Page 69 of Another Constant

“I can’t believe you thought you were pregnant and didn’t tell me about it sooner.” Caya sat across from me in the chair.

I laughed. “You know I had to overthink it.”

“That you did. I bet you were running that man ragged.”

“I feel like I was, but with Kinga, my unreasonableness is always overshadowed by his ability to either handle me or make me listen to reason. Last night I told him it was time for me to go home. No, I wasn’t being crazy, but honestly I just didn’t want to overstay my welcome.” She immediately looked at me like I had two heads, almost like he looked at me last night. “Wait, let me finish before you jump on my ass.”

She extended her hands, letting me know I had the floor.

“Anyway, he regulated me in a way I didn’t think I could be regulated. He handles shit, making me feel secure and necessary. He makes me feel heard and seen in a way I never felt with Zax. I swear I don’t compare the two but with Kinga what I see is truly what I get. There isn’t another side to the coin that I’m waiting for. He’s him, through and through, and that’s a breath of the freshest air imaginable.”

“Ooh wee, bitch, you in love and you’re pregnant,” Caya squealed.

I didn’t refute her statement, instead holding on to the fullness I felt at the thought of him. The silent vibration of my phone made me look down at it in my lap. Speaking of the devil, he was calling.

“Yeah.” I mimicked the way he answered the phone.

“You fucking with me like that?” he asked, clearly amused by me mimicking him.

“I am, now how can I help you, handsome?”

“I could think of a few ways.”

I grinned hard, so damn hard my cheeks hurt. “Kinga.”

“But nah, you still at your girl’s?”

“Yes, she just finished blow drying my hair. Why, what’s wrong?”

“Fucking starving. You wanna bring me something to eat? Have your girl drop you off and you can take my car back to the spot since I know your difficult ass dropped the truck off at the house.”

“I’ll just bring you food.”

“And eat it with me.”

I smiled stupidly. Nope, I wasn’t going to turn down lunch with my man. “Fine, but you’re dropping me off at the house.”

“Bet. Get me something hood, baby.”

I knew him saying bet didn’t mean yeah. It meant we’d see when I got there. When we hung up, I glanced at myself in the mirror and shook my head.

“Lemme guess. Baby daddy called and he misses you.”

My smile gave it away without a verbal response.

“Course he did. Lemme ponytail you.” She was on her feet in seconds, moving behind me. “You want me to drop you off?”

“Yes and can you take me to grab him something to eat? Something greasy and fried.”

She laughed. “And you're gonna get it?”

“Uh yeah, because I know I’m getting a lot more when I get home tonight.”

She cackled but she knew I was getting it before she asked. “I know that’s right. I’m happy you’re happy though.”

She and I talked for a while, kind of giving updates from the time we hadn’t really been together. It was refreshing and a gift to have a friend I didn’t have to talk to every day but we both knew where we stood at the end of the day when we did talk.

It didn’t take me long to pick up the food and get dropped off in front of Kinga’s shop.

---