India In The Hustle

Chapter 20

INDIA

   "Are you afraid." I asked Odell as he drove to my parents' house. It was Thanksgiving Day and it was time to tell my parents that I was pregnant. The only reaction I was afraid of my daddy. He can be very blunt about things.

   "Why would I be afraid India." He said that's what I liked about Odell. He gave no fucks about people opinions.

   "Never mind." I said looking out the window as we passed houses. Feeling him grab my hand as I smiled.

   "Tell me baby girl what's on your mind." He asked as I took a deep breath.

   "I just feel like they're going to be mad at me or judge me I don't know why but it's in my head." I confessed.

   "India you got to let that go. If your parents are mad at you who gives a fuck. Your grown their opinion shouldn't matter anymore to you to start people yourself first." He said pulling into my mom's driveway.

   "Thank you Odell." I said leaning over kissing his lips as he gave me a smile. Watching him get out the car as I looked in the mirror checking my face and hair. It was a nice day in California so I just put on something simple a pair of light blue jeans, white shirt and pink cardigan along my sandals.

   "Thank you," I said once Odell opened my door pulling my shirt down as it rises up making me regret wearing it.

   "You look fine." Odell said looking at his phone. I was starting to get mad at him. What was on the phone it was so important than me.

   "Come on." I said grabbing his hands as we walked to the door seeing it was unlocked walking inside the house.

   "India." Bree screamed running up to me as I laughed. I missed my big sister.

   "I missed you." I said hugging her as she rubbed my stomach cooing at it.

   "My little baked bean is in there." She said making me frown. If someone else call me baby a baked bean we gone have problems. I don't even like beans.

   "Don't call my baby that." I said as she rolled her eyes looking at Odell.

   "How you deal with her she's so mean. I'm Bree." She said extending her hand out as he shook it.

   "She know I don't play that. Odell." He said giving her a smile.

   "Where is mama and pops." I asked.

   "Daddy is in the basements and mama is cooking with grandma." She said as I grabbed Odell hand.

   "Pops." I screamed over the music as I saw him and a friend watching the game.

   "What's up India." He said putting the blunt out coming up to hug me.

   "Happy thanksgiving." I said as he kissed my forehead.

   "Pops this is my boyfriend Odell." I said introducing them. My daddy looked at him up and down.

   "Bye India let us speak." My daddy said as I laughed leaving them going back into the main room heading straight to the kitchen.

   "Mama." I said calling her as she was on the phone probably was gossiping like always.

   "My baby." She yelled running over to me kissing my cheeks as I tried to push her off of me.

   "Mama I don't like that." I said to her as she rolled her eyes.

   "I haven't seen your mean ass in three months and this is how you treat me." She said as I laughed. My mother was a dramatic.

   "Stop mama. You know I missed you." I said kissing her cheeks as she smiled but looked down at my belly.

   "India Love Westbrooks." She yelled touching my belly.

   "Mama stop screaming." I mumbled. She was going overboard.

   "Why didn't you tell me India." She asked still rubbing on my belly.

   "Every time I tried to I got scared." I said sitting down as she smiled at me.

   "By the looks you are four months pregnant. What you been eating girl." She said looking at me.

   "Food mama. Everything is so good now. Atlanta has some good food." I said grabbing some mac and cheese but she popped my hand.

   "What was that for." I said as she gave me an apple.

   "You need to eat this for my grandchild." She said moving the food away from me, I did not come here just to eat an apple. She got the game messed up.

   "So you're not mad at me mama." I said cutting the apple dipping it in gravy.

   "No baby you're a grown woman it's your life. I'm not going to judge you at all. I just pray that my grandbaby doesn't have your mean streak." She said making me smile this is going better than I imagine.

ODELL

   "I'm so sleepy Odell." India said to me as I walked through my mom house. Probably all that food she ate baby girl was going ham on her plate.

   "We just gone kick it her for a minute then we can go home." I said.

   "Okay." She said giving me a smile. Her family was cool people. Her mama was little on the dramatic side but she was cool. I actually knew her pops. We did some business together. He told me don't hurt his daughter and I gave him an understanding I'm not with that cheating shit or putting my hands on a female.

   "My baby boy." My mom coming up to me hugging me as I kissed her cheek.

   "Hey ma." I said looking around at everyone as they ate.

   "Hi Mama Heather." India said hugging her as I left them walking outside seeing my sister and uncle talking.

   "What's up college girl." I said slapping her hands as she gave me a laugh.

   "What's up Uncle." I said sitting down.

   "Thug ass nigga to the fullest." My sister said as I nodded my head.

   "Where your girl." My sister asked me as she took out a blunt.

   "She talking with mama. I didn't see Aaron." I asked about her longtime boyfriend.

   "You already know where he at. With his daddy." She said as I let out a chuckle.

   "So Odell did you think about what I told you." My uncle asked me as I leaned back in the chair. He wanted me to take over his business. It was a great deal more connects for me and more money. India was pregnant and me taking this deal I would be homeless. I couldn't do that to her I wanted to be in every step of this pregnancy with her.

   "Why you want to give it to me so quickly uncle." I asked him as he sat his beer down and giving me a look.

   "Because I have cancer." He said.

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Odell and India in the multimedia.