I swore Sin’s eyes misted over as he hovered close to my face.
“We gon’ be in this together. Whatever happens, we gon’ get through it together. Deal?”
Sniffling, I replied, “Deal. I’m scared, though.” Tears rushed down my face, but Sin caught them.
“I’m right here,” he assured me, kissing my lips repeatedly.
Five minutes later, the ultrasound technician arrived, ramping my nerves back up. As she talked, smiled, and did her thing, Sin held my hand and quietly observed the monitor. When our baby’s heartbeat sounded, Sin’s head dropped momentarily. Next, he hovered close to me with tears in his eyes.
“I love you,” he repeated.
Fear gave way to love as I tearfully replied, “I love you, too.”
“No matter what, we in this forever,” he said, staring into my eyes. I believed him. With our baby’s heartbeat as the backdrop to our promise to each other, I prayed one day we could hold the creation we’d made.
CHAPTER 4
PENELOPE
Every few seconds, my eyes danced between my daddy and Zoo. They were in deep conversation across the room, and like a kid, I tried to ear hustle, but they were talking too damn low. The room wasn’t even that big, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying for shit. Where I should’ve been concerned, Zoo didn’t seem the least bit uptight or bothered, so for now I just sat there and observed them.
Any time Zoo’s smile emerged, I found myself even more intrigued by their conversation. My daddy was the no-nonsensebusinessman, who graduated top in his class and still wore a preppy-ass Polo shirt everywhere. I wouldn’t call my daddy stuck up, but he did have his preferences on what he thought was “best” for me and Naomi when it came to men. One look at Zoo and any father would be hesitant. Zoo screamed hood nigga, and at no time did he ever hide it.
Honestly, his swagger and attitude turned me on when no man who I’d met made me feel that way about him. Zoo was just…different. He didn’t give a fuck how anyone felt about him, he was going to be exactly who he was.
I’d leaned on him throughout the night, doing exactly what he’d told me to do. Somehow, I was in his arms for no other reason other than to feel his tatted limbs around me. He’d hold me and let me sleep since we hadn’t left the hospital yet. The hospital was so backed up that Naomi was still in the emergency room, waiting to be sent to a private room. None of us were leaving until that happened.
So, while I’d been off taking a restroom break, Zoo and my father gravitated to one another and hadn’t broken apart since. That was an hour ago.
“You look concerned.” Mimi chuckled.
“Very,” Bri added.
My sister wanted to sleep so badly; I could see it in her eyes. However, she was happy to have our parents there and didn’t want to close her eyes until they went to get their own rest. Coming off the trip from down South, they were exhausted, yet they refused to leave their daughter’s side.
Finding out Mimi was pregnant brought me, Bri, and my mama to tears. I knew my sister though, and it was something behind her familiar orbs that nagged at me. If she was reflecting on her time with Vick, then I already knew what she was thinking about. I hate that this moment wasn’t much of a joyousone for her because of all that she’d gone through previously. All I could do was pray that things got better for her.
“I’m cool,” I lied.
My mother chuckled then. “He’s handsome.”
With a mug, my eyes snapped her way. “For the record, Mama, he’s not my man.”
“He should be,” she shot back.
“Exactly,” Bri instigated.
“Huh? Excuse me?” Pointedly, I looked at Brooklyn, who sat next to Sin. The two of them were sitting next to my daddy in their own conversation.
“Mama, I’m the only one with sense in this situation,” Mimi offered. “The two of them are stuck on stupid.”
Bri and I both rolled our eyes.
“Like youwillinglysubmitted to Sin. It tookustalking some sense into you, so that there could be a you and Sin.”
Mimi grumbled under her breath, but Bri had her there.
“Are they related? They favor one another.”
