The Preachers Daughter

Chapter Twenty-Four

"I need to hire a maid," I said to myself. My father had them when he was alive but after his suicide and big Bertha thinking she was going to live there, they looked for work elsewhere. For the most part I was able to pick up and clean up but now that I have my hands in the strip club on top of running the empire and the boutique, I'm barely home. And when I am home, shit is a mess. Zy'Air is gone before I wake up to handle shit with the crew. Melody sleeps in from being on the pole all night, which I had to lie and tell Zy'Air I put her on nightshift to handle my inventory and all my other business with the boutique to lessen my load. She does end up stopping by the boutique before she comes home and does little things so I guess it wasn't a complete lie. Zoie stops in during the day to run it for me when she isn't doing photoshoots. I still have to make sure her and Mel barely cross paths. Still not sure what the beef is there but I'm too knee deep in shit to figure that out. 

I had just put the clothes in the washer and started the cycle when the doorbell rang. I decided to entertain Zy'Air's concerns for the day and stay home. I was in the middle of my second trimester and I know they say this is the most comfortable time in your pregnancy. Well, that is the most bull shit I've ever heard. My feet hurt, I couldn't stop peeing, and don't even get me started on the shit I've been eating lately. I waddled as fast as I could to the front door and looked through the peephole. The person didn't look familiar and I almost didn't answer the door but something told me to do it. I opened the door halfway and looked outside.

"Can I help you?" I asked.

"You telling me you don't recognize your best friend?"

"My best friend? My best friend is a female and you're clearly a dude."

"Come on Rabbit, it's me."

I leaned my head forward to get a better look. The guy in front of me had a low brush cut and little traces of a beard. They were rocking a white t shirt and some joggers and some fly ass Air Maxes. This couldn't have been Annie. Annie would never cut her hair off or be caught in something this baggie. Then I noticed the bracelet on the guy's arm. It was red yarn with the letters "Z" and "A" on it. I remembered making matching bracelets just like that for Annie and I when we were younger.

"Annie?"

"I go by Aston now."

I opened the door wider and motioned for him to come in. He looked at my stomach and raised his eyebrows.

"Knocked up I see, " he said.

"Really? I didn't notice," I joked. "So, are you a lesbian now?"

"Uh ... I actually transitioned."

"Transitioned into what?"

He paused. "A man."

I started at him for a minute then burst out laughing. I quickly noticed he wasn't sharing my same laugh. "You're serious?" I asked.

Aston blew out an annoying sigh then slightly lifted up his shirt, then dropped his pants and underwear. My eyes widened in surprise.

"I know right? My dick is nice," Aston said then bent to pull his pants back on. "I went to the top surgeon to get it done. It's as close to the real thing as its gonna get."

"Annie ... I mean Aston ... we have a lot to catch up on. "

"That is the understatement of the year."

"Come on, I'll warm you up something to eat."

I led Aston into the kitchen and went to pull out some of the leftover baked Ziti I made. Aston sat down on one of the stools by the island, picking up the framed picture of Zy'Air, me and Melody.