Page 13 of Keyoni & Sage
“Big Girl’s in labor.”
“Really?!”
“Really,” Jami confirmed. “Next time you see her, she’ll have puppies.”
“No!” she complained. “I want to see herhaveher puppies.”
“You gotta ask your dad.”
“Daddy.”
I listened in on their conversation with my gaze on Big Girl. She had the telltale signs of a dog in labor, even though the process seemed to be dragging. I wanted to stay until at least one of the puppies were born, but Big Girl hadn’t tried to push not one time.
“You know what you’re doing.” I froze at the sound of his voice. It had been embedded in my memory.
“What am I doing, Keyoni?”
Confirmation. Itwashim.
“Interfering with our custody agreement. You know it’s my week.”
“Here y’all go.” Kyree excused himself, leaving the room.
“I didn’t do nothing. Your daughter wants to come home to tend toherdog. And since you’re so quick to point out that it’s your week, it’s up to you.”
“You know I can’t tell her no.”
“I know,” Jami said with a smile. “Tell my baby I’ll see her soon.”
“Tell her yourself.”
“Wait!”
“What?” His voice wasn’t as playful as before.
“Bring me some food.Ussome food.”
“Who’sus?”
“Me…and Sage?—”
“Turn the camera around.” I repositioned myself after Big Girl returned to her bedding to see the back of Jami’s shinyphone case pointed directly at me. “A’ight. Text me what y’all want. Here’s Keturah.”
She eyed me suspiciously before resuming the call with her daughter. And since I was almost positive she would have questions I didn’t want to answer, I took Kyree’s lead, excusing myself back to my own apartment.
Chapter 4
Sage
I hearda knock at the door. Adjusting in my bed, I snuggled against the blanket. Seconds later, another knock, this one more forceful.
“Lanique,” I called out, not wanting to leave my comfy place.
When I didn’t get a response, I called Cauvey’s name, only to receive the same silence.
Where were they?
I sat up after another knock confirmed whoever was on the other side of the door wasn’t leaving. Tossing the blanket off me with an attitude, I walked with a swiftness that put me at the front door within seconds. I had a lot to say. And whoever was on the other side was going to hear it all since they wanted to create beats on the fucking door. But when I snatched it open, everything I was going to say became an afterthought. Seeing Keyoni, I froze momentarily.
