Walk With Me 1

26

Beyoncé

I've been thinking up creative announcement ways.

I have no doubts that Nicki will be excited.

Jazmine and I do our handshake when Nicki walks in the door. Babygirl knows because she's helping with the announcement.

"Do we do it now?"

"Wait up, baby."

"Okay."

Nicki comes into the kitchen after her long school board meeting before the release the kids into the summer. She looks like she's had an earful but smiles wide when she sees Jazz and I at the counter finishing lunch.

"Hey." She kisses me while bringing Jazmine into a big hug and spins her around.

"Hey."

She then swings our daughter around wildly.

"Mama, no!" Jazz laughs and the three of us cackle hard.

Nicki carries her on her hip then looks between us.

"How was y'all's day?"

"Good." I answer. "How was the meeting?"

Nicki just huffs, "but ion wanna talk about that right now."

Jazmine begins to smile hard and looking down at her shirt. I just smile hard back. I put her in a "best big sister" shirt.

"What?"

Nicki is absolutely confused but we say nothing.

Nicki playfully punches my arm.

"Anyways... you hungry?"

"Not yet my love. Just wanna relax."

"Can we watch a movie?"

"Great idea, baby."

We all go to the couch. For a second, Jazmine leaves to find some chips.

She comes back, her shirt in clear view and Nicki still doesn't notice.

While it takes Nicki ages to figure out, I turn my screensaver on and lay in her side. Jazz talks through the movie and feeds Nicki chips and herself every once in a while.

I'm anxious for it to just register for Nicki.

"Jazz, baby. You got crumbs all over yo shirt." As Nicki moves to dust Jazmine off she pauses. "Jazmine stand up straight so mama can see your beautiful shirt."

Jazmine and I cannot hold our smirks back.

"The World's Best Big Sister." Nicki reads out.

She turns her head immediately.

"BeyoncéIswearoneverythingandeverybodyIlove... are you pregnant?" Her voice cracks towards the end.

I bring her in for a hug. Nicki cries.

Jazmine smiles so hard she ends up crying too.

"Come join the hug, Jazzy."

I bring her in and the three of us are huddled together.

I feel Nicki's tears of happiness on the shoulder of my shirt. I can't help my own tears as her hands come close to my stomach and she rubs over it millions of times with her thumb.

She finally comes up face to face with me and giggles a bit.

"A little you is gonna be runnin' around in 7-9 months." Nicki kisses my cheek. "I love you and I'm gonna be here for you every step of the way."

Damn the water works are really here.

________________

My father and my mama and sister are the last to find out.

I brought my dad to my mama and sister's grave site without much context. Often we'll come here to clean up their graves and leave some flowers so he thinks it's just another cleaning day.

"Hey, Tina!"

My father struggles to get on his knees and kisses my mother's headstone. Then he kisses my sister's headstone.

"Hey, Solange!"

It warms and breaks my heart. I wish my mama could be around to see and enjoy and prepare for the baby with Nicki and I. I know she'd love and spoil Jazmine and the new baby.

My father get's the bucket full of water and soap and two rags and cleaning brushes.

"We've been good, T. Beyoncé's dancing has been good. Nicki treats her well. Jazmine, our granddaughter is well." He says.

"Jazmine is gonna have a little sibling."

"Yes, she wil--" he pauses and looks back at me.

I just smile hard, "I'm pregnant."

He just looks at me in shock. He knows Nicki has a dick, she sat and explained it to him with a dry erase board but he looks so shocked.

"Oh my lord."

He looks like he's gonna lose air.

"How you feel, grandpa of two?"

I feel bad tryna make a bit of a joke because he looks absolutely stunned and shocked.

I get on my knees and hug him.

He cries on my shoulder.

"In a way, all three of them are up in heaven now."

That instantly made me cry.

"I'm going home to find every dress we kept of yours from newborn to 2 years."

"You already thinkin' it's a girl too?" I chuckle.

I hug my dad hard.

_______________

Buckle up.

That's all I gotta say.