Breaking Free

45.

The first few weeks after the wedding were like a dream. Kierra and Tasha had finally tied the knot, and the weight of all the wedding planning had lifted. They settled into their new life as wives with a quiet peace that neither of them had fully experienced before. It was a comforting calm, like they were walking together into a future full of promise.

But along with that peace came new responsibilities, and for Kierra, some unexpected challenges. She was still dealing with morning sickness, and the first month of married life hadn't been without its bumps. The nausea would hit her at odd times during the day, leaving her feeling exhausted and a little frustrated. Though Tasha was always there to support her, Kierra couldn't help but feel a little guilty about it. She wanted to be fully present for their new life together, but her body had other plans.

One morning, about three weeks after the wedding, Kierra woke up feeling queasy again. She groaned softly as she turned over in bed, trying to will the nausea away. Tasha was already up and getting dressed for the day. She had a big meeting at Athlete's Foot, her sneaker store, and Kierra didn't want to add to her stress.

"You okay, baby?" Tasha asked, looking over at her with concern as she buttoned her shirt.

Kierra nodded, though she didn't feel okay. "Yeah, just the usual," she said, trying to sound upbeat. "It'll pass."

Tasha frowned, walking over to sit on the edge of the bed. "You sure? You've been feeling like this for a while now. Maybe we should check in with the doctor."

"I'll be fine," Kierra said, forcing a smile. "You've got that big meeting today. I don't want you to worry."

Tasha leaned down and kissed Kierra's forehead gently. "I always worry about you, but I know you're strong. Just promise me you'll take it easy today, okay?"

Kierra nodded, feeling the warmth of Tasha's kiss linger even after she stood up to leave. She watched Tasha finish getting ready, her mind drifting to how much her wife had on her plate. Running a sneaker store was no small feat, and Athlete's Foot had grown quickly, becoming one of the most popular sneaker stores in the city. Between managing the store, handling inventory, planning marketing strategies, and balancing life with Kierra, Tasha had a full day ahead of her.

Tasha grabbed her purse and keys, turning back to Kierra one last time. "Call me if you need anything, okay? I'll be done by noon."

"Okay," Kierra said, her voice soft. "Good luck at your meeting. You've got this."

Tasha gave her a small, confident smile. "Thanks, babe. I'll see you later."

As Tasha headed out the door, Kierra took a deep breath and laid back down for a few moments. She could hear the faint hum of Tasha's car pulling out of the driveway, and part of her wished she could be with her. But today was going to be busy for Tasha, and Kierra didn't want to distract her from her meeting.

Meanwhile, at Athlete's Foot, Tasha arrived to a buzzing energy. The store was set to release a limited-edition sneaker collaboration next week, and today's meeting was all about finalizing the details. The store's manager, Mike, was already in the conference room, along with Alyssa, the marketing lead, and Jordan, Tasha's business partner.

"Morning, Tasha," Mike greeted her as she walked in. "Ready for the big release?"

Tasha smiled, her focus kicking in. "You know it. This drop is going to be huge for us."

Jordan nodded in agreement. "We've got everything lined up—inventory is set, the influencers are prepped, and the hype is already building."

"Good," Tasha said as she took a seat. "Let's go over the final marketing push, just to make sure everything's on track."

Alyssa pulled up a presentation on her laptop. "We've got the ads running on social media, and we're working with a few major sneaker influencers who'll be posting throughout the week. I've also set up a countdown for the website and newsletter subscribers to get early access."

Tasha listened carefully, nodding as Alyssa went through the plan. She was proud of how smoothly things were going. The sneaker business had become a passion project for her, and she had poured a lot of time and energy into making it successful. Now, it was paying off. But as much as she loved the store, her mind kept drifting back to Kierra and how she was feeling.

"Everything looks good," Tasha said once the presentation wrapped up. "But let's keep an eye on the early access list. I don't want the site to crash if too many people hit it at once."

Mike chuckled. "We're hoping for a crash, though, right? That means we're doing something right."

Tasha smiled but added, "Yeah, but let's not lose any sales because of it. Make sure the tech team is ready just in case."

Jordan jumped in. "Already on it. We've beefed up the servers just in case, but we'll have someone monitoring it throughout the release."

Satisfied with the updates, Tasha leaned back in her chair. "Alright, sounds like we're good to go. Let's make sure everything is flawless. This is a big one for us."

The team nodded, and after some more discussion, they wrapped up the meeting. As Tasha left the store, she felt a wave of relief. The meeting had gone well, but she couldn't shake the thought of Kierra being home, still feeling sick.

Back at home, Kierra had managed to get out of bed and make herself some tea. She was still queasy, but the tea helped a little. As she sat on the couch, she scrolled through her phone, checking messages from friends and glancing at social media. Her aunts, Jacky, Dorinda, and Twinkie, had all sent her sweet texts about the wedding, still buzzing from how beautiful the ceremony was.

Kierra smiled, thinking back to that day. Bishop Sheard had officiated, and having her father marry her to the love of her life had been one of the most special moments of her life. She also thought about Tasha's mom, Bertha, who had cried happy tears as she watched her daughter walk down the aisle. Surrounded by friends and family, it had been a day full of love and joy.

But now, as she sat alone in the quiet of their house, Kierra felt the weight of everything hitting her. The wedding was over, but the next chapter of their lives was just beginning. And while it was exciting, it was also scary. The nausea, the mood swings, the uncertainty of what was next—it was all a lot to handle.

Just as she was lost in her thoughts, her phone buzzed. It was Tasha.

"How's my girl feeling?" the text read.

Kierra smiled at the screen. She quickly typed back, "Still feeling queasy, but better knowing you're thinking about me."

A moment later, Tasha replied, "Always. Be home soon. Want me to pick up anything for you?"

Kierra thought for a second before texting back, "Maybe some ginger ale and crackers?"

"On it. Love you."

"Love you too," Kierra responded, setting her phone down. She leaned back on the couch, closing her eyes for a moment, thankful for Tasha's love and support. Even on the hard days, they had each other, and that made everything feel a little bit easier.