“And you matter to me…both of you.” My hand went to her flat stomach and we locked eyes.
She smiled hard. “Good to know.”
“Now that you’ve realized you are stuck with me, are we about to watch this movie or are you gonna tell me you’re tired?”
I laughed. “Nope. I’m about to watch you fall asleep, ’cause just from the title I can tell this shit is about to be ’bout boring as hell.”
She shook her head. “Nope.”
We ended up starting the damn movie and it was boring as hell like I said. Like so fucking boring, she was asleep fifteen minutes in and I was carrying her up to the bedroom three minutes after that. Once I had her in bed, I went to grab something to drink from the kitchen. In the midst of grabbing the bottle, my phone began vibrating in my pocket. When I pulled it out, I saw it was Reminisce. Of course it was, where would I be without his random calls.
“Yo.”
“Where have you been, baby boy?” Rem asked, voice loud as hell through the phone.
“Some of everywhere. What’s up with you? How is everybody?”
“They good, everybody ready for you to knock ol’ boy on out. That nigga’s mouth never shuts.”
I laughed. “It really doesn't.”
“Like nonstop. But how have you been? Usually hear from you once or twice a week but ain’t heard from you since the trip. I know you all in love and shit, but you still got siblings nigga.”
More laughter escaped my lips. “Nah, it ain’t like that at all. We got back and life has been nonstop, things are hectic and the time is winding down.”
“Nonstop like what? Talk to me, Indiri.” Of course he read between the lines.
“Nothing too much. I’ve been in my head a lot. Fight’s coming up and life just feels like everything is going a little faster than normal.”
“Talk to me, baby bo?—”
“Selah is pregnant.”
“Damn, for real? How do you feel about that?”
“Shit, at first I didn’t know. With my mother being how she was and my fath—” I started but Rem stopped me.
“It ain’t about either of them. It’s about you, Indiri. You made a baby. How doyoufeel about that?” He emphasized the you this time.
“’Bout scared as fuck, honestly, but I love her. And I know we got this.”
“That’s what I’m trying to hear. You’re absolutely right; you got this. Ain’t shit about it easy, but it’s worth every stress. You know firsthand I never saw myself in the space I’m in, but I’m here, I swear this shit makes me better as a man. You’ll see. Youjust have to be willing to put in the work and be wrong a lot more than you’re right, even when you’re right.”
Rem’s words made sense.
“You’re right, but we talked about it. Selah and I are on the same page. This is something new for both of us. We’re gonna figure it out. Together.”
“As you should. Now do yourself the honor of handling the emotional shit before you step in that ring. Make sure your shit is secure and step into the ring a beast.”
I nodded as if he could see me.There was no other way to step into the ring.
Chapter
Seventeen
Selah
A few days later
