Chapter 30
THIRTY
Brandy Noel
ARMOND HELD ME CLOSELY. We’d been sleeping peacefully in the same position all night and I hated that I had to ruin it by getting up to pee. The second I pushed his arm off me, he groaned then wrapped his arm right back around my torso.
“Mon Mon, I have to get up, baby,” I said softly.
“Naw, go ahead and pee, we’ll change the sheets and mattress when we wake up,” he said, head tucked into my back.
“Eww, ya nasty and such a waste of money.” I laughed and pushed him off. He lay back and put his arms over his head, looking every bit delicious with that devilish smirk.
“Hurry up. If you take too long, we’ll just be up for the rest of the day and you know it,” he said.
“I’ve been up for ten minutes already. I’m up,” I said, then stuck my tongue out at him.
He tossed a pillow at me and I scurried off to the bathroom.
I was full of giggles until my bladder turned on its toilet radar.
The closer I got seemed like a dam was going to break loose through my legs.
I barely made it. I let out a grateful sigh then hunched over as a sharp pain curdled my tummy.
“Baby, you okay?” Armond asked a few seconds later from the bathroom door.
“Uhhhh,” I groaned. “Yeah. Yeah, all good. Probably gas.”
“Gas got you sounding like that?”
“I said probably.”
“Do I need to call up Ma or Dr. Hanna, Brandy?”
“No! Please don’t.”
He sighed heavily. A thud against the door startled me, but that made me realize he probably hit his head on the door attempting not to crash out.
“What do you need, honeybee?”
His voice was soft… so caring, it nearly broke my heart.
I had this man worrying something crazy over me and there was absolutely nothing I could do to ease that stress.
Pregnancy was something I couldn’t control with a remote.
Long pees, random belching, and sometimes sharp pains, all came with it.
I wish I could tell him it would all be okay because I was a little worried myself.
It was cute that he was so frazzled over me. It felt good to be cared for, felt even better being safe. I didn’t have to worry about the annoyance of walking on eggshells. I was finally free and with child. Yeah, it was way sooner than I could ever imagine, yet I was beyond grateful.
God was giving me another chance to raise a child. Blood of my blood. It felt amazing. Of course, I was nervous about possible complications since my body had experienced so much trauma. I just prayed I got the privilege to bring it to full term and love on my child. They’d be my little yoga buddy.
Even though this was way too early in our relationship to be worrying about kids, we played our part and we’d deal with it together.
Armond had always been solid and very present.
The way he cared about those closest to him only shone a light on the father I knew he’d be.
You can just tell things about a person’s character and Armond’s shines brightly. He was crazy as hell but he was mine.
“I’m okay, love. I’m good.”
“I’m here if you need me. Don’t be afraid to ask for my help, alright?”
I nodded, knowing he couldn’t see me then said, “I promise.”
I stepped into the shower and thought about the day ahead. It was quite early but knowing my sister she’d be hitting me up at dawn talking about going shopping to ensure they had everything for this dinner. I told her to just hire someone, but knowing her, she wanted her hand in everything.
I mentally prepared myself for the fake smiling and fake conversations. Armond hadn’t told me everyone who would be in attendance but I was sure the atmosphere would be heavy no matter how hard everyone tried to pretend.
I thought it would be postponed after everything that happened the night before, but I was dead wrong. Back in motion and annoying as hell. I’d already met his mother and sister and they were all I cared about. The rest of the family could wait until the family had proper time to grieve.
I mean, did you even grieve something like that?
Who knew with this family’s organization.
I could be getting ready to sit in on dinner with the Addams family or the Sopranos.
I just needed to calm down and focus on staying as stress free as possible.
I’d leave Armond to handle his family if anything went crazy.
I stepped out of the bathroom in my plush, white robe and instantly smelled coffee. He was already on the move and that was good for me. I could take my time getting dressed without him on my neck, checking if I was okay. Though I loved it, I liked to breathe too.
I slipped into the walk-in closet and looked at some of the things I’d purchased since spending time here.
I instantly grabbed a silk cami and shorts then slid right back out before I changed my mind.
There weren’t too many pieces here yet, but the cute little dresses I’d bought had been begging me to wear them.
I’d be in there playing dress up all day and forget we had things to take care of.
Walking up to the kitchen I was met with a light hum. I heard his body shifting around but that tune never dropped. He sounded sexy as hell. Not even singing words, just a melody of tiny riffs that made me want to melt. I did not know Armond had a voice like that.
I slowly walked into the kitchen and smiled at him pouring eggs into a frying pan.
He gently placed the bowl down then went about adding vegetables.
I sat at the island and waited for him to say something.
I knew he’d noticed me already. My elbows were on the counter and my head rested on my upright hands.
I was lost in my baby humming his own melody like he was on stage in front of thousands.
He didn’t even have to go crazy. That deep tenor of his made my toes curl.
“Anything extra you’d like to add to your omelet, honeybee?”
He looked my way and licked his lips slowly. He knew he had me. Shit was effortless. His tanned skin, tatted back, and abs. That slick hair falling lightly on the sides of his face. Those warm hazel eyes that took me somewhere light years away. I was gone off this man.
“No, I’m good, baby,” I replied.
He smirked and went back to cooking and humming again. I’d watch him cook all day.
A couple hours after breakfast I was back at my sis’s ranch going through racks of expensive evening dresses that on any other occasion I wouldn’t dare wear and expect to eat.
The possibility of destroying them with cocktail sauce was a nightmare I didn’t want to visit.
I lazily perused the selection while my sis was frantic about what would look good.
“Girl, you’re going to be beautiful. I don’t know why you’re sweating over this,” I said.
“Uh hello, what you think is about to happen? All eyes and questions will be on me and I don’t know if I have the patience to deal with all of it,” she said.
“Hoe, are you the one that’s pregnant? Talking about patience. You better find some and go on now.” I waved her off.
“What did I just hear? Since I know she isn’t, are you saying that you are, ma’am?” my mother said as she rounded the corner with Valencia. Fuck. I couldn’t sit here and lie to these women. Not now. My tongue got caught in my throat and it suddenly became drier than the Sahara.
“We wanted to tell y’all together,” I said softly, lowering my head.
Valencia’s eyes ballooned and my mother presented similar shock.
“That’s not why you’re engaged, is it?” Mommy asked softly.
“Engaged? I thought…”
“What’s all the commotion?” Armond said, stepping in right on time.
I let out a grateful sigh and Chardonnay was by my side now, rubbing light circles on my back. Armond threw his arm around me and tucked me into his side. I loved the protective shield he always had around me. It didn’t matter who we were facing.
“You got this poor girl pregnant, Armond?” Valencia asked.
My brows knitted together as I looked at my mother, her hand on her hip awaiting either of our responses. I exhaled slowly.
“Dr. Hanna hasn’t confirmed but I will say yes, Mother. Do we have a problem?” Armond asked sharply.
“What? Why would you think that? I’m just surprised is all,” she said, putting her hand on her chest.
“Well, you weren’t supposed to find out until we confirmed and got through this dinner,” Armond grumbled.
“I’m the one who asked the question, Armond. Be easy on your mother now,” Mommy said.
“It’s all love over here, Ms. Persephone. All good, Ma?”
“Well, of course, Armond. Don’t be silly. I’m finally getting another grandbaby.”
“Bellamy would get jealous of you saying that,” Armond said, referring to his sister Amelia’s daughter.
“She can’t blame me. I only see her a few times a year,” Valencia griped.
“Yeah, okay. Chardonnay, you’ve been holding that same dress in your hand since I walked over here. That’s the one,” Armond said.
“You think so?” she asked. Her hands were shaking and he slid his hand into hers and waited until she looked at him.
“Arlando will love it. He’s all that matters tonight, alright? You’ve already met Mom, the rest of the family just loves to be nosy. It’ll be a breeze.”
She nodded and he did too then squeezed her hand gently before letting go. Arlando walked in a couple seconds later with a huge smile on his face.
“What’s good, brother?” Armond asked.
“You’re having twins, my boy!” Arlando said excitedly.
“Twins?!” all of us ladies said in unison.
“Ah hell,” I grumbled.
I instantly felt my stomach churn and I dashed to the half bath a little ways down the hall. I threw up the second my knees hit the floor, thankful for my natural instincts to lift the toilet seat before landing. That would not have ended well for me.
“Sissy, you okay, boo?” Chardonnay asked from the door.