Ch.1
"Mom.Dad." I finally say those two words a parent does not expect to hear coming from their child's mouth." I'm pregnant."
They take a long surprising stare at me. Dad looks at momma. She looks back at him. Now all eyes on me.
Momma shows a little smile." Congrats."
Congrats? What? No lecturing? Huh?
"Is it with Zayvion?" He was so quick to ask.
"Yes." I say quickly and very confident. I mean he's the only man I was with for two years.
"Are you guys together though?" His questions get deeper.
"Of course." I lied for the first time. I don't need my parents knowing about our breakup. I don't want to disappoint them anymore. I already disappointed them when I started stripping." We love each other."
"Well congrats again." He smiles.
"Yah not disappointed?" I ask,very confused as hell right now.
Mom rises up slowly from her chair and sits next to me."I remember bringing you home for the first time in the very humid weather in the city. You was just a very beautiful little thang with huge eyes. Now look at you. You're bout to bring a beautiful baby as well."
"Thanks mommy." I say. I was never expecting these words to come out her mouth.
"But one question is...do you really want your child to have their peers asking," ain't your momma a stripper?" "
"No!"This time I'm really telling the truth." Hec no."
"And you know them men ain't gone wanna see a 6 month pregnant woman on the pole and-"
"Daddy. No." I shake my head,already irritated with that statement. If I had a dollar for Everytime someone was saying that. "I'm already planning on quitting soon. I just gotta get my business back. Yah know I've been working on hair since I was 14. I'd have girls come over and I'd get paid to do their box braids and crochet braids."
"Start now babygirl." He adjusts his glasses." You been saying this since you were 18. Do this now before you turn 35 and you gone regret not doing it now. You're so creative too. I stayed watching you stay up til 2 just to work on wigs or practice on your head. I bet Zayvion can't say that."
Daddy was right. He continues." And what's up with that knucklehead? Is he stepping up to be a father?"
"Yes." I say. The second time I was telling the truth." You know his music been playing on the radio every 30 minutes and now he's going on tour soon. He says he'll still be here for my pregnancy. "
"Alright then." He exhales sharply." As long as he is around to step up, that's all that matters. You know where to come to if you feel lonely during your pregnancy. We ain't going nowhere. We just want the best for you baby. We always have. We just don't wanna tell our peers that our daughter is on The pole."
"You don't have to tell them anything." I say.
"I'm happy for you Babygirl." He smiles:
"Well." Mom joins the conversation." I just lie and say you work at Target."
I lightly chuckle." Well momma. Don't worry. I am quitting soon and I'll never be a stripper again. I promise. I just love the money. I have a nice spot. I spoil my sisters and everything."
"That's good baby. We hope so." Mom caresses my arm." Just make us proud but make yourself proud as well."
"We got you. Just promise us you won't strip anymore after this?" Dad asks.
Without a doubt I nod my head. Next month I will be checking out.
"Ooooo and yea." In my purse I pull out a small ziploc bag with her missing tooth." She sure is a dentist herself. Hide yahs tools."
"What the?" Momma takes the bag." She used a tool?"
"Yea." I chuckled.
That wasn't so bad. I'm glad my parents and I talked.
Tonight, I made sure my suitcase and purse had everything I needed. The door knocks. I look through the peephole. It's him.Again.
"I know you see me." He says. I quickly back away from the door and fold my arms." Navy Fields. Please. I am sorry for the pain I caused you. I know I said it once but this will be my last time doing this to you. You're a strong and beautiful Queen who deserves more rather than being on a pole. I still don't understand how and why I cheated on you. I'm a fuck nigga. I suck. I failed at being a boyfriend to you for awhile but for damn sure ain't gonna be a bad father to our kid. I love you Navy. I love you because you are not letting nothing stress you and-"
I open the door."You talk too much."
He notices my bags and bikini set on the loveseat couch. "Where you going?"
I pour myself a glass of orange juice."Somewhere peaceful and lit. I need to get away."
He sits down and watches me take a huge gulp of my drink. "Damn girl. Calm down. You sound like a horse."
I chuckle."Says the one that be sleeping in their same draws twice a week."
"Now that's a damn lie." He picks up a piece of bread and throws it at me. It hit my stomach and landed on the floor.
"Ah damn." I joke with him."That's how you feel? Hit our kid?!"
I pick up the same bread and throw it at his head.
"Oh hell naw." He gets up and chases me around the kitchen then into the living room.
"Stop! bye!" I laugh when he tickles my sides. He used to always do that to me when I would act up. Especially during a petty,useless argument. He barely argued back. He would just tickle me. "Come on now. I have shit to do."
"How's the baby?" He asks.
I rub my flat tummy."She's doing just fine."
"What you mean she?" He asks.
"I want a boy. But it's going to be a girl." I say.
"Makes sense." He says." You know your home girl whooped-"
"Hell yea!" I laugh my ass off. " I wish you would let that bitch press charges against my girl. I will give the baby my last name-"
"Shut up girl." He sucks his teeth." Ain't nobody worried bout that Melissa."
I didn't believe him. I just wish I could forget about him cheating on me numerous times. It still hurts me still but I don't show my emotional pain towards him."So look. Spoke to my parents today. The girls are with them. I told them I am pregnant."
"How'd that go?" He sits down beside me.
"They are cool about it. They are happy for me but they don't know that we broke up. I don't like telling stories to strangers especially. I ain't about that. So to everyone out in the streets. They just need to know ,or think that we are together."
He leans forward with his hands locked together." Navy. I know I did a lot of foul things to you. I said and did a lot of crazy shit to you and you did not deserve it. I'm dumb. I do not deserve someone special like you. You would be in the studio with me supporting me til the sun came back up. I don't know what will happen in the future but I would really love for us to get back together. I don't mean right now either. You're working on your hair company, you're carrying my baby and I just feel like you're so focused I can't and won't let me or anyone else get between you and your success. "
I just sit down feeling speechless and hopeless.
He continues." Navy, I lo-"
I raise my finger for him to stop. I did not want him to finish those three words."Zay. You may have been the worst ex I've ever had. But I know for a fact that you're gonna be an awesome,great father to our kid despite you being a shitty boyfriend. I refuse to get with you. You hurt me. I watched you hook up with this woman,and I was extremely embarrassed." Tears finally stream down my face." I legit saved up $2000 to help you get your equipment for your studio. I did that. Because I loved you and I had dreams and hopes for you." The hurt and full of remorse forms in his eyes."As bad as I hated you then, I can't stress any more. I don't wanna hurt the baby because of me being selfish to keep stressing out and I'm not having that. You told your side hoe I was a stripper. You think I wanna be stripping forever? I have a 17 year old sister that's graduating before my eyes can see. I'm starting my own hair brand now. I don't have time for me and you. We can co-parent but I do not see us in the future." I slowly get up to walk towards my bedroom door." I plan on going to sleep early tonight. I have a ride to catch tomorrow morning." I close the door behind me. All I know is I hear the door open then close. Yea, he left.
