“Wassup, sis?” Baylynn answered.
“Cash woke up from her coma!” Tamia shouted into the phone.
“Girl, you lyin’!”
“Hell naw. Cassandra just called me and told me she’s up. You have to come to the hospital as soon as you can.”
“I’ll be there.”
Baylynn ended the call and she couldn’t do anything but smile.
“What’s goin’ on?”
“Cash woke up from her coma.” Baylynn continued to smile.
“That’s wassup. I know Ramsey happier than a motherfucka.”
“Shit, we all are. Well, it looks like I’m gonna be missin’ work after all.”
Baylynn inserted his manhood inside her and they started round two, which put them right to sleep when they were finished.
Waking up a few hours later, Baylynn and Manny washed and got dressed for the day before getting Brandi ready. Baylynn informed Fateema that they were going to the hospital before they left, and she told them she had some business to take care of, but would meet them there later. Manny hopped behind the wheel of his black 2017 BMW and started the car while Bay secured a smiling Brandi in her car seat. After closing the back door, she got comfortable in the passenger seat, slamming her door shut. Pulling out of the driveway, Manny headed towards the expressway.
Over the past month, Baylynn had gotten adjusted to living with a man again as well as getting back into the swing of things at work. Although she had lived with Ramsey for five years, when their relationship ended, Baylynn got used to not having a man around. She began using cocaine to help her escape the harsh reality of being alone and to deal with the mess she had created when she put Ramsey in jail, but after she kicked the habit, she got on her grown woman shit and started doing things differently. Baylynn proved that she could take care of herself and her daughter on her own. Even though she was getting comfortable with not having a man in the house, now that Manny was home, Baylynn would be damned if she went back to being lonely and a cold bed.
Baylynn decided to return to work about two weeks after the meeting and that was when she noticed the duffle bags full of money in their closet. She wasn’t shocked because Manny had already told her what the deal was, but Baylynn was happy that her man was grinding and making money again. As much as she loved money, Bay hoped that Manny wouldn’t be in the streets too long. She knew how shit went when a nigga came home from doing a bid and started making that fast money again. She could only hope that Manny felt as though his family was worth him leaving the streets for.
Arriving at the hospital minutes later, Manny parked in the nearest spot, then got out of the car. Baylynn unstrapped Brandi from her seat, placing her baby girl on her hip. The couple walked hand in hand inside the hospital, and when Baylynn’s eyes landed on the gift shop, she walked inside. She purchased a few balloons, a teddy bear and some flowers before they caught the elevator to Cashmere’s floor. When they reached her room, voices could be heard on the other side of the door. Baylynn took a deep breath before walking inside. Charles, Cassandra, Tamia, Ramsey, Cassi and the twins were there, and Cashmere was in mid-sentence when they entered.
“Hey, everybody.” Bay smiled at the room full of people.
“Hey, sis.” Tamia hugged them and removed Brandi from her hip and carried her over to Cassi, who was playing on the floor.
Baylynn gave hugs to Cassandra, Charles and Ramsey before she locked eyes with Cashmere, who was holding the twins. The room fell silent as they continued to stare at each other. As much as Baylynn wanted to speak, a lump had formed in her throat, preventing the words from coming out.
“Are you just going to stare at me, or are you going to come over here and give me a hug?” Cashmere smiled at her.
Letting out a sigh of relief, Ramsey and Cassandra removed the babies from Cashmere’s arms before Bay hugged her sister tightly and Cashmere did the same. A strange feeling came over Baylynn as she embraced her sister. It was easy for Bay to talk to Cash when she was in a coma, but now that she was awake, she didn’t know what Cashmere was going to do or say. They released each other and all eyes were on them. Everyone had smiles on their faces, but the look Cassandra gave Baylynn told her something was wrong.
“So, Cashmere, how are you feelin’?” Baylynn held her hand.
“I’m good. I’ve been in this hospital for a month and some change and ready to get out of here. I miss my home, bed and business. I’m just ready to get the hell out of here,” she chuckled.
“I hear that.”
“Cash is being released in a couple of days and we’re throwin’ a party for her at the crib. Y’all are more than welcome to come.” Ramsey briefly took his eyes off the baby to look at Bay and Manny.
“Hell yeah. We’ll be there,” Manny responded with a head nod.
The baby Cassandra was holding began to cry, and Cashmere reached out for her.
“Uh-oh. Raina must be hungry.” Cash took her babies into her arms.
“Fellas, can y’all excuse us for a moment while Cashmere feeds the baby?” Cassandra asked politely.
“Sure. Just text me when she’s finished.” Charles kissed Cassandra’s cheek before he left the room. Ramsey passed Reema to Cassandra before he and Manny left the room with Brandi and Cassi in tow. When the men were gone, Cassandra didn’t hesitate to start the conversation.
“Now that the men are gone, I just wanted us to be alone for a moment so we could discuss a few things.” Cassandra took a seat in one of the chairs.
“Discuss some things like what, mom?” Cash proceeded to breastfeed Raina.
“Whatever feelings you two may have towards each other.” She pointed at Cash and Bay.
“I know y’all have an unpleasant history, but like it or not, y’all are family. If y’all have any ill feelings towards each other, I think y’all should clear the air now and leave the problems here.”
Baylynn stared at Cashmere, who stared at Tamia. Neither of the women said anything for a couple of minutes before Cash spoke up.
“Baylynn, I know things will probably be weird between us for a while, but I’m willing to put the past behind me if you are. We are family, and I would like for us to have a fresh start,” Cash stated.
“Being as though we found out about each other in a messed-up way, a fresh start is definitely what we both need,” Baylynn smiled.
“Aww, look at my sisters being all mature and shit. I mean, stuff.” Tamia glanced at Cassandra to see if she had heard her.
“Watch your mouth.”
The girls laughed at how Cassandra had scolded Tamia.
“I’m glad that’s settled. Do we need to talk about anything else before I call the men back in here?” Cassandra asked.
“Yes, we do. I don’t know about them, but I need to know what’s up with you and my dad.” Tamia folded her arms across her chest.
“I should have known this topic was going to surface.” Cassandra shook her head.
“I’m not going to lie to you, girls. Charles and I have been romantically involved since I came to Philly a few months back. I thought my feelings for Charles had faded when he walked out on us when Cash turned eighteen, but seeing him after all those years sparked a fire that I thought had died.”
“Dad is still married to Tamia’s mom. How could you go back to being his mistress after all these years?” Cashmere asked, confused.
“I was never proud of being the side chick, but I was so in love with your father that I would rather be the side chick than to not have him in my life at all. But, this time around, things are going to be different,” she smiled.
“How so, Cassandra?” Baylynn questioned.
“You’ll see,” Cassandra beamed.
The girls exchanged a few crazy looks with each other before they changed the subject to a more cheerful topic. They talked about Cashmere’s upcoming welcome home party and Cashmere gave her mother a list of food she wanted her and Renee to cook, along with her dessert choices. They ch
opped it up for another hour or so and Baylynn was having a good time with her sisters and Cassandra before a familiar face caused her mood to change.
Baylynn was holding a sleeping Raina when Ryan walked through the door with one hand full of balloons and the other hand full of flowers. She watched Ryan as she hugged Cassandra and Tamia. Ryan gave Baylynn a half decent greeting, and as much as she wanted to tell Ryan to go fuck herself, she kept the peace and greeted Ryan with a smile. Baylynn kept her focus on Raina, but when Nysir, her old trick, walked into the room, she damn near lost her breath. They locked eyes with each other for a quick second, and when he kissed Ryan, Baylynn knew it was time for her to leave.
After she hugged and kissed her sisters goodbye and placed the baby back in her mother’s arms, Baylynn rushed to find Manny. When she reached the lobby, she found the men sitting in the waiting area, talking, and the girls were watching TV. She power walked over to them and when he spotted her, Manny stood.
“Wassup, bae?”
“That nigga up there with Ryan, he’s friends with one of the guys who was involved with my shootin’.”
“Baylynn, are you sure?” Charles questioned, standing to his feet.
“I’m positive. I don’t want to get into how I know him, but his friend, Benjamin, used to talk to my ex-friend, Amelia. She’s dead now, but Nysir and Benjamin are thick as thieves. I don’t know if Nysir was involved with this shit, but Benjamin’s picture was definitely in that pile at the meetin’.”
Manny, Charles and Ramsey looked at each other before they decided it was time to go. Manny and Baylynn grabbed Brandi and headed towards their car and placed her inside her seat. Bay flopped down in the passenger seat and was met with a grimacing stare from Manny.
“Why are you starin’ at me like that, Manny?”
“How do you know that nigga, Nysir?”
“Manny, can you please just drop it?” she sighed.
“I’m not droppin’ shit. I asked you a question and I want an answer.”
“Fine. Nysir used to be my trick. When I was with Ramsey, I used to fuck Nysir for money, and my homie used to fuck with his friend. There. Are you happy now?” she shouted.
Manny bit the inside of his jaw before he backed out the parking spot, pulling into the street. Baylynn looked over at him while he was driving and she could tell he was pissed by the way he weaved in and out of traffic. She slouched in the chair as guilt began to take over her thoughts. Baylynn wasn’t proud of the shit she had done, but it was something she had to deal with, and if they were going to be together, Manny would have to learn to deal with her mistakes, too.
67
After being in the hospital for a month and a half, Cashmere was finally being released. She woke up early and showered before she got dressed in the new clothes and sneakers Ramsey had bought her. Cassandra helped Ramsey get the twins washed and dressed before they snuggled them into their jackets. Dr. Jordan entered the room with her release papers in hand and a smile on her face. Dr. Jordan gave her a prescription for pain medicine and told her not to do too much so soon. After she handed Cashmere her release papers, Dr. Jordan wished them well before heading out the door. Cassandra and Ramsey placed the twins in their car seats while Cashmere sat in the wheelchair the nurse had brought in for her. When everyone was ready, they left the room and didn’t look back.
When they reached the exit, Cashmere inhaled the warm, fresh air as soon as she was wheeled outside. She thanked the nurse before Ramsey helped her out of the chair with his free hand and escorted her to the car. Cashmere got settled in the passenger seat while they secured the babies in the back of the truck. Cassandra sat in the back while Ramsey hopped behind the wheel. Cranking up the car, he pulled out of the parking spot and grabbed Cashmere’s hand as he drove in the direction of City Hall.
“Why are we stopping at City Hall?” Cassandra questioned.
“We’re about to get married real quick.” Ramsey smiled at Cash.
“Married?! Now?!”
“Yeah, Ma. I’m still going to have the ceremony, but I don’t want to wait another day to be Ramsey’s wife,” Cash smiled.
“Y’all need a witness. Who’s going to watch the kids? I want to witness this,” Cassandra rambled.
“I got the kids, Ms. Cassandra.” Randall opened the back door.
“Come on, y’all. We gotta hurry up and get to the house for the party.” Renee rushed them out of the car.
Ramsey helped Cash out of the car and they walked arm and arm inside the building with both of their mothers and Cassi behind them. They entered the room where the ceremonies were held, and they didn’t hesitate to get started. They paid the fee, said their I Dos, exchanged rings and signed the marriage license. After everything was handled, they walked out of City Hall as Mr. and Mrs. Miller. As they made their way back to their cars, Cassi began to cry for her mother and Cashmere carried her to the truck with her. They piled into the truck and headed home.
As Cassi laid asleep on her chest, Cashmere couldn’t stop smiling from happiness overload. She had survived a traumatic accident, her babies were healthy and unharmed and the icing on the cake, she was finally married to the man she was in love with. Cashmere never thought she would be the one with a ring on her finger. She started out as the side chick, and even though she prayed for it to happen, she knew side chicks rarely got the ring. When she separated from Ramsey after leaving her on her birthday to chase after Baylynn, the thought of marriage or a serious relationship didn’t even cross her mind. But, when they got back together, and after holding him down while he was in prison, Cashmere knew Ramsey would make her his wife. Now that she was finally Mrs. Miller, her dream had become a reality. She closed her eyes and silently thanked God for all her blessings and her wonderful family.
They pulled up to the house an hour later and the sight of her beautiful home made her bounce around in her seat. From all the cars that were parked by the garage and in the driveway, Cash knew that all her family and friends were there. Ramsey killed the engine to his truck before he jogged around to the passenger side and helped his wife out the car. He grabbed one of the car seats from the back and Cassandra grabbed the other. Closing the car doors, they made their way to the front door where Nick, Manny and Tamia stood. As they approached them, Tamia grabbed the car seat from Ramsey so he could stay behind to talk to his fam. When they walked inside, everyone shouted, “Welcome home!” and Cashmere couldn’t help but smile. The house was beautifully decorated with pink, white and purple streamers and balloons. There was a banner hanging over the entrance of the kitchen and the sight of the house caused Cashmere to shed a few tears.
“Y’all really outdid yourselves. This looks better than Ramsey’s homecoming party,” Cash beamed.
“You know we had to do it big for you, sis.” Tamia kissed her cheek before she and Cassandra carried the twins to the living room.
“That’s right. Me, Tiff and Mia handled all the decorations and our mamas hooked up the food. We’re going to party hard tonight.” Ryan hugged her best friend.
“You don’t know how good it is to have you home, girl.”
“You had us all worried and shit.” Tiffany hugged her tightly.
“Too tight, Tiff,” Cashmere chuckled.
“My bad, girl. I just missed you.”
“Let me take her upstairs for you.” Ryan removed a sleeping Cassi from her arms.
Cashmere saw Baylynn sitting in the kitchen by herself and went over to speak to her.
“Hey, Baylynn.”
“Hey, Cash.” She gave a fake smile.
“Welcome home.” Baylynn gave her a quick hug.
“Thanks. Is everything okay?”
“Not really, but don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine. Just enjoy your party.”
Before Cashmere could respond, she heard a familiar voice calling her name. Heading to the living room, she found her grandmother sitting on the couch, holding one of the babies.
“Oh, my goodness!
Grandma, what are you doing here?”
“My baby just got out the hospital from bein’ in a coma. You think I wasn’t gonna be here?” Her Grandma Charlotte passed the baby to Cassandra before she got up to hug her granddaughter.
“You had me so scared, baby. I prayed for you day and night,” Charlotte whispered in her ear.
“I missed you so much, gramps, and thank you for the prayers.” Cash kissed her cheek before releasing her.
“My great grandbabies are too adorable and so chunky. You and that man of yours make some beautiful children.”
“Oh, grandma,” Cashmere laughed.
Randall, Manny, Nick, Ramsey and Renee entered the house a few minutes later and Ramsey helped Cashmere with her jacket before hanging it in the closet. When he came back to the living room, he stood by her side and kissed her cheek before he spoke.
“May I have everyone’s attention, please?”
All the family gathered in the room to hear his announcement.
“I just wanted to tell y’all that I am officially a married man.” Ramsey held up their marriage license so the family could see.
Their family erupted in congratulatory cheers as they hugged Cashmere and Ramsey. They showed off their rose gold his and her wedding bands as they grinned from ear to ear. The happiness their family showed towards their union only added to the joy that Cashmere already had. Being Ramsey’s woman was one thing, but now that she was his wife, Cash knew she was going to have to be ready for whatever obstacles might come their way. Ramsey wasn’t perfect, and neither was she, but if they continued to be honest, loyal and believed in God, there was nothing their marriage couldn’t survive.
68
Cashmere’s welcome home party was lit as the family ate, danced and drank into the early evening. The party had started inside, but after dinner, it moved to the backyard. The night air was cool and the sunset decorated the sky with beautiful colors of light pink. Everyone was having a good time and Tamia, like the rest of family, was happy that her sister was home from the hospital and officially married to the man she loved.
My Other Baby Mama Box Set Page 31