Page 13 of Royce
“Nah, keep me on the phone.”
I put the phone on speaker and placed it on my side. “Thank you so much,” I said taking one from her. It was the cup of ice chips, and I was glad of it.
“So, I did manage to get ahold of your doctor, and she wants me to officially put you on bedrest. Your mucus plug fell out a couple days ago, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, so you’re thirty-five weeks right now and that’s a sign of preterm labor. Take the bedrest and prepare yourself for it. The labor can start any day now that the plug is gone. Try not to overdo it when you leave here.”
“I just got a job at Pledis Bank. I’m supposed to start tomorrow. I can’t be on bedrest. I can’t.”
“Ms. Monroe, the less stress you cause the fetus the longer she’ll stay put. She needs to get as close to full term as she can. The bedrest wasn’t ordered for no reason. I’m sorry.”
She stepped out the room and left me feeling defeated once again. I couldn’t ever take a step forward without something or someone pushing me two steps back. Tears streamed once more as I lay there with my face to the ceiling. This shit was for the birds!
“Cousin, I’m not telling you what to do but you have to think about Essence. I’m going to pick up CJ and then I’ll be up there. Do you need anything in the meantime?”
“Nope.” I hit the red button on the phone and just laid there.
I was really trying for my kids, but the devil wasn’t letting up on me. How the fuck was I supposed to make any kind of money while I was on bedrest? My daughter could come any day now and my bills were still unpaid. I was sinking and no one seemed to notice that shit.
If it wasn’t one thing, it was another. I went from having my shit together to scrambling for dollars. I’d been doing things on my own for a while but allowed a nigga to knock me up and off my square. This hurt my pride, self-esteem, and mental. My household wasn’t Serinity’s responsibility, and I wasn’t going to let her keep saving me.
This rough patch I was in really sucked but if I didn’t get myself out of it, it wouldn’t hit the same. I wouldn’t be able to tell myself or my kids that it was me that made sure we werestraight, sheltered, and safe. I knew troubles didn’t last always but right now… it had me questioning my faith.
Five
Royce
Watching ole girl witness that fuck nigga entertain another woman was all I needed. Swooping in being her savior was gon’ be easier said than done, but I loved a challenge. I did feel bad for shawty. She was pregnant and didn’t need that emotional stress. I saw the way she clutched her stomach leaving up out of here. That shit couldn’t have been good for the baby.
I looked over to the table where Cojak and that other bitch was sitting to see they were unfazed by the shit that had just went down. It took everything in me not to jump across this table and lay that nigga low. That was the ultimate disrespect. He got his wires crossed and played himself.
Ole girl was pretty as hell while this other bitch was barely making it. A hard four on the scale if you asked me. She didn’t compare and Cojak’s dumbass just let the baddest thing in his life get away.
“It goes down in this muthafucka don’t it,” Striker said laughing afterward.
“Man, it’s a new show damn near every week. That nigga just lame as hell thinking he got it like that. Do me a favor though y’all. Find out what she ‘bout for real and what she got going on.”
“Why? You can see right now what she got going on. She looks like she struggling and she dealing with baby daddy drama from a nigga in jail. Cuz let that shit be,” Cedees commented.
I gave her that look, and she kissed the back of her teeth as she crossed her arms over her chest. She knew what I was asking and didn’t want no parts of it. I really didn’t give a fuck though. I funded her life and many others. She was gon’ do whatever I wanted her ass to do.
“Follow her and get as much information on her as you can. Cedees that means get the fuck off yo’ high horse and get right.”
“Why not make Striker do it? He’ll get the job done faster than I will,” she shot back. “That girl prolly stay in the projects somewhere working a low end job. What more information do you need on the bitch?”
“Stop calling her out her name, Cedees. You don’t even know the girl,” I said shutting down the name calling. Shit, if I had it my way, she’d be family soon.
She scrunched her face up as if I said something offensive. All I did was tell her to watch her mouth. When her face eased into aoh you like the bitchexpression, I knew she picked up what I was putting down.
“Because you family, I’ll do it. Who knows… that pussy nigga over there might’ve been her downfall,” she added.
“I know for a fact he is. You can tell by the way she beat his ass he ain’t shit. She too goddamn fine to be putting up with that bullshit. I’m ‘bout to upgrade her life though lil’ do she know. Cedees, find out everything even down to who the fuck pussy she came out of.”
“I got it, Royce. You starting that stalking shit again. You ain’t get enough of that shit with Marley?” she asked rolling her eyes.
“Don’t mention that hoe ‘round me.”
