▲▲▲
Peppermint tea is believed to be good for morning sickness. Google stated that it helps to reduce nausea and vomiting. Jersey stood over the kitchen counter with her eyes narrowed. She grabbed the electric kettle's handle and poured the boiling water over the peppermint leaves that settled in a giant mug.
The tea steeped as she scrolled through her phone. Jersey went to her photos and examined some of the images taken in Aspen, Colorado. She noticed a picture of herself and decided to click on it. She looked cute as she stood there posing for the photo. Malcolm managed to capture her whole fit. She looked adorable in her coat and Moon boots. A Chanel hat covered her head, and she wore the matching scarf.
She studied her brown face closely, noticing how beautiful she looked. Her lips were full and covered in gloss. She wore lashes that were moderately decent since she did them herself; Jersey wanted to learn how to do her makeup, so she went for it; her long nails were ballerina shaped with French tips.
Jersey finally switched over to a different photo. She managed to catch Malcolm. He stood behind her as they prepared to take off on Christmas. The couple decided to see the Christmas lights. He looked serious as he stood behind her like a giant, waiting for the photoshoot to be over with. Jersey, on the other hand, turned into a supermodel. She held a fierce yet seductive expression as she snapped away, making sure to show her man's face in some while hiding him on the rest of the pictures.
Jersey sighed as she closed out of the app. Man, she had fun. She would never forget Aspen. Her first vacation outside of New York. She couldn't wait to tell Alesha all about it.
After allowing the peppermint leaves to brew, she finished it off by adding a drizzle of honey and a thin lemon slice.
Before Jersey could leave the kitchen, she noticed Malcolm walking inside with an indistinct expression as he opened the refrigerator. She turned around and eyed his back for a while. He didn't bother to speak. Malcolm continued to push items around in the fridge.
"I know you're not feeling good, so I made you some tea." She presented him awkwardly, gnashing her teeth afterward.
It took him a while, but he did turn around. Malcolm grasped the apple in his hand as he inspected her meticulously yet rapidly.
Jersey grabbed the mug with the hot tea and presented it to him. He looked down at it, face still contorted in a way she couldn't possibly describe.
"What kind of tea is it?"
"Peppermint," Jersey answered lowly. "I asked Amber to pick up some peppermint leaves from the market before dropping Ivy off."
"Alright," Malcolm pushed out some air and took hold of the mug.
"Hopefully, it'll make you feel better."
Jersey lucked up and avoided the whole morning sickness. Malcolm caught it yesterday morning. He ended up feeling sick, which led to him constantly throwing up. He stayed in bed all day, avoiding everybody.
Jersey tried to get him to eat, but he refused. She made solid food, which wasn't tempting enough for him. The next day, she did her research and found some soups and beverages that he would be able to eat and drink.
Malcolm took a few sips, nodded his head, and walked off. She heard him mumble thank you under his breath as he strolled into the bedroom.
▲▲▲
It took Jersey three hours to get settled in her office. Ms. Joana, the human resource trainer, helped her get into her systems. She also made sure Jersey was given a badge. She would need it to enter every area of the building.
Jersey's stomach was a little bubbly as she tried to maintain her composure. She looked around the office and realized it was hers. She had an office as a tutor, but it was a cubbyhole. As the executive associate, her new office was a huge upgrade.
She had a great view from her window. Jersey was able to see buildings, traffic, and pedestrians from so many stories up. Her office was empty due to it being cleaned out. Only a Scandinavian desk and rolling chair occupied the room; She had plans to decorate.
"Thank you, God." She whispered to herself while running her manicured hands against the glass on her executive desk. Jersey was very thankful. She had the opportunity to make some real money.
A lone tear slipped out of her right eye as she fell into her thoughts.
Knock, Knock!
The unexpected knocks startled her. Quickly, she wiped her face and instructed the knocker to come in.
"Hi!" The jolly woman walked in with a stack of manila folders in the crook of her arm.
"...Hey," Jersey responded slowly, examining the woman who seemed very happy. "Can I help you?"
"No, but I'm here to help you." The stranger responded and laughed a little, causing Jersey to plaster a small smile on her face. She realized Jersey didn't catch the joke, so she seized it.
"My name is Lesere." She introduced herself. "I pretty much run errands around here for everyone on this floor."
Jersey nodded her head as a way of understanding.
"I'm an intern, so I'm only trying to get on your good side. If you need anything, let me know. I make trips to the copy room, pickup lunches, coffees and so much more."
"Well, thank you, Lesere. I'll keep that in mind."
Lesere smiled at her. She stood there dressed professionally—a casual blouse, slacks, and some flats for comfort. Her hair was thick and coily; she wore it in a low puff. Her skin was rich and dark, like an umber tone.
"I'll leave my phone number with you." Lesere continued as she set a business card on Jersey's desk. "Like I said, call or text me. I'll be here to help you. Now, if you will excuse me, I have to make a run. Ms. Joana texted me twice asking about her documents."
As soon as Lesere left out, Jersey went to work. She logged into her systems and immediately started managing her task list. Her eyes squinted when she realized she had to get some documents from Radhika—Malcolm's request. Since she was his CEO assistant, he gave her permission to sign his paperwork in his absence.
"Fuck." She whispered underneath her breath.
She picked up Lesere's card and read it.
"Lesere Udo..." Jersey trailed off. She would need her help sooner than she expected.
▲▲▲
Malcolm didn't feel better until three days later. He spent most of his time in bed. After sleeping for hours and drinking the concoctions Jersey made, he felt better.
He picked up his usual iced tea and headed straight to Dwayne's place. He would be unlocking the flash drives. Malcolm didn't seem worried about it, but he was curious to know what was on them.
"This shit looks weird." Dwayne stated as he examined the flash drives. They were flat, almost like cards with usb connectors.
"Yeah, well let's get to it." Malcolm ordered.
"Let's see what we got here," Dwayne commented, pushing the first flash drive into his laptop. He waited for the computer to respond and eventually started clicking around. After using his unlock tool, he was granted access to the files.
"Aw, shit." Malcolm cursed as Dwayne pulled the computer into his view. He didn't want to be nosy and see what was on the usb drive. Instead, he gave Malcolm his privacy.
The files were interesting and surprising. Malcolm's eyes widen as he clicked around, going through the photos. It was pictures of Tilly with Detective Newton. He wasn't sure how it ended up on a flash drive, but everything was stored on it. There were pictures of them naked while engaging in sex. There was also a video that he didn't bother to play. Instead of going further, he exited out and requested the second flash drive to be inserted. Dwayne unlocked it and repeated the same swift moves.
The second flash drive had no pictures. Instead, it was filled with interesting names that Malcolm had to interpret. The first folder said N6-10. He clicked on it and revealed some vile information.
The scanned document appeared to be a list of names, body descriptions, and so much more. Malcolm frowned when he realized the list contained the names of girls who weren't older than ten years old. Immediately, he clicked out and noticed more folders existed.
N11-15
N16-20
N21-25
Transactions and signatures were also present.
Then it all clicked...
Newts.
Hank was into sex trafficking.
Suddenly, Malcolm grew sick to his stomach again.
▲▲▲
After jumping out of the shower, Jersey rubbed her body down with some moisturizer. She eventually made her way into the bedroom after brushing her teeth. Malcolm was in the living room with Ivy. He was handling some business on his MacBook Pro while watching Chicago PD, his favorite show.
"Hey." She greeted him while walking toward the couch.
He glanced over at her and nodded as a greeting.
"What's wrong?" Jersey questioned him with her eyebrows furrowed.
Malcolm licked his lips before speaking. "Why are you assuming something is wrong with me?"
"Because..." She trailed off, picking at her fingers. "You've been acting funny with me lately."
"No, I haven't."
"Yes, you have." She argued back. "You're acting like the old Malcolm. Like, when I used to work at your bar."
"I've always been me." He objected. "There's no...old Malcolm or new Malcolm."
She scoffed and said, "You're being mean to me because we're having two babies instead of one."
Malcolm stayed quiet, not wanting to respond.
"You act like it's all my fault. I can't tell my body how many babies to create. And let's not forget that you didn't want me to get an abortion."
"Part of it is your fault." He jibed with a shoulder shrug, "You're the one carrying them."
Jersey just sat there with her mouth collapsed. Her feelings weren't hurt, but she did want to go upside his head.
"That's not fair." She shook her head. "I mean twins could run in our fucking family, Malcolm! Let's not forget that we were constantly having sex without protection, and that could be a factor too."
"Look, I don't want to talk about it right now." He stated sternly and muttered, "I'm working."
"Do you want me to have an abortion?" She quipped. "At first, you wanted me to keep the pregnancy, but now you're unhappy because we're having twins. What about me? I'm still scared. I don't know how to handle one baby, and now I'll have to handle two." Jersey pushed in a throaty voice as she held in her tears. "I don't have my mom to show me how to handle babies...I don't even have my grandma."
Malcolm didn't bother to look her way. He just continued to look at his computer. His snubbing was disrespectful, and it caused Jersey to shed some tears. She jumped up and went to her bedroom.
Jersey knew Malcolm was rejecting the babies, and she wanted to save herself from a long journey of suffering. When she crawled into bed, she looked up some nearby abortion clinics. She refused to carry the babies. It was clear he wasn't ready for that kind of commitment.
▲▲▲
The nightclub was closed, which was obvious. Malcolm walked inside with Arthur behind him. The men decided to check the place out as they strolled further into the posh establishment. They were checked before walking in, which was a standard rule.
"Malcolm, over here."
Malcolm looked over and realized it was Kareem. He called him over to a table where another man sat. He was busy typing away on his cellphone, not really bothered to look at them.
Arthur stood back, allowing the men to have their private discussion.
Kareem greeted Malcolm by pulling him in a brotherly hug.
"This is my brother, Kain. We run this nightclub together."
Malcolm nodded his head as he looked at the man sitting at the table. Kain stood up and eyed Malcolm with a subtle expression on his face. When he neared him, he cracked a smirk and nodded his head.
"I heard about you, man. You made a name for yourself all over Brooklyn." Kain gave him a stiff nod and said, "Just don't come over here with that shit."
Malcolm cracked a small smirk and did a quick handshake that turned into a hug with Kain. He didn't know if Kain was serious or not. However, the three men laughed it out.
"That's your bodyguard, right?" Kain questioned him as he glanced over at Arthur.
"Yeah, that's Arthur."
Arthur greeted them and eventually left out.
The men took their seats and ordered a drink. Malcolm got himself a coke, and that was pretty much it. He didn't want to drink anymore. That glass of scotch in Aspen still haunted him.
"So, what do you have with you?"
Malcolm looked around before speaking. "Evidence."
"Evidence." Kain reiterated, "What kind of evidence?"
"The kind that will do some damage to some ruthless people."
"Shit, let's look at it." Kareem cursed, prepared.
Malcolm proceeded with the evidence. He pulled out his old windows laptop and showed the men what was on the flash drive. He figured Kareem and his brother, Kain, could help him with his situation. They had connections and held a little more power than him.
Kain didn't seem happy after reviewing the information on the flash drive.
"Yo, Hank is a trifling motherfucker." He spewed. "He out here fucking over these little girls and women." Kain continued. "I have a wife and daughter, man. How the fuck did you get this evidence?"
"An anonymous person dropped it off."
"This some powerful shit you got." Kain pointed at the laptop. "You got enough evidence to take his ass down."
"And Seema," Kareem added, nodding his head. "Her name is on this list...he was selling women to her."
Malcolm shook his head as he looked off. Something had to be done.
▲▲▲
The information on the flash drive bothered Kain. He spoke calmly about having a family and wanting to protect them. However, he held a look of anger as he continued to voice his opinion. Kareem wasn't happy about the situation either, yet he didn't speak much. He was surprised about the whole situation. Kareem hung around Newts and had no idea that Hank was into sex trafficking.
"You shouldn't let this shit slide at all," Kain spoke to Malcolm. "I knew that Hank was a conniving motherfucker, but I didn't expect him to be this low. He's in your ear, telling you to take Seema and her sidekick out, and yet he's still doing business with her."
Kain moved the cursor with the touchpad and double-clicked the file. After the document opened, he showed Malcolm the date of the transaction. "That was two weeks ago. His punk ass is still dealing with her."
Malcolm stayed quiet, soaking everything into his brain. Hank was trying to play both sides, which was extremely dangerous.
"You got a woman or a kid?" Kain asked Malcolm.
Malcolm thought about that question, realizing he would soon be a father of two. He nodded his head faintly and said, "I have a pregnant girlfriend."
Kareem furrowed his eyebrows, but he didn't speak.
"Then you know that you have to do everything in your power to protect her and your unborn baby."
Unborn babies. Malcolm said to himself as he ran his palm over his beard.
"It's only right for me to do that." Malcolm nodded his head. "I have her protected with security, and...I make sure they follow her everywhere. She also calls me when shit doesn't seem normal."
Kain nodded his head in approval.
"Yo." Kareem started with his eyebrows narrowed, "Jersey pregnant?"
Malcolm nodded his head while looking over at him. They were the first to know, which didn't bother him. He knew they wouldn't go blabbering it around.
"Yeah, we just found out."
"Congrats to you." Kareem smirked.
"Shit, babies, are a handful," Kain stated with a stern look, "But they're also a blessing. Congrats, man. Once you start a family, shit is going to change for the best. I wouldn't trade my family for anything. I love them."
Malcolm felt a breeze of fresh air rush over him. Hearing Kain talk so lightly about having a family and loving them was out of the ordinary for Malcolm. He didn't hear men speak on their families like that. Dock didn't do it, so he was left with the wrong impression of having a family.
It was hard.
Toxic.
A total waste of time.
Jersey didn't deserve the cold treatment. She didn't deserve the witty remarks either. Malcolm felt like an asshole for his behavior toward her. After finding out that she would be having twins, he crawled back into his cold shell. Fear seized him as he thought about how quickly his life was changing. He didn't feel ready for the massive transition, which resulted in him being mean to her.
Malcolm had morning sickness, but he didn't know it was from the pregnancy. He didn't look at it as morning sickness. Jersey tried to nurse him back to good health. She cooked him soups and made all kinds of liquid beverages. However, he didn't appreciate it at the time.
"Speaking of Jersey..." Kareem trailed off, catching their attention. Malcolm looked over, very alert. "You should keep a close eye on her. She was at Newts, and...Hank knows her."
▲▲▲
Jersey felt the bed dip, and eventually, a soft pair of lips touched her forehead, nose, and then lips. She stirred a little, trying to maintain her comfortable space. She'd worked eight hours and wanted to rest.
The kissing continued, which resulted in her opening her eyes. Jersey's eyelids flickered until her vision cleared up. She realized Malcolm was in her face, kissing her. She took in some air while as he continued to kiss her.
"I'm sorry." He whispered across her lips. "For everything."
Jerseys stayed quiet, allowing him time to speak about his typical behavior.
"I promise you. I'm trying to do better..." He trailed off while running his thumb across her chin. "For you...for the babies."
"For the babies?" Jersey reiterated, narrowing her eyebrows. "Now, you're on board for the twins?"
Malcolm opened his mouth to speak and closed it quickly.
"I was under the impression that you didn't want them," Jersey spoke calmly. "You've been cold toward me for two weeks straight. I felt like I was back at your bar with a debt to pay off."
"I'm an asshole," Malcolm spoke, looking her straight in the eyes. He shook his head as he admired her beauty. The wig was gone, and Jersey was back to her regular short haircut.
"I don't deserve you..." he shook his head, "But I fucking love you, and I need you, Jerse," Malcolm admitted as he looked around the room after spilling his feelings. He felt awkward for being so open.
She nodded her head stiffly, although her face was still perplexed. "I love you too, but I don't know..."
"What do you mean you don't know?"
She shook her head and said, "What do you want? Like...do you want the babies or not? Don't go back-and-forth with your decision. These are babies that we will have to take care of, not objects to play with. They're growing and...a decision needs to be made now."
"...I'm onboard. Fuck an abortion." He muttered under his breath. "I just had to prepare myself for two babies instead of one."
Slowly, he pulled her t-shirt up and ran his hand over her stomach. Jersey showed no signs of being pregnant, despite being three months with two babies.
Malcolm bit down on his bottom lip while lying there. He stared at her stomach, concentrating on the life-changing event. Jersey allowed him to do so as she stayed quiet, wanting to enjoy the mood.
"So, they're fraternal?"
"Yes..." Jersey answered sheepishly. "Which means we have a chance of having a boy-girl, two boys, or two girls."
"Damn..." Malcolm cursed in admiration. "We're really having twins." He looked over at her and noticed she was wearing her Aquarius pendant again. "It's probably because of that damn necklace."
Jersey smirked to herself as she thought about how she snatched the necklace off in Aspen. Luckily, it didn't break. She was able to still wear it.
He shifted from his position and reached over to grab the gifts sitting at the foot of the bed. Jersey watched as he handed her a heart-shaped box and a small gift bag from Tiffany's.
"Thank you." Jersey looked at the thirty red roses. Her eyes diverted toward the gift bag. She looked inside and pulled out a card that Malcolm handwrote. Quickly, her eyes scanned the words. After reading it, she opened the gift. Her eyes widened at the sight of the tennis bracelet.
The round-cut diamonds almost hypnotized her until she shook out of it.
"Malcolm..." Jersey trailed off. "Buying expensive shit to cover up for your shitty behavior toward me is not okay. Don't coat your wrongdoings, ever. I don't want our relationship to be toxic and filled with gifts. I'm not materialistic, and I'm not going to let you treat me that way."
"I understand." He nodded his head. "I know you're not materialistic."
"I love my flowers, and I love this tennis bracelet though." She smiled, holding the icy piece in the palm of her hands. "Can you help me with it?"
Jersey held her hand, out and Malcolm wasted no time clasping the bracelet across her skinny wrist. He held her hand and realized the tennis bracelet looked good.
"So beautiful." Malcolm leaned over to kiss her hand and eventually guided his way up to her arm, shoulders, and lips. Jersey allowed him to further the kissing. Her lips pressed against his as he pushed his tongue inside her mouth.
She moaned hungrily, wanting to take the kissing further. Malcolm's wandering fingers found the seam of her shorts. He tried to push his fingers inside, but she stopped him.
"No, no, no..."
"What?" Malcolm breathed out, his dick was stiff, and he'd been without sex for the past two weeks. "Why not? Are you okay?"
She shook her head lightly and pulled herself up. Jersey bit down hard on her bottom lip as she contemplated telling him the truth.
"What's the matter?"
"I'm bleeding, and...I'm wearing a pad."
"You're bleeding?" His eyes ballooned as he pestered her with questions.
When did it start?
Did you call your doctor?
What did they say?
"I have an appointment tomorrow." She spoke lowly. "They want to see what's going on."
"No, we're going to the emergency room now," Malcolm spoke up, not wanting to wait. "So we can see what the issue is."
"My practitioner said it was common for women to bleed in their early trimester."
"Fuck what your practitioner says, alright? I don't trust her." Malcolm snapped, "We're going now."
Jersey didn't want to argue with Malcolm. She didn't have enough energy. Instead of bickering, she dressed in warmer attire and loaded up in the car.
▲▲▲
"This is my second miscarriage." Jersey pushed out as she wiped the tears that cascaded down her face. "It happened so fast."
Malcolm held her close as she laid in his arms.
"I didn't want them at first..." she trailed off. "As soon as I heard about the possibility, I objected to the thought of being a mother to twins." Tears clouded her vision while she paused to gather herself. "I grew attached to them, and now...one is gone."
It didn't take them long to see a doctor at the ER. Jersey was able to get medical attention. The situation grew intense after only hearing one heartbeat with the Doppler. After getting an ultrasound, Jersey found out that she'd lost one of the twins. The doctor said it was something called vanishing twin syndrome. It's very common in the first trimester.
Malcolm dropped his head, immediately feeling guilty. Here he was again, late with his ability to step up. He treated her like trash after finding out the twins. After working up the nerve to apologize and be there, one of the twins were gone.
All he could do was cuddle Jersey and be there for her.
TO BE CONTINUED