Page 199 of Own It

“Sorry about that, Ms. Gates.” Dr. Farmer entered after I announced that I was decent.

“No worries.” I cleared my throat, watching her as she moved around the office effortlessly.

She washed her hands vigorously and then gloved up before taking a seat beside the bed. After covering the bulge in my belly in a jelly substance, she put a small device to it that caused a grainy image to populate on the miniature monitor beside us.

“Okay! Everything looks just perfect, Ms. Gates.” She beamed, making me do the same as I looked on. “Would you like to know the gender?”

“Umm.” I pondered for a moment then decided I would like to know so I could start collecting things for him or her. I could also tell Zaire’s brothers wanted to know. “Sure.”

“It’s a girl!” Dr. Farmer exclaimed as if she were the father. “I have three girls and two boys, and you’re going to love having a daughter. I can promise you. They are quite interesting and very early on. I love my sons, but they took a while to have some personality,” she jested, making me giggle.

“Well women are the superior species, right?”

“Very true.” She cleaned my stomach off, then trashed the rough paper towels before rising to her feet. “So do you have any questions at the moment about the delivery process or anything?”

“No, I think I’m good. But thank you, Dr. Farmer.” I nodded with a smile.

“Alright, well they will check you out and schedule your next appointment up front, but if anything happens, don’t hesitate to call or reach out to me via the chat or message center,” she announced just like she always did at the conclusion of the appointment.

“Great.” I smiled and waited for her to exit, leaving a trail of her floral perfume in the room, before I sat up and started to reach for my clothes.

Just as I’d gotten my leggings up, my phone began buzzing, so I fished through my purse to see it was Mylo. I stared at the phone in contemplation as if it would jump up and bite me, before grabbing it and tapping the green phone button.

“Hello?” Mylo queried since I had answered but not greeted him.

“Sorry. I’m in the middle of dressing. What’s up?” I put the phone on speaker while I yanked my big T-shirt over my head.

“Seems like I caught yo’ ass at the perfect timing then. You got plans today?”

“Not anymore, no. Why?” I gripped the phone now that I had my T-shirt on, pushing the call back into the phone.

“I wanted to see if you were hungry or just wanted to get out the house for a little bit.”

I looked off as if the rounded stool the doctor had been sitting on could give me advice.

“Mylo, I don’t think⁠—”

“Téa, come on.”

I pondered for a moment, thinking on my talk with Daylin, then asked, “Where to?”

“You ever been to Third Street Promenade? It’s a bunch of shit to do.”

“Nigga, I’m from here. Of course . . .” I stopped my rant when Mylo began laughing, because I realized he was messing with me by insinuating that I was an LA transplant which was a huge insult to an LA native. “You think you’re so funny.” I rolled my eyes with a smirk.

“So is that cool, or did you have something else in mind?”

“That’s fine. I’m leaving the doctor, so I should be home in about half an hour. I will meet you outside.”

“Aight.”

I hung up and left the examination room to check out with the nurse at the front before setting up my next appointment. The sun was shining brightly today, and it affected my mood positively.

Today, I didn’t feel glum or skittish about the future. Between learning I was having a healthy baby—a princess—to feeling more welcomed within the Godfrey circle, I didn’t have anything to complain about. And I was still daydreaming about that fabulous chicken parmesan Daylin cooked for me.

I hurried home, arriving there in thirty-five minutes to see Mylo’s truck already outside. I wasn’t sure why, but the fact that he was prompt and didn’t have me waiting was attractive.

Getting out of his truck and rushing over once he saw me, Mylo assisted me from my vehicle carefully, before walking me back to his own and helping me up inside.