Toni's face is serene in the early morning sunlight. One hand rests on her belly, rounding slightly with new maternity. She rises up out of her bed and stares at her moving stomach.
"Look who's up this early Tuesday morning, how are you feeling?" Ken asked. Toni scratches her short black hair and smiles at him.
"I'm doing great for a woman who's six months pregnant. I gained twelve pounds so far which isn't bad. My boobs are lactating at the moment and my feet swell up overnight, but no complaints." Toni laughed. Ken climbed saw Toni's enlarged feet and automatically massaged them.
"I'm retaining a lot of water, honey. I'm the most greediest person in America right now. I have these weird dreams about food and liquor like it's ridiculous. Cannot drink until Princess turns a year old." Toni said.
"You believe in breastfeeding. Must be nice for someone to suck on your boobs." Ken joked in a sarcastic tone.
"You make me laugh! But my boobs hurt as hell, I cannot wait for the baby to come, so I can be comfortable." Toni said.
"Can't wait for the baby to come, too. I hope she won't cry a lot. Peyton was super quiet as a newborn." Ken said.
"Well, Denim didn't cry a lot but Diezel, oh gosh! He wouldn't stop crying.. all day and all night he would keep myself and Keri up." Toni said while scrolling through Instagram.
Peyton came in the room and jumped into the bed and interrupted Ken and Toni's conversation.
"Morning to my beautiful parents and baby sister." Peyton smiles. Toni kisses Peyton's cheek and scoots up.
"Morning princess, you slept well?" Ken asked. Peyton nods her and smiles.
"When are we going out together, just the three of us?" Peyton asked.
"After the baby comes, because Toni can't leave. She's on bed rest." Ken explains. Peyton understood and nodded her head. Denim passes by the room and runs downstairs.
"Morning son!" Toni yells. Denim ignores his mom and opens the door and sees Joelle.
"Morning sweets." Joelle says while entering the Edmonds household. She plops herself on the black leather couch and grips Denim's thigh.
"I forgot your mother is getting married. It's cool that you have a decent relationship with your soon to be stepfather." Joelle smiles. Upstairs, Toni asks Ken to get water with ice. As Ken walks down a few stairs he overhears Joelle and Denim's conversation.
"I mean Kenneth is okay. He's very controlling over when it comes to my brother and I. There's days where I wanna move in with your family so I can get away from mine. Don't think I don't love my mother, I really do. But I'm use to me, Diezel, and my mother being together. His daughter, Peyton, is here too and my mom and him always take her side. Ken is just in the way and he's dead space." Denim says while playing with a Rubik's cube.
Ken walks back upstairs and seems to be disappointed.
"Where's my water?" Toni asked while coughing.
"Joelle is here and Denim was telling her how I'm very controlling over him and his brother. He also said that he wish he could move in with her family so he can get away from us. He spoke about how we both take Peyton's side and never his, and he also called me 'dead space'." Ken said while looking straight in Toni's eyes.
"Honey, the boys appreciate you always. They're getting use to you and Peyton." Toni says while rubbing Ken's cheek. Joelle leaves and Denim walks back upstairs and passes the master bedroom.
"Denim, can we talk?" Ken asked.
"Uhh, sure." Denim said.
"I overheard you talk to Joelle about me and–"
"You were eavesdropping on me?" Denim asked.
"Not really eavesdropping, but I was on my way to the kitchen to get your mothers water and that's when I heard you talk to Joelle." Ken said.
"I was expressing my feelings about you and I knew if I told my mother, I would get in trouble because she's with you." Denim said while twiddling his thumbs.
"Sorry if you felt like I was controlling you and your brother, I'm just overprotective of all my kids." Ken said. Denim was accept the apology and moved on into his bedroom.
Chapter Eleven coming soon 💘
