Trial & Error

2 | Caren

"I never said you was naive."

"That's what you believe, though." I retorted, "I'm pregnant with your third child, Xavier. Third! You just keep on doing the same shit. Saying you stayed over Alec's cause it got too late. They live, what, ten mufucking blocks from here? You could've drove home, idiot. You tell that lie to whichever bitch's house you was really at last night."

I walked out of his face, retrieving the Tupperware, and placing it in the refrigerator. "So you gon' make me another plate?" he asked behind me.

"I can boil some grease and throw it in yo face." I said, footing to leave the kitchen. "That's what I can do for yo lying ass."

Xavier caught my arm before I could leave the kitchen. I sucked my teeth, trying to fight against his touch, but he kept hold to me. "I'm sorry for not coming home. Owning majority holds of a NBA team not no simple shit, Caren. Not to mention handling the creative side to it, too. I gotta do late nights there. If not me having to sleep on the couch in my office. I retired for this. Now you mad that I'm making sure I keep this big ass house above our heads and that designer shit in our closets."

I scoffed, shoving him and he stumbled slightly to the island counter. "I'm so close to punching you in yo mouth because you and these excuses you're tryna put out there is pitiful. You doing all of this talking but not saying shit at fucking all. Stay away from me for the rest of the evening, Xavier."

I walked out of his face and to the upper level of the mansion. I halt at one of the bedrooms, leaning on the doorframe, and peering in on our three year old toddler, Calen, as he laid comfortably on his modern bunkbed, watching Fat Albert on the mounted flatscreen ahead. On either side of the bunkbed were matching gray laminate bookcases, displaying the various toys and child books he had me read every night and his room bathed in plenty of light from the windows.

"I surely don't see you pulling out your sleepwear." My words got his attention and he giggled. "Mmhm. You know what time it is."

Calen pointed at the flatscreen. "Albert still on."

"Yeah, I see that." I kneel carefully in front of the under-bed drawers containing his sleepwear, underwear, and socks.

"It go off, I get it."

"Agreed." I nod, pulling out folded PAW Patrol cotton pajamas, underwear, and ankle socks.

I start to stand when I felt mild cramping in my stomach. I breathed out sharply, rubbing my nine month belly in attempt to ease the uncomfortableness. My eyes were closed but when I felt another hand touch my stomach and they opened. Calen's laying at the foot of the bed and eying me in concern.

"You kay, Momma?"

The feeling settled and I smiled to ease Calen's worry. "I'm fine, baby."

"When my baby sister come?" Calen asked as he always do.

"Next week. Mommy is scheduled to be induced."