Her eyes glossed a little when she said it.
“Scared of what?” I asked softer.
“Everything,” she admitted. “The birth. The afterwards. If I’ma be a good mama. If me and Trend gon’ stay on the same page once the baby here. I ain’t never had nobody depend on me like this.”
“Those babies already picked the right one,” I told her. “You be damn near raisin’ us half the time.”
“That part,” Charlee added. “You be the only responsible bitch sometimes.”
Fee sniffed, laughin’ through it. “Whatever. Y’all just sayin’ that ‘cause I’m hormonal.”
“Yeah, but it’s still true,” I said.
Before we could keep goin’, April walked in, hair in a sleek ponytail, simple dress, little belly pudge showin’ just enough to be cute, not loud.
“Hey, crazy people,” she said, smilin’ as she slid into the last chair.
Charlee grinned. “Look at Mrs. Soon-To-Be Blake.”
April rolled her eyes but blushed. “Girl, please. These men about to stress me out before I even change my name.”
“Royce gettin’ on your nerves?” I asked.
“Yes,” she said dramatically. “This man wanna invite every nigga he ever stood next to to the wedding, but don’t wanna sit still long enough to finish the guest list. And don’t get me started on his vows. He keep sayin’ he gon’ ‘just speak from the heart.’ Sir, write that shit down before you get up there talkin’ in circles.”
We all laughed.
“But forreal, how you feel?” Fee asked. “You excited?”
April’s face softened. “Yeah. I am. Sometimes I get scared, too… like, what if we fuck it up? What if we not as ready as we think we are?” She shrugged. “But then I look at him with Nana and Roman, and I see how far they came, and I be like… nah. We gon’ be straight.”
Her eyes went shiny for a second, and she blinked it away.
“Y’all cute,” Charlee said. “Y’all be makin’ me sick, but y’all cute.”
The waitress came, took our drink orders, a virgin for Fee, two mimosas for me and Charlee, some bougie tea thing for April, then she dipped to get the drinks.
Soon as she left, all three of them looked at me at the same time.
I narrowed my eyes. “What?”
Charlee smirked. “So, how’s Roman?”
“He breathin’,” I said. “I guess.”
Fee snorted. “Lies. You walkin’ a little funny, friend.”
April hid a smile behind her menu. “I heard my future brother-in-law been on your bumper.”
I glared. “Royce talk too damn much.”
“He don’t even say much,” April said. “But when his phone light up and he smirks and it say ‘Roman,’ I know it’s about you.”
“Y’all nosy,” I mumbled.
“Yeah, and?” Charlee said. “Last time we talked, you was talkin’ about how you ain’t want nothin’ serious, you just out here on your fun shit. Now this man followin’ you home and walkin’ through your house like security. That don’t sound like casual to me.”
“He be doin’ too much,” I said instantly. “Y’all should’ve seen him last night. Nigga really popped up at the lounge like I told him to come. Actin’ like I can’t go nowhere without checkin’ in.”
