Nyla
"you two are growing" I turn to the side, looking at my swollen stomach in the mirror.
with March gone by and now birthday, I've decided it's time to tell my family.
Mateo has been patient with me and let me choose when I'm ready. i didn't want to have a party this year, I don't want to do anything significant. I just wanted my birthday to go by like any other day.
it won't feel right with my dad and I'm still trying to get used to not having him here.
Mateo got me some gifts and even stayed in bed with me to read. His mom cooked my favourite recipe of her's and His dad generously swapped out my dad's old Escalade for a new one.
in his words "it wouldn't be an 18th birthday without a car!" i'll forever be thankful for Mateo's family.
"Mama loves you both, my sweet babies" I smile, pulling down my sundress.
dresses are the only things that fit me, other than Mateo's clothing. I'd wear Mateo's clothes over a dress any day.
"Beautiful?" i hear Mateo call
"I'm coming." i walk out of the bathroom. i groan sitting down on the bed.
"here you go." he hands me the food i requested. "oreos and orange juice. then your pickles with mayonnaise and jam."
i smile, happily taking the pickles first.
"wanna try?" i ask Mateo as he watches me.
"no, thanks. that doesn't look pleasing to me." he shakes his head.
"ok." i shrug, dancing in satisfaction. "how did errands go with Zay?"
"good, we got a good amount of boxes. and i got him avenger stickers to put on his boxes so we know which is his." he smiles taking off his shoes and shirt.
we're moving in a few weeks and we have yet to start packing.
"put that shirt back on." i demand
"why?"
"i'm a hormonal pregnant woman. i'll suck your dick, right now." i put my pickles down.
"i usually love getting head, but i think it's unhealthy the amount of times i've came in the last 24 hours." he doesn't put his shirt back on.
"but you're hard." i point at the evident bulge.
"baby, i'm always hard around you." he deadpans, before going into the closet.
"watch your step kid, watch your step kid." Zay sings, skipping into the room.
"where did you hear that song?" i question.
"Papa Mat's office." he smiles
"i need to tell my dad to stop playing, wu-tang. he keeps singing method man and saying 'old dirty bastard'." Mateo tells coming out of the closet with a sweater on.
"what does nigga mean?"
_______________
"your package came." my grandmother says on the other side of the facetime.
"there's pictures there for you guys." i say trying to keep my nerves at bay.
we sent my grandparents the pictures we took on Mateo's birthday as well as the sonograms.
not the best way to tell them, but it's the best i could think of.
"awh, look at Zay." my grandma coos "Kingston! come look at these." she calls after my grandpa.
"Hi, Nyla. Hi, Matthew." My grandpa greets.
"good afternoon, grandpa." i smile
"good afternoon, sir." Mateo mumbles.
"you look so pretty." My grandma smiles looking at the photos.
"what's this one?" my grandfather furrows his eyebrows looking at the sonogram.
"Nyla what's this?" my grandmother questions, her trini accent more thick.
"Nyla Estela Jay."
"I'm pregnant." i mumble
"speak louder, i can't hear you when you mumble." she says seriously.
"the gyal said she pregnant, Marie." my grandfather says
"i need to hear she say it." my grandmother kisses her teeth
"i'm pregnant and Mateo's the father." i say with my eyes closed.
"lawd faddah..." my grandmother gets up, dropping the phone on the table, saying a prayer.
"Nyla." My grandfather calls, picking up the phone.
"yes, grandpa."
"you're gonna kill your grandmother, you know. first you tell us you're going to... um... what was it?... los angels-" i hold back my chuckle as he doesn't say the city right. "now you're pregnant. before you're married. before you're done school. what about school?"
"i'm willing to stay home with the kids while Nyla goes to school." Mateo tells
"Matthew." my grandfather calls.
"yes sir."
"you don't know how to use protection?"
"grandpa. we used protection." i tell
"so how did you manage to get pregnant?" my grandmother questions coming back into the frame
"birth control isn't 100% affective. it's 99%."
"i don't even know what to say." my grandmother chuckles. "does Mateo's parents know?"
"yeah. my mom wasn't happy at first and my dad is still mad at me." Mateo tells.
"i have no words." my grandmother sighs.
"when we move, we're willing to fly you both out here." i tell
"i don't think that's the right idea. because the first your grandmother go do, is kill you." my grandfather laughs.
he never takes anything seriously.
"i go kill them both"
________________
"Just breathe, baby." Mateo says
"I hear about people losing friends all the time and we're going to L.A. I-"
"Who gives a fuck if your friends leave you? I know for a fact you friends in Brooklyn have your back. They got you, baby. I got you. I always do." He kisses my neck after helping do my hair. His arms wrapped around my waist, looking at me through the mirror as I avoid eye contact. "Whatever happens tonight we forget about the minute we leave for L.A. We start fresh, together. As a family."
"Fresh." I nod, my hands going on top of his.
Mateo turns me around and places his hands on my head and lifts it so I can look at him.
"I love you. You've been through so much and I'm proud of you, Tesoro." He looks me dead in the eyes.
My hormones have me extra sensitive so I feel my eyes well with tears. As Mateo and I hold eye contact, I can see the sadness in them.
"Baby, don't please don't think this is your fault." I raise my hands to his face, my fingers in his hair. I know he silently blames himself for getting me pregnant, but it's far from his fault.
"I fucked up your future." He whispers.
"No you didn't, you didn't." I sniffle, a tear escaping my eyes. "It takes two." I rub his hairline, just above his ear.
"I'll stay home, I'll take care of the kids while you go to school. I'll stay home as long as you're able to achieve your dreams." He says surely.
"We're both going. We'll make it work. Your dad said he can pull some favours, ok? We're both going to get our degrees and graduate on the same day." I tell him seriously.
"I love you so much." Mateo mumbled before kissing me. It's short but it gets enough out.
"You got me, I got you. Ok? Our relationship isn't one sided." I tell him.
He nods before pulling me into a hug. I wrapped my arms around his neck and we stay like that for awhile.
"Bonnie and Clyde." Mateo mumbles
"Ride or dies." I mumble back
_______________
"It's been too long, I thought we lost you." Ryan says as we hug.
"I know I went MIA on everyone." I chuckle with guilt.
"But we understand. It's a rough process. We're just glad you're doing better." Bella says.
Now I realize how we became friends. Because we're all so accepting with things. We respect each other and each other's personal spaces.
"I was stressed out, man. I fucking dyed my hair green." Leo says pulling me into a well needed hug.
"Oh god Leo." I chuckle shaking my head.
"The amount of relief that flew through my body when you texted us on Christmas that you were alive and well, but you needed time." Jacob let's out a sigh of relief as we hug.
We all sit at the table outside in the backyard of the James house. The outdoor lights turning on as the sun goes down.
"So this is how billionaires live, huh?" Ryan asks looking around.
"Come on, Ry. You have to admit it's not what you expected." Bella deadpans
"True, I expected maids and butlers and shit, running around." Ryan shrugs
"No they have one butler, but they gave him a vacation before he moves with Mateo's parents to L.A." I say
"Where is your boyfriend anyways?" Jacob asks
"Tucking my brother into bed." I tell "he'll be down in a second."
"Alright dude, I need a run down on what the fuck happened." Ryan says
I give my friends a filtered version of what happened, how I found out about Zay. That my dad died in a car crash and Mateo and I were involved in a sex trafficking incident. Which is too normal in Miami. Leaving the pregnancy part out for later, by the time I'm done Mateo has joined us.
I've switched my dress out for one of Mateo's sweaters and shorts. Mateo's wearing a polo shirt and chino shorts, very basic of him.
"Other than the fact you've assured us you're alive and well, I was told there's something big and important you had to tell us." Ryan says getting to the point.
"Yes... we're moving to L.A." I start small
"Dude that's great!" Bella smiles
"Fuck yeah, I'll still be able to see you. I'm UCLA bound." Ryan claps
"Congratulations." I smile.
"There's more." Leo says with squinted eyes.
A wave of anxiety hits me and immediately Mateo's had finds mine.
"I'm— I'm pregnant, with twins." I drop the ball.
The back yard goes quiet.
"You're joking?" Jacob asks
"Nope." I shake my head
"I call being godfather." He stands up.
"Dude no, I got first dibs." Leo objects.
The two bicker, obviously happy. But Ryan and Bella haven't said a thing.
"I'm deciding if I should strangle the shit out of your rich boyfriend or call dibs on god mother." Ryan mumbles
"Definitely the last one." Mateo chuckles scratching his neck.
"I'm upset cause I'll be in the UK, unable to see the babies." Bella pouts.
I wave of relief hits me when I realizes none of them are mad or willing to unfriend me.
"Do you know the genders?" Leo asks, I know he'll have thousands of questions.
"No. We're keeping it a surprise." I answer.
"Identical or fraternal?" He asks
"Fraternal." I answer
"Due date?"
"September 13th."
"Are you even showing?" Ryan questions.
I stand up and show my growing stomach.
"Oh this is beautiful." Leo fake cries.
"Dude, that means your boobs grew. I need to see." Ryan says excitedly.
"Fuck no." Mateo shakes his head
"Listen mr rich guy. The girls sleepover consists of many things. And one of them was showing boobs. So I saw them first, therefore I can see them whenever." Ryan narrows her eyes at Mateo.
"They're mine to see now." Mateo pulls me down his lap.
"Whatever." Ryan scoffs.
"I'm so excited for you both!" Bella smiles
"Thank you."
________________
"You two will be the smartest little babies in the world. You're gonna make your mama and papa so proud." Mateo says with his head on my stomach.
The doctor says the babies can hear us now and the familiarity with our voices will comfort them when they come out the womb.
after spending a few hours with my friends, we're in Mateo's room, laying down. we do this every night.
"I'm already proud of you both. Your doctor says you're both healthy and you're not giving your mama morning sickness anymore." I can feel his finger draw hearts on my stomach, my hands hurt playing in his hair as I attempt to draw with one hand.
"I promise to love you both, no matter what." He continues on.
"We both do." I add
"Doesn't matter who you love, what you love, what you do in life or where you go. We'll love you, unconditionally." Mateo says to them, but looks up at me.
"We promise, my sweet babies." I say
"And we never break our promises."
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You best protect ya neck 🧍🏻