“I’m going to fix this,” he said after a moment. “Everything I broke. I’m going to make it right.”
I turned my head and looked at him, studying his face for a second before I answered. I had known this man for most of my life, and I could always tell when he meant what he said.
“I’m choosing to trust you,” I told him softly. “Not because I have to, but because I still believe in the man I married.”
Kwame kissed my forehead and pulled me closer against him, and we stayed there together watching the moon over the water while the house finally felt peaceful again.
For the first time in weeks, I allowed myself to believe that maybe our family would find its way back to each other.
Trill-Land, Jungle Estate
Two weeks later…
Kay’Lo was in court for another hearing this mornin’, and I was at Pluto’s tryin’ not to lose my damn mind while actin’ like I was calm.
Usually, I was right there with my husband, sittin’ behind him in that courtroom, starin’ at the back of his neck and prayin’ nobody say the wrong shit, but Kay’Lo told me a couple weeks ago that I wasn’t comin’ no more. I wanted to fight him on it ‘cause I felt like that was my place, beside my man, but at the same time I was twenty-two weeks pregnant now and I knew he ain’t play about me, so I let him have that one even though I ain’t like sittin’ on the sidelines.
Pressure and Renza went with him like always, and Pluto stayed behind with me ‘cause she knew I was the type to sit here and spiral if I was alone too long. It was early, the sun barely up, and her house was quiet in that rich, peaceful way that made you feel like you was supposed to be relaxed, but my nerves ain’t care how pretty the house was.
I was sittin’ at her kitchen island with a glass of orange juice in front of me, rubbin’ my stomach without even realizin’ I was doin’ it, and Pluto was across from me watchin’ me like she already knew what was goin’ on in my head.
“You good?” she asked.
“I’m tired,” I said, leanin’ back in the chair and exhalin’. “I’m either ready for them to start this damn trial already or throw the whole case out. This in between shit is worse than anything.”
She nodded slow. “I get that.”
“Like make it make sense,” I went on. “They keep draggin’ it and draggin’ it, and every time we think we close to a date, somethin’ else come up.”
Pluto rested her chin in her hand. “But the footage being missing is a big deal though.”
“I know it is,” I said. “That’s the only thing keepin’ me from crashin’ out. ‘Cause if that footage from his shop really can’t be recovered, and they can show somebody tampered with it, the whole case gon’ start lookin’ funny as hell.”
She smirked a lil’. “Funny like dismissed funny!”
“Funny like somebody lied funny,” I said, shakin’ my head. “Ain’t no way all them cameras in that shop just magically miss what they need. That ain’t coincidence.”
Pluto gave me that look like she agreed.
“I’m just hopin’ his lawyers can tear that shit apart,” I added. “They already prolonged settin’ a trial date ‘cause of it, so at least we got that.”
“Exactly,” she said. “More time for them to find cracks.”
I sighed and pressed my hand over my stomach again, and right when I did, ‘Lo’Lo moved.
I froze and looked down.
“There she go,” I said soft, a smile creepin’ up before I could stop it.
Pluto leaned forward quick. “She kickin’?”
“Yeah,” I whispered, pressin’ my palm there. “She been movin’ lately.”
I swear every time she move, everything else fade for a second. The case, the stress, the court dates, all of it.
Pluto slid her chair closer and reached over careful. “Aww, let me feel baby ‘Lo.”
“Look,” I said, guidin’ her hand to the spot.
