Page 176 of Buy Back My Love

“Lee.”

“Take it back.”

He set the keys on my nail desk anyway. “You and the baby need more room. That little car you driving ain’t gonna be enough.”

“My car is fine.”

“You gonna need a car seat, stroller, diaper bag, all that baby stuff gonna need room.”

“And it will fit in my car.”

JB stared at me. “Why you always gotta make everything hard?”

“Why you always gotta show up with stuff I didn’t ask for?”

“Because you need it.”

“No, you think I need it.”

He stood there looking at me for another second before snatching the keys back off the desk. “Fine. Keep being stubborn.”

“I will.”

“And don’t call me asking for no money when you start planning some big-ass baby shower either.”

That caught me off guard. “Who said I was having a baby shower?”

He shrugged like he didn’t care anymore. “Whatever.” Then he left with his keys and his attitude.

The thing was, I really hadn’t planned on having a shower. Far as I was concerned, I already had what I needed. I had a bedside bassinet, car seat, some clothes, diapers, wipes, bath stuff, bottles, and my breast pump. Anything else could wait until he got here.

The last time I was pregnant, I bought everything. Tiny outfits still on hangers, blankets, shoes for feet that had never touched the floor, and a crib I had stood in front of imagining Junior asleep inside. Then I came home without him, and this time every time I thought about buying too much too soon, my chest tightened. So I didn’t. People kept asking about a registry, and I kept telling them I was good. Apparently, nobody listened to me.

When Anika called asking if I wanted to go out for Cinco de Mayo with her, Wren, and Nina, I said yes before she even finished the question. I was always down for food. What I didn’t understand was why going to eat tacos required my sister to show up at my house with half a beauty supply store.

“Why I gotta be cute to eat tacos?” I asked.

Anika stood behind me working on my hair like she hadn’t heard me. She had already curled it, pulled the top half up, and left the rest falling down my back in loose curls with two curly pieces framing my face.

“I’m practicing.”

“Practicing what?”

“My hair and makeup skills. I been thinking about getting another side hustle.”

I looked at her through the mirror. “Since when?”

“Recently.”

That should’ve been my first clue, but instead I shrugged and let her keep going. An hour and a half later, I looked like I was headed to my quinceañera instead of Cinco de Mayo. All I was missing was one of them big poofy dresses and somebody’s uncle trying to teach me how to waltz.

Anika had put me in a long fitted floral dress that hugged every inch of my stomach. It had thin straps and bright pink, green, orange, and purple flowers all over it. She paired it with pink flats because pregnant or not, I wasn’t about to wobble around in heels to eat tacos. Then came the gold hoops, a little gold necklace and bracelets, and a small pink bag. I turned sideways in the mirror. My stomach had officially reached the point where it entered rooms before I did.

“Okay,” I admitted. “I’m cute.”

“I know.”

“Still too cute for tacos.”