“You and that man,” he said, jerkin’ his chin toward Truce. “I can see it.”
She sucked her teeth. “See what?”
“That little glow,” he said. “That little hand on your stomach every five seconds. You think I ain’t notice? I know pregnant when I see it.”
The whole table went quiet.
Charlee’s eyes got big, then she sighed and dropped her fork.
“Damn,” she sassed. “Was gon’ wait till dessert.”
Truce chuckled.
I watched her swallow, then lift her head.
“I’m pregnant,” she said, voice small for the first time since I met her. “We… pregnant.”
I felt my own throat close up.
Charlie Mac’s face did somethin’ I ain’t seen often, just a straight proud look.
“Well,” he said, eyes shinin’ a little. “‘Bout time y’all gave me a grandbaby to spoil.”
Charlee’s lip trembled. “You not mad?”
“Mad?” he asked. “Girl, please. I been know. I was just waitin’ on you to catch up.”
Truce slid his arm around her shoulders, pullin’ her closer.
“We keepin’ it,” he said. “Off rip. I don’t care how scared she is. That’s our baby.”
Charlee snatched a napkin and wiped her eyes. “I hate you,” she told him, voice crackin’.
“I know,” he said, kissin’ her temple. “Love you too.”
We all laughed, even as my own eyes started leakin’.
I surely blamed the hormones.
The room got louder after that.
Jokes, plans, baby names flyin’ around.
They asked me a million questions about the twins, what I craved, how many times they kicked, if I knew who was who.
I smiled and answered, but my mind kept bouncin’ back to one thing.
Every time somebody said “we,” Truce squeezed Charlee’s shoulder like he meant that shit.
Every time somebody said “y’all,” he answered like a man who wasn’t goin’ nowhere.
I wanted that certainty so bad it almost physically hurt.
“Fee, you alright?” Charlie Mac’s voice cut through my head.
I blinked.
Everybody was lookin’ at me.
