I smiled wide. “I do, but to be fair, I thought that before he said it. It just blew me that he would say that. And that he would say she was throwing him kisses, telling him to catch.”
Her mouth fell open. “Heifer! You did not tell me that. The baby was throwing kisses the same way you throw kisses to your granddaddy? Oh my gawd! Oh my gawd! Sis, this nigga done looked inside your womb and bonded with this baby. Preston who, boo? Kaynaan’s that baby pappy.” She jabbed her finger toward my stomach.
I didn’t want to confirm that I agreed with everything she said. “Shut up.” I waved her off. “What do you think of this?” I motioned for her to come closer to the computer monitor. I showed her the mockup for the jersey I was doing for myself and the football shaped purse that I was blinging out for her.
“I love it. Are you gonna get them done before the game? I can’t wait to stunt with it.”
“The game is two weeks away; they’ll be done by then if I start tonight. One week for yours and one week for mine.”
The alarm from the security system alerted us that someone was at or near the front door. I quickly checked the camera. “Kaynaan.” I hit the button to release the lock.
He came through the door and walked right over to me. He pulled me into his arms giving me a good hug before speaking to LoLo. “What’s good, LoLo?”
She was all smiles. “Hey, Kaynaan. I heard you took care of business the other day, even though our friend tried to pretend that she didn’t want you to.”
“Shut up,” I said, grinning.
Kaynaan grinned, too. “Yeah. She plays tough, but underneath it all, she’s a sensitive thug.”
“And I heard that I’m getting a niece.”
That made his smile widen, and I basically swooned. He was so gorgeous—all milk chocolate skin, dimples, dark eyes, and full lips. “Yeah, and she’s perfect. She’s healthy, and she’s happy.”
“Well, if you’re taking suggestions for girl names, my vote is with Mileah.”
I pulled a face. “Mileah and Maloah?”
“Your real name is Maloah?” he asked.
“Yes. I know, it’s weird. And ever since that movie came out, people see it and call me Moana.”
“I was thinking along the lines of Arabella,” I said.
“This is politically incorrect,” LoLo began, “but that name has a, I don’t know, chubby ring to it. I envision a pretty little girl, but chubby.”
Kaynaan laughed.
I twisted my face. “How can a name sound chubby, Lo?”
“I don’t know. It just does.”
“I disagree.” I folded my arms across my chest. “I think it sounds pretty. And it means answered prayer.”
LoLo shrugged. “That’s a pretty meaning, but kids don’t care about the meanings of names. They’re gonna call herbig-bellied Arabella.”
Kaynaan was practically on the floor. “You’re wild as hell, LoLo.”
“Kids are cruel. I got caught kissing Jeremy Finch behind the bleachers at the park the summer after sixth grade. All the boys started calling meLo down dirty. They tried to ruin my reputation.”
“They did,” I remembered.
“Right. Keep that in mind when you’re picking a name.”
“I would just go with the obvious,” Kaynaan said. “Her name would be Princess.”
“Princess Castle?” I practically yelped. “Are you even serious right now? That’s worse than Wyndsor Castle. She would definitely get teased.”
“She wouldn’t, though,” he insisted.
I eyed him.
“Because her name would be Princess Israel.”
“Whew, shit!” LoLo hollered.
I pretended to go back to the rendering on my monitor, but a small smile found its way to my face.
