I could hear Ciara clapping in the background. It felt good to know that she cared so much about my baby already, even with the slight falling out we had earlier this year. I had plans of asking her to be the Godmother and Hov to be the Godfather,but I want to do it in a special way. Maybe I’ll give them both little onesies or something with the big question written on it.
“All that hair is right, because if I have been having this severe heartburn for nothing, then I’m going to be pissed. She better not come out bald headed like her mama did.”
We shared a laugh as I rubbed my hand across my belly, feeling a small kick in return from my baby. She was her most active at night, or anytime I’m trying to get some sleep during the day. It’s like she’s already trying me, and she’s not even here yet. For those reasons I feel like who I am baking inside of my stomach is about to be my karma. All those hard times that I gave my mother back in the day are about to come back on me through her. That’s why sometimes I think about naming her Pernelle Junior. Call her PJ for short because she will be just like me.
“So, what are the plans for tomorrow? You hitting up the Black Arts block party in Harlem? I hear it’s supposed to be a really dope event with all types of artwork on display. We needed something like that around the city.”
“Yes, we did, and I hope that once the center opens, we can do events like that for children too and give away scholarships to the winners for it. But no, I won’t actually make it because I can't even focus on having fun with Verdict Day approaching.” Ciara let out a loud sigh.
“Oh yeah, that is coming up. Are you nervous friend?”
“Mmm, nah, not really because Bria, Hov’s lawyer, says that we have a definite win with Kairo’s testimony out the window. She did a pretty good job painting Kairo out to be a liar, and he isn't here anymore to defend himself. Or lie to those people, I should say. He was just so stupid. I really wish he hadthought sometimes, you know. He knew not to take on Hov. He knew what would happen to him.”
The phone went quiet for a moment as if I put something on her mind that she didn’t want to think about right now. I know how she feels because no matter how much I hated Emoney, knowing that she died does make me sad for the old me. Once in a point in time, she was my world, like Kairo was Ciara’s even though he never deserved her. I could say the same thing about Ebony and the worst part is I’m still having to post her on Facebook, answer her mother’s calls, and shed fake tears because the moment I stop, they would think something is up.
“Are you alright, Ci?”
“Yeah.” She took a labored breath.
“His murder was just a lot to see, you know. All that gunfire and him dropping down to the ground. I can't get that shit up out of my head, P. Hopefully, the visual of that will leave my head soon.”
“I’m just happy everyone else is okay. That scene could’ve been a lot worse if you or Hov got hit.”
I replied, just as my phone started to beep from the other line with a call from Princeton.
“Hold on, Ci, I’ll call you back. This is my brother.”
“Okay, talk to you soon.”
“Later, friend.”
I switched over to his line, getting ready to cuss him out as soon as the line connected.
"Hello?”
“Where the hell are you, Princeton? I know it doesn't take you that long to get to Silvia's, nigga. I'm starving, and it’s getting late, so you need to be at home anyway!”
“I know, sis, I know, chill.”
“Chill? No, you chill, little boy. Why do you do me so wrong when I am the one who was taking care of your ass months ago? I brought you all the snacks when you wanted them and waited on your ass hand and foot even while throwing up my guts in the process."
I could hear Princeton laughing through the phone as he always did when my pregnancy hormones flared. Lately, he’s been blaming my pregnancy for anything I have an attitude about. If he left the toilet seat up, I was tripping because I was pregnant. If he drank the last of my grape juice, I was mad because I was pregnant. Though his ass gets on my nerves, these unfortunately are the moments I would’ve missed if he had died, so I never got too mad at him. I just curse him out from time to time.
"P. I got somebody right here that wants to talk to you? Hold on, I’m about to give him the phone. "
I heard the shuffle of the phone being passed, and then a voice hit my ear that had me stuck.
"Pretty P. Tell me why this little nigga got two Crunch bars and a Dr. Pepper in his hand that he says he has to bring to you for dinner. Is this the food you are feeding the baby that is supposed to belong to me?"
After all these months of waiting for his call, Crew was on my line, and I didn’t know how to feel. I had practiced so many different things that I would say to him if I ever saw him again, but right now, I was caught off guard and couldn’t really think of anything. After all, I honestly tried to think of him asnonexistent so that it wouldn’t hurt so bad that he isn’t around, and that guilt from setting Emoney up wouldn’t eat me alive either. Crew had asked me to call her outside the hotel that day, and he snatched her up like it was nothing and threw her in the trunk like a spare tire. After he dropped me off at home, I don’t know what happened between the two. I just put it all in the past and tried to move on with my life.
"Oh, Crew, wow. I can’t believe you decided to get on the phone with me. What do you want?"
I was trying to sound unbothered.
"Look, I'll be at your front door in about five minutes. Your brother just told me your building and apartment number."
I made a mental note at that very moment to kill Princeton if Crew didn't kill me first. Why would he tell this crazy ass nigga where I stay? Is he fuckin crazy?
