by Prenisha Aja
Man, that shit would be fucked up on my part, I thought. Just thinking about it was fucking with my mental, but I was going to handle it.
“Man Nikki, you need to stop playing with me,” I answered the phone, not giving her a chance to say nothing.
“I’m not. I’m pregnant and you’ll see. She’ll know too,” she threatened before she hung up in my face.
See this was the type of shit that always brought out the bad side of me, when people wanted to test me and try to play me.
Shutting down my session earlier than I was truly going to, I got up and headed out of the door. Getting in my car, I was headed over to Nikki’s house. I ain’t never been inside, but I had to drop her money off a few times for cleaning up for me.
Before getting to her house, I stopped by a drug store. I grabbed my all black hoodie out the back of the car and slipped it on. I pulled the hood down far enough so I wouldn’t be spotted out.
Walking through the Walgreens, I grabbed a test and went to check out. I threw the test down on the counter as I looked down and dug into my pocket for some money.
“Is that all?” the lady asked as I nodded, while still holding my head down. I placed a twenty-dollar bill on the counter, grabbed the test and headed out of the store without even getting my change.
Once I got to my car, I quickly snatched the hoodie off because of it being hot as hell. No matter if it was day or night, summer or winter, Houston still had a way of being hot.
Driving off, I drove to Nikki’s house thinking about how I was about to get this bitch to piss on this stick for me.
Parking my car, I grabbed the pregnancy test and got out. I walked up to the front door as the sound of dogs barking filled the night. Knocking on the door, I moved to the side and waited for her to answer.
Yeah, I could have called, but I figured I would get much better results if I just popped up on her ass.
“Who is it?” I heard her ask.
“Who is it?” she asked again, but I didn’t say anything.
Finally, she opened the door and I barged in. She let off a loud scream that was quickly muffled because I had wrapped my hand around her mouth.
“So, listen, you about to piss on this stick so I can see if you’re pregnant or not. It’s late and I should be at home lying next to my girl,” I said against her ear.
I shoved the pregnancy test into her chest and instead of grabbing it, she let it fall to the floor.
“Nikki, what is going on?” I heard a deep voice come from behind me, so I turned around.
Ignoring whomever the bad built pot belly nigga was, I focused back on Nikki.
“Pick the test up and go piss on it,” I said through clenched teeth as she trembled.
She was looking from me and to the guy standing behind me.
“Say man, what is this about?” he asked, scared. I could hear it in voice.
I tilted my head to the side and looked at her. Either she was going to tell him what was going on, or I was.
Nikki slowly bent her thick ass down and picked up the pregnancy test. That’s when I noticed a ring on her finger. Never had I ever seen that shit since she had been working for me.
“You married?” I chuckled.
“Hell yeah, and with three kids. What the fuck is going on?” He raised his voice as if that was supposed to make me jump.
“Shut up, Bruce,” she shouted at him.
Nikki stood in front of me in nothing but a thin gown as she clutched the pregnancy test. I raised a brow at her and nodded for her to hurry up the fucking process.
“What the fuck is that in your hand?” he asked her as a little boy that looked just like him hid behind his leg.
This shit was so wild because I didn’t even know she had kids. Never had she mentioned any of that.
“Man, look, I need yo’ girl, wife, or whatever the fuck she is to piss on this damn stick,” I let him know, and he looked at me with those big beady eyes as his mouth opened wide.
“Sawyer,” she yelled my name.
“So you were cheating on me?” the nigga roared, causing two more kids to come running from the back.
Wow, this bitch had kids, kids and had failed to mention any of it. They all looked to be different ages with the youngest looking to be about four.
“Bruce, I swear, baby—” Nikki held her hands out as he began to charge towards her.
Running my hands down my face, this was what the fuck I didn’t sign up for.
“Man, this hoe can’t even have kids. Her tubes are tied.” He mugged me but he also knew not to jump fucking stupid.
When those words left his mouth, Nikki looked at me like she knew she had fucked up. I guess she was trying to get a nigga to fall back off in that pussy.
Chuckling, I shook my damn head and left the two of them to fight. It was messed up that I had just came in and fucked up their shit, but she was trying to fuck up mine and I couldn’t afford that. However, I was happy I didn’t have to deal with that weight on my shoulders.
I was now pulling up to my crib and my ass was tired as fuck. I couldn’t wait to hop in the shower and go cuddle up under Brynlee.
Walking into the house, I threw my keys down on the bar and made my way upstairs. Slowly pushing the door open, I peeked in and saw that Brynlee was knocked out with a damn honey bun half-eaten in my bed.
I couldn’t even get mad. Instead, I eased over to where she was, picked up the honey bun and placed it on the nightstand.
“Sawyer,” her groggy voice called my name.
“Yeah baby, it’s me,” I answered, kissing her on the forehead.
“You’re just getting in from the studio? What time is it?” she asked, pulling her phone from underneath her pillow to check the time.
“Yes, let me go shower, so I can get in the bed and rub on your booty.” I smirked and she smiled as her eyes began to slowly shut again.
Today I had decided that it was going to be about my son. I hadn’t been spending as much time with him as I would have liked and I wanted to change that. I also wanted to take him to see his mother.
Kelia had been on her best behavior since that little incident. She hadn’t been getting loud and reckless or none of that. I hadn’t really been hearing from her unless it had to do with our son, and most times she was too scared to call so she would shoot me a text.
She had explained to me that she had been trying to get her life back on track, find a job and do right. I didn’t really know how true that was, but I guess I was going to find out today.
Slipping my white shirt over my head, that had Nike written in red across the middle, I paired it with some red Nike shorts. I had on a pair of red and white Airmax and now all I needed to do was throw on my gold chains and my watch.
“Where you going today, looking all good and stuff?” Brynlee walked up behind me and slowly rubbed her hands up and down my chest.
“To spend time with my son. You rolling?” I asked her as I snapped my watch on.
“No, not today, but y’all have fun. I have to take this damn envelope with our child’s gender inside to Merci before I fucking open it.” She laughed as she began to walk away.
“Hold up. Where are you going without letting me give you and my child some loving?” I turned towards her and she snickered before walking back to me.
“You know I love when you love on us.” She had her arms wrapped around me as she swayed from side to side.
I kissed Brynlee on the lips and then raised up her yellow shirt and kissed her on her round stomach. I began to feel light movement and that shit had my heart beating like a motherfucka.
I had experienced Kelia’s pregnancy but that seemed so long ago. Also, this one just felt so different. The connection was different. The love was there.
“See, she loves her daddy already,” I boasted, turning back around and walking over to grab my chains.
“Whatever,” Brynlee laughed as she walked out of the bedroom door.
As I stoo
d there, I began to think about how connected I was with Brynlee and our unborn. The shit would crush my fucking soul if the baby wasn’t mine but like I said before, I would be there no matter what. But truthfully, I wanted the baby to be mine. I was going to have to ask around to see if I could get a blood test before the baby was even born.
I was now leaving my mother’s house after picking up Sai’von. He was of course, sitting in the back tuned in to his damn iPad.
The whole time I drove, I would sneak a peek of him through the rearview mirror. It was crazy that he was my damn twin. I hated that his mother and I had a bad relationship because I knew how important that shit was for kids.
Pulling up to Kelia’s house, I parked my car next to hers and got out. I made my way to the back and opened Sai’s door.
“Daddy am I staying? Is that man in there?” The look on his face fucked with me, but that was one thing he didn’t have to ever worry about.
“Nah, he’s dead and gone,” I answered.
“DEAD!’ his little voice squeaked as his eyes got wide.
“Nah, son. But he ain’t coming back, ok.” I rubbed the top of his head, then unbuckled him out of his car seat.
We both walked hand in hand up to the front door and instead of me knocking, Sai’ barged in.
The smell of some type of homecooked meal hit my nose causing my stomach to growl. I rubbed it as I walked around in search of Kelia.
“Mommy!” Sai’ ran into the kitchen where Kelia was cooking and hugged her leg.
Kelia was actually looking good and like the girl that I first met. She had quickly gained her weight back and was looking thick as fuck from the back.
“What’s good Kelia?” I nodded towards her and she shot me a smile as she picked up Sai and began to rain kisses all over him.
My son was happy as fuck to see his mother, which was why I couldn’t kill her ass. That would have been too much on my conscience.
“You hungry?” she asked as she placed Sai’ down and went back to the stove.
“Hell yeah, what you cook?” I asked as I watched her pull out the yellow cornbread.
“BBQ boneless chicken breast, macaroni and cheese, sweet potatoes, greens and cornbread,” she called off, and I swear my stomach growled even louder.
“Word, what’s the special occasion?” I asked, making my way over to the table to have a seat.
“Life.” She shrugged.
I chuckled because I knew Kelia’s ass was trying to take a jab at me, but she knew to tread lightly.
Sitting at the table with Kelia and my son, we were all silent as we grubbed on our food. The shit was good as fuck and that was one thing about Kelia, she could always cook.
“Damn,” I exhaled, full as fuck. I pushed the plate away from me and leaned back a little.
“So, what you been up to?” I asked, sparking conversation.
“Nothing, I started working at this call center making thirteen dollars an hour. I’ve been just trying to get my life on track…ya know. Plus, I can’t be doing the shit I used to do with me being pregnant and all.” She poked at her food and when she looked up from her plate, she had tears in her eyes.
I wasn’t about to apologize for killing the nigga if that’s what she thought. He had crossed the line and she knew how I got down.
“Man, Kelia… don’t think I’m about to apologize,” I let her know.
“Sawyer, I don’t want you to apologize. I hate that it happened but I can’t blame you or myself. I needed that man out my life. He was taking me through hell.” She sniffled.
“Yeah, I could tell, but listen, you know if you need anything, I got you. You are the mother of my child.”
“I know but you already do enough. It’s time for me to actually do more,” she admitted, getting up from the table, making sure to grab my and her plate.
Sai was still glued to his iPad and picking up his food with his hands.
While he sat there, I followed Kelia to the kitchen.
“Say, I’m proud of you. No matter what we have been through, just know a nigga happy to see that you want better because for a while, I just felt like you were headed off the deep end,” I admitted to her, and she nodded her head, I assumed agreeing with me.
“Yeah I know, and thanks for everything.” She turned and gave me a hug.
I gave her one back, then went and told Sai’ that I would pick him up tomorrow since I trusted him now to be alone with his mother.
Merci
“Bye best friend,” I told Brynlee as she headed for the door.
She had been over here most of the day. We had been going over ideas for her gender reveal and I couldn’t have been happier for her. To see my friend glow and finally be happy was great.
No matter what she said before, I always knew Troy wasn’t for her. I felt like she was more so running, thinking that the grass would be greener on the other side. But I didn’t care where you grew up, if you were black, white or even fucking blue. Everyone dealt with the same thing, some things might not have been as severe, but even rich people had problems, not just hood.
“Bye girl, let me get back home to my man.” She stuck her tongue out and left out the door.
Locking the door behind her, I went and had a seat on my couch. Plopping down, I reached forward and grabbed the envelope that would reveal the gender of their child.
Brynlee had expressed to me today that she was nervous that the baby might not be Sawyer’s, yet he had been so supportive. She also stated that she hoped that he stayed that way even after she had the baby.
Of course, I took up for Sawyer because he didn’t take me as a man that settled. If he didn’t want to be with Brynlee, knowing that the baby might not be his, he would have left her.
Opening the envelope, I beamed at the big bold letters written across the white piece of paper. I couldn’t wait to go all out.
I felt like this baby was just what Brynlee needed. Yeah, she had Sawyer to shower her with love, but the love from your child was always different. I felt like this would heal any open wounds that she still had.
I pushed the piece of paper back into the envelope and got up, so that I could shower and get ready to lay down. Tomorrow I, of course, had a long day.
As I made my way to the bedroom, I rolled my eyes at the sound of my phone going off. Looking down, I saw that it was my mother’s house number and I knew that she didn’t want nothing but some money.
“Yes Ma,” I answered the phone as my eyes rolled up to the top of my head.
“Merci,” my little cousin’s voice whispered through the phone.
“Who is this, Channel or Breshia?” I questioned, not really being able to tell their voices apart.
“It’s me, Channel, can you please come get us? We don’t want to be here no more.” Her voice trembled and it alerted me.
“Why what’s going on?” I was now turning around and headed out of my room door.
I didn’t need for them to explain much the moment I heard the fear in her voice; that was enough for me to be headed over to my mother’s house.
“We don’t want to be here no more with him.” Her voice cracked.
“Channel, get your ass off of my house phone now!” I heard my mother’s voice yell, causing me to shake my head as I snatched up my keys and jetted out of my front door.
“I gotta go Merci.” She quickly hung up before I could ask her what was going on and had he done anything to her.
I pulled up to my mother’s house so fast, that I damn near knocked over the mailbox, but I didn’t care. I threw my car in park, cut it off and hopped out so damn fast.
I ran up to the door, damn near busting down the screen door.
“Channel… Breshia,” I yelled both of their names.
“Channel. Breshia,” I called again, making my way through the house and to their bedroom.
“Why in the hell are you storming through my house yelling and shit like you pay the bills here?” My mother came out of her room
in a raggedy old t-shirt that had holes in it, no bra, and her hair all over her head.
“Technically, I do,” I responded, busting in the girls’ room, to see them both in the same bed, hugging each other.
“What is wrong with y’all?” I asked them, rushing over to them and moving their long pretty hair out of their faces.
Channel and Breshia were twins. They were both twenty now and I didn’t know why they hadn’t tried to do something with their lives already. They had the potential, but I guess they didn’t have much of a role model in front of them, because my mother sure as hell wasn’t one. Their father died when they were just nine years old which was how they ended up with my mother. Their mother was a crackhead, so they damn sure couldn’t go with her.
My mother used to get a check for them but that stopped the moment they turned eighteen but even then, they never saw any of the money.
They weren’t the only kids in the house. There was my mother’s boyfriend’s kids that were there too who I didn’t really associate with. One of his kids was eighteen and he ran in and out of the house. Then there was his younger daughter, who might I add he had while he was dating my mother. She was only ten.
“We just don’t want to be here,” she expressed, never looking towards my mother, but at me then at her sister Breshia.
“Ok, get your stuff and come with me,” I told them.
“Nah uh. What are you doing?” She guarded the door like that was going to stop me from getting through there.
“Mom, unless you want me to call the fucking police, I suggest you get out of our way,” I threatened her, and she let her guard all the way down and moved out the way.
She already knew that if I called them, most likely her wanted ass boyfriend would go to jail and there was no telling why the girls wanted to get up out of here but most likely, I knew it had something to do with his fat, greasy ass.
The girls finished packing their things as I waited for them in the living room, biting nervously on my lip. I was going to ask them what happened as soon as they walked into the living room just so my mother could hear it.