Diego and Kégo gave an immediate congratulations with smiles while Mrs. Gills only wore a smile. I didn’t know if the smile was fake or not. I looked back at Christian, and he nodded. I assumed she was happy for us.
When I turned to face her, there were tears streaming. I placed my hand in hers when she motioned for it. After the light squeeze, she had words for me and Christian, but Galleria just wouldn’t let her be great.
“I don’t mean to rain on yo’ lil’ parade, but Hades, don’t you think having a child with somebody who has a disease will affect your child? I mean, look at her. She has more patches than a cow, and only God knows what kind of hair the baby will have. Have you seen her without a wig on?” Her interruption didn’t play out the way she wanted.
Christian removed his hand from my lap and slowly stood. He turned to me and without hesitation grabbed my neck, applying pressure, not enough to hurt but to where I understood I was his. That kiss he delivered swept any response I had to Galleria away.
“I love you, mama. And regardless of what anybody says, I’m not goin’ nowhere. My son can come out looking exactly like you, and that wouldn’t stop me from loving my family. It’s always gon’ be a hater around, but understand this, as long as you with me, you won’t be disrespected. Let’s go,” Christian spoke, making eye contact with only me. I heard him loud and clear.
“You foul, sis. You fuckin’ on Alexis, which is still her wife at the end of the day and still tryna get Hades. Papa might’ve spoiled you, but you can’t get everything you want. Let that man be happy with his woman in peace. Journei ain’t did shit to yo’ ass for you to come at her like that,” Kégo responded on my behalf.
Galleria sat there with tears ready to fall. She was hurt by their words, Christian’s more than Kégo’s. Her dream of having Christian was crushed. I was sure he’d never put a female before her since she was “family”, but shit get real when a nigga found a bitch he really loved.
My hand was grabbed, and I was being led out the house. I saw Mrs. Gills stand out my peripheral. Christian wasn’ givin’ us much time to do anything. He wanted us gone.
“Wait, son.” Mrs. Gills followed behind us. “I’d like to come up tomorrow if you don’t mind. So, we can actually talk about the baby, and I catch up with Journei.” Christian agreed and continued on his path.
The only thing I took from the last five minutes was him saying I love you. I felt the genuineness when he said it and saw the truth of it in his eyes. Those three words lingered in my head earlier, but they were ready to come out. I feared of letting it be known first, but clearly, he had no problem in taking the lead.
Once we reached the car, he pulled me in for a hug instead of opening my door. I didn’t realize how much I needed to be held until his arms were wrapped around me. The physical connection between us always settled me. Rearing back a little, his blue eyes locked in on mine.
“I’m sorry, mama. I didn’t kn?—”
His sentence was cut short with a simple kiss. He wasn’t about to apologize for a grown ass muthafucka who couldn’t control her emotions. Our tongues danced while our euphoria blossomed. The way he stood up for me had my body on fire.
“I love you too,” was all I had when the kiss was broken. I grew up staying away from men. Yet I was in love with one.
Gills
Last night almost turned out to be the worst for me. Galleria was unexpected, along with her petty games and childish ways. Journei already gave me the rundown about her and Alexis, so I was sure it all clicked when the introduction was made between the two.
Journei handled herself well though. I could tell she wanted to put hands on her, but that one reminder shut down every thought she had. Galleria could flap that tongue all day, but we all knew why she was upset.
I classified her as family, but Galleria still had hope that I would look at her differently, but that wasn’t gon’ happen. Hearing that Journei was pregnant hurt her. I saw it in her eyes the second it was mentioned. I didn’t like hurting any woman, but mine wouldn’t be hid nor disrespected, and neither would my child.
Once we made it back to Nashville, Journei opened up for me right in the parking deck. Each time I entered her, I felt like she added a layer to the spell I was already under. Her conversation was just as intimate. When we talked, she rarely spoke on good memories but shared many dark ones. What she went through, I would’ve never guessed.
Being locked away just because she reminded Jourdell of her mom or not being able to eat because he blamed her for her mother’s death was wrong. And goin’ into a group home didn’t stop the beatings. All it did was change the abuser. It went from her dad to her roommates.
She lay in bed last night, crying about how she didn’t want our son to go through anything she did. I assured her ten times over that he wouldn’t. It didn’t ease her mind, but she accepted my response.
I walked out the bathroom, wrapped in a towel from the quick shower I took. Journei didn’t make sleeping next to her easy. Her body stayed tucked under mine, no matter what position I was in. And when I thought about our child, I wanted to put another one in before the first one had a chance to come out.
“Baby, Diego just called and said they’re on their way up. I hope you didn’t mind me answering your phone,” she said with an unsure look.
“Nah, you good, mama. You were sleep when I went in. How long you been up?” I asked.
“Like ten minutes. I wanted to start on breakfast, but you don’t have anything to cook.”
“That’s because I’m not a breakfast fan. We can go grab somethin’ after you shower. You got about forty-five minutes before they get here.” Since I knew Diego, he was already an hour in when he called. He hated driving, so he sped to his destination, not caring about a speed limit.
Without responding, she ran to bathroom to handle her hygiene. I took the liberty in getting her clothes laid out. I went shopping not too long ago and bought us matching sets. I didn’t know her size exactly, so I took a guess.
I planned on us being simple today. Her thing was dresses, but Belle Air put me on a site she shopped from called SHEIN,so I ordered her a few pieces from there. A white laced romper with gold trim to match my Hugo Boss white and gold shirt and shorts. It was hot outside, and I needed to be cool in order to keep my aggravation level down.
It took Journei the full forty-five minutes to get herself together. She looked nothin’ less than angelic dressed in her white. My son had her skin glowing, and I swear when I looked at her, I could see a small pudge. She walked toward me with the prettiest smile on her face.
“Just so you know, you do this thing where you stare at me and don’t hear or see anything around you. Your family is here Christian,” Journei voiced, then placed a kiss on my lips.
