Page 49 of I Need It

“Hol’ on, man. Don’t do that. I did look out for Rylan. Just because I didn’t shun Decaurey like you did doesn’t mean I wasn’t concerned. I called and checked on him all the time. You tripping.”

“Yeah, maybe I am, but I’m grown. Don’t question my relationship like that. If something is up, I would be the first to know.”

I walked past him and flopped on the couch, ready to go. There were certain things that were off limits, even with my family. The woman I loved was one of them. If I was making a mistake, then so be it. I felt like he was only saying that shit because Janay was his sister-in-law, and they were rooting for us to make it.

I was rooting for us to make it too, but this was my fucking life. Janay and I didn’t work out, and it was simply because of the distance. We tried, and we both fucked up. End of story. We ended on good terms and understood our downfall. We wished one another the best and moved on. He needed to do the same.

CHAPTER 18

MYA

Christian had been quiet since last night. I knew everything that happened had taken a toll on him. However, when he came and sat next to me after talking to Jakari, there was a real shift in him. He still made passionate love to me last night, but he wasn’t as vocal as he normally was. The sex was way more tender than it had been, but I loved every moment of it. I felt like I needed it that way too.

Yesterday was a lot. Just as I figured, that bitch had shown up and showed her entire narrow ass. Had I not been pregnant, I would have hopped right in the middle of that and took that bitch down, especially after she hit Christian. I could tell Mister Mayor approved of the shit Christian did, though, because he was the only one that didn’t hop into action. He calmly watched the shit, only making a move to calm the police officer down.

From what Mrs. Chrissy said, Christian was the most like Mayor Storm out of the three of them and had the worst temper. I couldn’t imagine Rylan even yelling, let alone fighting. She also informed me that having a temper was a Henderson trait that somehow hopped over her. Her sweet spirit had calmed me significantly, but I could tell it hadn’t done the same for Christian.

I wondered what his dad did that was so bad to where he couldn’t forgive him and move on. What Jakari had said to him seemed to only make things a little worse, putting Christian more on edge, and there was no telling what he said to him in private.

“You hungry, baby?”

“Yeah. A lil bit.”

He exited the highway in Crosby. “You know what you want? There’s McDonald’s, Popeyes, Subway, and I think Taco Bell.”

“I’ll probably pay for it later, but Popeyes, please.”

He gave me a slight smile as I grabbed his hand. “Christian, are you okay? Well, a better question is, will you be okay?”

When he stopped at the red light, he turned to me. “I will. I’m sorry I let everything that happened affect my mood. I ain’t never dealt with no addict, and that shit got my patience thin… not thin, nonexistent. My patience is always thin.”

“I could tell. My mama’s sister was an addict. I haven’t seen her since my mama died. She had a daughter and later had a son. Before she had her son, she allowed her boyfriend to molest her daughter and looked past it because he was giving her money. Drugs can be so powerful. Her boyfriend is her son’s father. It was just so sickening.”

Christian pulled his hand away from mine and went through the light, turning left to go to Popeyes. He didn’t respond to what I said, so I didn’t try to continue the conversation… at least not in the direction it was going. “I have a doctor’s appointment next week. Are you gonna try to make it?”

“Of course. What day?”

“Next Monday.”

“Will they be able to tell if we’re having a boy or girl by then?”

“She said they can tell as soon as sixteen weeks, but I will only be about twelve or thirteen weeks by then. So they may be able to tell at the appointment after that.”

“Do you want a boy or a girl?”

“It doesn’t matter. I just want to have a healthy Henderson who looks like his or her father.”

His eyebrows lifted slightly. “And I want the baby to look like you.”

He parked in Popeyes’ parking lot then got out to help me out. After closing the door, he kissed my lips, and we went inside. Upon entry, Christian stopped dead in his tracks. I looked up and saw my cousin Amelia and her brother. I couldn’t even remember that poor boy’s name, but I guess I spoke them up.

“Hey, Mya!”

“Hey!”

She came to me and hugged me tightly. Before I could introduce them, Christian said, “I have to go to the restroom right quick, babe.”

He nodded at Amelia and her brother and walked away. I frowned slightly then looked back at Amelia. She had the same look on her face. “Everything okay, Amelia?”

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