Page 33 of Dom 3
I nodded, trying to blink back my own tears. “Thank you, Ma.”
Dom stood behind me, with his hand sliding to the small of my back. When I looked up, Pops was watching him and not with suspicion, but pride. It was the kind of pride that came from seeing your son finally become the man you raised him to be. He knew Dom was all man, but he was ready for Dom to have a real family.
Mrs. Darlene sniffed, then laughed again. “I can’t believe it. A Royal baby on the way and look at y’all, acting like you weren’t going to tell me.”
Dom grinned, with his voice steady. “Was waitin’ till things calmed down, Ma.”
“Well, they calm now,” she said, still wiping her eyes. “Ain’t no news bigger than that.”
Pops chuckled and walked over, pulling Dom into a brief hug, clapping him on the shoulder. “You done made me proud, son. That woman right there…” he nodded toward me, “she’s good for you. I can see it.”
Mrs. Darlene quickly nodded. “She keeps him soft in the places he needs to be while keeping him on his toes. He needs that, and she does it so well. I’m happy.”
Everyone was smiling, Keondra was beaming from the couch like she had been a part of us forever and she wasn’t wilding out either. O’Shynn was still all giddy, and Dique was busy trying to convince Dom to name the baby after him.
Pops raised his glass. “To family,” he simply said.
Everyone lifted theirs… some with juice, some with liquor but I didn’t have one. “To family,” we echoed. This was about to be a whole new chapter.
The morning came early, and my stomach was doing flips all muhfuckin’ night long. Carmen felt the same way that’s why I stayed with her last night while she slept on my chest. I was up before Carmen, moving quietly around her place, letting her sleep a little longer. The city was just waking up outside, and it was the best time of the day. By the time she finally woke up to get ready for her first doctor’s appointment, the truck was already out front, with the driver waiting, and my people posted in plain clothes so we could move lowkey.
She walked out of the bedroom dressed in a simple cream sundress, with gold hoops, and her hair slicked back in a bun. She looked peaceful and she was really glowing for real. She had that kind of glow you can’t buy or sit on the beach to get. I kept staring… and maybe too long until she smirked.
“What?” she asked, sliding on her shades.
“Nothing,” I replied, standing up to take her hand into mine. “You just look like happiness.”
She rolled her eyes, trying not to smile. “You better save that smooth talk for the doctor’s office, and for the record, despite our crazy world, yes Dom, I’m happy.”
I could see that look in her eyes and she meant it. It made me feel good as a man to know that I was slowly playing a role in that. I never cared about no woman’s happiness. I never gave a fuck until now. We stepped into the elevator together, and by the time the doors opened to the lobby, two of my people were already in place. They nodded and led the way. Outside, the air was once again humid and sticky. I opened the door for her, and she slid in.
The drive up to Aventura was quiet, and the traffic was light. She held my hand the whole way with her thumb tracing my knuckles like it kept her content or kept her mind off the appointment. The closer we got, the slower time moved; at least that’s what it seemed like anyway.
The doctor’s office was tucked in a luxury plaza between a diamond jeweler and a skincare clinic, on the top floor, with a private entrance. My people swept through first, and made sure everything was secure. Inside, the lobby looked more like a boutique hotel than a medical space with marble floors, orchids on the counter, and soft jazz playing low. The receptionist smiled too hard when she saw me, but her professionalism kicked back in fast when she noticed Carmen too.
“Mrs. Royal,” she said politely. “Doctor Alvarez will see you shortly.”
Carmen looked at me with a smirk. “I really had to put it underMrs. Royal? I only did what you asked.”
I shrugged. “Made it easier.”
We sat in the waiting area, with her hand on my leg, and both of us pretending to scroll our phones from time to time like we were working. Then the medical assistant called her name, and we followed her down a quiet hallway lined withframed photographs of newborn babies. It was spotless and well sanitized back here and I liked that. Hell, it cost enough to be seen at the top-rated offices anyway so it better had been worth it. Plus, a lot of celebrities came here.
The assistant took Carmen’s vitals first. Her blood pressure, temperature, all that before walking her to the bathroom with a little plastic cup. I leaned against the wall outside, watching her label the vials, moving efficiently like she’d done it a thousand times. Carmen came out rolling her eyes.
“You men got it easy,” she said.
I grinned. “I don’t know, baby. I’d trade a few bullets for all them tests you takin’.”
She laughed and sat back on the bed while the assistant tied a band around her arm and drew blood. I watched her flinch when the needle went in, then breathe through it. The sight did something to me, but it wasn’t fear, nor pity about our baby. It was just a different kind of respect for her for even risking her life to carry my baby because I heard that delivering a child is the closest a woman can come to death. I ain’t scared of nothing but seeing her like that made me want to protect her from everything, even a needle.
Once the assistant finished, she said, “Doctor Alvarez will be right in,” and left.
The door opened a few minutes later, and this tall woman walked in wearing a white coat and warm smile. “Good morning,” she said with a light Spanish accent. “I’m Dr. Alvarez. You must be the father.”
I nodded, shaking her hand. “That’s right.”
Carmen smiled at her, polite but glowing. Dr. Alvarez flipped through her chart. “Everything looks good so far. Today we’ll do an early ultrasound to get a more exact date and check the heartbeat. You ready to see your baby?”
