"There's my baby," Kevin called out to me when I came in the door.
"Hey," I said as I walked over to him. I sat down beside him on the bar stool. "Oooh. Baby can I have some," I asked as I looked down at the sandwhich on his plate.
"Go head," Kevin said sliding his plate over to me. "How did it go?"
"Okay I guess," I mumbled, "but I don't want to talk about it right now. How was your day," I asked Kevin as I took another bite out of his sandwhich.
"It was pretty good," he said staring at me. "Damn baby slow down. You bout to swallow your hand."
I leaned over the plate and laughed. "Don't make fun of me."
Kevin laughed. He stood up from the bar counter and headed into the living room. I finished the sandwhich and put the plate in the sink.
"You know what I realized," I said to Kevin as I sat down on the sofa beside him.
"What?"
"We're engaged to be married and I haven't met your family yet." I tucked one leg under me and turned to face Kevin. "I want to meet them Kevin. I think it's time."
Kevin exhaled. "I don't know baby. I'm not really talking to them right now. You know that."
"I know, but they're about to be my family too. At the very least let me meet your parents and your siblings."
"Which one's," he said sucking his teeth.
I cocked my head to the side. "Both."
Kevin held his hand up to his mouth and sat silently.
"Kevin," I started, "I don't wanna push you into anything prematurely, but you're about to be a husband and a father soon. You can't hide your family away from me forever. You need to really consider reconciling with them."
"Baby I hear you and it sounds good and everything, but you don't know what you're getting yourself into. They have become a piece of work over the past few months. I think they supercede your family drama."
"What? They got Carrie Lynette beat," I laughed. "I need to see that."
"Lys. I'm serious. Their dysfunction is on another level."
"Damn. How both our families acting up?"
Kevin shook his head and sighed. "I know right. Hey! Speaking of family drama," he chuckled, "have you given it any thought about meeting your real dad?"
"Yeah," I said nodding my head. "Earlier I told my mom that I wanted to meet him and almost two hours later she told me that he wanted to meet me too. But," I said rolling my eyes, "she has taken the liberty of scheduling the date herself." I sighed. "I don't want her to tag along. I wish she would've just given me his number like I asked. I don't like her being the middle man. It's not gon' end well for me and her if she keep this up Kev. I can feel it."
"Alyssa don't you start stressing about this," Kevin said.
"I know. I know," I said as I tossed my head back and put my hand over my head. "I've been really trying not to, but Carrie is a piece of work."
"Why don't you just tell your mom you're pregnant so she can leave you alone?"
I sat up and looked at him. "Are you out of your damn mind! She spoke this pregnancy into existence. There is no way I'm telling her."
"But she gonna find out eventually right? So you might as well just tell her now and get it over with."
I rolled my eyes at Kevin. "Just stop talking."
"What! You know she gonna go in on your ass if she find out and you ain't tell her."
"Well I guess I better prepare myself now, because I'm not telling her."
"You need to stop being stubborn?"
"I know, but today won't be the day."
Kevin shook his head. "You gotta answer for everything don't you?"
"What can I say? I'm my mother's daughter."
"No argument there," Kevin replied. I laughed and playfully shoved him.
"So I know that this may sound out of the blue," I said after a few minutes had gone by, "but I've been thinking. Why don't you just move in here? It would be so much easier for us now that we have a baby on board."
Kevin, now slouched down on the sofa, looked over at me. "I thought I already did," he teased.
"Yeah so did my brothers," I laughed, "but I mean like officially. You already help pay some of the bills here and you buy the bulk of the groceries. You have a key for pete's sake. You're here all the time; you barely sleep at your place..."
"That's because my place is wherever you are, so I don't need to be anywhere else. And if I'm being honest I was just waiting on my official invitation," he grinned.
My face lit up. "Really," I said as I leaned over to hug him. "Yeah. I don't want to miss a beat, especially not now." I kissed his cheek. "Let's go get your stuff from your apartment."
Kevin raised is eyebrow at me. "Now?"
"Yeah. Why not?"
"Because I'm comfortable."
"Keeevin," I whined. "Pleeease. We're about to be roommates for the rest of our lives and I'm excited about it. Call Ray. At least tell him you're moving out."
Kevin looked over at me. "I already did."
"What?"
"Yeah. He's known for at least a month now. I helped him find a new roommate; a good one too. I paid the rent for the next two months as my goodbye gift to him. Ya know, he didn't even want to take the money? He told me to put it toward the wedding, but I couldn't go out like that. I had to make sure he was good. He's like a little brother to me now."
"Babe are you freaking kidding me! I don't even know what to respond to first. That was so sweet of you and oh my goodness when do you move out!"
Kevin laughed heartily. "I will officially be moved out of my apartment by the end of the week."
"Oh my goodness. That's Friday." I shrugged, "well Saturday at the latest." I looked over at him and hugged his neck. "Babe I'm so excited."
Kevin chuckled. "I hope you feel this excited about us living together when you're angry with me and you can't kick me out, cause I'm letting you know right now, I'm not leaving," he grinned.
"Hey. I know what I signed up for."
Kevin grinned. "Okay. So make me a promise."
I perked up and sat on my knees. "Okay."
"Promise me that you will never kick me out of the bedroom when we have a fight."
"Seriously," I grinned.
Kevin shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah."
"Okay. I promise."
He shook his head and grinned. "I need to hear you say it," Kevin said as he placed my hand over his heart and held it there. I looked down at my hand on his chest. "I don't do that sleeping on the couch shit unless we're sleeping there together."
I shook my head and grinned. "I'll do you one better. "I promise to never kick you out of the bedroom when we have a fight," I chuckled, "but instead will dedicate that time to resolving the conflict with you. I also promise to always make room in my heart to forgive you just like you make room in your heart to forgive me." I looked at Kevin and smiled. "I love you baby," I said leaning in to kiss him.
Kevin couldn't stop cheesing when he kissed me back. "I love you too."