“A nigga been around a long time,” he answered, holding the blunt out for her to take.
About a yard or so away, Giselle stopped near the dock railing and leaned against the side. She brought her straw to her lips and took another sip. There was a chill breeze in the air, but the liquor warmed her up. Listening to the light but assertive steps behind her, she knew it was Maisie. Her ace. Her confidant.
“I don’t know how I went as long as I did without talking to you,” Giselle voiced.
“I know. You were deprived as fuck, right?” Maisie bumped her with her little waist and grinned.
Instead of standing beside Giselle, she hopped up on the burgundy painted railing to join her.
“It was definitely isolating.” Giselle kept her focus ahead, thoughts drifting to Alonzo and all the bullshit she was going through now.
“Look, you and Gem are not about to be stressing me out, okay. Because I need you. It’s time for you to be the little big sister. I know that I have Lou, but we both know that girl blows with the wind. One minute, she wants this rare, one-of-a-kind love, and the next, she’s on her Khia shit.”
“Don’t trust no nigga no.” Giselle raised her hand and did a little bop and sang one of their favorite anthems.
“Exactly. We love her, but she’s flighty as fuck.”
“True.” Giselle lifted her cup so she could access her straw again.
“Anyway,” Maisie said, digging into the inner lining of her bra and removing a blunt and lighter she’d tucked there, “if I tell you something, this shit stays between us right now.”
“Oh, shit, what is it?” Giselle faced her, resting an elbow against the railing.
“Well, I think I want to try to have a baby,” Maisie revealed, bringing the blunt to her lips and lighting the tip.
“What!” Giselle squealed.
“Shhh.” Maisie looked up the way to see if anyone else was paying attention to them.
Crew and Solo had joined Heavy at his truck, while Gem sat near the fire, both knees against her chest, watching it burn intensely.
“Mais, you’re forty-five years old. You want to have a baby now?” Giselle could barely believe her ears.
Her cousin shrugged and took another pull from the blunt.
“Why not?” she choked on the smoke. “These celebrity bitches out here doing it.”
“They also getting BBLs, bitch.” Giselle took the blunt when she held it out for her.
“I can see it on Crew’s face every time he sees a baby. Look at him with the twins. Harlee turns him into mush, and he loves rough housing with Heir. When they come over, it’s a party until they all pass out together. I realized I love seeing him like that. It makes him so happy. I know he’s saying he doesn’t want babies because I made it clear I didn’t a long time ago, so he just let it go. I want to see that look on his face and give him something he’s always wanted, and I don’t want him to be resentful of me for not having it someday.”
“But is it really what you want? You’re the one who’s going to be going through it physically. Trust, it may look easy, but being pregnant is no joke.”
“That’s why I need you. I’m sure. I want to see what a little me and him looks like together.” Maisie smiled.
“I’m happy for you and Crew.” Giselle grinned, leaning in to embrace her.
“Thanks. I haven’t exactly told him yet, but I’m going to. I already visited my doctor and got all my hormones, and everything checked. He says it could be a high-risk pregnancy because of my age, but I’m not worried about it.”
“How have you not gotten pregnant all these years?” Giselle queried.
“Oh, we take all kinds of precautions. It can be done.” Maisie grabbed the blunt back.
Glancing at Gem as she brought her red plastic cup to her lips and sipped, eyes still on the fire, Maisie nodded in that direction.
“Let’s go talk to her.”
“Mais…” Giselle groaned.
