“Because I know North, and I believe you too. My brother is complicated, like biology complicated bu?—”
“Aye, we been in this fucking mall for the last three hours. Y’all wanna come on?” His voice filled the room interrupting what she was about to say.
“Coming.” Niema rolled her eyes in the direction of the exit before she looked back at me. “You sort of changed my brother. Plus, you’re pregnant and I’m gonna be an auntie.”
My eyes bulged when she said that last statement, because besides Surah only North and I knew about the baby. I wasn’t keeping it a secret or anything, but we didn’t broadcast it. I think we were both just getting used to it and Surah just had other things to deal with obviously. “And how do you know that?”
“Because every time he touches you his hand always finds its way to your belly. He is happy.”
“That coul?—”
“I’m not a baby, Ommy. I see it.” She smiled happily. “And I’m happy about it. I’m happy about all the changes and excited about the new additions to our family. You, Surah, Ssiah and you know.” Her eyes immediately went to my midsection.
Her excitement was cute, and it made me smile. Instead of responding I nodded my head and let her know I’d be outside when she finished changing. When I came out of the dressing room I looked around for North and Ssiah before I spotted him standing in the shoe area. As if he felt me looking at him, he looked up and immediately we locked eyes.
I walked over to him with a big stupid ass smirk on my face. He just had that effect on me.
“You know they have little cars and stuff you could push him in. You didn’t have to carry him.”
He waved me off. “I’m ready to get up outta here. We have things to do.”
I laughed at his impatience. North hated when things didn’t move according to his time. He was cute with his controlling ass.
Once he finished paying for all of Niema’s things, we left the store going toward the exit where the car was. He refused to let us look at any other store.
“Nope, remind me to never come to a mall with y’all’s asses again. Got me in the stores for hours spending money like that shit grows on trees.” He finished stuffing the bags in the trunk, now he was getting in the truck.
Niema laughed at his fussing, while I shook my head.
He was really mad that we were at the mall for so long, but it was necessary. She was starting school and needed these things, plus I could tell she just needed a little retail therapy. At this point in life, we all needed it.
North
When we got back to the crib, I went to my office so I could handle a few things. I had to talk to Mari about something, and then I would be ready to keep my promise to Ommy. I meant everything I said when I said I wanted to do the whole meet the parents’ ordeal with her. I might not have been really vocal about the topic, but she was all I wanted and the only woman I’d ever put the effort up for. It had nothing to do with the fact that she was carrying my child and everything to do with what she meant to me. I was in straight up denial at first, but then something just broke, and I realized just how stupid I was for not being a grown ass man when it came to her. Avoiding titles and just sex was for little ass boys, I was way too old for any of that, and life was too fucking short for all the confusion. I had told her what I wanted, now it was time for me to show her.
After talking to my brother and handling my business, I found my way to Niema’s room. She was arranging the clothes that she had just gotten while Ssiah was out cold on her bed. His lil’ ass was tired.
“Ommy and I are about to head out in a lil’ while. I’ll pay you sixty-five to keep lil’ man for the night.”
She looked from him to me, before nodding her head. “He’s out for the night. Easiest sixty-five dollars I’ve ever made.”
I chuckled, then closed her door and went to my bedroom. I just knew my baby mama was knocked out. On the way home she asked me to stop and get her some chicken tenders, then by the time we reached theCanesshe was out cold. I ended up getting her tenders as well as Niema and Ssiah some. That was my way of making sure they had food for the night before we left. Avery didn’t know it, but we were spending our night on a private boat. It would be just me, her, and the stars. I had to tap into that romantic shit when it came to her.
I was shocked when I opened the door, and she wasn’t sleep at all. She was sitting in the middle of the bed tapping away on her laptop.
“We’re leaving in about an hour. Be ready, shorty.”
She looked up at me, tilting her head to the side. “Where are we going?”
“Thought I told you that was for me to know and you to be ready for.” I left her in the immediate room and went to my closet. I needed to grab a few things.
“But how will I know what to wear? Or how to style my ha?—”
“It’s me and you spending quality time. It’s necessary, shorty.” I turned around and looked at her. I couldn’t understand how she was going on four months pregnant in the next few weeks and it still wasn’t very visible. I mean it was a slight bump when she was naked, but with clothes it wasn’t there.
She laughed. “Sounds like you’re trying to get me all to yourself so you can get between my legs.”
“I mean that’s part of the plan, but I do that here.” I winked at her. She knew that much was true.
