Page 83 of A Don & His Doll

“I thought I lost you, Monroe,” Promise stated truthfully, then looked away for a second. "I didn’t think you were coming back to me," she swallowed the lump in her throat. "And when I got shot, the thought of closing my eyes without seeing your face one last time,” she shook her head. “I will accept her and treat her like my own, not because I’m fearful, but because I love you,” Promise confessed.

Monroe bore so deep into her soul, a single tear spilled from his eye. One that he quickly swiped away. He felt her. He felt her words settling somewhere deep in the core of his being. They were long overdue, and something they both knew existed between them for a while, yet still they had never been spoken between them.

“I love you more, Doll. Nigga been in love wit’chu for a while.”

“I’m pregnant,” Promise revealed, unable to hold it back any longer.

Monroe looked away, then back at Promise. “What’chu say, Doll?”

“I wanted to tell you, but I couldn’t get to you,” she explained.

“How long have you known?” He inquired, feeling bad for not being there for her.

“I just found out two months ago. I’m six months pregnant now,” Promise revealed.

“Six months?” Monroe said in disbelief, not because he didn’t believe her, but because where was the baby hiding?

He stood and gently pulled back the covers, before lifting Promise’s shirt to observe her stomach; her small baby bump catching his attention immediately. His eyes widened as soon as his hand covered her stomach with his hand because the feel of their child's tiny feet had caught him completely off guard. This feeling was wild, and he didn’t know the right response to give. Monroe had heard Syncere and Truth talk about their kids all the time, he’d felt a close connection with Monae too, but this… this had hit different on so many levels.

“You barely showing,” Monroe stated, noticing her breasts were bigger, and her hips had spread more than they were before.

“The doctor said it’s normal, and to give it time. Let’s just pray I don’t get any stretch marks,” Promise said, lifting crossed fingers in the air.

Lowering his lips to her stomach, Monroe kissed his unborn child. “Daddy’s home for good now. You got my word,” he vowed, lifting slightly, and hovering over Promise. He leaned in and kissed her lips sweetly, allowing his lips to linger a few seconds longer, then rested his forehead on top of hers. “Thank you for bein’ so strong, and for givin’ me the time I needed to figure all this shit out. I’ma spend the rest of my life makin’ up for this shit.”

“If I could turn back the hands of time, I wouldn’t change a thing. For you…for us, I’d do it all over again,” Promise told him, wincing in pain when she attempted to move her leg.

“Not even being shot?” Monroe asked with a smirk.

“Well maybe I’d change that one thing,” Promise said.

Monroe cracked up laughing because Promise was a trip. “I’ma take care of that.”

“I know you will, baby,” Promise replied.

“I need to tell you something,” Monroe said, not wanting to hold anything else back from Promise.

“Yea, what is it?” She asked, giving him her full attention.

“Monae told me she didn’t feel safe because she’d overheard my mother threatening Sienna, so I asked her if she wanted to stay at my house. When she said yes, Sienna came with her,” Monroe said, pausing to allow Promise to process what he’d said.

“Wait, when did all this happen?” Promise quizzed, feeling territorial.

“Not long before I came to see you in Houston,” Monroe came clean. “But, I’ve been in Malibu, Doll.”

“Did you fuck her?” Promise asked, knowing she had no right because it was her idea for them to break up, but still.

Monroe chuckled. “Really, you gone ask me that?”

“Nigga, don’t fuckin’ play with me. I may have been shot, but I’ll get my ass up right now and square up with you,” Promise was deadass not playin’ with Monroe.

“Yooo!” Monroe chuckled. “Slow yo’ pretty ass down, killa. Ya man ain’t been givin’ this dick to nobody but chu’.”

Promise smiled wide. “Don’t keep nothin’ else from me, Monroe. I’m your woman. What else do I have to do to prove I’m never going to leave you?”

“That’s real, ma. I hear you, and I’ma do better a’ight,” he assured her. “I got one question though.”

“I’m listening,” Promise said, looking up at him as he towered over her.