Page 17 of Labria

“Labria, please don’t say anything to Lord.” Alexis requested. “She’s pregnant by his brother.”

My eyes bulged out of the sockets. “Nicco’s the father?”

Both of the young women started laughing.

“No, Cenzo.” Alexis said. “Nicco is married.”

“Oh, yeah, I forgot.” I hadn’t forgotten, but Nicco was the slime ball brother and I had a bone to pick with him. So, I assumed he would be the one that would sleep with a barely legal Black girl and knock her up. I was sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing that at least abortion was legal in the state of Nevada. Nope, I had to take that back. Of course, it was a good thing.

“Who is Cenzo?” Khia inquired. She was trying to put the pieces together.

“He’s Lord’s other brother.” I told my sister. “Brittany, I didn’t know you were seeing him, Cenzo. Sorry for the mix-up.”

“Ah well, didn’t nobody know I was kickin’ it wit’ him? I don’t be claiming these dudes out here. Most of them are for the streets.”

“Yeah, I didn’t even know.” Alexis said. “Britt was sneaking around with a man twice her age and he’s my half brother. It was very gross. It’s still is gross.” Alexis made an ugly face, but because she was so pretty, the ugly part didn’t connect.

“Sis, you know he’s not related to me.” Brittany smacked her lips.

Tea was being spilled, and there was no way Khia could go back to Chicago and say she hadn’t been thoroughly entertained.

Alexis’ face said she wasn’t happy about her sister being pregnant by Cenzo, but she couldn’t do anything to stop it. Legally Brittany was grown.

“Anyway.” Brittany brought the energy up with her high-pitched tone. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do.”

“I’m sure things will work out.” I said because I really wanted that for her and I couldn’t fathom being young, single, and pregnant by a mobster.

“I think she should get an abortion.” Alexis blurted. “She’s only twenty years old.”

Brittany sighed loudly. “There you go. First, I haven’t even been to a doctor for confirmation and second I know who baby it is.”

Huh, my jaw dropped. Who baby it is? Was there some question about paternity that we skipped over in this conversation? Khia gave me a subtle look. It was for my eyes only. That look read ‘the ghetto.

These sisters were telling it all. I could wholeheartedly say Khia and I weren’t raised to be so open and free to put our business out on the streets.

“See,” Brittany finished. “My ex-boyfriend kidnapped and raped me three months ago. Alexis thinks the baby could be his, but I know it’s not because I went to the doctor after he did that to me. They didn’t do like a rape kit or nothing, but they tested me for STDs. I got a pregnancy test and took Plan B.”

My jaw dropped in my brain, but I had trained my face to keep my mouth closed. Cause this was T.M.I. and I needed an M.R.I. after hearing all this drama.

“That’s very traumatic.” Khia offered, and I knew I was going to stay out of it. “Are you seeing a therapist?” Lord Jesus, my sister, didn’t know how to just listen with asking questions. I mean, if you think you Wendy Williams just say that.

Alexis crossed her arms under her breast, pursed her lips, and leaned back. “She, is, not seeing a therapist, and I told her she needs to talk to someone.”

“I don’t wanna talk about it. I’m trying to block that foul shit out.”

“Did you call the police? Is that ex in jail?” My sister, my sister— my asking too many questions ass sister.

Brittany shrugged her shoulders. I knew, and I’m sure Alexis knew, that the ex was probably deceased. I mean, I didn’t know Cenzo, but Lord told me he wasn’t really someone to fuck with. I believed him. Cenzo looked mean.

Finally, Brittany answered the question. “Cenzo took care of it.”

My big sister wasn’t slow. She looked at me, and I knew she knew exactly what that meant.

Dinner arrived and was placed on the table by two servers. There was wine and Brittany wasn’t allowed to drink because her sister wasn’t having it. I believe she was trying to prove to Brittany what she would be missing if she had a baby.

I didn’t know what to think. This was none of my business. We all dove into our hot entrees. We were clearly starving and Brittany was eating like she was definitely expecting a baby.

“Okay, so Labria.” Alexis smiled. “Since we all Black here at this table, tell me who you dislike in the Bregoli family?”

---