Saaliyah Moon
"Come on babydoll. Don't give me a hard time today." I rub my belly to sooth the slight tenderness.My back and feet and killing me and my daughters persistent kicks to my bladder had me running to the bathroom every ten minutes. I ease into the recliner in my office immediately pulling up DoorDash since I had two hours between now and my next client. I barely finish my order before there's a knock on my door and Kory walks in with two bouquets of flowers. I raise my brow but he only laughs.
"Don't look too worried. These were being delivered as I came up and your receptionist told me to just bring them to you. Congratulations on the expansion by the way." I can't help but smile. As much of my life that was out of control I decided to pour myself into work. Especially since I'd basically will be a single mother for the foreseeable future. Ennis square head ass was still refusing to let me visit him and his brothers were busy trying to track down my mother and Jasmine trifling asses. My mother was still trying to get me to get rid of the baby even though I was damn near due. I don't understand her thought process nor do I want to. The further my pregnancy progresses the more focused I've become. I know I have to become the best person I can be so she can grow up with a positive role model, especially since half her family were in the "life". It didn't help that she was going to be born hood royalty the strength of both of our families coming ten toes behind her.
"You still got niggas dumping over you while you're big and pregnant? You definitely got some gold star coochie." Rolling my eyes open the card that came with the flowers completely expecting them to be from one of my siblings. I'm confused as the card has only a phone number and a picture of my most recent sonogram. My knees buckle and Kory has to catch me from hitting the ground. Fumbling for my phone I quickly dial the number ignoring Kory's incessant barrage of questions.
"I see you got my flowers." I don't recognize the voice and the number is from a Louisiana zip code.
"Who the fuck is this?" My heart is hammering. This was my new salon one that very few knew the location of. The fact a stranger could just up and find me was very concerning. I quickly text my security to get to my suite and make sure that my house was secure.
"Saaliyah if I wanted you dead, you'd be dead. I just want to talk for now and I think it'd be in your best interest to hear me out."
"And why the fuck would I do that?"
"Because Ennis's life depends on it. Now write this address down. Be there by six pm. And come alone. I'll know if you don't." The line goes dead, and I slump in my desk chair. My daughter flips inside of my making her presence known.
"Who was that and what did they want?" Kory passes me a water bottle and watches me drain the whole bottle as I gather my thoughts. I relay what the disembodied voice said.
"I'm really getting tired of all the Tubi movie bullshit that you've been going through."
"Who you telling? I miss just being a hairstylist. I don't regret my child or my relationship with Ennis but when I was just his girlfriend things were never this damn complicated." We both turn to the sound of a knock on my door before Tavin the barber comes in with a bag from my favorite sandwich spot. Even since I hired him he's shown signs of being sweet on me but he was too much of a gentleman to try to step to a pregnant woman especially since I still wear Ennis's promise ring. But he was definitely pretty to look at, the spitting image of Denzel Curry with he used to wear his hair in waves.
"What are you don't here T?" He hand me the bag but puts the strawberry lemonade in my mini fridge knowing I need it to freezing cold in order for me to drink it.
"You know I have to make sure you eat. Your sister would kill me if I let anything happen to your pretty ass. Your client is early so I had one of the new girls wash her so you'd have time to eat." I smile despite myself. It's rare that I actually felt taken care of especially with everything going on in my personal life.
