Only for You

45: Our Next Chapter

Zac stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the lapels of his custom tuxedo as the tailor made a few final adjustments. Darius, Kenny, and Joe were all getting fitted alongside him, cracking jokes and talking about everything from the wedding to football to whatever wild mess Joe had gotten into last weekend.

"I'm just saying," Joe started, rolling his shoulders as the tailor measured his sleeve length, "if y'all don't have an open bar at this wedding, I'm calling fraud."

Kenny smirked. "Joe, I don't think Zac is worried about your drinking needs."

"Hey, I'm just looking out for the people," Joe said, holding up his hands. "I speak for the guests."

Darius shook his head. "Man, if you worried about an open bar, you got bigger issues. This wedding is the event. We talking luxury, top-tier—" He gestured at Zac. "My guy is spending money on this."

Zac chuckled. "You act like I wasn't gonna do it big."

Joe clapped a hand on Zac's shoulder. "Alright, since we talking real, I gotta ask—how you feeling, bro? You about to be somebody's husband."

Zac smirked. "I feel good, man. Right where I wanna be."

Kenny nodded. "That's solid. Ain't nothing like locking in with the right one."

Joe scoffed. "Look at us, all grown up and mature."

Darius side-eyed him. "Us?"

They all laughed, and Zac shook his head, loosening the collar of his dress shirt. "Man, y'all have no idea. Between the wedding, the house, and my kid—"

Silence.

Kenny frowned. "Wait... your what?"

Zac froze for a split second before realizing what he had just said.

Joe's mouth fell open. "Whoa, whoa, whoa." He turned to the others. "Did he just say—"

Darius' eyes widened. "Nah, man. Run that back."

Zac sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Shit."

Kenny's brows lifted. "You having a baby?!"

Joe hollered, "OH, HELL NO! You was just gonna slip that in there like it wasn't major?"

Darius clapped his hands together, grinning. "Aw, man, congratulations!"

Zac exhaled, shaking his head with a small chuckle. "Yeah, yeah, we just found out."

Kenny shook his head in disbelief. "Damn. First the wedding, now a baby? You really all in, huh?"

Joe still looked stunned. "Man, how you just casually drop something like that? 'Oh yeah, my tux is fresh, the wedding's set, and by the way, I got a whole ass baby on the way.'"

Darius laughed. "For real, bro, that's big news."

Zac ran a hand down his face, grinning. "I meant to tell y'all, it just—slipped out."

Joe folded his arms. "And you was just gon' keep that to yourself?"

"I just found out, dumbass," Zac said, rolling his eyes.

"So when is Fatima due?" Kenny asked.

"September," Zac said, a small smile creeping onto his face. "She's three months already."

Joe let out a dramatic breath. "Damn. You really grown now."

Darius patted Zac on the back. "Congrats, man. You're about to be a husband and a dad. That's some real shit."