“Life will never be peaceful until the afterlife, but we can make it appear that way for baby girl. We can start with her not growing up in ratchet ass Castle Hill. No disrespect to you and your family tree, but I want her in a nice neighborhood. One without a block party happening outside every night.”
Crew walked towards me and sat down on the couch. When he pulled me in closer by my hands, I thought this was about to turn sexual, but Crew started to place soft kisses on my hardened belly. The way he was kissing and rubbing over my stomach with his hands felt so right for some reason.
“This is where I live, Crew? This is all I can afford with my checks from the center.”
He squinted his eyes at me.
“Don’t disrespect me by talking about what you can afford. Don’t worry about affording anything. I take care of my entire family, so of course, I’m going to make sure my daughter is straight. She will live like the princess she is.”
He placed another kiss on my stomach.
“Okay, if you say so.” I was fighting hard to keep the smile from tugging at my lips.
Crew stood up from the couch, before kissing me on my forehead and walking towards the front door.
“Wait!” I stopped him.
“My brother said you had my candy and Dr. Pepper. Where is it?”
I stuck my hand out.
He chuckled, reaching inside his jacket pocket. Crew pulled out at least four Crunch Bars and threw them on the couch. You would think that nigga was throwing out hundreds the way my face lit up seeing the chocolate bars fall on top of each other. My mouth watered, almost instantly ready to peel the blue wrapper back on one of them asap.
“Now stop sending that nigga on junk food errands every day. Let me know what you need, and I’ll stock up on it tomorrow and have it delivered here.”
“Okay,” I said softly, feeling so dainty after that forehead kiss.
“What do you plan on naming her? I know not no shit like Pernelle.”
“Really, Crew? Don’t diss my name.” I laughed, slapping at his head.
“Nothing is wrong with my name. I am named after my grandma.”
“I knew that before you told me, but don’t worry, I’ll come up with something fire. I like to be on my creative shit sometimes. But until then, don’t forget if you or lil whatchamacallit need anything, I’m there.”
“I won't, I hear you,” I replied, and Crew made his way towards the front door. When he stopped at the kitchen counter and picked up a photocopy of my baby shower invitation, I braced myself for his reaction. I’m mad as hell that I didn’t think to put that shit up.
“What’s this?”
“What is what?”
“This?” He turned my baby shower invitation around. It was a SpongeBob theme on the invitation with a start time of 3:00 pm for next Saturday, but I know the invitation isn’t the reason he had that sour look on his face, but the fact that it read in honor of the parents, Ebony and Pernelle, on the top.
“Look, I can explain. I just didn’t want her family thinking I did anything to her or wasn’t keeping it real.”
“So what?” Crew rushed me as if my words weren’t coming out fast enough.
“So, I told them that Ebony and I did IVF, and that is how I am pregnant. They think it’s her eggs inside of me, so they think it’s her baby too.”
Crew shook his head and crumbled the invitation up in his hands.
“Cancel this shit and stop pretending if that isn’t true.”
“It’s not. Look, I thought I was doing the right thing by keeping us a secret. With your reputation and her disappearance, I just don’t need anyone thinking anything.”
Crew stepped back towards me while shaking his head.
“Thinking alone hasn’t ever proved anything in court. They can believe what they want, but they can’t prove you or me had anything to do with her death unless you tell them. Is your ass worried or feeling guilty enough to confess, Pretty P?”
