“Shut your ass up. Instigating ass. Always talking shit.”
He laughed. “Anyway, all the women went to the store. They even took the dog because it’s a girl. Apparently, whatever groceries you had delivered didn’t include the side dishes Mrs. Upton and Gensie want to cook. They’re making some big celebration dinner for Ryann. All of her favorite foods.”
I nodded because Ryann deserved to be celebrated. If everything went to plan, she would have her prayer answered. She would get to be a mother.
“Mr. Upton asked me to come get you. He can’t work the fancy ass grill you have on the deck.”
“Cool. I’ll be right there. I need to handle something right quick.” I typed into my phone.
“What’re you doing?”
“Mind yours, nosy ass.”
Once I finished texting, I followed my brother out to the deck to help Mr. Upton get the grill ready.
Nine of us helped with the meal in different ways, but Mrs. Upton insisted that Ryann chill and let her body work on nestling the embryo. Right before the table was set, the doorbell rang.
“That’s for you,” I told Ryann as she sat in the adjacent family room cuddling Mocha in her arms. “You’re not gonna want to give that dog back when the owners come for her.”
She snuggled Mocha. “I’ll give her back. I mean, I’ll definitely miss her, but I’ll give her back.”
The doorbell rang again.
“Get the door. It’s for you,” I repeated.
“Why would somebody ringing your doorbell be for me?”
“Get the door, woman.”
I watched her walk to the door and waited to see if her reaction would be audible. It was. A loud shriek resonated before she quickly appeared in the doorway of the family room.
“You have to stop doing this, Brix!” she scolded, but I couldn’t take her seriously with that grin on her face.
“Doing what?”
Before she could respond, several college-aged delivery people walked into the house carrying vases of pink bouquets.
“Just sit them down on any flat surface except the dining table,” I directed.
Mrs. Upton walked into the room and saw the flowers being placed around the open-concept space. She stood on her tiptoes to give me a hug. I bent down and embraced her.
“I’m so glad that Ryann’s taking this journey with you, Brix. Thank you for being so good to her.”
“Of course. She’s my little sister, too.” As we pulled away from each other, Mrs. Upton looked up at me. And the look she had in her eyes, paired with the way she twisted her lips, made me chuckle. “What?”
“Your little sister?” That was all she said before walking back into the kitchen.
After we ate, it was still early. Ryann and I took Mocha for a walk before we ended up on two lounge chairs by my pool. I waited for her to stretch out and get comfortable.
“You good? You need anything?”
“I’m fine. Y’all have to stop treating me like I’m precious when I’m one day pregnant. There will be time for that when I’m all big and swollen.”
I chuckled and watched Mocha circle both of our lounge chairs, before hopping up on Ryann’s and resting her head on Ryann’s thigh.
“Thank you for this… getaway, Brix. I know you planned it just in case the test came back negative, but it’s even better now that the test has come back positive. Being here with everybody filling up on all of the love and well-wishes, knowing my child is gonna be surrounded by this kind of care and concern makes my heart happy.”
“I’m glad to do it. Anything you need, just let me know. If I can make it happen without having to do a bid behind it, I’ll make it happen.”
