Page 7 of That Fire

“She was thirty-seven weeks, I believe. So, from what my mama said, that’s full term. The baby is six pounds and eight ounces and . . .” He paused, looking at his phone. “Twenty inches long. He definitely gets that from Mythic, because Maui lil ass ain’t got no height.”

“Alright, now. Not too much on my girl. I’m only a couple of inches taller than her. What did they name him?”

He smirked, and said, “Majestic.”

I frowned slightly, then thought about it. “I mean, his dad is Mythic, his uncle is Epic, and his grandfather is Legend. What else could we have expected?”

“I guess. I bet Bali won’t name her baby that way.”

I giggled. “Her mean ass gon’ mellow out when that baby gets here though. Does she know what she’s having yet?”

“Naw, not yet.”

I nodded and stared at my belly again. I had an appointment next week, and I was still contemplating if I wanted to know what I was having. Bali asked me last month, and I had said no, because Royal and I wanted it to be a surprise. I supposed it no longer mattered now. Lowering my head for a moment, feeling the depression crawling all over me, I said, “Thank you for this, Royal, but I should probably get home.”

His eyebrows lifted slightly. “Okay. I thought you were going to stay with me tonight.”

It wasn’t like I didn’t have clothes here. When he moved in, he insisted that I move some of my things in too. I should probably start bringing them home. He wasn’t my man and probably never would be. I had to be confused about my sexual partners if he wasn’t the father. I couldn’t get past that shit. I had been racking my brain, wondering if I forgot about someoneI had fucked. That alone was sad. I fucked around so much I couldn’t remember.

“Royal, why do you want me to stay?”

He looked away and shrugged. “I don’t know. You’re already here and bathed. I just didn’t think you would want to go out in that air and feel dirty all over again.”

I smiled. When he realized I refused to go out at night after I’d taken a shower, he had chuckled. I didn’t like going out at night, even if it was just to take the trash out, and then get in my bed afterward. I would have to shower all over again if I did.

“I’m gonna take a shower when I get home.”

“Why don’t you wanna stay?”

“I don’t want to impose. We’re friends, but we’re fuck buddies, and I’m carrying someone else’s babies. That’s not fair to you, Royal.”

I went to my knees and stood from the water as he quickly stood to help me. He grabbed my hands as I stepped out of the tub, then got a towel from his warmer to wrap me in.

“Oh, that feels good. When did you get that?”

“I ordered it about three weeks ago . . . for you.”

I closed my eyes and felt my heart drop. This shit was hard. I swallowed hard and nodded, then began drying off. Royal leaned against the vanity and watched me. He was so sweet, despite him being a demon in the bedroom. His tenderness in this moment was killing me though. He was acting like he wanted me to be his. What he had to say next caught me off guard.

“Maybe this should be our last time having sex. I mean . . . I was thinking, while you were up here soaking, about how I would feel if you were fucking someone else while pregnant with my baby. I would be pissed. You seem to be thinking the same way according to what you just said. Does he even know yet?”

I wasnotthinking the same way. His doing extra shit for me was what I was talking about. I swallowed hard once again andfinished drying off so I could get out of here. When I dropped the towel in the hamper, I shook my head. “No.”

I walked past him into his bedroom and got some underwear, shorts, and a T-shirt from the drawer. After getting dressed, I turned to him. “I guess I should take my things home then, huh?”

“Why doesn’t he know yet, Aaliyah?”

I shrugged. “I have to go, Royal. I guess I’ll see you around, okay?”

He pulled me to him and hugged me tightly, then laid his lips on mine. He kissed me with so much passion my knees nearly buckled. Walking away from him this way was killing me inside. We’d been fooling around for over two years. I pulled away from him and took a deep breath, begging the tears to stay in place. I hated crying since I’d been pregnant, because I usually had to throw up right after.

“Your dress is in that bag,” he said softly.

I nodded, then grabbed some of my things from the drawers and stuffed them in the bag with my dress. “I’ll get the rest of my things later.”

He nodded, then followed me out of the room to take me to my car. My car was still at the clinic. When we got to the garage, I glanced at the hood of his vehicle, then said, “Send the bill to me when you get your vehicle fixed.”

“Girl, I’m leaving that dent there. I’m gon’ miss yo’ sexy ass.”