Page 64 of Embrace

“I’m going to be a TiTi!” Mari shouted at Ally.

Ally laughed. “Girl, me too!”

Blaze put me down on my feet and kissed me lovingly. He held me in his arms and made me feel like the most important woman in the world.

“Baby, when did you find out?” he asked.

I chewed on my bottom lip and held the microphone up to my mouth. “I know everybody has questions, so I’ll do my best to answer them all. I’m two months pregnant. If you do the math, I conceived the weekend of our sixth month anniversary.”

“I plotted on you, and it worked. I knew we’d make a baby or two.” Blaze placed his hand on my stomach and rubbed it gently.

“It’s just one. We confirmed one heartbeat at my first appointment. I know you probably would have loved to experience it with me, but I wanted to surprise you for your birthday. I hope you’re not mad.” I bit down on the corner of my bottom lip.

“I’m not mad,” he reassured. “Just know, I’m gon’ be in attendance to every other appointment though.”

I smiled. “I don’t doubt it.”

“When’s your due date?” Mama Ashley asked.

“July twenty-fifth,” I answered.

The ladies in the family began plotting the gender reveal, baby shower, and started discussing who would take what shift when the baby was born. I shook my head because I knew our village would love this baby no matter what.

“I’m sorry I took the spotlight away from you on your day,” I whispered to Blaze.

He shook his head. “No, baby. You gave me the one thing I wanted. You don’t have to apologize at all. You made this the best birthday ever.”

“Even better than the birthday when we went to Disney World when you turned twelve?” I asked.

He nodded. “Hell yeah. Even better than the birthday when I got VIP tickets to see Kendrick Lamar in concert. This beats all of them.”

“I know that’s right. We’re going to have a summer baby, so I know we’re going to have summer vacations lit as hell.”

“Look at you planning our future,” Blaze teased.

“I’m not going to lie… I’m nervous and excited.” The confession sent a wave of fear through my body. I placed my hand on my belly and rubbed the area gently. A bundle of joy was growing inside of me. I’d be someone’s mom in less than forty weeks.

“We’re going to do great, trust me.”

“I trust you.”

“Breathe,” I instructed in a soft tone as I held Blaze’s hand.

Two months had passed since I’d informed the family of the bundle of joy growing in my womb. I was now sixteen weeks pregnant. They sent the gender of the baby to Mari. She was the only one who knew the gender of the baby. She had the biggest smirk on her face the entire time leading up to the reveal party.

Our home was decorated in white and black balloons. The theme was Batman or Cat Woman. I had on a leather one-piece Cat Woman outfit with the mask. Blaze didn’t want to go all out and wear the full Batman costume, but he did have on a batman shirt, the mask, and black sweatpants and shoes.

“I’m nervous as hell, Su.”

“There’s no reason to be scared. You’re a great man, and our daughter or son will trust you to love, protect, and care for them as you do their mother every day. You’re going to be a natural at caring for a family.”

He leaned over and kissed me. The lights dimmed and the projector on the makeshift screen in the backyard began to play a video. Everyone had sent in pictures of us to Mari. She compiled a slideshow with some emotional music playing. My eyes watered as we watched with anticipation growing.

Baby pictures of me and Blaze together crossed the screen. It was wild to watch us grow up together. He’d seen me in my gap-tooth phase, my bifocal phase, and the emo-goth phase in middle school. Seventh Grade Suvi went through a phase where all I wore was black. My hair was always flat ironed and dyed crazy colors. I even listened to bands like My Chemical Romance. Then, I went back to my boy band craze in eighth grade and became obsessed with Mindless Behavior and One Direction.

I’d been present for all of Blaze’s character development as well. When he was a bird chest, anime watching nerd, to his preppy boy phase. Then the transition when he bulked up and gained some muscle and meat on his bones.

Through all of the milestones and drastic changes, we were by each other’s side. No matter where life tugged us, we always held each other’s hand through every evolution. We were locked in, and the bond was unbreakable. Our child would be loved in abundance.

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