Breaking Free

52.

Kierra woke up the next morning feeling a little better than she had in the past few days. The nausea had finally subsided enough for her to sit up without the room spinning, and she felt a small sense of relief as she swung her legs over the side of the bed. The quietness of the house enveloped her, the soft morning light streaming through the curtains.

Tasha had already left for the day, off to prepare for her next concert in Fort Worth, and Kierra found herself missing her wife's presence. Even though Tasha wasn't physically there, her text from earlier was still fresh on Kierra's mind: Good morning, baby. Hope today's better for you. Call me when you wake up. I love you.

With a smile, Kierra grabbed her phone from the nightstand and sent a quick response: Feeling a bit better. Gonna take it easy today. Love you too.

She stood up, stretched, and slowly made her way to the kitchen to fix herself a light breakfast. She opened the fridge, grabbing some fruit and yogurt, hoping it would be gentle on her stomach. She couldn't help but think about how drastically her appetite had changed since the pregnancy began—things she once craved now made her stomach turn, while simpler foods were her safest bets.

As she nibbled on the fruit, she heard a knock at the door. It was unusual for anyone to stop by this early, so she wondered who it could be. Curious, she walked to the front door and opened it, finding Shamika standing there with a bright smile and a couple of bags in her hands.

"Kierra!" Shamika exclaimed, pulling her into a warm hug. "I brought you some stuff. How are you feeling?"

Kierra returned the hug, appreciating the thoughtfulness of her best friend. "I'm hanging in there," she said, stepping aside to let Shamika in. "Come on in. You didn't have to bring anything, though."

"Oh, hush. Of course I did," Shamika replied, walking into the living room and placing the bags down. "I know you've been going through it with this pregnancy, so I picked up some comfort food for you. It's all healthy stuff—nothing that'll mess with your stomach."

Kierra smiled as she sat down on the couch. "You're a lifesaver. I've been so picky lately with what I can actually eat."

"I figured. That's why I got you some ginger tea and crackers. And there's some soup in here too for later," Shamika said, sitting beside her. "But enough about that. How's everything else going? Tasha's on tour, right?"

"Yeah, she's got two more shows in Texas before she comes back home for a few days. It's been tough not having her here," Kierra admitted. "But I know she's doing what she loves, and that makes me happy."

Shamika nodded, her expression softening. "I can't imagine how hard it is with her gone while you're dealing with everything. But she'll be back soon. And in the meantime, you've got me and your family to keep you company."

"I know, and I'm so grateful for that," Kierra said. "My parents came over yesterday, and that helped a lot. My mom's already planning the nursery, and my dad keeps talking about reading to the baby."

Shamika laughed. "I love how excited they are. It's going to be such a spoiled baby with all that love."

Kierra chuckled, leaning back against the couch. "Yeah, definitely."

They spent the next hour catching up, talking about the wedding, pregnancy, and life in general. Shamika always had a way of making Kierra feel lighter, her presence a constant reminder of their deep friendship. But as the conversation went on, Kierra could feel her energy slowly draining.

"Do you want me to hang around for a bit longer?" Shamika asked, noticing the fatigue settling in.

Kierra shook her head. "No, I think I'm just going to rest for a while. But thank you for everything, Mika. You always know just what I need."