Page 77 of Another Constant

She continued to massage my scalp. “Sure,” slid from her lips as we went in the direction of Sora’s crib.

“Ain’t no sure. You either with me or against me, Harlem Bleu.”

She giggled. Exhaustion evident. “I’m with you baby. Always.”

Epilogue

Several Months Later …

Harlem

I was fat. I was also standing in the middle of an all-you-can-eat restaurant wondering if the two plates I had just inhaled were enough. Why the fuck would Blaze have Aja’s birthday here in the first place? Did she not know I had lost all control when it came to food months ago? Now I was pregnant, big from the midsection on up, and feeling it all in my stature. Back aches, thigh aches, every ache and I was always hungry…I’m so hungry! Fat, a state of existence and mental turmoil… Now I saw how my dogs felt waddling around carrying babies, ready for it to be over.

“Why the fuck you standing here looking constipated? What’s the problem?” Kinga’s impatient tone filled my eardrum.

“I’m fat and it’s your fault.”

He chuckled. “What I ain’t finna do is get into this with you in here. Gimme the fucking plate so I can walk it back to the table for you.”

I side eyed the shit out of him. “I wouldn’t be up here if you would’ve gotten me more meat.”

He sucked his teeth. “That’s that shit. C’mon, ’fore I fight your ass in here for having my kids stressed out while you stand there acting stubborn.”Yup, kids.The fact that I was currently six months pregnant with twin girls was enough to have me ready to fight their father every night. Then I stopped at the thought of the turmoil he’d go through. Twin girls when he was already going through shit with Aja and little Mr. Sabastian.

It was my turn to suck my teeth. “I wish you would.”

He chortled. “I would. See me when we get home.”

That one statement had me biting into my bottom lip in anticipation.

Once I was seated again, Blaze laughed while Kinga’s rude ass set my plate down. He acted like I was getting on his nerves but still kissed my forehead before taking the seat next to me.

“What are you laughing at?”

“You, him, and the fact that you’re stressing his ass out.”

He leaned forward, his massive hand landing on my rounded belly. “Harlem ain’t stressing me out. Nope, not at all. Harlem just be talking and I let her talk.”

Once again, I was cutting my eyes in his direction.

Blaze giggled just as Sora called her name. He was holding their daughter out like something stunk, meaning she needed a diaper change and he wasn’t up for it.

“Are you letting me talk?” I asked when it was just him and me.

“Yep, I do. ’Cause I know when I get you home this dick is gon’ shut you up.” When he said that last part, he was sure to face me, daring me to disagree or give any lip. I didn’t because I knew what I was going home to.

“Right. Now gimme them lips to hold me over till I get home to the other ones.”

I leaned forward and mashed my lips into his before pulling back and just looking at him, our eyes locked for that moment in time.

“I love you, Harlem, even though you’re always trying to fight me for no reason.”

I smiled back. “I love you too.” Looking in his eyes was all I needed most days because even when I was off, he was on, and vice versa. He was my constant in a world of uncertainty. He kept me grounded when everything had me feeling like I wanted to fly off the handle. He was my protector… my man.

“You better.” He leaned forward and pecked my lips.

“Now what the fuck am I seeing? ’Cause ain’t no way this is baby brother, ’specially not mine.”

I heard a male voice in the distance. When Kinga pulled away from me and stood, I saw the anxiety in his stance. He would’ve called it something else but I knew better. Then I looked down at the man standing slightly shorter than him but just as tight featured with the broadest shoulders.

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