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“Sounds bat shit crazy, actually.”

“Mind you, you’re marrying the nigga who orchestrated the whole thing.”

That shut me up.

“He’s actually really sweet when he’s not, you know, snatching women up off the street.”

“We’re so messed up,” I laughed.

“Marco told me about the wedding. I want to be there for you, Lala.”

“I already had the planner leave a spot open for you. I was praying for a miracle that you’d come around,” I said.

She let out a relieved sigh. “I’ll be there.”

“Great.”

“Right. Well. I gotta go. I have some errands to run today. But I want to see you soon. Let’s get dinner this week,” she suggested.

“I’d love that.”

After that night at Parkside, I was sure Jody was done with me for good. I thought about calling her a million times, but I was scared that she wouldn’t pick up or, worse, had blocked me. I held the seat anyway because I was delusional like that. Somehow, it worked itself out.

Marco though? I was gonna dig into his ass next time I saw him, because why wouldn’t he tell me? Jerk.

I went to my text thread with Siani.

I took the test…

My phone rang a minute later.

“And?” she asked.

“Positive,” I sighed.

“Okay…how do you feel?”

“I don’t know. Scared? A little happy, I guess.” I put my hand on my stomach. “Overwhelmed mostly.”

“That makes sense. You don’t have to have it figured out right this moment.”

“I know.”

“You tell Cardez?”

“Not yet. I think I want to keep this to myself for a little bit.”

“Hm.” She hummed. “You sure? That’s a lot to carry on top of everything else you got going on.”

“I just need a minute before it becomes a spectacle, you know?”

“I feel you. But remember what happened the last time you sat on something for too long?”

She had a point. The Gideon mess had almost destroyed my life because I’d held onto the secret until the walls caved in. She didn’t want me to self-sabotage again.

“This isn’t that, Si. I just need to process.”

“This isn’t stolen money, Lala. It’s his baby too.”