~Los Angeles,
•03/24 {Thursday, 12:37 P.M}
~*~ Dorian ~*~
"I'm starving." Herica announced as we were waiting for our food. It'd been awhile since I last saw her and we had a lot of catch up to do, so we decided to hang out today and spend some time together. She changed a bit since we left the hospital. She now had shorter hair and she was sending a whole different vibe. She seemed happier with her life. Something else had changed too, but I couldn't put my finger on it. She looked like she gained some weight though, mainly to her boobs and she was glowing. Her skin was shining like a sunbeam.
"Relax, the guy just got our orders."
She rolled her eyes, "I don't care, I want my damn food. I'm gonna faint if he doesn't come with our plates right now."
"You've been upset since we got here. Are you okay ? " I asked concerned. Something was irritating her, I could definitely tell.
"Yeah, yeah..." She trailed off and sipped some of her water.
I narrowed my eyes, "What's going on with you ? You're acting funny."
She cleared her throat and looked back at me, "Promise to not judge me ? " She put her elbows on the table and rested her face in her hands before to look up at me again. I nodded and mentioned for her to continue, "Well...I'm pregnant." She immediately avoided eye contact with me as I just sat there and stared at her surprised.
Of course.
It was making sense now. Her chest was almost exploding out of her dress, she gained weight, even her lips and nose were bigger and she had a glow going on. Plus, she was starving and getting angry because she didn't get her food yet. And she was drinking water. All the signs were presented.
"Are you going to say something ? " She bit on her bottom lip.
"Uh, yes. Wow...Uh, how far are you ? "
"Four months, going on five in April." First my little cousin, now Herica. Was it the season ? Who was next ? Laylani ? This one though I wouldn't be surprised.
"Wow ! But..." I paused, trying to get the math right in my head. I was a bit confused, "You fucked someone in the mental hospital ? How ? " The nurses and the security were on our back all the time. We couldn't even go to the bathroom by ourselves.
She chuckled, "No. There is only you to be asking that kind of questions. Since you're that interested, I met someone right before to go to the institution. I was desperate and wanted to get my mind off my problems, so I went to this club, met this guy and...You already know what happened next."
"Does the mystery man know about the baby ? "
She nodded and drank more of her water, "Yes. We exchanged numbers that night and when I found out about the pregnancy I didn't waste my time and immediately told him. He was visiting me at the hospital sometimes." The visits were private and since she told me nothing about all of this, I couldn't know. But damn, how could I be so blind ? I guess, I was too focused on me and my issues to notice anything.
"And your family ? "
"They know and are really happy for me. Everybody is really supportive. Sorry for not telling you sooner, but we're trying to keep this private as long as possible."
I frowned, "Why ? "
"Well, do you know Iman Shumpert ? " She whispered his name.
I thought for a minute, "The NBA player ? He's the daddy ? " She nodded again, "Dam girl ! " I whispered-yelled, "High five for that very good child support, got'em. No, I'm just joking." I burst out laughing when I saw her face.
She threw her napkin at me, "You're really stupid. I can't stand your ass sometimes." She laughed a little as I was calming down.
"Ouh ! " I wiped my eyes, "I wish I took a picture of your face. I was just joking. I'm happy for you. Can't wait to be an uncle."
"I'm not sure if I want you in my child's life to be honest."
"Hey, don't get curse out today because it's a very beautiful day. Look at the sun, son. I mean, daughter."
She laughed more, "You never stop, don't you ? Anyways, don't you think that it's too soon though ? "
"What ? The pregnancy ? " I questioned as the conversation was getting serious now.
"Yeah, that and the fact that I'm seeing someone else. I just got divorced and Aria..."
I took her hand, "Aria must be jumping happily up there. I'm sure she's not mad that you're having another child. This is a blessing. Maybe she asked or begged God to give you that child. And for your relationship, well...The heart has its reasons. As long as you're happy, that's all that matters. That Iman is treating right, isn't he ? "
She smiled, "Yes. We really got closer those past three months. It's crazy though, we just met but I feel like I've been knowing him for years. He makes me smile and laugh, he's a gentleman and we can talk for hours about just everything. And he's very excited to become a father. He makes sure to be there throughout the whole process. Oh and his family ! They are so nice and welcoming. And my family likes him too."
"Then why are you worried for ? Be happy and live your life ! "
"Thank you so much, Dorian. I need to hear this. I don't know why- Never mind. I'm gonna stay positive and be happy. But enough talk about me. What about you and your life ? How things are going with your crush ? "
I instantly grinned, "We kissed and it felt like magic."
"Ouuuuh ! Y'all went to a date already ? "
"Two."
"Damn ! She must be special for you to go on not one but two dates ! I hope I'm gonna meet her soon. I have to meet the woman who got Dorian Willkingston blushing."
I dropped her hand like it was on fire, "I'm not blushing. I can't blush anyways. Never say that again. Never."
"Okay. Never again, it's a promise."She raised her left hand, "Cross my heart and hope to die, if I do tell a lie."
I chuckled, "It's been ages since I heard that damn quote."
•04/22 {Saturday, 11:37 A.M}
~*~ Docia ~*~
"Did you plan on cooking him the royal dinner ? Damn, sis ! All those groceries and we're not done yet. Are we ? "
"I'm not shopping only for the dinner, but also for my house. My kitchen is empty, thanks to you and your son. Y'all are always eating my damn food. Last time I checked y'all had a house too, with your own food."
"Tell me how you feel, sister. Tell me ! " She shouted like an old woman attending a service at Church. You know the ones that encourage the pastor to continue to preach, screaming on the top of their lungs.
"You are so embarrassing. Stop." I continued to push the cart through the snacks aisle. Dorian's birthday was officially in three days and he was going to Las Vegas with his cousins and maybe a few friends; but we were having a dinner tomorrow, so we could celebrate it together also. I wanted to do something bigger, but since he told me that he'd never liked to celebrate his birthday, I respected his wishes and changed my plan. But actually, I prefer the plan we had now that what I had in mind initially. I loved to be alone with him.
"No, I'm not. Marc said that I'm amazing."
"Well, he's insane too then. I'm glad you found your soul mate though." I grabbed different packets of chips and put them in the cart.
"He's not my soul mate. Well, we're not sure yet. For now, we're just dating and nothing else. No sex before marriage."
I raised my brow, "What ? "
"Yes, and I told him too. I want more than sex. That's why my relationship with my dumbass baby daddy didn't work. Everything started with sex. Those men don't take you serious when you give them the cookie from the beginning."
"If you say so."
She gasped, "You gave it to him ? "
"NO ! " I yelled, getting attention from other customers, "I mean, no. He needs to work for it. Plus, I'm..."
"You're what ? "
"It's been sooooo long. Almost five years. I'm scared to fuck up if we ever come to this step. Those people nowadays are doing so many things, I feel like Dorian will expect so much from me. I don't even shave as I used too."
"Ew ! Really, Docia ?! "
"What ? Nobody is going there anyways. I'm just doing this in case, but my life is boring. It's not a big deal anyways. They weren't doing all that back in the day, centuries ago."
"Because they were nasty ! Since then, society improved its hygiene. Once we're done with those groceries, we're getting a Brazilian waxing." I was about to protest, but she didn't let me talk, "Shut up. I don't care, we're doing this. You have a birthday dinner tomorrow."
"It's not that kind of birthday dinner, but okay."
•04/23 {Sunday, 3:56 P.M}
I'd been up since ten this working, getting everything ready for the intimate birthday dinner and I was proud of what I'd done. The table was set, the food was done, Yemi brought the cake a hour ago and my house was cleaned. Now, I could relax a little bit before to get myself ready. I decided to take a nap as I laid comfortably on my couch. I set an alarm on my phone to not wake up too late. A few minutes later, I was closing my eyes and soon falling asleep.
***
"You forget me already ? While I'm here, still crying our marriage, you're out there being a who-"
I slapped him across his face angrily. Who did he think he was to talk to me like that ? Everything that was happening now was his fault and only his. If he hadn't done what he did, so killing himself along with our only child, we'll still be married today. Maybe even happy. Or maybe we wouldn't stay together. Or we would stay together and would be unhappy. There were so many possibilities.
He smirked and stepped up to me, "You got bold."
"Leave me alone. I'm finally happy now and you're mad about this. He's doing a way better job than you ever done and it's getting you upset. If you j-"
He grabbed me by my neck and threw me on the ground, "You're mine ! " His eyes suddenly got red and his clothes changed into black ones. Then his hands into claws and on his head grew two horns, "YOU ARE MINE ! " He screamed with a different voice. It sounded so diabolic.
Where was I at ?
"Leave me alone ! Someone help me, please ! " I tried to get up, but I was glued to the ground. I suddenly felt hands pulling at me, "No ! No, please ! "
"YOU ARE MINE ! " He repeated and now he completely looked like a monster. I turned my head and closed my eyes to not see more of this atrocities.
"Mommy ? " I heard an angelic voice, it was my baby. I opened my eyes and there he was standing behind Curtis, crying his eyes out.
"No ! No, no, no, no ! My baby ! Elijah ! " I attempted to move again, but I couldn't get away from the hands. They were pulling me into the ground with them. I didn't want to go with them, I wanted to take my baby and run far away from here.
"Mommy, I'm scared."
***
"I'm here ! " I yelled, waking up. I held my chest as I was catching up my breath. It was a horrible nightmare and my baby's voice was still echoing in my head. I got off the couch and took a deep breath. I startled when the alarm went off, "It's okay, I'm safe." I reassured myself.
I went to the kitchen and drank a glass of water. I didn't think too much about that nightmare because it was just my mind playing with my imagination and anxieties. I wasn't going to let that get to me. Once I calmed down, I went upstairs and took a shower. I took my time in it, mainly because I was in reflexion. I was thinking about everything in my life.
I'd been extremely happy those past few weeks and it was scaring me a little bit. Life is full of ups and downs, happy and bad moments, fortune and misfortune, lucky and unlucky moments; and whatever I felt like my happy and wonderful time was going on for too long, I would usually grow a bit anxious about that. Life it's a forever circle. After the rain comes the sun or the sun always comes up after the storm. Without rain or storm, there is no sun. Now, I was having the sun, but I knew that the rain and/or storm were coming soon. That's just life. It can't be sunny every day. And sometimes you actually need the rain.
I was simply being my normal worried self.
I was enjoying my sunny days, but I was also aware that the sun will have to come down for a bit in my life to shine in someone's else life. It's the sunset and sunrise of life.
I finally stopped my marathon of thoughts and hurried up a little bit because Dorian was going to be there very soon. I dried off, put lotion on, sprayed some deodorant on my underarms and ran in my closet to choose an outfit. I was regretting to not have done that before. Plus, since I didn't have an outfit, I didn't know how I want to do my makeup. And I was more lost for my hair. I looked at my nails and fortunately they still looked decent.
"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God ! " I went through my clothes, throwing some everywhere in my room. I checked the time and thirteen minutes already passed by, "What the hell ? " Time is always going fast when you need some !
I suddenly stopped myself and took a deep breath, "You can do it." Once I had the control back, I searched a bit more and finally found something. I put things together and I had my outfit, "Thank you, Jesus ! "
I grabbed the hair dryer, the straightener, my combs and all the other hair products I needed and took care of my hair. When I was done with it, I did my makeup and then put on my clothes. I finished by putting my accessories on and spraying myself with a perfume.
Once again, I was super nervous.
∫
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∫
"Happy birthday ! " I opened the door with a bottle of champagne in my hand. I just wanted to be extra for the night. But my excitement went down when I saw his face.
He pouted, "Thank you."
I let him come in as I let a frown appeared on my forehead and closed the door behind him. My nervousness went away about ten minutes ago and I didn't need that to come back, but this face wasn't helping. I was really hoping nothing major happened, "What's going on ? "
I heard him sniffing, "I'm getting oooooooooooooold ! I'm becoming a grandpa." I soon realized that he was playing.
I pushed him, "You're so wrong for that. I thought something happened. Damn ! " I placed the bottle on the table in my entry, "You play way too much, I swear ! "
"Aw ! I'm sorry." He embraced me in his arms and kissed my temple multiple times, "Don't worry, about a thing..." He began to do some beatbox. It wasn't that bad, but he wasn't too talented with it, "...Cause every little thing is gonna be alright. Sing it with me ! " He started to move us back and forth.
I laughed, "If you don't..." I slowly pushed him away from me, "Always playing. But since it's your birthday, you can do whatever you want."
He hummed, "When a woman says that ! " He shook his head, "It's not good, really not good. I better leave."
I raised a hand, "Now ! I won't hesitate to send you to the hospital, you're gonna remember this birthday your whole life. Take your shoes off, wash your hands and go sit down, right now ! " I pointed towards the living room and he looked at me with a fake worried look.
He raised his hands up in surrender, "Dang ! Better listen to mama Docia. I'm taking my shoes off." He did, "Now I'm gonna wash my hands. Can I pee too ? " He asked mimicking a kid's voice.
"It's going to be a very long night." I commented and chuckled.
Once Dorian was comfortable, we settled in the living room with some appetizers and began to talk. We complimented each other's outfit, what made me feel happy. I was happy that he liked it. Tonight, he was doing the whole black thing again. Yes, again. He was wearing suit pants, a sleeve shirt and loafers. He had his Rolex around his left wrist and the friendship bracelet I gave him for Christmas on his other wrist. He looked so awesome and smelt so good too. His cologne was mannish, fresh and sweet to the nose.
"You never have a bad day, you're always on fleek." Now he was mocking one of his cousins, making me more laugh. I couldn't stop smiling and staring at his lips too. They looked so juicy and delicious; I wanted to attack his face so badly, but fortunately I was controlling myself.
We exchanged only one kiss and since then I couldn't wait to be able to start this again. I really enjoyed the first time and I wanted to explore more of him now. Of course, I'm only talking about his lips...for now. I was trying to focus on what he was saying, but it was getting harder as I was still staring at his lips. I bit on my bottom lip, replaying our first kiss in my head. He was the best kisser I ever met. I was wondering wh--
"So, what's on the menu." He suddenly got me out of my trance.
"Uh...food." Was the only answer I could give him. It was a little messy in my head. I couldn't think straight anymore.
He smacked his lips and chuckled, "I know and I'm glad you clarified that by the way, but I would--" I couldn't hold myself any longer, so I grabbed his face and smashed my lips on his. Fortunately, he didn't reject me like I was scared of this happening.
"Wow ! It was in the menu too ? " He asked and I looked away, avoiding his question. The nervousness was coming back and this time it was bringing a friend, embarrassment.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't do that. I mean, we-we-we are...I..." I finger combed my hair, doing my best to not make eye contact with him. My heart was beating faster, I felt like it was about to explode out of my chest. I attempted to stand up, but he grabbed me and then placed me on his lap. I looked down at my hands while he moved some hair away and he then gently pecked the right side of my neck.
"It's okay." Next thing you know, I'm shedding some tears. I felt so embarrassed right now. I couldn't control it. I was shaking slightly and my heart was still speeding, "Are you alright ? " He asked concerned.
I nodded, wiping my face with my fingers. Dorian was helping me, "I don't know why I'm crying. I'm sorry." I chuckled a little, "It's just that...I feel so new to all of this. I don't know what to do anymore." I finally dared to look at him and took a deep breath.
He beamed, "It's all new to me too, don't worry." He grabbed my chin with his index and thumb and pulled my face closer to his, then nicely placed his lips on mine. They were so soft, I didn't want this kiss to stop. I slightly parted my lips and our tongues came in contact. Nothing was rushed as we took our time to explore each other's mouth.
It was a very pleasant evening.
•04/25 {Tuesday, 1:35 P.M}
"Las Vegas ! I'm gonna be rich tonight ! " Kavon screamed, jumping on his bed like he was a kid. I shook my head, hoping that he wasn't going to break something. Anyways, everybody had their own money, so I was paying for nobody's shit.
Today I was officially twenty-six years old and I felt old as fuck. I felt like I was seventeen just yesterday and now I was almost ten years older. Time sure does fly. I celebrated my eighteenth birthday, graduated from high school, went to jail, got out, reunited with my family, met new people, met old people, went to an institution, got released and now I was here. It seemed like everything happened in a week but all of this occurred during those past nine years and ten months.
Wow !
"Yeah, rich...or poor, hopefully you'll be lucky." RJ said as he got his shoes off.
"What are you talking about ? I'll be lucky." He hummed, "What could I do with all this money though ? There are so many things to do."
I laughed, "Don't come to me when you'll lose all of your money."
It'd been ages since the three of us last hung out together, so we decided to have a little boys trip for my birthday. And since I was in jail for my twenty-one and so couldn't do what majority of people do for this specific birthday; it was a good occasion to come here. So yeah, we decided to come to Vegas to celebrated life, love, family and friendship. We were going to stay for four days before to go back to our usual lives.
"You're a pessimist, so stay away from me." He pinched his nose and fanned me off.
"No, I'm a realistic." I corrected him, going to the bathroom. I had to refresh up a little after those four hours and forty-five minutes of road trip. We couldn't take the plane since Kavon was freaking out about this. He'd never liked the plane. RJ was feeling like driving from LA to Vegas, so we came here with a rent car.
I opened the tap and splashed some water on my face. It felt so good. I put some on the back of my neck also, "Oh yes."
I grinned as Docia came to my mind. The special birthday dinner she organized just for me was amazing. I really appreciated the gesture. The food was great, she definitely filled my stomach. My favorite part was the dessert though because we played a little with each other. Eating chocolate strawberries on her neck was enjoyable, but I preferred when we switched roles and I had to take my shirt off so she could eat on me too. We danced and had a little karaoke too. And of course, we talked. We definitely loved talking with each other. Oh ! And cherry on the cake, we made out several times throughout the night.
I liked where we were going. When I was younger, I thought really bad things about relationships, but since I started dating Docia, I had a new perspective of this topic. I was even beginning to consider love now.
Twenty-six was maybe my year.
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Feel free to comment and/or to vote =)
A/N: What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas 😎 That's all I have to say. No, they won't do silly things. They're going to stay far away from the thirsty women...well, except Kavon who is free ! Lol ! Hope you enjoyed the chapter 🤓 And what do you think about the Herica ? Do you like her ? Dislike her ?
THANKS FOR READING ! 💗
CissyItsMe 💋✌🏾❤️