From the Hills to Crenshaw II: Juniors

15. Welcome Home

Spencer's POV

"Babe, the banner is crooked," Olivia says as she puts icing on the red velvet cupcakes.

"How about now?" I ask as I pull one side upward.

"No, it's too high. Move, I got it!" She tells me as she recklessly climbs onto the small ladder beside me.

"Babe, be careful," I tell her as I hold her waist.

"I got it, Spence." She says as she pulls the banner upward and it looks the same as when I did it.

I back away and Cam chuckles as he brings in an empty cooler. "You better get out of her way, dawg!"

I laugh before deciding to help him with the drinks.

"Let me go where I'm wanted," I say as Keisha, Simone, Nate, and Layla walk in with foil pans full of food.

Today is finally the day Darnell is coming home from the hospital. And it's a big emotional lift after finding out the truth about the truth about the shooting, just four days ago.

"Liv is on edge, huh?" Cam asks as he opens his trunk.

"Yeah, I keep asking her if she needs to talk to somebody about all of this shit. But she keeps saying no." I answer.

"Hell, I can give her the number to my therapist. After the past month and a half we had, we all need some therapy." Cam adds and I don't disagree.

"I don't know. I want her to go. But she says it's not that. It's a stomach bug or some shit." I say nonchalantly and he stops me as I grab a pack of Mountain Dew.

"A stomach bug?"

"Yeah, she's been throwing up from time to time these past few days," I answer.

"Did she make a doctor's appointment?" He asks and I nod. "You know it could be something else."

"Like what?"

He chuckles. "You know what!"

"I mean, I asked her about that. But she said that ain't it. Plus she's on birth control." I respond as we start walking again.

"Do you strap up?" Cam counters and I frown at his questioning.

"What are you talking about?"

"A condom, fool! Do-you-use-it?" He asks bluntly and I shake my head no. "Then how can y'all be so sure?"

"She's on the pill. She has been since high school." I reiterate. "So drop it."

"Bro, her half brother was hospitalized, over a month ago, from gun shot wounds. Her boyfriend was also in the mix. She has school and work. Oh and by the way, she befriended the accomplice in her half brother's shooting. Then her boyfriend is about to make the biggest decision of his young career. And let's just top it off with the fact that her twin relapsed and admitted to having knowledge that her half brother's life was in danger before the shooting went down and he didn't bother to tell a soul until three days ago." He explains as I wait for him to make his point.

"Thank you for that synopsis on 'As the World Turns'. But I don't get your point." I say sarcastically.

"My point is, Liv has had a lot on her plate lately. Birth control pills has likely been missed, forgotten and just plain old skipped. So if y'all have been sexing some of the pain away like most young, vibrant, energetic couples do, then y'all should consider making an appointment to the doctor's asap! Or better yet. Take a damn test."

"Listen, I trust my girl. She said it's not that. I ain't trying to stress her even more," I tell him.

"I hear you. And I'm going to drop it for the sake of an argument," he mumbles. "But what I won't drop is the fact that you're only a couple of weeks from having to make that big decision and you still don't know what you want to do."