ALL TO MYSELF

XXXXVI - Pluto

"Pluto, it's time!" Liyah screamed from downstairs.

I jumped out of bed, throwing clothes on in a panic before running downstairs to the guest room. I scooped her out of the bed, carrying her outside and into the car.

"And time," she said, stopping the timer. "2 minutes and 47 seconds. Not bad."

"I don't know why you keep making me do these drills, baby," I laughed, slightly enjoying her little game.

"Because I'm getting closer to my due date and I want to make sure we're prepared."

"Liyah, I have 4 kids. I promise you'll be fine," I laughed.

"Oh, yeah? Where's the go bag?"

"In the back seat. Daddy got this," I said, kissing her hand before getting out of the car.

Over the last few weeks, the baby had gotten so big to the point Liyah couldn't see her feet. I made the decision for us to temporarily move into one of the guest rooms downstairs so it would be easier for her to move around the house until the baby got here.

"I haven't been upstairs in weeks," she said holding her back and waddling to the guest room. "Did you put the changing table together?"

"Everything is ready except one or two things but I'll fix it when we get back."

"Where are we going again?" she asked out of breath from putting her cardigan on.

"To the zoo with Metro and Chelle to walk the baby down. Pregnant brain been whooping your ass lately," I laughed.

"It's not funny," she smiled. "I'm so exhausted. I'm just ready for Peanut to get here."

"Don't rush it. It'll happen. You ready?"

I helped her out to the car as we started making our way across town to the zoo. We arrived in the parking lot, thankful that it was the slower season so she wouldn't be overwhelmed by too many people coming up to us. Metro and Chelle we're out front waiting and walked over to the car to help her out.

"Whew, Mama you look like you're about to pop!" Chelle laughed, rubbing Liyah's belly once she was out of the car. "You weren't this big when I saw you a couple days ago."

Metro came over, shaking my hand before we walked inside. We made it through the gate as Chelle and Liyah walked ahead of us to talk about girl stuff.

"So how's it been since the move?" I asked Metro when it was just us.

"Man, it's something serious in that Smith bloodline. Shawty amazing, she might be the one," he smiled, watching Chelle from behind.

"You think you ready?"

"I been thinking about it. I had my worries that moving her here too soon would ruin things but it's made everything better. We don't argue, she make sure I'm straight mentally. On God I think I gained 10 lbs since she got here."

"Dawg, Liyah cooked breakfast for me the first time she came over and I knew right then I needed to marry her. Them Creole women different."

"The voodoo in the food, bro. We under a spell."

"Nah, we just blessed," I laughed. "I never saw my life going like this off a DM in the middle of the night."

"You had it easier than me. Chelle ignored the fuck out of me at first until we started talking at the engagement party. I had to lock in before her nigga came back around."

"Baby, come look," Liyah smiled, rubbing her stomach.

Giraffes were her favorite animal and she finally found them. I stood behind her with my hands on her stomach, watching them walking back and forth before she pointed them out to me to tell me their story.