Monica
The pancake mix poured slowly into the skillet making a perfect circle shape. The bacon popped inside the oven getting crispy and crunchy and the grits cooked on the stove.
"Smellin' good in here sis." Nick said coming inside with King behind him. They both smelled like smoke and I thought I was gonna be sick at any moment.
"What you cooking." King placed his hands on my waist.
"Bacon is in the oven. Grits are on the stove. And I'm making pancakes now." I flipped over a pancake.
"Sounds good. Would be even better with that famous French toast you use to make." Nick commented.
I opened the warmer and pulled out the plate of French toast I had made earlier.
"I swear you the best." Nick said reaching for a piece but I pushed his hands away.
"Wait until all the food is done."
He smacked his lips and I laughed but instantly stopped feeling yesterday's lunch coming up.
"Uh Miracle. Scramble the eggs, finish up the pancakes and take the bacon out the oven." I ordered jogging up the stairs covering my mouth. I dashed into the bathroom and literally spilled my guts into the toilet.
After cleaning myself up I sat on the floor picking up my phone. I dialed the prison Morg was in needing someone to talk to.
"Houston penitentiary." A guard answered the phone.
"Hi. Can I speak with an inmate please."
"Who are you trying to reach?"
"Morgan Garcia."
It got quiet then the officer came back. "Ma'am I'm sorry but that inmate has had to many phone calls this week."
"Sir please."
"No can do. Each inmate are allowed to have one phone call a week. Garcia has had five."
"It's an emergency sir!" I paused than began fake crying. "Someone in our family was in a tragic accident and I really need to tell her."
"Ma'am I'm sorry but-"
"Please." I bawled trying to persuade him.
He sighed loudly. "You have exactly three minutes. After the three minutes the call with drop automatically."
I waited a couple minutes and heard Morgan's voice on the other end.
"Hey Mo. Everything okay?"
"No. Nothing is okay in my life right now."
"I'm listening girl. Make it quick though we don't have much time."
"You know King's back right."
"Yea. That's what I tried to tell you the other day."
"And you know Nick's back as well."
"Yes Monica. I know girl I know. Tell me something I don't know."
"I'm pregnant."
"Yes I know- wait what?"
I sighed putting my hand on my forehead. "While King was away I might've, kinda, sort of-"
"Mo get straight to it."
"I slept with someone else. I've been seeing him for a year and the one night I gave it up to him I got pregnant."
"You're kidding me right."
"I wish I was girl. You don't know how bad I feel. I'm trying to balance everything right now and I just can't. I can't. This is all coming down on me."
"You know I'm your girl so I'm not gonna sugar coat shit with ya. Imma be one hundred. You're wrong. You did this to yourself Mo. This is your mistake and now you can't do anything but deal with the consequences that came with your actions."
I sighed letting what she was spitting sink in my brain.
"Good luck telling King that shit. You know how his attitude is set up. You might as well get it out the way before you start showing."
I sighed "And it's something else."
"What?"
"The man I'm pregnant by put his hands on me."
"BITCH-"
The called dropped letting me know the three minutes were up. I got off the ground and went back downstairs seeing everyone had already started eating breakfast.
"You ight?" King asked putting a spoonful of grits into his mouth. "You were up there for awhile."
"Dang she can't shit without you questioning her?" Nick's goofy ass said.
I laughed. "Yes I'm fine." I went over to the fridge and grabbed a Tropicana orange juice carton and sat at the island with them.
"That's your breakfast?" Nick asked.
"Yup. I'm not really hungry." Truth is I was afraid if I ate anything I wouldn't be able to keep it down.
"You cooked all this and not eating none of it?"
"I ate last night."
"Popcorn doesn't count."
"King, I'm okay." I took a few sips of the orange juice.
"Alright alright." He went over and put his plate into the sink rinsing it with water.
"Nick and I are handling a few things today."
"We are?" Nick shot King a look.
"Yes fool. You need anything while we're out?" King asked me.
"Uh uh."
"Alright. Hurry up and finish eating." King told Nick before going upstairs.
"This was delicious sis. Thanks." He wiped his hands and mouth. I gave him a smile and watched as he went up the steps.
"Miracle how about you go ahead and get dressed too. We'll have a girls day."
"Mani and pedis please because I need it." She pointed to her nails and toes.
"Spa okay?"
"Sounds wonderful. I could use a massage also." She skipped up the stairs.
"Hell me too." I slowly climbed them and entered my room seeing King only in his boxers.
He was going through a suit case full of new clothes looking for an outfit.
"Which shirt." He held up a white polo shirt and a black one.
"Wear the black one with dark colored khaki's." I told him laying across my bed.
"Great choice ma." He put lotion on from head to toe and slipped the shirt over his head.
"So you staying here?" I asked watching him get dressed.
"Here as in Chicago or here as in your house."
"Both."
"As far as Chicago yea. I got old connections here that can easily be reopened as soon as my name gets back in the streets. And as far as your house yea. What's the problem? I'm not welcomed here?"
I sat up in the bed. "So you're telling me after all the stuff that has happened you're still tryna hustle?"
He sighed. "What else can I do Mo? With this record of mine and no degree it's hard getting a real job."
"But King." I sighed. "That brought so much drama into our lives."
"Baby I promise I won't bring it between us alright? I'll keep what happens in the streets in the streets and outta our lives."
I nodded slowly still not fully agreeing with his decisions. But I could preach to King all day and he still wouldn't listen so I saved my breath.
King came over and rubbed my shoulders. "Now back to that living question. Is it a problem with me staying here?"
"No not at all."
"Good." He bent down pecking my lips. He continued to talk but I wasn't listening my mind kept floating back to Carter and this baby.
"Mo you listening?"
"I was daydreaming what did you say?"
"I said I missed you. I might've been away for those two years and didn't realize but it feels like I been missing you for that long."
I gave him a small smile trying not to look him in the eyes.
He ran his hands through my hair. "I'm sorry for everything I've done to you. I truly am. I wanna step up to the plate and be a better man to you baby."
Damnit Monica dammit! This boy you once wished would mature has finally matured and you just had to go and do some childish shit yourself.
"King-" I said wanting to come clean right then and there.
"Yo King come on man." Nick busted inside the room.
King placed on his chain and spayed himself down in cologne. "Bye baby." He kissed me goodbye and the two slipped out the door.
"Damn. Damn. Damn."
King
Nick and I were at the mall picking up late birthday gifts for Miracle. Her birthday was a couple days ago and didn't get the chance to celebrate with her.
"Don't you think this is enough?" Nick asked carrying some bags.
"Yea for Miracle. Now it's time for Mo."
As I entered the Chanel store I went straight over to the handbags that were displayed in cases.
"I've been thinking." I told Nick scanning the many purses on the shelf.
"About?" Nick said typing away on his phone.
"Marrying Mo, for real this time."
Nickolas looked up from his phone. "That's a huge step. Honestly bro I think you should give her some time. She seems overwhelmed you know with the both of us back."
I turned and looked at him crazy. "Do you hear yourself? I am in love with this woman."
"Nah do you hear yourself? I know you love her. I'm not saying don't marry her I'm saying now is not the time. You're moving to fast man. You just woke up from being in a two year coma and you trying to be Superman."
I ran my hand down my face. My little brother tends to know what he's talking about when it comes to relationships. "Ight I see where you coming from. I'll wait."
"Do you need something sir?" A lady that worked here asked interrupting our conversation.
"Yea. Give me the two at the top." I pointed to the ones that I thought would look good on Monica's arm.
After purchasing the two bags me and Nick walked out the store.
"Aye." Nick whispered to me. "Is it just me being paranoid or is homie over there mugging?"
I looked in the direction Nick was looking in seeing a buff guy sitting in the food court. His facial hair along with the hair on his head was black.
"You know him?" Nick asked.
"Nah. You?"
"Nope. Should we ask what the problem is."
"No. Let it go. Come on."
Monica
"Miracle." I said turning the radio down. I couldn't keep this dark secret from her any longer. It was going to start to show soon anyways.
"What's up?" She took her headphone out her ear and looked over at me.
Coming to a stop sign I stopped and looked both ways before continuing to drive. "How would you feel if you had a sibling?"
"Queen was enough. We got rid of that problem we don't need another."
I cleared my throat. "Well uh. You see, I'm kind of pregnant."
"King of? It's either you are or you aren't."
I sighed. "I am."
"Have you told dad!? He's gonna be soooo-"
"It's not his."
Miracle's smile dropped and she looked at me. "He's gonna kill you."
"Don't you think I know that! What are we gonna do?"
"WE!? I'm sorry ma. This is all you this time."
"Ugh."
"I thought you said you and Carter weren't dating."
"We're not that's the thing. We had a one night stand a couple weeks ago."
"Dang." Miracle shook her head.
"And there's something else. Promise not to tell your dad."
"I promise."
"One day when you were gone Carter took his anger out on me and-"
Miracle covered her mouth. "He hit you? That's it. I'm telling dad." She picked up her phone.
"Miracle!" I yelled and pulled the truck over to the side of the road.
"Mama! He put his hands on you. How can I sit here and just act like I don't know? I'm telling dad so he can take care of it."
I snatched her phone outta her hands. "No. I wanna be the one to do it okay? This is my mess let me clean it up."
"Mama I love you I do. You're my mom, aunt, best friend, and all of the above. No disrespect but right I don't know you! You have never been this stupid over a man."
Everything Miracle was telling me was the truth. No matter how bad I didn't wanna hear it she was right.
"I'm already keeping you and Carter being together a secret. Now I have to keep your pregnancy and the abuse a secret as well!? Oh no. If you don't tell dad by the end of the week I'm telling him."
"Deal."
*
*
*
After getting pampered at the spa I dropped Miracle off at dance practice and returned home.
The living room light was on so I assumed King and Nick came back as well.
"Did you guys have fu-" I stopped in my sentence seeing Carter sitting on my couch. There were three empty beer bottles knocked over on the ground next to him.
"So when were you gonna tell me ol' dude was back in the picture." He stood up coming closer to me. "Uh what's his name? King ain't it?"
As he took steps closer I took steps further back until he cornered me in the kitchen.
"Carter-"
"So you weren't gonna tell me?"
I felt around for the knife that was laying on the counter from earlier, but I guess he caught me in the act. He snatched me up by my arm and twisted it slamming my body on top of the counter.
The door swung open and without even hesitating King sent two bullets flying towards Carter's head. Aiming straight at his target Carter went down in a flash.
***********
"MAMA!" My eyes opened and Miracle was standing over me along with the masseuse.
"It's okay ma'am. You have a bad dream while I give you massage." The sweet Chinese women explained. "Sit back, relax, and I calm you down." She fanned me and I laid back down placing the cucumbers back over my eyes.
That nightmare looked and felt so real. Maybe this was a wake up call from God telling me I needed to fess up soon. The guilt is eating me alive.
Playing with y'alls emotions!!
TEAM KING?
TEAM CARTER?