Guess who's back… back again! ;)
Thanks, slim:
OroginalBoondocks, KODfreak, tierrayaoi, MoneytheChef, LovinHueyFreeman, Misseylady, Edgar H. Sutter, janiyah, BananaMilkshake97, Kluvly, Boondocks23, anon, Roronoa Star96, Sodakandy, jazzyhue20, razzberry96, Sifu Soul, lilylove, KyaDiamondInTheSky, taydo-the-potato, ladyrere1985, joice xoxboubou xox, bunnybabe247, Jazavelli, Jor-El Smith, kbreezy00, SexySade, Peach276, Paige1292, aj118, jessie anoka, and DeLorean Hedgehog
And thanks again to razzberry96 for checking up me and asking about the status of this chapter! Without that push, I already know the wait woulda been longer. You gotta stay on me, y'all (no homo)! ;)
As you already know and can see, I'm gonna start having to do my thank-you shoutouts a little differently. Yes, you still will always get a shout-out, but yeah…. When I first make my thank-yous, I always type out the list of names first... after 31 on my Word Document, I had 2 full pages… just of names ALONE, no actual thank yous! So I'm like, this is gonna be ree-DIC writing all these long ass notes and putting them at the beginning of the chapter. That'll take up way too much space and just be obnoxious (cuz you know I like to go in depth in my notes:)). So I decided, you all will still get the name shoutouts, but I will be emailing a proper long and still in depth response to your reviews. I think this will work out much better in my opinion, AND allow me to speak to and really get to know you guys better on a more personal level:)
PS to all the GUESTS: I can't properly thank you if you don't log in and/or make an account :( Please try and remember. And if you don't already have an account, do it for me! I need to thank you! XD
Anyways, now that that's out of the way, heeeyyyy! :) Back in this piece with another chapter:) Leggooo!
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Aaron McGruder's The Boondocks or any of his characters.
"You shoulda stuck to yo story."
"It was a DNA test!"
"Well study next time!"
~Riley Freeman & Robert Jebediah Freeman (AKA Granddad); The Story Of Lando Freeman
Week 5
Sunday, July 15
Cindy's POV
She continued to lie there in bed, Riley's hand lightly on the side of her waist as he cuddled against her. She wasn't exactly awake, but she definitely was no longer sleeping. She was in that in between state. She had barely gotten any sleep anyway, her racing thoughts breaking their way into her dreams, making it a restless night for her. When she finally did wake up, it took her a minute to determine whether the past day and events had just been part of her dream… but when she felt Riley's fingers unconsciously and repeatedly brushing on her stomach… Cindy knew.
Still pregnant…. Still gonna be a mom…. Damn….
It was still surreal.
"Babe… you awake?" Riley's voice murmured near her ear. Cindy was surprised he was up so early. Maybe his thoughts weren't letting him sleep in either.
"Mhm." Cindy replied, slightly turning her face to give him a kiss on his forehead. He was lying with his face in her neck, his cheek resting against her chest as he held her tightly.
Riley lifted his head and gave her a short peck on the lips before he pulled back and looked at her. "You aiight?"
"I'm fine."
"You sure?" He said, giving her a look.
"Reez, I'm okay." She assured with a nod. "How are you?"
Riley shrugged a shoulder, bringing up his hand to brush a lock of hair behind her ear. "I'm good. My only concern is you, girl."
She smiled at him, holding his hand against her face. "I'm fine, Riley. Really. We're all going to be fine." She replied, sounding brave for the first time in hours.
"I know that's right." Riley grinned at her words, leaning in to peck her lips one more time. "We gonna make it work." He told her before he pulled all the way back. Cindy nodded with a tiny smile, believing him. Riley smiled back before carefully raising up from her.
"I'm gonna go see if Granddad needs help with cooking brunch, okay?"
"I can help." Cindy suggested, ready to take the covers off her, but Riley stopped her.
"Bay, you rest. You ain't gotta get up just yet. Take your time." He told her as he eased her back down, practically ready to tuck her in.
"You cannot start babying me already, Reez." Cindy giggled.
"When don't I?" He smirked before leaning down to kiss her forehead. "Rest." He playfully ordered before starting to slide on his boxers and shorts.
Cindy pretended to huff. "Don't think I won't be down in a few minutes."
"Shocker." Riley shook his head as he pulled a white shirt over his head. "Just relax for a while, babe. You got a couple hours to chill. Enjoy it."
"I don't wanna." Cindy grinned, even while snuggling down into the covers and rolling onto her stomach.
"Too bad." Riley smirked at her again as he made his way to the door. "Call me if you need me."
"'Kay." Cindy said as he headed out of the room. After he did, she stretched her arms out before attempting to relax and drift back to sleep.
…Yeaahh, this ain't working. Cindy thought, opening her eyes after trying to keep them closed for five minutes. Once she was up, she was up.
With a sigh, she kicked the covers off her before rising from the bed. She was happy she made the decision as she stretched; now she could take an obnoxiously long shower and hopefully ease some of the muscle soreness she felt in various areas, especially her breasts.
Because damn if Jazmine hadn't been lyin' about them joints.
A little over a half hour later, Cindy finally emerged from the bathroom in her robe, feeling clean and more refreshed. She made her way back to the bedroom and began to look through her clothes, trying to find something to wear. She had to do her laundry today, so she was limited on options. After sliding on her underwear, she grabbed a light shirt and reached for her last pair of jeans at the bottom of her drawer.
A few water drops fell from her damp hair as she bent down to step into her pants. They were her favorite pair of skinny jeans, and it felt like she hadn't worn them in weeks. She was trying to remember which store she bought them at and was contemplating getting a new pair when she noticed something.
The fuck? Cindy's thoughts halted as she pulled the waist of her jeans up over her hips… more like yanked. And although that initially caught her attention, that wasn't what held it.
Why… the fuck… were these pants impossible to button right now?
Cindy stared dumbfounded at herself in the mirror. This could not be happening to her already, could it? These pants felt tight as hell. Yeah, they were skinny jeans, but they'd never felt this snug on her before. And buttoning them? Forget about it. That just wasn't going to happen unless she sucked in and stayed that way.
"Damn." Cindy let out, gazing at herself from the side. She was definitely bloated. And that feeling did not sit right with her. At all.
Shaking her head, she angrily pulled down her pants and stepped back out of them, kicking them to the side. Time to find something else.
Something with elastic.
Riley's POV
"Boy! Once those are done cooking, start bringing the dishes out to the table!" Granddad called from the dining room.
"Got it." Riley answered, stirring the pan of home fries one last time before turning off the stove. Then he proceeded to scoop the contents onto a large plate.
"Need help with anything?"
Riley turned his head in the direction of the soft voice to see Cindy at the doorway. He grinned at her outfit choice: a red baby tee and pair of loose black basketball shorts that looked to be his. Her long hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, aside from the bangs that framed her face.
"Don't you look comfortable," He grinned as she walked over, leaning down to give her a peck on the cheek.
"I wish I felt it." She mumbled in response.
"What's wrong?" He frowned, but she just shook her head.
"Nothin'. Here, I'll help you start taking things in." She changed subjects as she picked up two plates of food, already starting to walk to the dining room. Riley raised a brow before grabbing two more dishes and following behind her, ready to press her.
"Good morning, Granddad!" Cindy said cheerfully as she walked into the room. He was arranging dishes of fruit and breads on the table, but paused to smile over at her.
"Morning, Cutie Pie." He accepted her light peck on the cheek as she passed by. "How are you today?"
"I'm good, thanks."
"How do you feel this morning?"
She paused to look at him as she set down her dishes. "I feel okay, I guess." She answered quietly with a small shrug.
"Get ready to hear that question a lot, C." Riley commented.
"Oh yeah." Granddad chuckled in agreement.
"Only a matter of time 'fore someone else asks you." Riley grinned at the expression she gave him. She was ready to open her mouth to respond, but was stopped by the sound of-
Ding-dong.
"Ha! What'd I say? Who's gonna ask you next?" He smirked, earning a light shove from Cindy as he walked away from the table. "My money's on Sarah."
"I second that."
"Granddad!" Cindy complained with a smile, causing Riley to laugh as he left the room to answer the door. When he reached the foyer, he pulled open the door, smiling as his eyes immediately focused down on one person.
"Unca Reezy!" His two and a half year old niece, Jamilah Malaika Freeman, greeted him happily, right before he scooped her up into his arms.
"Hey, Mila!" Riley grinned, giving her a big kiss on the cheek. "How's my favorite niece?"
"Good!" She giggled, hugging him around his neck while she snuggled against him.
"She's your only niece, silly." Riley finally glanced back to the door, registering that Sarah and Tom were standing side by side in the doorway smiling. Then he quickly processed what Sarah had just said, about Jamilah being his only niece.
Yeaahh… for now anyway….
"Hey there, Riley!" Tom said enthusiastically, patting him on the back as he passed by him to come into the hallway.
"Hey," Riley gave him slight head nod, leaning down to receive Sarah's cheek kiss and light hug after she entered. He glanced over her shoulder and out the door to see Huey and Jazmine making their way up the pathway, both holding Tupperware containers.
"Morning!" Jazmine greeted airily as she walked in ahead of Huey.
"Hey, Jazz." Riley said as he set Jamilah down. Jazmine gave him a slight look at the emphasis in his voice, and looked even more surprised when he pulled her into a tight, one-armed hug. He immediately made direct eye contact with Huey who was right behind her.
"You ain't tell 'em yet?" He mouthed quickly. Huey gave the subtlest eyeroll before discreetly shaking his head. "Fuck." Riley mouthed again before letting go of Jazmine and pulling away.
"Uhh, why don't you and your mom," Riley finally spoke, taking the Tupperware from Huey as he did. "Take the dessert to the kitchen? And Tom, can you go put Jamilah in her high chair? We almost ready to eat." He said, handing the container to Sarah.
"Sure thing! Come on, Pumpkin." Tom grinned, taking his granddaughter's hand and leading her away. Sarah nodded with an oblivious smile as she began walking down the hallway while chatting with Jazmine. Riley and Huey remained in their spots as Riley took his time closing the door and locking it. Then after the coast was clear, he glared at his brother.
"Why the hell you ain't tell 'em?" Riley hissed.
"That was supposed to be the plan, but Jazmine chickened out last minute." Huey bit back quietly.
"Dammit." Riley muttered. "You know Granddad's loud-ass is gonna say somethin'. He thinks, well we all thought, that her parents already knew."
"Then let's quickly and quietly let him know that they don't." Huey said evenly, beginning to walk with Riley away from the door. "The last thing we need is for him to say something and upset them or Jamilah. Hopefully we can pull Tom and Sarah aside sometime this morning, calmly let them know the news, and be done with-"
Ding-dong.
Riley groaned as he turned back to the door and unlocked it, pulling it open.
"What's good, fam?" Michael Caesar grinned as he made his way into the hallway. "Brooklyn in the house!"
Of course.
"Um, who invited your ass?" Riley asked, pushing the door shut behind him.
"Nigga, don't act like I'm not always here for Granddad's Sunday brunch." Caesar scoffed, moving past him. "Sup, brotha?" He greeted Huey, clasping his hand.
"What are you doing here?" Huey questioned, seeming slightly agitated at his plans already going awry.
"Daanng, no love today." Caesar laughed good-naturedly. "What's the deal with y'all today? Somethin' I should know?" He raised an eyebrow.
He only received two blank stares back as they blinked at him.
Ding-dong.
"What the hell?" Riley whipped his head back towards the door and yanked it open.
"Mornin', lil nigga. Other nigga. Future inmate." Uncle Ruckus said as pushed past Riley to make his way into the house, ending with a disgusted glance in Caesar's direction.
"Ugh, I'm going to talk to Granddad." Huey groaned with an eyeroll, turning to walk down the hallway.
"Bout what?" Caesar asked nosily. When he realized Huey was going to keep walking and ignore him, he turned and looked back at Riley questioningly. Riley swerved his question by focusing on Ruckus instead.
"One, I ain't no little nigga. I'm grown enough to kick dat ass now. And two, what the hell are you doing here? If he wasn't invited, then I know damn well that yo ass wasn't."
"Lord, ain't that just like a nigga? As much as I do for Robert and you ungrateful coons, I would think that you would show me just a little hospitality every now and then. But no, no! You niggas just could care less about poor ol' Uncle Ruckus, No Relation. Practically helped raise your terrible asses alongside your Granddad too!"
"Nigga, who is you tryna fool? Ain't none of that true!" Riley replied incredulously as Caesar just laughed.
"These sob stories you come up with, man." He continued to chuckle at the man. Ruckus snapped his head over to him.
"Ain't nobody was talkin' to yo dark ass! Ohh ho ho, I can't wait to see what the white man puts you in jail for. What's it gonna be? Theft? Murder? Maybe drug use first. Lookin' like a convict with that nappy, jungle-bunny hair!"
Caesar's eyes slightly narrowed before he scoffed, his demeanor cool again. "Yo mama." He quipped smoothly before turning to walk away.
"Oh shit!" Riley cackled at Ruckus's dropped jaw. It took a lot to piss off Caesar. One of the few ways? Talking about his dreads.
"Yo, I ain't no asshole, but where I come from? That would result in a straight-up punch to the throat." Riley snickered as he shut the door and locked it. He would love to watch a good fight; he hadn't witnessed one in a while. But considering the fact that Ruckus was a known punk, he knew it wasn't going to happen.
Sigh.
He casually coughed the word "bitch" as he passed by him and followed Caesar into the kitchen. Granddad and everyone else was now there aside from Tom and Jamilah, and Granddad seemed to be gently corralling them into the dining room.
"Okay, time to eat! Go 'head and sit down." He said, gesturing for the ladies to go first. Caesar followed behind them with a smile.
"Hey, Mr. Freeman!"
"Boy, get out my kitchen and sit yo ass down." Granddad snipped at him, earning a laugh from Caesar as he passed. Then Granddad turned to Huey and Riley. "I need you two to help me with this turkey and the drinks." He said a little loudly, almost in a strange voice.
Granddad was always bad at speaking in code.
"No problem." Riley shrugged while Huey nodded.
Granddad casually looked behind him to make sure everyone had left the room. When he turned back, he opened his mouth to speak, but paused when he noticed Ruckus walking in behind Huey and Riley.
"Mornin', Robert."
"Really, Ruckus? Of all Sundays, you decided to come today?" He asked exasperatedly.
"Y'all niggas need to be grateful that I even grace you with my presence, hell!" Ruckus snapped, grumbling as he marched past them and went on into the dining room. Granddad stared after him before turning back to the boys.
"Which one of you let him in my house?"
"Granddad, focus." Huey gave him a look. "As I was saying, Tom and Sarah do not know yet, so please don't say anything."
"Boy, why the hell didn't you say something to them or warn me?" Granddad hissed quietly as he put on his oven mitts. Then he opened the door to the stove and proceeded to pull a small turkey out. "I almost asked Jazmine if she scheduled a doctor's appointment right in front of Sarah!"
"Shit, that woulda been awkward." Riley snickered, reaching up into the cupboard to grab several glasses and Jamilah's sippy-cup.
"Y'all need to tell them today." Granddad gave them both a look.
"Why you sayin' this to me? That's his in-laws." Riley scoffed.
"Well, your niece is not. So once they know, it's gonna be a little hard to keep it quiet around the baby. Can't none of you keep a secret."
"Nigga, look who's talkin'!" Riley exclaimed.
"Regardless," Huey glared, giving Riley a hard smack at his loudness while he passed to go to the fridge. "We need to pull them aside sometime this morning and let them know, just so everyone's on the same page."
"What about Caesar?" Riley asked.
"You know we have to tell him too. Might as well get it out of the way."
"Right. His nosey ass will be askin' way too many questions if he feels people know somethin' he don't." Riley rolled his eyes. "Ruckus?"
"Uhh, Granddad can deal with him." Huey snorted, coming back from the fridge with two separate containers of orange juice.
Granddad glared at him. "Nigga, you know the drill. The special orange juice for me and the baby. The visitor's orange juice for the rest of y'all. Bring them out when you done!" He snipped before closing the oven door, picking up the pan of turkey, and heading into the dining room. Riley rolled his eyes and turned to Huey.
"You need to just pour him the visitor's orange juice and give the good stuff to the rest of us. Bet money he'd never even taste the difference."
"I heard that!"
A few minutes later, everyone was seated at the dining room table. Granddad sat at the head, Jamilah at the opposite end across from him in her high chair. Huey and Riley sat on either side of him, their ladies beside them. Next to Cindy sat Uncle Ruckus and next to Jazmine sat Caesar. Tom and Sarah sat near the end of the table alongside Jamilah.
At Granddad's word, everyone excitedly began to dig into the dishes, passing them around the table. Riley eagerly was working on his plate, but then something caught his eye across from him. He noticed that Huey had his attention focused directly on Jazmine as she gathered her food. Then he raised an eyebrow at when she received the plate of bacon, Huey just so happened to clear his throat. He watched her turn subtly to him and give him a pleading look, quickly batting her eyelashes at him twice. Huey furrowed his brow at her slightly, his mouth in a hard, nonnegotiable line. Jazmine let her eyes drop, looking down longingly at the plate before handing it to him. He took it and quickly passed it on to Granddad.
Riley shifted his jaw as he thought, glancing at Jazmine's plate. It looked very healthy, due to Huey's monitoring. Two whole grain pancakes with no extra butter, sunny-side up eggs, lots of various fruits, and one English muffin. No hash browns. No home fries. Definitely no bacon.
Hmm.
Riley cleared his throat as he gently gave a side-kick to Cindy's foot to get her attention. She looked over at him right as he took the plate of bacon from Granddad. As she was about to use her fork to put a few pieces on her plate, Riley discreetly shook his head, causing her to lower her fork. When she gave him a funny look, he motioned with his eyes over to Jazmine, casually tapping once at his plate with his own fork as he did. He saw her catch the hint and glance down at her and Huey's plates. Then she looked back at Riley and gave him another look.
The fuck, nigga? No bacon? She seemed to say with her eyes.
Dat shit's unhealthy for the kid. You goin' on restriction. He translated to her telepathically.
PLEASE?!
NO. Pass it along. Riley slowly held out the plate for her to take. She narrowed her eyes at him as she took it from him. She had the same longing look in her eyes that Jazmine had as she slowly passed it onto Ruckus, her eyes on the plate the entire time. Riley dropped his hand under the table and gently patted her thigh. Never in his life did he think that he would take his brother's diet advice. But apparently this was an exception. And if Cindy was gonna have to suffer through it, then he'd try too.
The brunch seemed to start off going decent. It was quieter than usual, but light conversation was still made. Riley noticed that Cindy and Jazmine were eating their nutritious meals slightly grudgingly, but still enjoyed them. Granddad managed to do a good job keeping his mouth shut, easily steering the conversations to be as general as possible. Jamilah ate her meal happily, and was cute as always, distracting Tom and Sarah who were next to her. Everything was going so far, so good.
"So what's up wit y'all?"
Riley, Huey, Jazmine, Cindy, and Granddad all immediately looked towards Caesar who had spoke.
"Whatchu mean?" Riley asked immediately, perhaps too eager.
"Y'all are actin' off. I just wanna know what y'all are hidin', that's all." He shrugged, casual as could be.
"What are you talkin' about, Ceez? How we actin' off?" Cindy tried to play it down smoothly. But Caesar gave her a look in return. He began to list things off on his fingers.
"All y'all keep givin' each other these pointed stares like nobody else notice. You too quiet, especially Riley. Granddad's actually bein' nice for the most part. And, on top of that, y'all actin' like you ain't got no appetite." He focused his eyes right on Cindy. "You of all people don't want any bacon, Cin?"
She looked slightly taken aback as she stared back at him. "Noo…?" She answered, almost as if she were asking a question. Riley could've sworn he saw her right eye slightly twitch.
"You guys are acting just a little strange this morning." Sarah commented lightly. "Are you sure there's nothing going on? Jazmine?" She questioned, looking down the table at her. Jazmine looked like a doe trapped in headlights as she stared back at her mother.
"What is it, honey?" Tom asked, sounding concerned. Now all eyes were on her, including Jamilah's. Shit. Riley knew that both he and Huey didn't want her finding out right now. And by the look of it, Jazmine was ready to burst any second now.
Dammit.
"I-"
"I need dessert, who else wants?" Riley cut her off, rising from his seat noisily as he scooted back from the table.
"I do!" Jazmine immediately answered, standing as well.
"Me too." Cindy rose.
"Same." Huey followed swiftly behind, all of them hurrying into the kitchen. They were quickly mouthing things to each other as they stood as far away from the door as possible, near the other side of the kitchen. Then they waited, knowing somebody was going to come in after them at any moment. It wasn't long before Tom and Sarah both entered the kitchen, arms crossed as they eyed the group warily.
"Okay, young lady. What is it?" Tom spoke first, eyeing his daughter.
"Yes. One of you, enlighten us, please." Sarah added, giving them each a look. Riley and Cindy looked at Jazmine. She looked back at Huey, who nodded gently to her in support. She then took a step closer to her parents and gestured for Sarah to come a little closer. Once she did, Jazmine leaned in, cupping her hands around her mouth as she whispered softly into her mother's ear. When she pulled back, Sarah gasped and her jaw dropped.
"Honey, what is it?" Tom asked immediately. Before Sarah could open her mouth, Jazmine shook her head at her, gesturing for her to whisper it to him. Sarah mutely stared at her before turning to whisper into Tom's ear. He seemed puzzled at first, then his eyes grew the size of saucers.
"YOU'RE PREG-MM!" His loud statement was cut off as Sarah clamped her hand over his mouth.
"Shhhh!" She hissed.
"Daddy, please! We haven't told Jamilah yet." Jazmine begged him. Sarah gave him a warning glare as she removed her hand, turning back to them. Tom was clearly in shock as he looked at Jazmine. Then he turned to Huey, his eyes narrowing the longer he stared.
"You got my baby pregnant again?!" He hissed quietly.
Huey rolled his eyes with a sigh. "Yes, Tom."
Riley couldn't help but let out a small snicker. "I don't think that's what he's hung up on. I think he just mad that y'all still get it in. Ow!" He cried when Jazmine and Cindy both hit him.
"You're damn right!"
"See? OW!"
"Oh Tom, be quiet." Sarah hushed him, turning her focus back to Jazmine. "Sweetie… was this planned?" She asked her seriously.
Jazmine shook her head slowly. "No, ma'am. But regardless, this is gonna be the last baby for me and Huey, so… surprise… Grandma." She gave her a small grin.
Sarah lightly smiled before pulling her into a hug. "Oh sweetheart… congratulations. I can't believe it and I'm extremely shocked, but I'm happy for you both."
"Thanks, Mom." Jazmine squeezed her back tightly. When she let go, Sarah moved to hug Huey. Jazmine looked timidly up at her father.
"Daddy?"
Tom's arms were crossed again as he glared at the floor. It took a moment for him to look up, and when he met Jazmine's eyes, his own finally softened.
"I can't say that I'm thrilled exactly," He began lowly. "But… congratulations, I suppose. You're still my baby, I still love you, and… you have my support."
Jazmine smiled before hurrying to wrap her arms around his neck and hug him. "Thanks, Daddy. I love you too."
He kissed her cheek. "Last baby though?" He asked her quietly.
"But not the last time they havin' sex," Riley sang. "OW! Dammit y'all, I'm playin'!" Riley complained after receiving smacks from the girls and Huey.
"Ignore him, Daddy." Jazmine regained Tom's attention. "And yes."
"Have you scheduled an appointment with Dr. Barden?" Sarah asked her.
Jazmine nodded. "I spoke with her on the phone. She said she's available for a walk-in appointment Wednesday afternoon just to clarify with a few tests and go over some things." She then turned to Cindy. "You both should come with us, if you can get out of work early." She said easily.
Tom and Sarah snapped their heads over to Riley and Cindy. "Why?" They asked simultaneously.
Riley and Cindy glared at Jazmine for putting them on blast.
"Oops."
Sarah's eyes widened. "Cindy… you're pregnant too?"
She bit her lip in response while Riley scratched the back of his head with a sheepish grin.
"Surprise." They answered at the same time.
"WHAT?!"
That response came from neither Tom nor Sarah. Everyone had jumped at the exclamation, looking at the doorway to see Caesar wordlessly making his way across the room. His jaw was practically on the floor. Riley shook his head. He knew it was only a matter of time until his nosey ass found out.
Caesar stopped walking when he was next to Tom and Sarah. His expression was one of shock. "You two pregnant?" He asked both Cindy and Riley, almost inaudibly. Cindy gently shrugged before giving him a nod. Riley shrugged both of his shoulders up before letting them drop as if saying, "whaddya gonna do?" Caesar blinked before turning to look at Huey and Jazmine.
"And y'all two? You both pregnant again?" He whispered. Huey lightly smirked at him before nodding, while Jazmine gave him a grin as she patted her belly.
"Surprise." She said again.
"Bomboclatt!" Caesar let out, his jaw falling open again, this time in a smile. "Y'all shittin' me? Dat's crazy!" He pulled in Jazmine in for a brief hug before letting go to give Huey a bro-hug. "Y'all been busy."
"Caesar!" Jazmine scolded, slightly blushing as she avoided her parents' eyes.
"Oh please, girl. Don't act like they don't know how this happened." Caesar scoffed, ignoring her as he gave Cindy a hug. "I can't believe you two pregnant again. And I can't believe these two," He grinned pulling back from Cindy, then shaking his head as he sauntered over to Riley. "Reezy gonna be a daddy? Dat shit is wild." He smirked, slapping his hand before giving him a pound on the back.
"Yeah, yeah, whateva." Riley couldn't help but grin as he stepped back. The small group remained slightly gathered as they looked at each other.
"This really is unbelievable." Sarah mused, shaking her head.
"Albeit, a little irresponsible however." Tom couldn't help remark, earning him eyerolls from everyone else. Caesar just chuckled.
"Pregnant though… crazy."
"Oh good Lord, tell me I heard wrong!"
The group jumped again, turning in surprise to see Uncle Ruckus making an unwanted appearance from the back way into the kitchen. Cindy and Jazmine groaned quietly while Riley practically growled under his breath. He was not in the mood to hear this man.
"So, who did it? Which one of you African hooligans is set on tryin' to corrupt the next generation of white children with yo herd of monkey spawn?"
"Now Ruckus, that's enough! You're being absolutely ridiculous." Tom admonished, Sarah nodding in agreement beside him with her arms crossed. "Now leave them alone." He said strongly, gesturing to Cindy and Jazmine who were standing side by side. Ruckus immediately looked at them before snapping his head back and forth between Riley and Huey.
"Both of them?! Oh white Jesus, help us all!" He exclaimed dramatically. Then he glared at Jazmine. "Girl, you just continue to take me by surprise. Continuing to follow down your beautiful white mother's path and settle for these uppity niggas, no offence Tom." He added, offhandedly.
"Offence taken!" Tom whined.
"But girl, why? It ain't like you don't already have your own lil mo-"
"Finish… that sentence… and you'll regret it." Huey cut him off harshly, staring him down. Ruckus eyed him carefully, seeming to wisely reconsider. The only time he ever got away with calling Jamilah anything other than her given name was when he wasn't in the presence of Huey. Because he wasn't having it. Riley usually never really had to step in either, being as though the only name he tended to refer to her as was Lil Monkey. Even though it was still bad, Jamilah never was affected by it. For some reason, she seemed to like Ruckus. And Riley knew he wasn't trippin'. Ruckus definitely cared about the kid in his own denying way. He never talked to her crazy or disrespected her. Never called her a niglet, or brat, or any of the other demeaning things he used to say to Huey and Riley when they were kids. He definitely had a soft spot for Jamilah, not that he'd ever admit it.
Ruckus made a light scoff under his breath before directing his gaze onto Cindy. "Again, pretty white lady, you continue to disappoint me as well! You been hangin' out with Miss Mulatto for too long, picking up on her bad habits that she and her mama clearly both have!"
"Hey!" Jazmine and Sarah objected indignantly.
"Girl, you just need to get out while you still can. I mean, there is a way to rectify this situation in particular. All you gotta do is plan for-"
Ruckus was immediately cut off by everyone shouting at him, daring him to finish. The only voice Riley heard was his own.
"You better shut… the fuck… up." The strange thing was that he was the only one who hadn't shouted. His voice was eerily quiet, which is probably why everyone else halted to look back at him. Ruckus eyed him even more cautiously than he had Huey.
"Just givin' her an option is all." He mumbled lowly.
"That AIN'T no option! At all!" Riley retorted instantly, his voice suddenly hostile. "Say it again."
No response.
His crazy mood swing must have been enough to scare Ruckus into silence, a first. Riley finally tore his deadly glare away from him to glance down at Cindy. She was staring up at him with the faintest of smiles on her face. She looked happy and surprised and… relieved that he stood up for her… both her and their unborn child. Riley's temper finally diffused as he gently grinned down at her.
Huh. Maybe that parental instinct was kicking in already.
"…Awwkkwaaarrdd!" Caesar announced cheerfully, breaking the tense moment of silence. Luckily, most of them chuckled at the much needed icebreaker.
"Y'all are takin' too long of a time to get some damn 'dessert!' Bring it in and sit yo behinds down! Hell, leavin' me and the baby out here by ourselves!" Everyone heard Granddad's voice from the dining room, along with a tiny giggle from Jamilah.
"We comin', Granddad." Riley called back.
"Oh hells yeah! Let's grab some of this and go back in to talk!" Caesar said, eagerly grabbing the container of cake off the table. But before he could move to head back to the dining room, about to follow Ruckus that had already exited, Huey grabbed him by the back of the shirt. "What?" He looked confused.
"We can't talk about it out there yet. Jamilah has no idea." Jazmine explained quietly.
"Oh damn, I forgot."
"How we gonna tell her?" Riley asked.
"Is now the right time?" Cindy added, glancing around at everyone else.
"I've actually heard that the best time to tell a child is when the mother is clearly showing, probably around the two to three month mark." Tom supplied.
"Oh hell naw, nigga." Riley dismissed immediately.
"Ain't nobody got time for that." Caesar snickered.
"There's no way it would stay a secret for that long." Huey shook his head.
"Not wit these loud niggas." Riley snickered. "I say we just get it out of the way and tell her today. She smart. She gonna find out sooner than we think if we try to hide it."
"True." Sarah nodded.
"But how?" Jazmine asked quietly. Everyone just looked at each other, not quite knowing the answer.
Riley turned to Huey. "Nigga, how'd you find out that I was comin'?"
Huey gave him a look in return. "Riley, I was two. How am I supposed to remember?"
"See there? Mila's two and half. So in the long run, this ain't gonna affect her life in the way that she'll remember how we tell her anyway." He shrugged, seeming satisfied. Huey, along with everyone else, stared back at him, seeming lost for words at his answer. Riley snickered. "Annndd break!" He clapped once before backing out of the mini huddle, beginning to saunter out of the room.
And they said Huey was the smart one.
Cindy's POV
The rest of the brunch went as "normal" as things could possibly go after everyone was up to speed. Conversation flowed slightly easier, everyone being very subtle with their dialogue as they carefully made comments and asked questions. And Riley had been right in the way that Sarah had been the next person to ask Cindy how she was feeling.
That question was gonna get old real soon.
After dessert, everyone headed into the living room. Just like every Sunday, Granddad left with Ruckus to go play checkers in the park. Tom and Sarah soon headed out, both casually telling the couples to call if they needed anything. And once they had gone, it only left Cindy, Riley, Caesar, Huey, and Jazmine, five adults still pondering over how to tell the young child in their care that she wasn't going to be an only child anymore.
Cindy silently sat on the couch, twisting thoughtfully at her hair as she continued to think. Yeah, Jamilah wasn't her kid and it really wasn't her responsibility to tell, but she still cared enough to help. Besides, it was going to be her responsibility to tell her about her soon-to-be cousin. Riley sat beside her, looking deep in thought as he stared down at Jamilah. She had her back to them as she sat down on the floor, playing with her dolls as she occasionally glanced up at the television. Huey and Jazmine sat on the other sofa, both on their smartphones. They were probably Googling some type of advice. Caesar was lounging in Granddad's recliner as he texted away on his phone. Cindy initially thought that he was ready to write some crazy message on their Facebook walls, but then calmed down, realizing that he wasn't stupid enough to do that if he wanted to live. Nah, he was probably just texting his girl.
It was silent for a few more minutes before a commercial came on. Bored, Cindy reached for the remote and began to flick through the similar kid channels all in a row. She passed three and moved onto the fourth, when Riley nudged her.
"Hm?" She turned to him. His eyes were focused on the TV.
"Go back a sec?" He murmured. Cindy gave him a look before turning it back. She vaguely remembered the show that was on, noticing the two white bunny characters on the screen. But why the hell did Riley care?
"Uh, you like this show, Mila?" He asked somewhat strangely, attracting the attention of Huey and Jazmine. Caesar seemed to pause his texting as well.
"Yes!" Jamilah nodded, her curls bouncing on her head.
"What's this show called, honey?" Cindy genuinely wanted to know.
"Max and Ruby." The child answered, her eyes never leaving the screen. Cindy remembered now; it was that old Nick Jr. show with the big sister bunny and her bad little brother….
Ohh….
"Ohhh…." Cindy echoed her own thoughts, nodding to Riley to let him know that she got it. "Do you know who's who, Mila?"
Jamilah easily lifted her hand and began to point at the screen. "That one is Max and that one is Ruby." She explained, first pointing to the shorter bunny in overalls holding a toy truck, then to the taller girl bunny in a dress.
"Who's Ruby though? Is she Max's friend or neighbor…?" Riley asked, glancing over to Huey and Jazmine. They looked like they understood.
"No, Ruby is Max's sister."
"Oh yeah?" Caesar jumped in.
"Uh-huh."
"Is she older or younger?" Jazmine asked.
"She's a big sister."
"How do you know?" Huey questioned.
"Ruby takes care of Max. And he listens to her. And she teaches him how to do things." Jamilah explained to her father with a grin. Huey nodded at her, giving her one of those rare looks that seems like a faint smile. It was quiet for a moment as Jamilah turned back to the screen.
"Who's your favorite?" Riley asked her this time.
Jamilah tilted her head to the right before answering. "Ruby."
"Because she takes care of Max and is a good big sister?" Cindy guessed with a grin.
"Uh-huh." She nodded again.
"Do you think you would like… ever being like Ruby… ever being a big sister…?" Jazmine asked carefully. Jamilah turned to look at her quickly with a smile.
"I think it'd be fun!"
Phew.
Jazmine matched her smile before the child turned back to the screen. Then she glanced over at Riley, Cindy, and Caesar before turning to make eye contact with Huey. He nodded, signaling her to continue.
"Sweetie?"
"Yes, Mommy?" Jamilah answered, not turning.
Jazmine paused, taking her time. "What if Mommy and Daddy told you… that sometime soon… you were going to be like Ruby…?"
It took a short moment for that to register to Jamilah, causing her to turn around. "Huh?" She tilted her head slightly, her eyes wide now that she was very focused.
Huey gently took Jazmine's hand as she continued, grinning at Jamilah. "Honey… you're gonna have yourself a Max soon… or a little Ruby."
Everyone turned back to focus on Jamilah's reaction. At first she just remained in her spot, her eyes wide as she listened to her mother's words. Then her eyes widened even more and her jaw dropped as she gasped, a smile taking over her face. Then she squealed before she scrambled to her feet.
"I'm gonna be a big sister?!" She asked excitedly, hurrying over in front of her parents. Huey used his other hand to brush over her hair once as he slightly grinned down at her.
"Yes."
Jamilah shrieked again before leaping into her father's lap to hug him. Then she immediately gave the same love and affection to Jazmine as she reached to hug and plant kisses on her cheek. Cindy and Riley smiled as they watched them.
"I'm gonna be a big sister!" She announced again, plopping back down on her father's lap, her legs kicking excitedly as if she couldn't keep still.
"Congratulations, Mila! That's awesome." Caesar smiled across the room at her.
"Thank you!" The child continued to beam.
"And guess what else, Mila?" Jazmine asked, capturing her attention again.
"What?"
"Mommy and Daddy aren't the only ones who are having a baby soon."
"Really?" Jamilah asked in awe. "Who?" She carefully followed her mother's gaze when she had gestured over to Riley and Cindy, who both grinned.
"I think you gonna be real busy bein' in charge around here, baby." Riley smirked at her.
"Unca Reezy?" Jamilah asked in question, her jaw falling into an open-mouthed smile.
"Surprise." Cindy added with a grin.
Jamilah squealed all over again, diving off her father's lap and practically catapulting herself into Riley and Cindy.
"Oof!" Riley laughed as they hugged her back.
"I'm gonna have another baby brother or sister?!" She asked, looking up towards them both.
"Well, technically you gonna have a baby cousin… but for the most part, it's kinda like the same thing." Riley shrugged.
"Wow." Jamilah breathed.
"I know." Cindy agreed with a smile.
"And… the baby's inside your tummy now?" The child asked quietly, pointing to Cindy's stomach. She nodded, gently placing her hand on it. "And Mommy's too?" She glanced back at Jazmine, who also nodded.
"Mm-hmm."
Jamilah looked between both soon-to-be parents before steadying her gaze back on her own.
"How do the babies get in there?" She asked, as innocent as can be.
Shit.
"HA! Well, I gotta go, y'all." Caesar announced, easily standing from the recliner and beginning to make his way across the room. "Anthia's waitin' on me. But lemme know how this convo turns out." He snickered, earning glares from the rest of the adults. "Later, y'all. Bye, Mila!" He called before exiting into the hallway.
"Bye, Unca Caesar!" Jamilah cheerfully called back before they heard the closing of the front door. Then she turned back to her parents, patiently waiting.
"You know what, I just remembered that me and Cindy gotta make a trip to the store to get some milk. Let's go, C-" Riley said rising to his feet as he also pulled up Cindy, but Huey stopped him before he could even take a step, standing as well.
"Oh no you don't." He shook his head, keeping his voice light in front of Jamilah.
"She didn't ask me," Riley sang through his gritted teeth.
"Doesn't matter," Jazmine responded back in the same tone. "Group question."
Cindy knew it wasn't gonna be that easy.
"Um, what do you wanna know, Mila?" She asked.
"How did Mommy and Daddy's baby and you and Unca Reezy's baby get into your tummies?" She asked very distinctly.
Damn.
"It's like this, baby." Riley began. "There's this big ol' bird, right? His name's The Stork. Sometimes he goes by the name Birdman. You'll know him cuz he makes this sound," He then put his hands over his mouth and did the signature birdcall that Birdman the rapper tended to do, causing Jamilah to giggle.
"No." Jazmine, Cindy, and Huey said simultaneously, shaking their heads.
"What?" Riley shrugged.
"Mila, let me explain." Cindy tried, leaning down to her. "When a mommy and a daddy love each other very much, and feel that they would like to have a baby, they make that decision together and a baby comes out." She explained simply. Riley nodded in approval, patting her on the back. Even Huey nodded, seeming satisfied with that answer.
Jamilah just cocked her head to the side. "But how does the baby get into the tummy?" She repeated specifically.
Dammit!
"Ummm… you see…." Cindy tried to think.
"Anyway, Birdman got connections everywhere, right? Flamingos, parrots, you name it." Riley was so ready to jump back into his fictional story.
"God."
Riley, Cindy, Huey, and Jamilah all turned back to Jazmine who'd been quiet for a few minutes. Then she looked back down at her daughter.
"Sweetie, babies are little miracles. You can't really plan and not everyone always gets one. But they are very special. Babies are little gifts from God that He places into the tummies of mommies."
…Damn! Jazz is GOOD though! Cindy thought, amazed at how that answer seemed to satisfy Jamilah. Huey nodded at his wife, looking impressed.
"She right!" Riley exclaimed immediately, causing the others to look back at him. "What…? God my nigga doe." He shrugged. Cindy and Jazmine chuckled together, shaking their heads while the boys practically wiped imaginary sweat from their foreheads.
Bullet dodged.
Riley's POV
"We need to have a discussion."
Riley and Cindy looked at each other as they sat down at the kitchen table across from Granddad. It was now hours after Huey, Jamilah, and Jazmine had left to go home. With the time in between, they had cleaned up, Cindy had finished her routine for work, Riley had done a little artwork, and they'd both finally gotten their laundry done. But as of a few minutes ago, Granddad had asked them to come to the kitchen to have a talk with him. They weren't exactly sure of what. They had thought that they had covered all the basics yesterday.
"What's up, G?" Riley asked.
Granddad looked at them both before lifting a short and wide shoebox from his lap, placing it on the table. "I think it's time to talk about a plan." He spoke, lifting the lid of the box to reveal a stack of various papers, pens, and a calculator resting on top of them.
"A plan?" Cindy echoed, eyeing the box as Granddad began to remove the pens and calculators from the box.
"I did a few calculations last night." He began, removing a few papers and shuffling through them.
"Without me?" Riley asked seriously, reaching for his own pen.
"I didn't do anything major. I just wanted to see where we stood so far." Granddad explained. When it came to the bills and money, Riley was always included in the conversation. In fact, he was more so the one who did the money management. Even more surprisingly, he had Granddad's trust to handle it.
"Basically, I totaled up the little income that I get it, the amount that you and you are making, Cindy," He said glancing over at her as he stared at the tablet paper in front of him, "And where that leaves us after bills, taxes, money for groceries, emergencies, et cetera." He circled something on the page before sliding it over towards Riley and Cindy. Riley pulled it closer and looked at it so Cindy could see too, his eyes focusing on the circled total.
Damn… that is low.
"Mind you, that's just taking us into account… not another family member." He added quietly.
Riley rested his elbow on the table, massaging his temple with his hand. Shit. He glanced over to see Cindy deep in thought as she stared at the paper. Then he glanced up towards Granddad.
"Do either of you have any suggestions for a plan or idea that you'd like to go for this year?"
Riley thought a moment before speaking. "I'm gonna put in for more hours at work. Try to switch to full-time and get another job while I'm still workin' at Dean's. But while I do that… I think I wanna try and go for my studio." He said, looking at them both. Cindy looked slightly surprised, but Granddad's expression didn't change.
"That's a lot of work, Riley."
"I know." He shrugged.
"Do you have enough saved up to rent the office space?"
"Not yet. But I think I'm actually gonna try to get a bank loan instead." That caused Granddad to raise an eyebrow. "I never really thought about it before; I was just gonna raise it myself but… we ain't got that long to wait."
"How much do you think you should ask for?" Cindy asked him quietly. Riley picked up a calculator and started to punch in a few numbers.
"I calculated everything up a few times. Obviously I don't have the exact prices down here with me and don't remember all the costs, I'm just estimating." He said as he typed, taking other prices into consideration other than the initial rent and down payment, such as insurance, inventory, utilities, etc. When he finally stopped and totaled it, he looked at the number while he thought.
"Basically for everything based on costs alone, I'm gonna estimate that I'd need a loan of at least $10,000. But I'd want a buffer just in case, so I think I'd ask for $15,000." He announced, looking towards Cindy and Granddad. They both mutely nodded after a moment at the number.
"I think you should ask for it." Cindy shrugged a shoulder. "What do you have to lose?" Riley nodded at her, then caught Granddad's eye. He was giving him a surveying look.
"With all these other plans that you're making… have you thought about school?" He asked.
Riley didn't even need to think before he spoke. "I'll drop out." He shrugged.
"Riley, no. Absolutely not." Cindy reproached immediately, slightly glaring.
"Cindy, this shit is a lil more important. I don't have time to be dealing with school, those loans, and trying to study while you need me here to make the money."
"Reezy, this is your senior year! You're only a couple months away from earning your degree. If you drop out now, everything you've worked for so far will have been a waste."
"She's right, boy. I don't like that. You're this close. You're not dropping out."
"G, what am I supposed to do? I can't be gone half the day for classes while I'm trying to work."
"Do like Huey did and just finish your last year through online classes then. That way you can manage your own schedule." Cindy suggested. Riley thought about it a moment before shrugging.
"I'll think about it."
"You'll think about it and then you're gonna do it. I refuse to let you quit now while you're right at the end. Lost yo damn mind." She shook her head at him, arms crossed. Riley just smirked at her before reaching over to massage the back of her neck.
"Relax." He chuckled.
"Then don't talk to me crazy." Cindy turned her head to grin at him before pulling away.
"Alright." Granddad brought their attention back. "Say you do get the loan. Your studio is not going to be up and running just like that. It's gonna take time to get it set up, time and money to promote yourself and whatnot. What will you be doing while you're still finalizing everything?"
"Working." Riley answered. "Yeah, I'm gonna make the extra time to get everything set up, but for the most part I'm gonna do as many hours as I can."
"Me too."
Riley snapped his head over to Cindy who had spoken. "'Scuse me?" He asked her, raising a brow.
"I'm going to be working extra hours too." She repeated for him slowly, seeming to already know where he was going with it.
"Uhh, no the hell you're not. You need to stay off your feet."
"Riley!" Cindy groaned. "I just found out that I'm pregnant. And I'm pretty sure I'm good to work up until a few weeks before my due date."
"Cindy, you're a personal gym trainer." Riley stressed to her. "And you have a tendency of working yourself too hard and going overboard."
"So I'll stop that! I mean, I can still work! Obviously now I know I need to take it easier, but I'm still able to train. I just don't have to be as hands-on." She explained. Riley glared at her.
"She has a point, boy…. What? She does." He snapped when Riley shot a glare to him. Then he turned back to Cindy.
"I can still work there. I'm going to still work there. Until I find another job anyway."
"What kinda job are you thinkin'?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Well… I'm not sure yet. But I think I'm gonna call my old coach. Maybe she knows somebody and can help me find something." She shrugged. Riley nodded after a moment.
"That sounds reasonable." He mumbled.
"Because it is." Cindy smirked. "Relax." She teased.
"Don't think I'm not gonna tell Frank that you're pregnant." Riley matched her smirk. Cindy groaned and rolled her eyes.
"How long should we wait to tell them? Frank and Dean?" She asked.
"Ehh… I think we should try and get through this week first without all the questions and bullshit. We can tell 'em next week." Cindy nodded in agreement.
"Any other suggestions?" Granddad asked, glancing between them.
"I think that's about as much as we can consider right now, Granddad." Riley said. "Hopefully by next week, we'll know a little more about what's going on, get feedback on these jobs, find out whether I can get this loan, and then go from there."
Granddad nodded. "We've also gotta think about the future costs of childcare, baby things, doctor's visits-"
"Oh shit, timeout!" Riley cut him off, quickly turning to Cindy. "Baby, are you on any type of insurance?" He asked her seriously. Granddad suddenly looked alarmed as well.
Cindy glanced at them both before nodding. "I applied for Medicaid during my freshman year at college."
Both men let out a big sigh of relief. "Thank God." Riley muttered.
"It's not much. But I had no choice." Cindy said, looking almost embarrassed that she couldn't afford better.
"Medicaid is actually gonna help a lot, Lil Baby. More than you would think." Granddad gave her a look. "Doesn't it usually cover everything for pregnant women?"
"Really?" Riley and Cindy both asked, surprised.
"I'm pretty sure. I think you should call tomorrow though and verify. And update your new address." Cindy nodded right away as she picked up her phone, probably making herself a reminder.
Riley let out another big breath, pushing the tablet and calculator aside. "It's gonna be a crazy week."
Cindy chuckled. "It's about to be a crazy life."
Three Days Later
Riley and Cindy sat inside Dorothy that Wednesday afternoon, just staring exhaustedly out the windshield. To be honest, they'd been tired since the start of the week. They had both gone to work and had attempted to act as normally as physically possible, both deciding to wait to tell their bosses.
"Poker face." Riley had reminded her as they walked into the mall that Monday morning.
"Ma-ma-ma-maaa." Cindy had responded.
"…Don't do that."
By some miracle, they seemed to have played it off decently. Riley had a feeling Dean knew something was up, but didn't pester him about it. As long as Red didn't catch on, he didn't care. Riley checked in more than once on Cindy, making sure she was going lighter than normal. Yeah, she was still newly pregnant, but that didn't matter to him. Now that they knew she was pregnant, Riley wanted her to go easy on her body from the jump. He even had them eat lunch at Quiznos for the past three days, the healthiest dining option in the food court. No more Taco Bell. No more fast food. She was gonna eat healthy. Whole grains. Lean protein. Vegetables.
It scared him how much he was starting to sound like his brother.
Wednesday was the day of their first appointment. Riley and Cindy had taken half a day to go with Huey and Jazmine, stopping by their house to follow them to the obstetrician's office. Jazmine had introduced them to her previous OB/GYN, Dr. Barden, who in turn introduced Riley and Cindy to her close colleague, Dr. Emerson. Just so times or appointments wouldn't conflict, they decided that Dr. Emerson would be taking care of Cindy during the duration of her pregnancy.
And so the appointment went on. It was long. It was grueling. Both doctors had asked the couples countless but standard questions. Reviews of medical history, approximate dates of their last missed periods, family history, allergy history, and even more general questions. Then the tests had started. First they'd taken lots of bloodwork, one sample in particular positively affirming Cindy and Jazmine's pregnancies. Then they underwent a very thorough physical. The doctors tested for hepatitis, anemia, chlamydia, and three other names of things that Riley had never even heard of. They took urine samples to test for UTI's. They gave them internal pelvic exams, including a pap smear. It was no joke.
After all the testing was finally over with (for now), the doctors gathered both couples in the same room again and went over a few more things. It was more of a recap for Huey and Jazmine, but all new to Riley and Cindy. They talked about a lot of do's and don'ts, including diet, nutrition, and safety for the babies. They discussed some of the symptoms that would most likely occur in the near future. They discussed some of the things they'd check during their next doctor's visit and set up appointments before they left. Cindy and Riley took both Dr. Emerson and Dr. Barden's number, just in case they had any extra questions, which they'd be sure to ask.
It was a lot to think about.
Still sitting in the parking lot, Riley and Cindy continued to think about everything that just took place, giving themselves a minute to breathe. Huey and Jazmine had already started their way back to town since they had to pick up Jamilah from daycare soon. So Riley and Cindy were on their own.
"Nine months." Cindy barely whispered, continuing to look straight ahead.
Riley nodded, his arms resting on the steering wheel. "Yep."
"…Sometime in March."
"Happy birthday to me." He grinned slightly. After finding out that Riley and Cindy had most likely conceived on their first night together, Dr. Emerson had predicted that Cindy would probably give birth mid-March, which would be very near Riley's birthday, give or take. The funny thing was that Jazmine was slated to give birth around that period too. And judging from the date of her last missed period, Riley and Cindy both had an idea of when they conceived.
Karma's swift these days.
Cindy finally turned to look at Riley. "Can you believe this is happening?"
Riley shook his head slowly, pulling his body up from the wheel as he turned to face her. "Not at all."
"Me either." She agreed. Then she studied him. "Are you… happy? Or… disappointed?" She slightly winced. "Or unsure?" Riley gave her a look before leaning over and gently capturing her lips with his own.
"What do you think I am?" He whispered after he pulled back slightly from his short kiss. Cindy gave him a tiny smile before she pecked his lips again.
"What are you?" He asked her in return. "Happy? Unsure? Disappointed ain't no option soo…." He grinned. Cindy chuckled as she ran her hand through her hair.
"Still scared," She shrugged helplessly. "But… I think… I am… happy." She nodded. "Happy it's with you… happy we're not going through this alone… happy this is our child."
Riley smiled down at her, leaning to plant a kiss on her forehead.
"Me too, baby."
Heeeyyyy! Sorry for the wait, everyone! But it took a minute to figure out how to write this chapter! First one was easy because it was just a prologue, but this one was tough, I'll tell you that! Because I originally decided and planned to go week-by-week (stupid. much harder than I anticipated), I had the hardest time figuring out how I was going to put multiple days into one chapter (y'all know that BWUR chapters could stand alone, one entire long-ass chapter only covering one day in the story's length of time!). But I think I've got it kinda-sorta figured out… for now. Fingers crossed.
How'd you like it?! I worked hard on this one to try and make it good for y'all! Hopefully you enjoyed it! What was your favorite part? I enjoyed writing the scene where Jamilah found out the best :) Because let me tell you, it was murder trying to figure out how I was gonna have them tell her. SIDENOTE: Go Youtube this video called "Telling Kids We're Pregnant" by cubbiefantwins! Cutest reaction video ever. These two little boys were so precious it made my heart swell ^_^
Random Note: And haha, y'all know the line Riley says, "Karma is swift these days" is referring to the fact that Jazmine and Huey most likely conceived the day they dropped Jamilah off on Riley and Cindy and just never told them! Lmaaoo! That's what they get for bein' freaks! ;)
Disclaimers: Lots of things I do not own in this one: The Slim Shady reference/lyrics in my beginning author's note from the song Without Me by Eminem, Tupperware containers, the word Bomboclatt (which is apparently a Jamaican-style curse that I recently learned about; my one friend says it all the time), the "AIN'T NOBODY GOT TIME FOR THAT" line by the fabulous Sweet Brown, smartphones, Google, Facebook, Nick Jr. network, Max & Ruby, Birdman and his signature call, Medicaid, the Poker Face reference/lyrics by Lady Gaga, Taco Bell, Quiznos, or any other food, clothing, toys, medical term, procedure, person, place, thing, item, object, word, letter, or punctuation!
PS Disclaimer: Hahaha, because I love my homie, LovinHueyFreeman, soooo much, I decided to put one of my favorite lines by her that she used in her Facebookin' profile: "God my nigga doe." Lmfaaooo! I had too, girl! And it worked perfectly! XD
Please let me know what you thought of the chapter, ladies and gents. You know you'll get that shoutout AND a private message from me to thank you in depth (yup, I'm definitely gonna like this new method better)! :D
Thank you so so soooo much to the readers and reviewers who continue to support this story and it's prequel. The love you give to the stories makes me love writing them even more! Thank you! :D
Hope to have another chapter soooon! Maybe now that I'm over my spell of writer's block I can whip up another! Here's hoping! More soon!
~Schweetie