Page 32 of Hired By My Rich Baby Daddy 2

My chest got tight.

“But I say all that to say, I know these first couple nights ain’t gonna be easy for you.”

“Actually, I’m not off on the weekends,” I said. “Once I officially got hired, they let me choose two days during the week to be off. I picked Wednesday and Friday. Saturdays, King only has soccer. Sundays should be pretty light too.”

Mama nodded. “Okay, well, that still works. You can come get her whenever you’re free, or I can bring her to you. We’ll figure it out. Either way, I got your back a hundred percent.”

“See.” Nourah nudged my shoulder and pulled me into a side hug, squeezing tight. “I told you it was gonna be okay.”

Something in my chest loosened up a little hearing my mama say all that. It wasn’t like I doubted my baby would be safe, but hearing her actually say the words, hearing her own up to the stuff from when we were kids without me having to bring it up, that did something for me.

“I really appreciate this, Mama,” I said. “I didn’t know who else to turn to for this kind of help, so truly, thank you. And yeah, you weren’t around as much as we needed growing up, but like you said, you did what you had to do. I’m just glad we’re trying to fix things between us.”

Her eyes got a little glossy, and she nodded, not saying anything else for a second.

“I agree,” Mama said. She cleared her throat, then stood up. “Now come on, let me show you where the baby will be sleeping. I decorated her little room. It’s so cute.”

“Ooh, wait.” Nourah hopped up. “Can we eat first, though? ’Cause a sista is hungry.”

“Girl, you are so greedy.” I laughed and shoved her shoulder, grabbing the bags off the floor. “Come on.”

We followed Mama down the hall to what used to be her sewing room, and when she opened that door, my mouth just about hit the floor.

She’d gone and gotten Oaklynn a whole little bedroom set up. A cute little toddler bed with a canopy over it, soft and pink, a small flat-screen mounted on the wall low enough for a baby to see, already set to some cartoon channel. There was a little iPad charging on the dresser, and the dresser had cubbies built out for her clothes and shoes. Stuffed animals lined a shelf on the wall, and there was a little rug in the shape of a flower right in the middle of the floor.

I turned around and wrapped my mama up in a hug so tight she laughed and patted my back.

“Mama, this is beautiful. I really appreciate you.”

My eyes started stinging again, and this time I couldn’t stop it.

“Oh, you don’t have to cry, baby.”

“I know. It’s just hard.” I sniffled, ugly crying.

“You’ll get used to it.” She rubbed my arm. “Now come on, let me feed my girls.”

She laid Oaklynn down gently in that little bed, and me and Nourah left the bags and car seat in the corner before we all headed back to the kitchen. Me and Nourah climbed up on the stools at the island while Mama went and washed her hands, dried them off on her apron, and started fixing our plates.

“So, what’s new with you two?” she asked, spooning rice onto a plate. “Nourah, I know you told me a while back you was dating somebody. Y’all still together?”

“Yes, ma’am, for now…”

I wasn’t sure what the hell Carl had going on or what actually had taken place on that call, but I knew it had my sister upset the whole ride over here. She had been pouting, waiting for him to call or text her back to explain himself, but he still hadn’t. I hoped he wasn’t on bullshit for real.

Mama looked over at Nourah, raising one eyebrow.

“What’s wrong?”

Nourah shrugged. “Honestly, Ma, things were good until this morning. I was really trying to move forward with him. I was really hearing wedding bells, but I got this weird butt dial from him, and I swear I heard a woman’s voice in the background.”

Nourah picked her phone up off the counter and waved it. “Then I’ve called that man like six times since this morning and still no call back. So, I really don’t know what to call us right now,” she said. “Because if he’s playing me, I’m about to play IN his ass.”

We all cracked up, and Mama shook her head, setting a plate down in front of Nourah first.

“Now, let’s not jump the gun,” she said. “I’m not on his side. I don’t know the boy from a can of paint. But maybe you misheard something on that butt dial, suga. Let’s hope for the best.”

“Yeah, I hope so. I was in the middle of listening to music, so it’s possible I misheard something. I’m just… I’m not in the best mood about it right now.”