Taylor Everlasting

C.22

Nichelle ugly cried instantly. She hopped up from the table almost knocking over their water glasses trying to get to Fatima. "Tima!!! Im so happppy for you!!!"

The ladies stood hugging and crying in the restaurant  "Ok Ok calm down people are staring at us." Fatima laughed wiping away the tears staining her cheeks.

"I wish a nigga would. But fine. I'll sit. Now tell me everything! How'd you find out?"

"Ok so first thing's first, YOU CANNOT TELL ZAC! he doesn't know yet. I want you to help me surprise him with a reveal the day of the wedding."

Nichelle shook her head in agreeance. "Ok tell me."

"Well remember I told you about Zac making me take a test last month and it coming back negative. Well, two weeks later I was still feeling off, so I just went to get a blood test and sure enough, I'm pregnant."

"Tima baby, that is beautiful. How are you feeling?"

Fatima thought for a moment. "You know what's weird? Although I am scared. I also feel so incredibly at peace with this pregnancy already. I can't explain it, but I have faith that this time will be different."

"How far along are you? Any morning sickness or anything?" her cousin asked still fighting against the falling tears.

"8 weeks and three days, well four days now. Girl no! And it's the best. With Zane I was constantly nauseous"

Nichelle wiped away her happy ears once again and continued listening. "Ok so how do you wanna tell him?"

"Idk. I only know I wanna do it either the night of the wedding or as close as possible, its just hard not knowing any details outside of the date."

"Fatima ... no!"

"Please Chelle." Fatima clasped her hands together and pleaded too her cousin. She was hoping she'd get her cousin to spill anything she knew or to see what she could find it in the next thirty days to help her with her plans.

"T no. He intentionally kept everything away from you because he wanted too surprise you and I love that. We can come up with something without ruining his surprise."

"Always on his side. Whose cousin are you again?"

"He's my cousin too. Cousin-in law if you wanna be technical."

"Whatever, fine. I have like zero ideas tho."

"How did you tell him when you were pregnant with Zane?"

"Remember he found the test in the bathroom when he came home after his accident?" Fatima reminded her.

"Oohhhh I have an idea. Have a message delivered to him in the night before when you exchange wedding gifts." The ladies plotted and planned the rest oof lunch but even with all the idea she and Chelle come up with, nothing felt good enough for Zac.

***

Zac stood in his pajamas holding the door open for the women as they came through the garage door carrying bags filled with camping equipment and Zac was confused. "Fatima what is all this?" He said taking a box containing a tent from her.

"It's camping stuff." She said put of breath.

"No shit. Why is it here?"

"Zane wants to sleep out in the backyard too use his telescope. So were having a camping night. Tomorrow night. We talked about this last night at dinner."

Zac wrecked his mind trying to remember being told about this but he came up blank. It had been a stressful day at the office and by the time dinner came around, he was not the most present at the table last night. "Ohh right. I remember." He said lying through his teeth.