“Glad you made it as well, and I understand. Good night, Genesis.”
We hung up, and I wasn’t interested in the food anymore, but since I still had my wine, I ate a few bites to coat my stomach.
I didn’t expect Genesis to jump into fatherhood right away, so I would give him the time he needed to process things.
I tossedand turned the whole night with the idea of having a baby with a woman I didn’t know. I didn’t even know her real name when I slept with her, and now I had to figure out how to coparent with her. Was that something I even wanted? Kids were never on my radar, but I didn’t do anything to prevent that last time we had sex. I couldn’t help myself, but I knew better. I had too many questions that only London could answer, but I wasn’t ready to talk to her yet.
I needed more time to process this. I needed to talk to my boys and my parents. I already knew my mother would be ecstatic with the possibility of a grandchild, especially a girl. I’d lost track of the number of times she asked me when I planned on settling down and having children. No matter how manytimes I told her it wasn’t happening, she insisted it would one day, and her dream had finally come true.
When the sun rose the next morning, I felt groggy as hell but knew I wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep if I tried. After making a smoothie, I sent a 911 text to Vincent and Devin in the group chat and told them to meet me at the park near my house. I didn’t feel like going to the gym and being bothered by other people, and I knew the park was less crowded. Once they confirmed they’d meet me in an hour, I went into the bathroom to shower and get ready for the day.
I lived in a one-bedroom apartment, so I didn’t even have room for a baby and all the things that came with them. My life would have to be drastically adjusted.
“Pump your brakes, G,” I said to myself. I needed to figure some shit out first.
After I showered and was dressed, I headed out to the park. Since I was there before the guys, I did a quick workout and walked around to try and clear my head.
I could picture the little girl London showed me, and I had to admit that she looked kind of like me, but also like her mother.
Speaking of my potential baby mama, London was fine as shit. Her hair was shorter than it was that night, but I fucked with it. I had a flashback of the night we shared when I saw the way the red dress hugged her body. Her toasted caramel skin glistened under the lights in the restaurant. The minute I approached the table, something citrusy hit my nose, and I knew it was her. It was the same scent that stayed in my nose for at least two months after we parted ways. I tried to figure out what it was but never could. Even if I did, I didn’t think it would smell the same on anyone but her.
“Yo!” Devin and Vincent approached me, snapping me out of my thoughts of London.
I liked her name, too, better than Lisa.
“What’s the emergency? Are you dying?” Vincent asked as he slapped my hand.
“Damn, why was the worst thing your first choice?”
Vincent shrugged as Devin and I gave each other dap.
“What’s going on, though, G? I had to leave a shorty at my house for this, so it better be good,” Devin said as he sat on the bench.
Vincent sat next to him, and I decided to stand. I had to see their faces when I told them.
“I got a kid.”
They both stared at me, then laughed too damn loud. When they noticed I didn’t even crack a smile, they got themselves under control.
“This nigga for real,” Devin said as he pointed at me.
“G, we have known you for forever, and not once have I ever heard you say you wanted kids, so how did we get here?”
They were both there the night I met London, and they knew I ended up with her before the night was over. I never told them about not using a condom that last time. I told them about my date with London and the story she told me about our daughter.
“So how do you know for a fact that’s your baby?” Devin asked when I was done.
“I can’t say I know for a fact, but I believe it. I saw pictures, and she looks like me. Her name is Paris, and she’s eight months. The timeline tracks, and I did slide in her raw, so it’s possible.”
Paris not being mine didn’t cross my mind, but Devin’s question had doubt creeping in. London could have been lying, but I didn’t think she was. What would be the reason? She knew where I worked, so it wasn’t like she thought I had a lot of money or something.
I could tell she had her own money just by the slight jewelry she wore the first night and what she had on at our date. Shehad on a gold Movado watch, so I knew she wasn’t hurting for money. She also didn’t know anything about me until our date, so it wasn’t like she sought me out. The only way it could be a lie was if she had sex with another man around the same time, and she didn’t know where he was. Since I was right there, maybe she wanted to pin the baby on me. None of that made sense, though. I truly believed Paris was mine.
“Yes, it’s possible, but I think you should find out for a fact,” Vincent suggested. “And you definitely should do it before you and the baby get attached to each other. If this chick has her head on straight, and she knows that you are the father, she shouldn’t have a problem with doing a DNA test.”
“Yeah. It probably is a good idea.” I sat down on the bench next to them. I rubbed my hand over the top of my head. “This shit is crazy,” I told them.
“It is, but you know we got you. And if she is yours, you know her uncles are going to spoil her. In the meantime, let’s shoot hoops to take your mind off it for a minute,” Devin said as he stood.
