Page 67 of Certified Pressure 3
A whole damn island… a whole new life.
I looked around the room one last time, taking in the soft light peeking through the blinds and the smell of the cinnamon candle I forgot to blow out last night. This was home, or at least that’s what it felt like it had been. It wasn’t much, but it was where I’d gotten my peace back after all the bullshit. And now, everything was changing again.
The thought of leaving scared me a little, not because I didn’t want to go but because this time, there was no backup plan. It was just me, my little sister, and the baby growing inside of me. Every decision I made from this point on could make or break us. But when I rubbed my hand across my stomach, I reminded myself that fear wasn’t an option anymore. I was a mother now, not just to Zurie but to the life inside me. That meant being brave even when I wanted to hide.
Finally, I pulled myself out of bed, brushed my teeth, washed my face, and tied my hair back. When I walked into the living room, Uncle Lionel and Aunt Deanne were already up, sitting on the couch with their coffee mugs and the morning news on low.
“Good morning,” I said softly as I walked in.
“Morning, baby,” Aunt Deanne said, looking up at me with her sweet smile. “You sleep good?”
“Yeah, I did,” I said, though my stomach was still twisting a little from the nerves. “Listen, I wanted to tell y’all… I’m leaving today.”
Both of them looked at me in surprise. Uncle Lionel set his mug down and leaned forward a bit. “Today?”
I nodded. “Yeah. I know it’s sudden, but Pressure’s been getting things ready for me and Zurie. He texted this morning saying the house is ready, and we’re leaving today.”
Aunt Deanne’s eyebrows lifted a little, but she wasn’t mad. It was more like proud, but just a little caught off guard. “Well, we knew this day was coming,” she said softly. “You told us he was getting things arranged, we just didn’t expect it to happen so quick.”
“I didn’t either,” I admitted. “I honestly thought it’d take a few more weeks, but I forgot who I’m dealing with. Pressure don’t like to wait for nothing.”
Lionel chuckled. “That man move like the world’s supposed to bend to him.”
I laughed a little. “Tell me about it.”
He smiled but then grew serious again. “You sure you got everything you need? Money, paperwork, all that?”
“Yeah,” I said, nodding. “I’m good. He handled everything.”
Aunt Deanne reached over and touched my hand. “You make sure you call us when you get there, hear me? And if anything don’t feel right, you call right away.”
“I will,” I said, feeling my throat tighten a little. “Thank y’all for everything. For real.”
The words almost got caught in my chest. Before I could say anything else, both of them stood up and came over to me. Aunt Deanne wrapped her arms around me first, and Uncle Lionel joined in, holding me tight from the other side. I felt the tears sting before I could stop them.
They had saved me and Zurie when we didn’t have nobody. When my parents turned their backs on us, when things got too heavy to carry alone, they took us in without question. If it wasn’t for them, I don’t know where we would’ve been.
“Y’all gave us a place to start over,” I whispered. “I’ll never forget that.”
Aunt Deanne kissed the side of my head. “You just go live your life, baby. Be happy and take care of that little girl and that baby. You deserve it.”
After that, I went back to my room to pack up. I started with Zurie’s clothes, folding her shirts and dresses before placing her toys in a tote bag. I packed all her favorite things first—her iPad, her stuffed unicorn, and the pink blanket she refused to sleep without. I packed my own things next, making sure everything was ready by the door. The more I packed, the more it started to feel real.
When I was done, I sat on the edge of the bed for a moment, taking it all in.
Finally, I went to wake Zurie up. She was curled up in her bed with her blanket half over her face. I rubbed her arm gently. “Zurie, wake up.”
She groaned a little, rolling onto her back before opening her eyes. “What time is it?”
“It’s time to get up, sweet girl,” I said, smiling. “We got a big day ahead.”
She yawned and stretched before sitting up. “Are we going somewhere?”
“Yeah,” I said, brushing a piece of hair off her forehead. “We’re moving. Remember how I told you we were gonna live on an island soon? Well, today’s the day.”
Her eyes lit up instantly. “Really?”
“Really,” I said, nodding.
