Take A Break (A T'Challa Udaku Story)

The Promises Not Kept

"That's a new ring," Shuri quipped from the otherside of the examination room. You sat, absentmindedly rubbing your stomach as you waited for the king to arrive. He was currently ten minutes late, but so was Dr. Mayre. Your hand stopped abruptly as she pointed out the addition. You glanced at the ring as Shuri called again.

"Are you alright?" Shuri asked as you snapped out of your daydream. "Yeah, I'm good." Sighing, you glanced at your watch once more. "You never answered my question," the teen repeated as she moved to sit on the examination table with you. "T'Challa gave it to me a few months ago." you explained pulling the ring off of your finger. You handed the small silver band to the scientist and smiled as she studied it.

"Me ware wo, for marriage?"she questioned as she fingered the small circles. "Yeah, it is supposed to be a promise. That he wants to marry me." you clarified. "Why are you just now wearing it?" she exclaimed, holding it up to the light once more.

"I was not sure if I was ready to wear that declaration, when he gave it to me. To be honest, I'm not sure if I am ready to be wearing it now-" you began as Queen mother rushed through the door. "I am so sorry I am late. I lost track of time with the gardeners and-" she froze as she looked around the room. She silently counted the occupants of the room.

"Where is Okoye? T'challa? Dr.Mayre?" she raised an eyebrow. " Dr.Mayre is delivering the first baby of the day. Okoye was called away to solve a border dispute. And the king,has not yet made his debut."Shuri rolled her eyes as you resumed rubbing your stomach. "He is over  fifteen minutes late. He knows it was at 8 right?" Ramonda asked as she settled into one of the plush chairs in the royal birthing room.

"I told him last night, but it may not exactly have been clear." you murmured. "What do you mean, it 'may not' have been clear?" Shuri gaped. "Well, we were in the middle of an argument-"

"You two just stopped fighting! Isn't there a rule about going to bed angry?" Shuri depanned. "For married couples," you scoffed, "Maybe we just work better apart,"you frowned. "Now we both know that, that, is not true." Queen Ramonda chastised. "But Queen Mother. It seems like every few weeks we start fighting again."

"You both need to work on communicating with each other. Calmly tell me what happened last night," it was a command more than an offer. "We had dinner with Nakia and her boyfriend. D'Ajuh-"

"You met the boyfriend?"Shuri pouted. "I never get to meet anybody."

"And you will  get over it," Queen mother dismissed the young scientist. Gesturing at you she smiled. " T'Challa became overly possessive and jealous. Started being annoying and showing off,"
"Isn't he always." Shuri joked. You smiled before continuing, "he made this stupid remark that bothered me more than it probably should have,"

"What did he say," Ramonda interjected softly. "That is  the point of communicating, lay everything out on the table." She explained, gesturing for you to continue.

"I told him I didn't want to be carried around while D'Ajuh was here. I said he could carry me around once D'Ajuh left. He was upset and started saying how he thought I would have  been grateful, since I'm quote on quote, always complaining about being in pain and having swollen ankles." You rolled your eyes.

"Is that all?" Ramonda asked searching our face. Knowing she saw right through your facade, your shoulders dropped as you remembered the hurtful comment from the night before. "He said that Nakia would've let him do it."  You murmured.

"Come again?" Shuri shook her head as she leaned forward. "I'm just lost, it's like nothing I do seems to be enough. And the minute it is, there is something else that I'm not "Nakia" enough at."