“Thank you for all that you do. For someone that was adamant about not wanting a child, I never have to beg you to provide or be involved. I respect that, for real.”
“No thanks needed. I can be a jerk sometimes, but I wouldn’t even have my baby out here neglected and ignored. That’s not even me.”
Misha nodded her understanding, and I left. Willow was asleep and even if she wasn’t, she wouldn’t know that I was leaving. The baby stage was cool, but I was ready for her to start walking and talking, so we could have fun. I wasn’t sure why Pierre was acting like we had tickets to the Super Bowl or something, but he was adamant about me not being late. I almost told him that I didn’t want to go, but he would clown me about being love sick over Wonder. There wasn’t much he could say in the beginning, because he had been the same way over Nina. His sulking was over, though. I knew he still missedher, but he was back on his best bullshit and dealing with a few different females.
The fact that I hadn’t even had sex since Wonder and I broke up was diabolical. I was horny as hell but not interested in another woman. That was going to have to change, though. I refused to get blue balls because Wonder refused to forgive me. I had just pushed my feet into my sneakers when my doorbell rang.
“You ready, bro?” Pierre asked with a big smile on his face.
“I’ve never seen you this hype about watching a boxing event, G,” I shook my head at him. I wasn’t as excited as he was, and he sensed it.
“I got a blunt already rolled in the car. Come on and hit it, so you can relax. You looking a lil’ tense and uptight.”
I didn’t give a verbal response, but I stuck my middle finger up at him. In the car, Pierre talked about a few jobs that he had lined up. We had hired help, so it didn’t matter if I didn’t work on Friday. We had weeks that were busier than others, but business was pretty good. I couldn’t complain at all. I knew if I kept at it with the books, that could be another stream of income for me. I didn’t care if it was only a few hundred a month. I could just throw it in my savings. I was determined not to go back to anything illegal and end up in a cell.
Pierre finally pulled into the parking lot of a strip of shopping centers. I had never been to any of the businesses in the strip, but the parking lot was packed. Looking around, I tried to locate the sports bar or lounge, but I didn’t see one. Pierre had his head down, texting on his phone. I didn’t ask him which business we were walking into. I simply followed him. My brows hiked when he approached a door that hadJ&W Eventsetched on it. Quickly, I concluded that someone must have rented the space to have a watch party in.
Before I could even take in the sea of faces in the room, I heard a chorus of ‘Surprise!” The moment my foot stepped inside the room.
Looking around the room, I saw a big poster of my book cover propped up on an easel by the door. Copies of my book were stacked on a small circular table. All of the round tables spread throughout the room had black table cloths and gold décor. A long table in the back of the room had various aluminum foil covered pans that obviously contained food. There was a professional photographer taking pictures, and even my parents and my grandmother were present.
I looked over at Pierre who was smiling proudly. “I know you didn’t plan this and put it together, G.”
“Nope. It was all Wonder until you pissed her off. Then Nina took over. Of course, she’s not coming because my black ass is here. I guess we’re both screw ups.”
I felt like a female as my stomach sank. I missed Wonder something terrible and finding out she was the one behind the surprise made me feel even worse. I wanted to leave and drive to her house, but that would be rude. Carefully, I scanned every inch of the room with hopes she was there, but she wasn’t. I damn near didn’t know how to handle all of the congratulations I was getting from people. Prior to the party, the only person in my life that had ever told me they were proud of me was Wonder. It was hard to believe that one drunken night where I was being a typical asshole and meant harm to no one except Jermaine, cost me on the best thing that ever happened to me.
Even though I knew everyone in attendance, I still wouldn’t have been able to make it through the event without the blunt I smoked prior to arriving. All of the attention and questions were overwhelming. Being in crowded places didn’t bother me because nine times out of ten, when I was out in the streets or at a club, people knew not to bombard me. Still, everyone in theroom was there to celebrate me, and I wanted to be as polite as I could. Once I got overstimulated or agitated, I wouldn’t be able to turn it off.
I caught both my parents staring at me a time or two, and both of them wore proud looks on their faces. Even I had to stop and really appreciate the fact that not too long ago, I’d been in the county jail, facing numerous years for murder. Never thought I’d see the day when I was scared straight.
After we’d been in the venue for almost an hour, my mom asked me if I wanted to cut the cake. By then, I had consumed a few cups of Hennessy, so I was a little more relaxed. I told her we could in a few minutes. The party was nice as hell, but I was ready to leave. I stepped outside to get some fresh air and the way my heart slammed into my ribcage when I saw Wonder getting out of her car made me feel lame as fuck. Time seemed to stand still as I watched her close the car door and then trek slowly in my direction. I remained cool, calm, and collected on the outside but on the inside, a nigga was losing his cool. I had missed her so much that I took in every single detail as she walked toward me.
It had only been a month since I last saw her, but her face was a little fuller. Her breasts looked a little bigger and that once flat as a board stomach had the slightest bloated look to it. One that the average person wouldn’t notice, but I had seen and studied every inch of Wonder’s body. When she finally made it to me, she peered up into my eyes.
“Congratulations.”
“What you gotta tell me, G?” I wanted to hear her say it.
Wonder’s throat bounced as she swallowed hard. I almost felt bad that she appeared nervous to talk to me but then I remembered the way her little feisty ass barked on me a couple of times and realized that she could her own.
“I’m pregnant.”
It took me a few seconds to process the fact that a man that didn’t want kids was about to have two that were close in age. But being a father wasn’t so bad, and Misha carrying my child and Wonder carrying my child were two different feelings.
“If you don’t want it, that’s fine. I just wanted you to know.”
“Stop talking stupid, G. Tell me something else.”
Wonder’s brows furrowed. “Something like what?”
My heart beat like a drum against my ribcage. “Tell me you still love me, and you forgive me, and you want us to be together while we raise our child.”
Tears filled Wonder’s eyes. I wanted to touch her. To comfort her, but I wasn’t sure if she was on that type of time with me, so I resisted the urge, no matter how hard it was.
“I still love you, I forgive you, and I want us to be together while we raise this baby. If I don’t miscarry.” The fear in her eyes was obvious. I couldn’t fight it anymore, and I pulled her into me. Wrapping my arms around her, I kissed her on the forehead.
“That’s not gon’ happen, G. And if it does, we’ll just make another one.”
