BENEATH THE SURFACE

Chapter 7: The Unexpected News

Weeks passed, and things between Myeisha and Trip slowly calmed down. Trip had been trying—showing her he could trust her more, spending more time with her, and keeping her out of his street drama as much as he could. But Myeisha could still feel the distance creeping in. No matter what he said, the streets always had their hold on him.

One morning, Myeisha woke up feeling different. Her body was off, and she had been feeling weird for a few days now. At first, she thought it was just stress from everything that had happened with Trip, but when she checked her calendar, reality hit her. Her period was late—really late.

Myeisha sat on the edge of the bed, her heart racing. She had always been careful, but lately, with everything going on, they hadn't been as cautious as they should've been. She thought about Trip and how this news could change everything. She wasn't ready to face it yet.

She picked up her phone and texted her best friend, Keisha.

Myeisha: Girl, I need to talk to you. Something's up.

Keisha responded almost instantly.

Keisha: What's wrong, sis? You good?

Myeisha: I think I'm pregnant...

Keisha: Whaaat?! No way! You sure??

Myeisha: I'm late, Keisha. Real late. I don't know what to do.

Keisha: You gotta take a test, Myeisha. Don't trip 'til you know for sure.

Myeisha felt a pit in her stomach. She wasn't sure how to even process this. A baby? She loved Trip, but was she ready for that kind of responsibility, especially with the life he was living? Her mind raced as she got dressed and headed to the drugstore.

Later that afternoon, Myeisha sat in her bathroom, staring at the pregnancy test in her hand. The two pink lines were staring back at her. She was pregnant.

She let out a shaky breath, her emotions crashing over her like a wave. Fear, shock, confusion, and even a bit of happiness. But mostly, she was terrified. How was she going to tell Trip? And what would this mean for their future?

She heard the front door open and Trip's voice calling out from the living room. He had been out handling business all day, and now he was back, expecting things to be normal. But nothing was normal anymore.

Trip: "Myeisha, you home?"

Myeisha stood frozen, staring at herself in the mirror. This was it. She had to tell him.

Myeisha: "Yeah, I'm here."

Trip walked into the bedroom, looking tired but calm. He came over and kissed her on the forehead, his hands resting on her shoulders.

Trip: "You good? You look stressed."

Myeisha swallowed hard, trying to find the right words. Her voice was barely a whisper when she finally spoke.

Myeisha: "Trip... I need to tell you somethin'."

Trip raised an eyebrow, sensing the seriousness in her tone. He stepped back, his eyes narrowing.

Trip: "What's goin' on?"

Myeisha took a deep breath, her hands trembling. She held up the pregnancy test, showing him the results.

Myeisha: "I'm pregnant, Trip."

For a moment, Trip just stared at her, the weight of her words hanging in the air. His face was unreadable, and Myeisha couldn't tell what he was thinking. Was he angry? Shocked? Happy? She had no idea.

Trip blinked a few times, then let out a low breath, running a hand over his head.

Trip: "Damn..."

He didn't say anything for a minute, just stood there, processing. Myeisha felt her heart pounding in her chest, waiting for his reaction. She had no idea how this would go—whether he'd freak out or be ready to step up. The silence was unbearable.

Myeisha: "Trip, say somethin'. Please."

Trip looked at her, his eyes filled with a mix of emotions—surprise, fear, and something else she couldn't quite place. Finally, he spoke.

Trip: "You really pregnant?"

Myeisha nodded, biting her lip to stop the tears from falling.
Myeisha: "Yeah, I am. I didn't expect it, but... I don't know what to do now."

Trip sat down on the bed, his head in his hands. He didn't seem mad, just overwhelmed.

Trip: "This changes everything."

Myeisha stood frozen, her mind racing. She had imagined this moment so many times, but nothing could have prepared her for the way Trip looked at her now—like his whole world had just shifted.

Myeisha: "I know. And I'm scared, Trip. I don't know if we're ready for this."

Trip leaned back, rubbing his hands together as he stared at the floor.
Trip: "A baby, Myeisha? In the middle of all this? I'm still out here tryna survive, and now we got a baby on the way?"

Myeisha felt a lump forming in her throat.
Myeisha: "I didn't plan this, Trip. But it's happening. We gotta figure this out."

Trip stood up and started pacing the room, his mind running a mile a minute. He wasn't the type to run from responsibility, but the streets had him wrapped up tight, and now he had to think about something bigger than himself.

Trip: "I ain't gonna lie, Myeisha. This ain't the life I wanted for my kid. I don't want my child growin' up around all this mess. We gotta find a way out."

Myeisha felt a surge of hope at his words. He wasn't walking away. He was willing to step up, but she knew it wouldn't be easy. The streets had their claws in Trip, and getting out wasn't something you could just decide to do.

Myeisha: "You serious about that? You really wanna leave this behind?"

Trip stopped pacing and looked at her, his eyes hard but determined.
Trip: "I'm dead serious. I'm not lettin' my child grow up with me dodgin' bullets and dealin' with the police knockin' on the door every other day. I'm gon' do what I gotta do to make sure you and this baby safe."

Myeisha felt a weight lift off her chest. She hadn't expected Trip to be so ready to change his life for their child, but the way he said it—she believed him. For the first time in weeks, she felt like maybe things could be different. Maybe they could have a future that wasn't tangled up in the streets.

But reality hit hard. It wasn't just about deciding to leave. Trip had enemies, and getting out wasn't going to be easy.

Myeisha: "Trip, you know it ain't gon' be that simple. You got people out there who won't just let you walk away."

Trip nodded, his jaw tightening.
Trip: "I know. But I'm done. I'm done with all this. I'll do whatever it takes to keep y'all safe. We just gotta move smart."

Myeisha took a deep breath, her hands resting on her stomach. She hadn't even had time to think about the baby growing inside her, but now, it felt real. This wasn't just about her and Trip anymore. They had a whole life to protect.

Myeisha: "Okay. If you serious, I'm with you. But you gotta be sure, Trip. No more messin' around."

Trip stepped closer, wrapping his arms around her. His voice was low, but steady.
Trip: "I'm sure, Myeisha. I'm not gonna lose you or this baby. I promise."

Myeisha leaned into his embrace, feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders but somehow lighter at the same time. This was the start of something new, something they hadn't planned but couldn't avoid. They were in it together now, for better or worse.

As they stood there in silence, Myeisha's mind wandered to the future. She didn't know what it would look like, but one thing was clear—everything had changed.

She looked up at Trip, her voice soft but full of determination.
Myeisha: "We gon' make it, Trip. We gotta."

Trip kissed the top of her head, holding her tighter.
Trip: "Yeah... we gon' make it. One way or another."

But deep down, they both knew the streets wouldn't let them go so easily. The danger was still there, lurking just outside their door, waiting for the right moment to pull them back in