MINEFIELDS • michael b jordan

IT'S OFFICIAL

CHAPTER ONE
IT'S OFFICIAL

Manoucheca asked Michael, propping up her phone on her bathroom counter before backing up so he could see the length of her outfit.

"Your ass looks so good in that dress," Michael said as he licked his lips.

Manoucheca playfully shakes her head before bending over and shaking her ass. Michael chuckles and starts singing High Fashion by Roddy Rich.

Manoucheca stops twerking and faces Michael on the phone. She pouts. "I miss you," She said.

Michael has been out on promotion for his directorial debut for Creed III which comes out three weeks from today. The Creed III press tour took him to London yesterday. And soon he would be in New York, where Manoucheca would join him on the rest of his press tour.

They talked for a few more minutes before Manoucheca ends the call so she could attend a meeting.

The next day, Manoucheca invited Robyn over because she had a feeling she was pregnant due to all nausea she had been experiencing.

She needed support from her big sister.

"Hey, sister," Robyn said as she walked into Manoucheca's closet.

"Sister, come here," Manoucheca said.

"What the hell are you doing laying on the floor like that?" Robyn asked her younger sister.

"I'm just tired, I just got off the phone with my construction company for my new house," Manoucheca said.

"Oh, how's it looking?" Robyn asked.

Manoucheca pulls out her phone and shows Robyn the house that she's renovating. Manoucheca feels nauseous as Robyn tells her about some of her new cravings.

"Are you okay?" Robyn asked her.

"I get really bad nausea," Manoucheca told Robyn.

"How bad?" Robyn asked.

"Some days I feel great and I don't feel nauseous at all. And then the next day, the slightest thing might really upset me, and I get blindsided by it," Manoucheca explained to Robyn.

Manoucheca was experiencing nausea, leading Robyn to suggest she take a pregnancy test. Manoucheca takes a pregnancy test and it came back positive.

"Girl, what happened to we're just taking our time?" Robyn asked her.

"I don't know," Manoucheca answered with a pout.

"The first time we have unprotected sex and I end up pregnant," Manoucheca said, shocked at the positive pregnancy test.

"When did that happen?" Robyn asked.

"Probably around Christmas," Manoucheca answered.

"Obviously you can't plan everything," Robyn said.

"I know, but I just don't know if the right time is now — there's a lot going on right now," Manoucheca said. "I don't know if I can handle this at the moment," She continued.

"So, What are you going to do? Get an abortion?" Robyn asked.

"I don't know, Robyn. I'm supposed to go to New York tomorrow to see Michael, but the way I'm feeling right now, I don't know if I can be on a flight like that. This is so intense," Manoucheca revealed to Robyn.

"Are you gonna cry?" Robyn asked as she pulled her sister into a hug.

"No," Manoucheca replied.

"I feel like you're really, like, this is hard for you to process, maybe you need to talk to Michael and make a decision on if you're going to keep this baby or not," Robyn told Manoucheca.

"I need to confirm, first, before I tell him," She said.

"Yeah," Robyn said.

"Do not tell Winston, Ro," She said.

"I can't keep a secret from my husband," Robyn said.

"Well, can you at least until after I confirm it to open your big mouth," She said.

"I can do that," Robyn said.

Manoucheca rolled her eyes. Robyn smiled.

"I'm gonna be an auntie!" Robyn squealed.

Manoucheca shook her head.

"Don't get too excited I may abort this baby, Ro," She informed her older sister.

Robyn frowned but kept her opinions to herself and decide just to comfort her sister instead.

With Robyn tagging along, Manoucheca eventually decided to see her doctor before her flight to New York, with the results coming back clear. The doctor revealed that she was  nine weeks pregnant and explained that her stress levels was an issue which could lead to her experiencing preeclampsia during her pregnancy. Manoucheca was even more stressed after that.

"What are you going to do?" Robyn asked her.

"I have to talk to Michael, but, Robyn, there's no way I'm going to get rid of this baby," Manoucheca answered, especially after hearing the heartbeat.

"I knew you wouldn't," Robyn said.

Manoucheca sighed.

"How should I tell Michael?" She asked.

"Your pregnancy is an unplanned surprise, so you should just tell him over dinner and by the way, Manoucheca, just because the pregnancy is unplanned, that doesn't make it a bad thing. This unplanned pregnancy could end up being the greatest blessing you've ever received," Robyn answered with a smile.

"Right," She said.

A few hours after Manoucheca lands in New York, she's in the elevator with Michael, and when she suddenly blurts out that she's pregnant.

Michael manages not to say anything. He pulls her into him so quickly that her head spins.

"Are you sure?" He finally asks, voice gentle as he holds her close.

Sighing, she finally gives him a proper answer.

"I'm nine weeks pregnant and my due date is
September 23, 2023, I'm one hundred percent sure," Manoucheca answered.

He kisses her gently on the lips, then pulls back again, "Do you want to have it? You know keep the baby, I will support whatever you want to do," He said waiting for the elevator to ping and open again.

Before she could hold them in, tears streak down her face and Michael's eyes go wide in surprise at Manoucheca's sudden waterworks.

"What's wrong?" He asked her.

He comes over to her and wraps his arm around her waist as he apologizes for making her cry. "I want to keep the baby, but everything is happening too fast, too soon for us, I don't want you to feel like you're trapped," She explained to him.

"Having a family is important to me, Manoucheca, I am extremely happy about this. This baby happened because it was meant to be, okay. But the decision is yours to make," Michael said.

Manoucheca nods.

"I want to have this baby, Michael, I want to have our baby," She said.

He takes a breath.

"It's official, we're having a baby," He said, smiling.