Page 77 of Certified Pressure 3
She held up her hand. “Let me talk, Pressure.” Then she turned to Pluto. “Sweetheart, you and my son have a child on the way, and that’s something to celebrate, but you need to think about the future. What are your plans for this baby?”
Before I could even think about an answer, my phone started buzzin’. I looked down and saw Kashmere’s name. let it ring and flipped the phone over.
Pluto looked nervous. “I’m sorry, Mrs… I mean… Omá, but I don’t really know what you mean.”
My mama leaned forward, her voice soft but strong. “I mean marriage. Stability. This child deserves a home built on family, not confusion.”
Pluto’s eyes widened slightly. She turned to me, and I gave her a look like, “Don’t look at me for this one.”
She swallowed hard. “Pressure is already engaged.”
My mama face didn’t change, but her energy did. She didn’t get rude or loud. She just smiled faintly and said, “Engaged or not, that child belongs to this family. That means you belong too. Whatever happens between you two, I trust you’ll make the right decision.”
Then she turned her eyes to me, sharp but calm. “I raised you to handle your responsibilities, son. Don’t make me feel like I failed.”
With that, she stood, adjusted her bracelet, and walked out of the room, leavin’ me and Pluto alone in silence.
Pluto stared at the floor, her voice low when she finally spoke. “I don’t even know what to say.”
I sighed, leanin’ forward with my elbows on my knees. “Ain’t much to say. You heard her.”
She looked up at me, her voice tremblin’. “I’m just overwhelmed. It’s a lot.”
“It’s too late to be overwhelmed,” I said. “You in this now. We both are. I’m tired of all the back and forth. We gotta figure this shit out.”
“I know,” she said softly. “I just don’t wanna make the wrong move.”
“It ain’t about what’s wrong or right no more,” I said. “It’s about doin’ what’s real. We got a son on the way. That’s bigger than whatever else happenin’.”
She nodded, her eyes glassy. “I know, Pressure. I’m just scared.”
I reached for her hand, and felt how small it was in mine, and squeezed it. “You ain’t gotta be scared. You got me, and I got you. We gon’ handle this, a’ight?”
She looked at me, noddin’ again.
A knock came at the door, and then Ma’s voice called from the hallway. “Y’all come on out. Lunch is ready.”
Pluto wiped her eyes and stood. I helped her up and walked beside her back to the dinin’ room. The smell of food filled my nose and the sound of my family laughin’ again made the tension ease.
As we walked in, Mamáh’s eyes followed us, calm and knowin.’. She ain’t say a word, but she didn’t need to. That woman saw everything before it even happened.
I pulled Pluto’s chair out, let her sit first, and then took the seat beside her. Zurie was gigglin’ with my little cousins across the table, and my mama was pourin’ wine for everybody but Pluto.
For a minute, I just looked around. My whole family under one roof, Pluto sittin’ beside me with my son growin’ inside her, and Kashmere’s name still unread on my phone screen.
It was a lot, and at this point, I knew I had to man up and do the right thing. Even though this shit was gon’ sting, I had to let Kashmere go.
“A’ight Ma, I’mma call you later,” I said, huggin’ her before grabbin’ Zurie’s hand and headin’ toward the door.
She kissed my cheek and smiled. “You better, and make sure you check on Pluto every day. I expect to see her here more often now that she’s pregnant.”
Pluto smiled polite. “Yes ma’am, I will be coming back.”
Ma nodded like she already knew she meant it, then turned back toward the family still crowded in the livin’ room. Pops was talkin’ with my uncles, and Mamáh was holdin’ Pluto’s hand, tellin’ her to rest and keep herself healthy. It had been a long day full of smiles, questions, hugs, and congratulations. I could tell my mama was proud. She looked at Pluto like she alreadybelonged in the family, and I couldn’t even lie, it made me feel some type of way.
When we stepped outside, the air hit cool against my skin. Pluto held Zurie’s hand as we walked to the car. She was quiet, but her silence said a lot. She’d been in her head since we left the doctor’s office, and honestly, so had I.
Once we got in, the car went quiet. I drove slow through the long road that led out of the estate, my mind wanderin’ the whole time. Zurie hummed to herself in the backseat, while Pluto leaned her head against the window, rubbin’ her belly softly.
