Where My Loyalties Lie 3

by K. C. Mills

  “Hang on.”

  Logic jumped up and went back to the living room where he left Joy’s ring. Once he had it, he walked back into the kitchen and placed the tiny bag down in front of his mother before sitting again. She eyed it, looked up at him before reaching inside and pulling out the box that held Joy’s ring. After she opened and inspected the ring, she closed it and set it down in front of her.

  “When is she due?”

  Logic laughed. “There you go, why she gotta be pregnant because I bought her a ring?”

  “I’m not saying she’s pregnant because you bought her a ring. I’m saying she’s pregnant because I could see it all over her the other night at dinner.”

  Logic waved his mother off and laughed again. “Man, you didn't see shit.”

  Mini just stared at her son but didn't say a word.

  “Man, what? Why you looking at me like that?” he said with a grin.

  “Look, little boy, I might be old, but I ain't dead. The same way I knew when Najah and Nova walked their fast asses up in my house pregnant, I knew when Joy did. So you might be in denial and maybe she is too, but she’s pregnant, Auggie.”

  “She doesn't know, or at least I don't think she knows. She hasn't said shit to me about it,” Logic admitted, thinking out loud.

  When he focused on his mother again, she looked concerned. “What do you mean she doesn't know? How do you know if she doesn't?”

  I can just tell, I know her bo… I can just tell.” Logic cleaned up his sentence, not wanting to go into detail about how he knew.

  Mini laughed and rolled her eyes. “If you think she’s pregnant, then I know you’re having sex. Hell, it’s no damn secret, little boy. You’re grown.”

  “Man, I don't care how grown I am. I don't want you in my business, the same way I don't want to know what you and Luther be doing. That don't work for me.”

  Again, Mini laughed. “So you bought a ring, what do you need me for? You obviously know what you want to do.”

  “But that’s just it. I don't want her to think I got that because she might be pregnant.” Logic pointed to the bag.

  “Did you?”

  “Did I what?”

  “Buy it because she might be pregnant.”

  “Hell no, I did it because it's what I want. It don't have anything to do with her being pregnant. I just know how y'all get all bent out of shape about that type of stuff.”

  “You just met her, Auggie. It's only been a little while, so baby or not, you don't have to marry her.”

  “You know what, never mind. I got it.” He was frustrated because he felt like his mom was about to be on some bullshit, and that wasn’t what he needed to hear.

  “Don't make me slap you, Auggie. Sit down.” Mini didn't move, but she spoke with authority and pointed to the chair he was just in.

  Logic stared her down for a minute before sitting again.

  “Look, I know you love her. Hell, she loves you. No denying that. She made that very clear.” Mini smiled, thinking about how Joy had gone toe to toe with her about her son. “But what I don't want is for you to make a quick choice that's influenced by circumstances. I did that with your father and look where it got me.”

  “Man, fuck him. Don't even bring that shit up. I’m not Hoover, and the situations are not the damn same.”

  “Keep cussing me, Auggie,” Mini threatened. “I’m not saying that you’re him. Aside from his blood, you didn’t get a damn thing from him. What I’m saying is I married your father because I was pregnant, and I thought that would change things. I thought that he would respect me more and let me get off the streets. I know the situations are different, Auggie. Joy ain't me, but I still married Hoover because I was pregnant with you. I don't want you to make that choice for her. If you want this because it's really where you heart is then I support you a hundred percent. Just be sure, is all I’m saying.”

  Logic nodded before he got up and kissed his mother on the cheek. He lifted the ring, placed it in the bag and Mini stood.

  “I’m out. We have to go check on a few houses today, so I’ll catch up with you later.”

  Logic led the way and Mini followed as they headed to the door.

  “I love you, Auggie. You know that, don't you?”

  He grinned. “Sometimes,” he teased before hugging her and then opening the door. He stepped through it and then turned to wink at her.

  The second he turned his back, Mini yelled behind him, “And make that slow ass girl take a damn pregnancy test. How the hell you don't know if you’re pregnant? I swear,” Mini said and rolled her eyes before shutting the door.

  Logic just shook his head and got in his car.

  *****

  “Excuse me.” Logic was standing in front of two shelves of pregnancy tests confused as hell. His arms were folded when he wasn't massaging his temple, so when the lady who worked there walked by him he decided to ask for help.

  “Yes?” She stopped next to him and looked up with a smile.

  “I need one of these, and I don't know what to buy? Well, I don't need one, but, shit, you know what I mean.”

  She laughed. “Well, they all pretty much do the same thing. Some are just fancier than others.”

  “Why the hell they make so many, then? Damn,” he said. “What would you chose?”

  She lifted two boxes from the shelf and handed them to him. “Try these.”

  He looked down at the boxes, took the two from her hands, and then grabbed one more of each so that he could have two of each one.

  She laughed at him. “Can I help you with anything else?”

  “Nope, I’m good, I think this got it. ’Preciate it,” Logic said as he left the aisle heading to the register.

  After he paid, he tossed the tests in the trunk and then left the store parking lot to meet Joy at her school. The realtor had already called and was waiting for them at the first house they were scheduled to see, but at this point, Logic had pregnancy tests and engagement rings on his mind. He had to focus long enough to get through the houses they were viewing and then after that figure out how to get Joy to take the test without cussing him out.

  Two hours later, they were at the last house and Joy stood in the center of the massive living room grinning. She was excited about all of the houses they had viewed, pretty much to the point where Logic couldn't really tell which one she liked the most, until now.

  “What do you think, Joy?” Melinda looked right at her after a quick glance at Logic. “This one is absolutely gorgeous, isn't it?”

  Joy looked at Logic, as if waiting for him to respond, until he laughed, and pointed at Melinda, their real estate agent.

  Hell, they hadn't asked him a damn thing the entire time they did their walk through, so there was no need to start now. It was Joy, what do you think of this, and Joy, do you love the colors? Logic could see now that his vote was irrelevant, but he was cool with that. If Joy liked it, then he loved it.

  “This place is perfect. I just don't even know what else to say about it.”

  “Well, Logic, I guess we have a winner,” Melinda said, clasping her hands together and then smiling at him.

  She saw dollar signs. He was paying cash, and this house was the most expensive of the four that they had viewed. Forty-eight hundred square feet, two car garage, swimming pool, five bedrooms, wood and tile floors and brand new stainless steel appliances. They had just finished construction on this house a month ago, and it would be one of two that would be tucked away on a private street in a gated community. That was the part that Logic liked most. Privacy, and hardly no neighbors. Joy liked the house because it was pretty.

  “Looks that way,” Logic said, catching Joy's hand and bringing her to him.

  After planting a few kisses on her cheek and then lips, their eyes connected. “Is this what you want?”

  Melinda cleared her throat. “I’m going to head outside and make a few calls so that you two can discuss it.” She offered a smile before heading t
oward the front door.

  “Well?” Logic asked, waiting for Joy’s reply.

  “I do, but it's a lot of money.”

  Logic chuckled. “Yeah, it is, but I knew that before we got here. If I wasn't considering it, then I wouldn't have let you fall in love with it. I don't care how much it cost. If you want it, it's yours.”

  “Are you sure? It's really a lot of money,” Joy said with a grin.

  “Which you already know I have. Nothing is too much for you. I don't spend money on dumb shit, so this makes sense. Let me worry about the price tag, you just worry about filling up those damn bedrooms.” Logic kissed Joy again and waited for her to respond.

  “I want it,” she said after placing her lips against his.

  “Okay, then, looks like we have a house. Now let's go, we have something to take care of.”

  “What?” Joy asked with a slight frown.

  “Just come on.”

  The two met Melinda outside and settled up on plans to meet her in a few days to finalize the paperwork for the sale of the house. After all the arrangements were made, they swung by Joy’s school to get her car, and then she followed Logic back to his apartment.

  When they got there, she immediately stripped out of her clothes and headed straight to the bathroom to shower while Logic made a trip to his car to get the pregnancy test and the ring. He set the test on the kitchen counter while removing the ring from the box and sliding it into his pocket before he got comfortable and waited for Joy to finish her shower. The second he laid eyes on her he hopped up.

  “Sit down, I need to talk to you about something?”

  Joy frowned, but did as instructed, keeping her eyes on him as he sat down in front of her on the coffee table that was across from the sofa she was on.

  “What’s wrong?” Joy asked, looking concerned.

  Logic chuckled. “Nothing’s wrong, in fact, shit couldn't get any better than this.”

  “Then what do you need to talk to me about?” Joy asked, still not convinced.

  “You love me?” Logic asked with the most serious expression that made Joy even more nervous. He kept saying nothing was wrong, but his mood was making her extremely nervous.

  “You know I do, why?”

  “Because this right here is life to me. I don't think I could survive with it being any other way. I swear on everything, you make everything in my life make sense. I know who I am and what I do complicates things, but Joy, I love you with everything in me. I don't even know how to say it other than we make sense. You and me, we just make sense, and I want that forever.”

  “So do I,” Joy said.

  “You mean that?” Logic asked with a cocky grin.

  “Yeah, of course I do.”

  “Then prove it.”

  Joy searched his face. She had no idea what he meant by that. “How?”

  “Say yes?”

  “Yes to what?”

  Logic leaned back and reached in his pocket.

  It was all starting to make sense to Joy now, and her hand flew over her mouth. Before he could even get the ring out of his pocket, she was on her feet with her arms around his neck. “Are you serious? Hell yes!”

  She held him so tight that he had to pry her arms away just to get the ring out of his pocket.

  “Damn, I wasted my money on this shit. You already said yes before I even gave it to you. I might as well take it back to the store.”

  Joy balled up her fist and nailed him in the shoulder. “Shut up, let me see it.”

  “Nah, too late. I’m taking this shit back.”

  “Then I renig too.”

  Joy held her hand out and waited. Logic laughed and slid the ring on her finger and Joy's face lit up.

  “Well?” he asked after a few minutes of Joy grinning and observing the ring.

  “I love it.” Joy threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. “How did you do this?”

  “Karma,” Logic said as he pulled away from Joy and walked to the counter to get the bag that the tests were in.

  “Karma?” Joy repeated.

  “Yep, long story, but I asked her to help me. She did and you love it, so mission accomplished.”

  Joy grinned, thinking about the two people she loved the most, creating one of the happiest moments in her life. “I have to go call her. I know she’s waiting. Did you tell her when you were doing it?”

  “No, and you can call her later, this first.”

  Joy frowned at the bag he was holding “What’s this?” Joy opened the bag and then her expression really dropped.

  “Umm, why did you buy me pregnancy tests? Do you think I’m pregnant? I’m not pregnant, Logic. Is that why you did this?”

  “Man, no. I knew you were going to think that shit. That,” he pointed at her hand, “has nothing to do with this, and I already know you’re pregnant. I just need for you to know, so let's go.”

  He grabbed Joy's hand and started walking toward the hall. She yanked away and stopped.

  “What do you mean, you know I’m pregnant? I’m not pregnant, Logic. I just had my period…”

  Joy paused and started thinking, so Logic finished for her. “The week after we left the lake house and that was damn near two months ago. You haven't had one since then, trust me. As much as I’ve been up in your shit, I know.”

  He watched her face while she tried to connect the dots. When the realization hit, she frowned. “Okay, fine, but I’m not pregnant.”

  Joy snatched the bag from his hand and headed toward the bathroom with Logic right behind her. Before he could enter, she slammed the door. He leaned against the wall and chuckled. Yeah, your emotional ass is pregnant, he thought as he prepared to wait.

  -16-

  “Auggie, get those damn kids before I snatch both of them up,” Mini yelled with one hand on her hip and the other pointing toward Logic Jr. and Leia.

  Logic grinned because he had been watching them for the past fifteen minutes knowing they were driving his mother crazy. He honestly didn't think she would last this long with the two of them racing back and forth through the kitchen chasing each other, while she was trying to finish up the last of the sides for the dinner that they were having. Since Logic and Joy had the most space, whenever they had a family function it was held at their house. They didn't really mind though, and in fact they enjoyed it. In the past two years there had been so many birthdays, family dinner nights and holidays celebrated in their home that it just didn't feel right to have it any other way.

  This day was no different. The house was full, kids had been running in and out all day, but thankfully, Kenyan was playing with her iPad and Kenyan and Trent were in the back yard. Otherwise, Logic knew for sure that his mother would lose it. She loved her grandkids, but not when she had all of them in one house at the same time. Especially not right now, since his two-year-old twins, who seemed to think that they were running the show, were tearing through the house like wild animals.

  “I got them,” Joy said as she entered through the back door.

  She quickly scooped Leia up in her arms and grabbed LJ by the hand, guiding them toward their playroom. Logic watched her as she moved through the house with their children and smiled. That was an image that never got old to him and he knew that he could spend the rest of his life just being around the three of them and never complain.

  “Y’all got those damn kids spoiled. They just don't listen to me at all,” Mini mumbled before she turned to finish mixing the contents of the bowl that was in front of her.

  Logic laughed before he glanced at Luther, who was sitting across from him focused on the game he was watching.

  “You need to go handle her with that bad ass attitude.”

  “You know I can't do anything with her.” Luther glanced back at Mini and shook his head.

  Logic chuckled. “Yeah, I know, I’m ’bout to head out here and see what's up with Nate and Gotti. You good?”

  Luther kept his eyes on the TV, held up the beer he was ho
lding, and nodded, which Logic took to mean that he was good. He left him there in the living room and made his way through the kitchen to the back yard. After a quick stop to kiss his mom and grab a beer, he stepped through the back door where everyone else was.

  “Yo, Trent is bad as hell out there. That shit is natural to him,” Gotti said the second he laid eyes on Logic.

  Trent and Kenyan were both on the court that sat in the corner of their backyard playing around. Logic watched as his nephew stood damn near at what would be considered half court and nailed two threes in a row with no effort.

  “He needs to be. He’s tall as fuck, yo.”

  Gotti laughed. “Word, the damn coach made us bring his birth certificate when we signed him up for rec ball. Said there was no way he was eight years old.”

  “Damn, it’s like that?”

  “Hell yeah, just like that, and Trent be killing ’em too. They can’t do shit with him, real talk.”

  Najah looked up and rolled her eyes. “You need to stop acting a fool in there before they ban you from his games. You should see him, Auggie, in there at practice taking over for the damn coach like it’s his team. They hate to see you coming. Thank God this is a girl,” she said and rubbed her stomach, which made Gotti laugh.

  “Man fuck that, she might be a baller too.”

  That really made Najah roll her eyes.

  “I still owe your ass an ass whooping for that shit too.” Logic pointed to his sister's round belly and Gotti burst out laughing.

  “Damn man, I waited two years. The fuck, yo.”

  “I don't give a fuck, I told you not to get my sister pregnant and I meant that shit.”

  “Man kiss my ass. We grown.”

  “Dad, come play?” Trent yelled, holding the ball under one arm and facing the deck that they were all standing on.

  Gotti smiled at the fact that Trent had made the decision to call him dad. A grin formed as he thought about the night that Trent came in and sat down next to him on the sofa, looked at him with the most serious expression before saying that he needed to have a man to man with him. Gotti laughed and agreed. When Trent asked him if he could call him dad since his baby sister was going to call him dad, Gotti was floored.