, sunshine,” I teased, hugging her tightly. “Where’s my nephew?
“With my Aunt Pam. See said for you to call her by the way.” She huffed as she put a cup down in front of me with a smile.
Crew handed her a plate before pointing at the bacon. “Don’t eat more than three. Timberly counts.” He huffed playfully.
“I would hate to have to fight my niece over bacon. But I will,” Tyra replied, already chewing.
“I heard that!” Timberly yelled from the living room.
“So, who are these new friends you wanted to introduce me to?” Tyra asked.
“I already told you about Anesia. She’s Tati’s mother, you remember Timberly’s friend.
She’s bringing Tati over to see Timber and I thought it would be nice if she and her girls could come over since I can’t really leave the house while Kyle is still out there.
You’ll love them Mecca is Black and Blue’s sister and Kema is her best friend.
They are so crazy and cool just like your ass.
” I told her. Intentionally leaving out the part that they helped me question and torture Kennedy last night.
“Sounds like a plan. You know I keep my circle small. Meaning just me and you but if you say they’re cool I’ll give them a chance. It would be nice to have a friend group we could party with.” She said, taking a sip of her coffee.
A few hours later, Anesia, Mecca and Kema arrived with August and Tatiana, each with bags of sandwiches from my favorite place in town, they had fresh fruit, pastries, and something called “organic lavender honey spread” that I was pretty sure cost more than my rent back in the day.
It didn’t take long for the laughter to erupt as we sat outside on the large veranda.
Tyra instantly clicked with Kema, both of them loud, funny, and unfiltered.
Mecca and Del hit it off too, bonding over a mutual obsession with sleek planners, and overpriced perfume.
Anesia and Janelle, the calmer ones of the bunch chatting over shared taste in books, author and urban fiction versus dark romance.
I just sat there, watching them all connect feeling something I hadn’t in a long time.
Like I belonged. This was what I had been searching for when I ran from Kyle all those years ago.
“So,” I said once the food was halfway demolished. “I was thinking, we should do brunch sometime when all this is over.” I smiled putting the last piece of my cherry Danish in my mouth.
“We actually do a Sunday funday brunch at Harpers. It's a cool little vibe in Brookview. Y’all are welcome anytime.” Anesia said. “I’ll give y’all the address and time for our next one. You can meet my bestie Cree then too.”
“Girl, I’m always down.” Tyra said. “But you definitely gon have to do some acrobatics on the dick to get Crew mean ass to let you up out of this house any time soon. Especially now that you’re carrying Tyra Jr.” She snickered.
“What?” Mecca asked, looking between the two of us.
“Well, I guess I’ll let the cat out of the bag since my friend can’t hold water. I’m pregnant.” I said, shaking my head at Tyra as she hunched her shoulders and sipped her drink.
“Congratulations!” They all said.
“Thank you, guys. It's early. I haven’t even been to the doctors yet.” I told them
“I know damn well he ain’t letting your ass out of his sight then. Sorry girl.” Anesia said. If he’s anything like August your ass is gon have to invest in some knee pads and throat spray before you can go outside.” She laughed, causing everybody to join in and slap hands.
“Well, I’m just gon’ ask him and see what he says.
Maybe if I agree to take a few of his men with me he will go for it.
” I said not really believing my own words.
I looked over to the deck where Crew was sitting at the bar with August and the twins, catching his sharp gaze like he had been listening to our conversation the whole time.
“No.” He said, brow lifted in a scowl.
“But—” I said but he cut me off.
“You just got home. Kyle still ain’t dead and you just found out that you’re pregnant.”
“I need to feel normal.” I said, folding my arms and pouting like a spoiled child.
“Then we’ll bring brunch to you.” He said
“Wow. Really?” I, a smile returning to my face.
“You think I’m letting you out of my sight when you and Timberly are still in danger outside of this house?”
“He got a point.” Kema said.
August walked in from the hallway, catching the tail end of the conversation, and immediately said, “Hell no.”
“Damn, are you tapping my cell phone? I swore you were in the bathroom during that conversation.” Anesia said. “Did y’all rehearse that?
“I agree. Ain’t no girls’ day out right now. Period.” August said, nodding towards Crew.
“So, if we find that nigga and take care of him then we can go to brunch?” Mecca asked, looking at her brothers.
“Mecca.” Black and Blue both growled.
“Okay, okay just kidding.” She laughed.
“Bet. Let’s bring Sunday funday brunch to you.” Kema said, clapping her hands.
We sat for another hour planning out our impromptu brunch that would be taking place tomorrow while the men talked in private and Tati and Timberly played Roblox inside. I couldn’t wait to do something to take my mind off what was going on with Kyle.
The next afternoon the girls had the house smelling like citrus, fresh waffles, and rosewater toner.
Even if we weren’t allowed to leave, the ladies made sure to bring the brunch vibes to me .
Tyra was already barefoot in the living room, silk robe tied loose, playlist on blast as Kehlani’s Toxic rolled through the speakers.
Anesia danced in the middle of the floor like it was her stage, while Timberly sat cross-legged beside her, carefully applying purple eyeshadow to her own eyelids.
“Yo, who gave this child my Fenty palette?!” Tyra gasped.
Timberly looked up, totally unfazed. “Del said I could use it.”
Del shrugged, going back to painting Tati’s nails.
Tyra narrowed her eyes. “You lucky I like you.” She said to Del.
Across the room, Mecca and Kema had taken over the dining table. Between them sat four notebooks, two iced coffees, a giant charcuterie board, and what looked like a laminated emergency contact plan.
“You two planning a girls’ day or a military operation?” I joked, walking over.
“Both,” Mecca deadpanned.
“We take our fun seriously.” Kema said, smiling softly.
I sat next to them, picking up a strawberry. “So… this is what peace looks like, huh?”
“Looks like it,” Mecca said. “But peace doesn’t mean letting your guard down. It means surrounding yourself with people who’ll guard you too.”
I looked at them both, taking them in for the first time.
Their fierce, calculated demeanor hidden under luxury brands, and beautiful smiles.
These were the type of women that didn’t wait for their men to save them.
They took matters into their own hands and got shit done.
What they said hit deep. They were the type to protect the family if it came down to it.
“You okay? Like, really, okay?” Kema asked, leaning closer.
I hesitated, then nodded. “Getting there.”
“You don’t have to rush,” she said gently. “But you should know, you walked in that room yesterday like a woman who knew what had to be done. And you did hesitate.”
“I still feel broken sometimes.”
“Good,” Mecca said. “Broken people build better foundations.”
“You really the smart friend, huh?”
“And the quiet dangerous one, but you’ll get there.” Mecca winked.
We all laughed.
Tyra dropped down beside us, sipping orange juice like it was wine. “So, when we running it back? I need more days like this.”
“You saying you like us?” Kema teased.
“I didn’t say all that,” Tyra shot back. “But I might invite y’all to the cookout. Maybe.” She smirked, then winked at Kema.
Outside, Crew and August had set up the grill while Pops supervised from the porch like a retired king watching over his domain.
Black and Blue sat near the back fence, pretending they weren’t listening to the women talk but I saw Crew smirk every time I laughed.
He needed this too. He’d been carrying too much for too long.
When the sun started dipping low, we gathered outside with plates in our laps, drinks in hand.
Crew slid onto the lounge chair beside me and draped an arm across my shoulders.
“You look happy,” he said, voice low.
“I am.”
“Good. That’s all I want.” He said kissing my temple.
“You been thinking about names?” I asked, leaning into him and lacing our fingers.
“For the baby?” He questioned, running his large hand across my belly.
“Yeah.”