Class ended, she and Zion rolled up their mats, said a quick goodbye to Tiana, who had another class coming, and headed outside. “Do you want to grab a snack at Brewed?”
Did she?
“We can talk about your baby daddy. I know he can be a little bit hard to read.”
Poppy spun her head around to him. “What…I don’t know…I haven’t…what do you…”
Zion lifted his hand and started counting off his fingers. “The wedding is the right time frame. When Frankie and I saw you in the hall, at the hospital, and asked if you’d seen AJ…and you tried to act like you had no clue what we were talking about, you were as believable as a hangover at a Mormon wedding. Halloween night in my kitchen, he said he only came to the party for you, let’s go home. He is renovating your house. Do I need to go on?”
Poppy wasn’t going to deny it, there was no point. “So does everyone know?”
“No.” Zion shook his head. “Frankie knows, obviously, she was at the hospital, and it was obvious you two spent the night engaging in gland-to-gland combat, and at the Halloween party, but as far as I know, only Miss Frankie and I have SherlockHolmesed it. At Thanksgiving, no one knew, and I’ve been at Yaya’s all week, and she is still in the dark.”
Well, that was something.
“So, I ask again, do you want to talk?” Zion offered his arm.
She nodded and wrapped her fingers around his bicep.
His large hand covered hers as they walked down Main Street towards the coffee shop. Zion made small talk, mainly entertainment gossip he had from inside sources, which did get Poppy’s mind off things because she did love some pop culture tea. He talked about a photo shoot he had the next day and that he’d have to miss Yaya’s wedding, which was sad, but that’s what happened when people gave him ten days’ notice.
Once they got their drinks and were tucked in a secluded booth in the corner of the charming coffee shop, Zion took a sip of his grande, hot, flat, white, with half almond/half oat milk, extra hot, extra foam, vanilla, caramel, and cinnamon latte.“So, howarethings with your baby daddy?”
“They’re not…anything.” Poppy sipped her lemonade. “He doesn’t want kids. He’s made that very clear.”
“He told you he doesn’t want this baby?”
“He said he doesn’t want kids.”
“That, my dear, is not what I asked.”
“At the rehearsal dinner, just one night before we found out I was pregnant, when I hit my head and had to go to the emergency room, Yaya asked him when he was going to settle down and have kids, and he clearly stated he didnotwant to have children. And I’ve asked him point blank, and he’s said he doesn’t not want kids.”
“Okay, but that was an abstract. This is different.”
“Is it?” Poppy wasn’t sure. “Things seem pretty black and white with AJ." She took a breath. “I told him I couldn’t get pregnant, because I thought I couldn’t. I was told I couldn’t.” She looked down and touched her belly. “This was a…”
“Miracle,” Zion finished.
She looked back up. “I don’t know if AJ sees it that way.”
“Have you asked him?”
“No.” She shook her head.
“Why not?”
“Because…”
“Because what?” Zion prompted.
She took a deep breath and exhaled. “Because he’s not like other guys.”
Zion sat straighter, his shoulders rolling back. “And that bothers you?”
“I mean, sort of.” Poppy felt her eyes filling with tears.
Zion’s eyes narrowed. “Whatspecificallybothers you?” His tone had an icy edge to it.
