Million Dollar Dreams

Chapter 7

I could see a constant change in Jalen within the three weeks that he's been living here. He seemed to be a lot happier, smiling and laughing more. The Jalen I'm seeing is the one I remember from four years ago. It was a warming feeling to me. Kirk would never admit it, but he likes it more with Jalen living here. They were starting to get a lot closer and bonding, even talking about the baby together. I loved how close they were becoming, it made me want to have a son even more, hoping all three of them would be close. Maybe I would be having a boy. But I imagine a little girl with my curly hair, Jalen's pretty eyes, and everything else like Kirk, and I see the most beautiful little girl in the world. Boy or girl, I'm going to be happy, as long as their healthy. Honestly, just being with Kirk made me happy enough, a baby was the last piece to our puzzle.

Today was the day their mom was getting released, and that made me feel so relieved, not just for my sake, but the guys. I knew Jalen was waiting for this moment. Tay and Aaliyah were gonna go pick her up at noon and bring her back home where we'd all be waiting there to surprise her. She wasn't allowed any visitors, but I think she didn't want anyone to see her like that.

I was laying down on the couch, fully dressed, but no make up on. I was trying to calm myself down before I got sick. Jalen was making eggs with cheese, which made my stomach turn. Then he went and put hot sauce on it, that made it even worse! Kirk came up to me with a cold, damp facecloth and put it over my forehead.

"You feeling ok?" He sat on the floor next to me.

"Yeah, it'll pass." I took a few deep breaths, I didn't want to throw up. "Just morning sickness."

"How long is this gonna last? I can't cook anything in the morning with you like this. Everything be making you sick, like damn!" I started laughing.

"It don't last that long, maybe another month and it'll stop."

"A month?!"

"Kirk, pregnancy last nine months, three months of morning sickness ain't much. Wait till I'm huge and can barely walk! And ima have more stretch marks!"

"You have stretch marks?" I took the facecloth off my forehead, lifting my head up a little bit to look at him with a straight face.

"Really?"

"I didn't notice."

"I have them on my stomach, and a few on my hips. They ain't bad or anything, but they gonna get worse."

"Ohh, you right. You do have them. They're really light though, you can't see them that good." He lifted up my shirt, tracing my hips with his finger. "I still think you're beautiful." He slid my shirt up farther, feeling my stomach. "I can't believe there's a baby in there." He said to himself.

I finally out some makeup on so we could go. I made Kirk drive so I could recline the seat back and rest my eyes, and by that I mean take a nap. I was up all night thinking about, well, everything. So I decided I'd take this thirty minute drive as an opportunity to sleep.

"Kirk, who's gonna be there?" Jalen asked.

"Uhh, Aunt Tay, Liyah, Lisa Marie and her boyfriend, I don't know who he is, Ruthie, Queenie, Tammy and Aunt Rena. I don't even know why Lisa Marie is going, I think cause of Liyah, Aunt Tay said they're real close now."

"They got to school together, that's why. I know her boyfriend. Forgot his name though, I met him a few times. It's like Brandon, or Byron, I don't know man. I don't like him, he ain't nice to her. Treats her with zero respect."

"Then why be with him?" I chimed in. "I've always like Lisa Marie, I never thought of her having a mean boyfriend."

"You know how she is, she likes the finer things. He takes her out and buys her nice, expensive things." Jalen said. "He look familiar too, I don't know why. Like I knew him before." He shrugged. "I'm not gonna drive myself crazy thinking about it"