She’d spent years trying to prove herself to everyone, but he never required performance out of her. He wanted Nina without the mask. He loved it when she put her corporate voice on and he also loved her when she was walking around the house in a dirty t-shirt and a pair of his boxers, free and comfortable.
“That’s the goal always.”
Mess and all… she was his.
“When was your last cycle?”
Nina blinked because the question came out of nowhere.
“My what?”
“Your period, where it’s at?” Jio was looking for that bitch with a flashlight.
She stared at him. “What kind of question is that?”
“A normal one.”
“It is absolutely not!” She crossed her arms across her chest.
He shot back, “It is when my woman is throwing up every morning.”
“I'm not pregnant.”
“You sure?”
“...Yes.”
“You don’t know.” He said because it took her way too long to answer a question.
“I...” She sighed dramatically. “I honestly don’t.”
Her cycle had been doing its own thing due to the stress of taking overMarcelle & Co.Some months it arrived early and then on other months, it arrived late but it always showed up. She barely kept up with her cycle because she had enough on her damn plate.
He nodded. “Cool, so I’m bringing a test home tonight.”
Nina groaned so loudly that he laughed.
“I don’t need a pregnancy test.” She was being defiant.
He kissed her forehead before heading back to the kitchen. Nina remained in the bathroom. Her hand unconsciously drifted toward her stomach.
Pregnant? No.
Absolutely not….Probably not....Right?
She couldn’t stop wondering why the possibility didn’t scare her nearly as much as she thought it would. She decided to push the thought to the back of her mind before it could settle.
Maybe because for the first time in her life, home didn’t feel like a place but more so like there was a person growing inside her belly.
FOURTEEN
“WE DIDN’T GET HERE ON ACCIDENT... DON’T MAKE ME BRING OUT THEM RACKS AGAIN.” DRAKE
Nina ignored Peaches’ call because she knew that she was going to ask her for the third time where the hell was she at. Summer in the city was a hot one and the heat was scorching. Nina had only told her she was pulling up the last three times she inquired about her whereabouts. Between making love to Jio this morning, finishing up work, and being sleep-deprived, she couldn’t make it out of the house on time to save her life today. Roberto whipped into the parking lot and Nina spotted Peaches pacing the sidewalk with a smoothie in one hand and her phone in the other.
“There this late hoe go!” she yelled loud enough for two other customers who were about to walk into the braid shop to turn around and wonder who was the hoe that was late.
“Girl, come on!” She hollered through the window.
