We both laughed as she escorted me to one of the exam rooms. Dr. Cassandra Harris was a Black OB/GYN with her own private practice in downtown Houston. Not only was the place inviting and cozy, but it gave Black girl magic from the décor to the staff. When I first began my search for prenatal care, I knew I wanted a Black female doctor, someone who understood my body and wouldn’t dismiss any of my concerns should any arise. It was a known thing that Black women often went unheard during pregnancy and at birth.
I didn’t want to be a part of that number, so I did my due diligence. When Dr. Harris’ team scheduled a consult with me that included a tour of her facility, I was sold.
“Girl, I can’t wait to lay up and be catered to once I hit that third trimester. That’s when I really plan to slow my life down.”
I thought about how my family and Pryce’s family would dote on me. He would too… at some point… I hoped.
“Oh, I believe in princess treatment too. My husband does his part and then some. He wants me home, but he knows that I love my job. So, he lets me work and monitors from afar. That man has the numbers of every staff member in here. A lil’ compromise mixed with a lil’ he don’t fuck around.” She giggled, and I smiled hard.
You could tell when a woman was being loved properly. It wasn’t just what Jada had said but her posture as she spoke.
“Let’s go head and get your vitals first.”
“Let the drill games begin,” I joked, stepping up on the exam table and holding up my arm for her to start with my blood pressure.
We talked while she went through the checkup routine. Jada moved around like pregnancy was a breeze. She wasn’t all out of breath and irritated. And her skin glowed, matching her upbeat personality.
“Alright, girl. You’re all good,” she said after finishing. “Dr. Harris will be in shortly. If I don’t see you on your next appointment, just know I’m somewhere being someone’s fine mama.”
“Period. Have a safe delivery, love.”
“Thank you. You as well.”
She left out, and I heard my phone ringing in my bag. Sitting up to grab it before the ringing stopped, I smiled at the name on the caller ID, Big Key Not The Lil’ One. It was Pryce’s cousin and my forever homegirl, Kyiris, calling on FaceTime. I almost answered the call but quickly remembered where I was. Ignoring the video request, I called her on audio.
“Heyyy, boo,”I sang into the phone.
“Ignoring a bitch FaceTime call is so wild. What, you look ugly or something?”
“Girl, fuck you.”I snickered.“It never gave ugly.”
She laughed.“I’m just saying. Sometimes, you answer FaceTime, most times you don’t. It’s giving you hidin’ something.”
I glanced down at my belly and dropped my head. As close as me and Key were, I hadn’t told her about the pregnancy. I couldn’t. I knew how close she was to her family and even closer to Pryce. Telling her that information would only put her inbetween our stuff, and that wasn’t fair. I knew she was gonna let me have it when she did find out though. Kyiris hated to be left in the dark. If there was anything to know regarding the Sullivan family, it hit her ears first.
“I’m not, sis,”I lied.“I just be moving around. But wassup witchu? You miss me?”
“Ummm, like a lil’.”
“Bitch, you so cap.”We both laughed.
“Of course I miss my dawg! I would tell you who else miss you, but you know I don’t do no gossiping.”
I smirked, shaking my head.“Yeah, I know,”I said sarcastically.
“Any who, I need youuuu,”she dragged.“I’m planning G’s 70thbirthday. It’s a surprise. But this time…”she paused then whispered into the phone,“I think I bit off a little more than I can chew, sis.”
“Why you whispering, crazy?”
“Cause I’m at my mom’s house, and I don’t want her to hear me admit that. You know she be waiting for a chance to jump in. She’s got enough on her plate with my father.”
Kyiris’ dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s two years ago. The family took it hard, but it hit Key and her mom different. She was her father’s only child and still the apple of his eye. She’d gone from being able to lean on him for any and everything to him not remembering her at times. It broke her for a minute, but that was where her mother stepped up even more. She dedicated every day to making sure her husband was good. It was love in its purest form.
“I get it. How are they?”
“Still in love. Well, my mom is still finding new ways to remind him that they’re in love. It’s tough, but you know ain’t nothin’ a Sullivan can’t handle.”
“True. When’s the party? Ain’t G’s birthday this Saturday?”
