february 19th, 2024
11:02 pm
AYOLUWA EXAMINED her stomach in the full length mirror placed in the corner of her bedroom.
The lights were on and the blinds were closed due to the time of night.
Living alone had given Ayoluwa complete creative control over her space and she hadn't hesitated to take the reins.
The master bedroom was decorated very boho and minimalistic with more plants, fringed tapestries on her beige walls and brown shelves above her bed holding her extensive vinyl collection of different music genres and record player.
I don't look pregnant.
Her abdomen was still flat for the most part, except for the slight roundness at the bottom of her torso.
Her hands lightly rested on her stomach and part of her willed the baby to kick or move.
The doctor had informed her that the baby wouldn't make himself or herself known until a couple more weeks from now.
Life is in there.
Life is inside me.
The reminder made Ayoluwa grin a little bit.
At first learning the news, she was horrified, with good reason but now that she had sat with it and Joshua's reaction hadn't been devastating, Ayoluwa was beginning to get excited.
She could imagine teaching her daughter or son piano, cradling a baby in her arms and letting Lauryn and Myles meet their new cousin.
She rubbed her hands over her stomach, Stevie Wonder's Isn't She Lovely on her lips, "Isn't she lovely? Isn't she wonderful?"
Ayoluwa continued to hum the tune as she smiled at her torso in the mirror.
Firefly, who was laying asleep on her bed, had woken up promptly at the sound of Ayoluwa's phone ringing with a FaceTime alert.
As soon as she answered, Dior's voice was boisterous in his greeting, "Ayo!"
"You're in my ear," Shareef grumbled as he pushed Dior out of the camera.
"Move, kettle corn ass. I wanna talk to Ayo!" Dior pushed Shareef back.
Ayoluwa rolled her eyes, "Can y'all go one day without arguing?"
"No," Shareef blurted, "This little boy is fucking annoying. Why'd you leave me alone him? Come back."
Ayoluwa sighed, "I'm hoping to come back before my birthday but some things have come up... I might have to wait a few more months."
"What's come up?" Dior asked, only his eyes now in the camera.
Ayoluwa paused, wondering if she should tell them.
Gloria had suggested, when Ayoluwa had told her, that she should pull what she called 'a Kylie Jenner' aka going awol on social media and not tell anyone who she wasn't close to and both Ayoluwa and Joshua had agreed that her idea was the best way to go.
But Dior and Shareef were her two best friends, they had been with each other through the ups and downs.
If she couldn't trust them, who exactly could she trust?
So Ayoluwa pushed her hair behind her shoulders and sighed before propping the phone on the second mirror above the dresser, "I have some news..."
"Is it good news?" Shareef pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.
Ayoluwa grinned as she rubbed one hand over her torso, "It's excellent news."
Shareef got it immediately, his eyes widening, "Oh, shit! Oh, shit!"
"What?" Dior asked in a confused tone.
Shareef slapped Dior's arm, "She's pregnant! Dumb ass!"
"Pregnant! Who's the baby daddy?" Dior yelled.
Ayoluwa closed her eyes, "Dior... What the fuck? It's Josh. Obviously."
"You guys broke up though." Dior rubbed his head.
"Damn, you are really stupid. Before, I thought that you were just slow but now I'm sure. You are dumb as fuck. Ow!" Dior had hit Shareef, striking the man across the forehead.
"Guys!" Ayoluwa yelled before they could start fighting again, "I was pregnant before I broke up with Josh."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Who are you making the godfather? And if it's a boy-."
"Name him after me!" Dior interrupted Shareef.
"Can we wait for the baby to come out first? Plus, I'm sure that Josh has some ideas about both." Ayoluwa took the phone so that she could lay on her bed, her long locs floating behind her.
"Fuck Josh. I don't like him." Dior spoke up.
"Facts." Shareef agreed.
"Do not stop being friends with him because of me," Ayoluwa sat up and Firefly rested her head on top of Ayoluwa's bare thigh.
"Nah, it's fuck that nigga for life." Dior shrugged, "That's why I should be the namesake."
"What if it's a girl?" Ayoluwa asked in a wistful tone, "My dad's side is known for twins. Maybe I'll get lucky."
"You wanna have two kids at once?" Shareef asked, his tone full of disbelief.
"Damn, double homicide." Dior chimed in.
"That old ass joke. Shut up." Ayoluwa laughed.
"You shut up! You needa worry about the size of that baby's head. You about to give birth to a damn bowling ball." Dior retorted.
"Wow," Ayoluwa dragged the word out, "I should make Reef the godfather just for that. Leave my baby alone."
Dior kissed his teeth, "Whatever."
"When can you come visit?" Shareef interrupted.
"I don't know," Ayoluwa admitted, "My OB/GYN is here and I have all these studio sessions so I can finish the album... It might just be easier for y'all to come here."
A doorbell sounding on Shareef's and Dior's line caused both boys to look up.
"Aye, Quir is here." Shareef said.
"Oh, tell him I said-." Shaquir stuck his face in the camera, "My wife! How you been?"
"Oh my god. Bye!" Ayoluwa immediately hung up, not having the patience to deal with Shaquir's relentless flirting.
Firefly had fallen asleep again, leaving Ayoluwa unable to move much, due to the pet's position on her thigh.
So she placed the phone beside her and laid back down.
"Isn't she lovely," Ayoluwa began to lightly sing to herself once more, rubbing her abdomen, "Isn't she wonderful?"
NOTE FROM KY
last calllllll... boy or girl?
vote & comment, porfa!