14. Aaliyah
Aaliyah
Dinner went amazingly well at my parents’ house .
. . when I finally woke up. Royal sat there with me the entire time, letting me rest. He said he refused to wake me.
If I was asleep, I needed the rest. I swore, Royal Henderson was everything I ever wanted in a man.
We were at Bali’s office waiting to be seen.
They’d already gotten my weight and blood pressure.
I’d been having a little pain. I was thirty-five weeks, but Bali wanted me to hold them as long as I safely could.
The last time Royal and I had sex, when I went to the bathroom, I felt a tremendous amount of pressure.
Since there was no blood, I just lay back in bed with my feet elevated. That was two days ago.
I knew he was suffering big time. Royal was extremely sexual. He wasn’t complaining about a thing and was waiting on me hand and foot. I wanted to reward him for that and show him that I was thinking about his needs as well, so I asked Nikki to come over and take care of him later.
Royal grabbed my hand and kissed it. He seemed nervous, and I knew that was because he was anxiously awaiting the arrival of the twins.
I wanted to at least try to make it until after the baby shower next weekend.
He gently rubbed my belly and one of the babies literally kicked right where his hand was. His eyebrows lifted as I laughed.
“Well, damn. I guess that meant leave him or her alone. I feel like that was Ravi though. Rasha gon’ be daddy’s princess.”
I laughed more. “I think it was just a coincidence, baby.”
I brought my hand to his cheek, and he leaned over and kissed my lips. I wanted him so bad. My pussy had to be cursing me out. I was still wet as ever, but I couldn’t do shit about it. When we separated, Mya was coming from the back.
“Hey, y’all!”
“What’s up, Mya?” Royal said.
She hugged me and rubbed my belly. “Girl . . . you have got to be close. It looks like you’re going to topple over when you stand.”
I smiled. “My due date is in five more weeks, but hopefully I can make it at least another two.”
“Well, we gon’ pray for that. I guess today was family day. When I got here, Karima was leaving out, and Milana is in another room.”
“I suppose it is.”
“Well, I’ll see y’all later.”
“Okay. Bye.”
She walked off, seemingly happy. I was surprised Christian wasn’t here with her until I heard Uncle Mayor come in. “Tell your husband he did a piss poor job. The house is hot as fuck.”
“I’m sorry, Uncle Mayor. Christian had said you needed a new unit, but you don’t want to spend the money to get one.”
“Uh huh. I think he tryna take my money. Wait ’til I see his ass.”
She giggled and said, “See you later, Mayor. I’ll tell him.”
When Mr. Storm came further inside, I saw he was holding to-go containers from the diner. The twins must’ve been busy today and couldn’t leave for lunch. Once he saw us, he came over, and Royal stood.
“What’s up, Unc?”
“Shit. Y’all ought to be ready in a week or so, huh? How you doing, Aaliyah?”
“I’m good, Mister Mayor. How about you?”
He smiled. I knew when family called him mayor, it stroked his ego just right. I’d witnessed it at family gatherings. Typically, they called him Uncle Mayor, but I hadn’t been instructed to do that yet. I didn’t want to overstep.
“I’m good, tryna get these niggas in line. My babies didn’t get to eat today, and Red and Carter are on their way to Missouri for a rodeo. Bali ain’t in the mood for that shit right now. That lil nigga she having is giving her hell.”
I chuckled as did Royal. “Uh huh. I told her to quit talking about our son or she was gon’ get the same. Calling my son a whiny lil boy.”
Mr. Storm pointed at Royal, and said, “You better watch yourself. I don’t know who you think you talking to, but I ain’t finna kee kee wit’chu about my daughter.”
Royal rolled his eyes and waved him off. Mr. Storm turned back to me and smiled. “See you later, niece. Call me Uncle Mayor.”
I smiled big. He’d given me permission. His smile dropped immediately when he looked at Royal, then shot him the finger. I couldn’t help but chuckle, because now I saw where Seven got that shit from. That nigga was always shooting the damn finger.
Once he went to the back, I saw the smile break free on Royal’s face. “That nigga crazy.”
“I dare you to tell him that.”
He turned to me with a frown on his face. “You tryna get me killed so you can collect my social security?”
I almost choked. Royal was a fool, just like his father.
His mama was funny too. She was excited to be welcoming grandbabies into the world.
We were supposed to be having dinner with them tonight, depending on what Bali told me today.
I had a feeling she was gonna put me on bedrest until the shower.
I wasn’t sure why my mama waited so long to have it.
Kambel had said something about it a couple of months ago.
She may have been busy. She still rodeoed from time to time, and she was also Red Squared’s hazer. She’d gone to the rodeo in Missouri with them. She rode out with Dad and Uncle Legend this morning.
“Aaliyah, come on back,” one of the nurses said.
Royal helped me to my feet, and we went to the back to a room, since they’d already done the preliminary stuff. Once he helped me to the table, the nurse asked, “Have you been having any issues?”
“Just a lot of pressure. It’s getting close.”
“Yes, ma’am! You’re thirty-five weeks. She’s probably gonna put you on bedrest.”
“I kind of expect her to, because she wants me to try to make it to thirty-seven weeks.”
“Mm-hmm. Well, she will be with y’all in a little bit. Go ahead and take off everything and put on that gown.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Once she left out, Royal stood and helped me off the table.
We should have done that before I got up there.
He took off my clothes sensually and licked his lips.
I swore this man was insatiable. Thankfully, I’d worn a dress, so it wasn’t as hard to get off.
Lately, that was all I’d been wearing because of the ease of putting it on and taking it off. I was wearing muumuus around the house.
When he helped me out of my underwear, this man kissed my mound. Everything in me wanted to lay on this table and spread eagle for him. I missed his tongue so much. “Royal, don’t make me cum on this floor. I’m so on edge already.”
He stood and smiled at me. “I know. I am too.”
After helping me get the gown on, he helped me back to the table. There was a knock on the door, then Bali came inside. Before she spoke, she frowned at both of us. I was confused until she said, “Why y’all both look like you guilty of something? Were y’all fucking in here?”
My eyebrows lifted, and I laughed loudly.
“Girl, no. I can’t finish that fast. I don’t know who you take me for,” Royal said, causing me to bite my bottom lip.
“Uh-huh. I don’t put nothing past y’all nasty asses. Y’all were doing something nasty in here. I’m gonna look at the footage.”
“Don’t look, Bali,” I said. “He kissed my . . . when he was helping me undress.”
She shot daggers at Royal with her gaze as he laughed. “How are you feeling?”
“Just a lot of pressure.”
“Yeah, they are definitely in position. I’m gonna check to see if you’ve dilated any. Your body has done amazingly well all this time. I’m happy about that. Go ahead and lie back so I can check you.”
I did as she requested while she washed her hands and put on gloves. Royal came to my other side and held my hand. When Bali turned around, she said, “Look at’chu! You finally learned to be out of my way one appointment before what will probably be her last.”
She rolled her eyes as I chuckled. She came over to me and helped me get my legs in position. “Okay, a lil pressure.”
She inserted her fingers, and her eyebrows lifted slightly.
“Yep. Just what I thought. You’re two centimeters.
Bedrest until the baby shower. Even then, you will need to be seated the entire time while you’re there with your feet elevated.
The good thing is that you’ll be thirty-six weeks, almost thirty-seven by then. ”
“We were supposed to have dinner at Mister Jasper’s house.”
“Nope. They need to come to you. Royal, if at all possible, carry her up the stairs.”
“Whenever I’m home, I do that already.”
“Bali, ever since we got back together, whenever I’m at his place, he carries me up and down the stairs.”
She smiled tightly. “That’s beautiful, Royal.” Turning her attention back to me, she said, “If he’s not home, don’t you wobble your ass on those stairs. Do you hear me?”
“Yes, ma’am. So, no sex, huh?”
She frowned. “I forgot I’m dealing with freaks. Hell no. No fucking. No orgasms. I would rather you not even get turned on, but y’all asses are always turned on. I probably didn’t even need the gel to check you. You only get up to go to the bathroom. That’s it.”
I bit my bottom lip to stifle my laughter. Royal had done the same. “Okay.”
She smiled. “We’re going to have a set of twins soon! I’m excited. What are their names?”
“Ravi and Rasha,” Royal said.
She rolled her eyes. “So their names had to start with an R like yours, I guess. I like them though.”
I giggled. “Thanks, Bali.”
“Go ahead and get dressed, and I’ll see you next week. We are so close.”
“I know! I’m ready . . . I think.”
Bali chuckled. “See y’all later.”
She left out and Royal helped me get dressed. Once I was dressed, he opened the door, then picked me up to bring me to the wheelchair Bali had placed in the hallway. When he started pushing me, he said, “Our babies are going to be here soon. I can’t wait. Thank you.”
I frowned slightly. “What are you thanking me for?”
He stopped pushing the chair and stooped next to me.
“You always have a smile on your face. I know this can’t be easy.
Your body is going through so much, and yet you endure it with a smile.
You constantly worry about pleasing me. Right now, I don’t give a fuck about me.
This is all about you and how selfless you are, even now.
I told Nikki to stay her ass at home. I’m not fucking her without you.
If you can’t fuck, neither can I. We both on fucking bedrest when it comes to sex. ”
He kissed my lips, then pulled away as tears fell down my cheeks.
“I love you so much, Liyah. You the only woman I crave. I swear to you, no other woman will feel your dick without you being a part of the action. If you ever decide you want it to only be you, it will only be you. I don’t have to fuck nobody else.
Why do I even need to with a woman like you?
If you want us to keep seeing Nikki in the future, that’s cool. If you don’t, that’s still cool.”
I was full on sobbing now. Royal was so fucking perfect. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my head repeatedly. When he pulled away, I said, “I love you so much too, baby.”
He nodded and stood with a smile on his face and began wheeling me out again. We stopped and got the appointment card and paid the co-pay.
“I texted my mama. She’s going to come to the house and cook. Ashanni, Asad, Jayceon, and Azariah will be there too.”
“What about Crew?” I asked.
I heard their conversation about him when they thought I was asleep. I really wished he could gather himself and be happy for his brother. It had to be more than him being jealous that Royal was with me. It just seemed like he was doing the most.
“I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to him since the day we went to dinner at your parents’ house.
I honestly don’t feel comfortable with him being around you.
If he can’t respect you, he need to stay away from me.
I will fuck his ass all the way up if he can’t.
Honestly, I believe my dad would help me.
He already pushed that nigga down the stairs once. ”
My eyebrows lifted, but I didn’t say anything. He helped me out of the chair and into his Escalade.
“I wonder if it will be better if we drive your car to the next appointment, since this is high.”
“I think this is better. My car is low, and it would be more of a struggle to get out of it.”
“Okay.”
He kissed my lips and closed the door. I wiped my eyes as I thought about his relationship with Crew. I hated that it came to this. I felt like I was the reason for their severed relationship. For some reason, I felt like Crew felt that way too.