Page 18 of Bern and Isley (D-Ville Projects #5)

Bern

I grabbed a couple of beers from the fridge and handed them to Theo and Antwan.

“Nigga, I hope you not trying to pay me with liquor. All this heavy ass lifting you had us doing.” Antwan snatched the beer bottle from my hand.

“Right,” Theo agreed as he accepted and opened his drink.

“Damn, it’s like that?” I chuckled as I plopped down on my brand-new sectional. “Y’all know quality furniture is heavy. I wasn’t bringing no cheap shit in here.”

“Well next time don’t be cheap and pay for delivery, nigga.”

“Nah… I wasn’t paying four hundred dollars for them to drive fifteen miles to deliver my stuff.”

Antwan smirked. “Cheap ass.”

“Here, nigga.” I went into my pocket for my wallet.

“Nigga, we fuckin’ with you.” Theo waved me off. “But on the real, I’m happy to see you got your own place and whatnot. Glad to see you get out of the pen and make some shit shake.”

“Man, I appreciate that. The system ain’t made for us. I can see how people end up back in the joint.”

If I didn’t have money put back to purchase my carwash, I didn’t know what I would’ve done for money.

Even with a personal referral, I couldn’t land a nine to five.

I was glad that I wasn’t the type to spend every dime I came in contact with.

Although the money wasn’t earned legally, I was able to turn it into a legit business.

And the profits were steadily rolling in.

“Isley been over here yet?” Antwan asked as he threw his bottle into the trash can.

“Naw, not yet,” I answered. I already knew the direction the niggas were about to take the conversation. “I just got the keys yesterday, but I’m sure she’s going to come over to let me know what she thinks.”

Theo raised his brow. “I mean she lives here in the same building. What’s the hold up?”

“Nigga, that’s even more reason for her not to be in a rush. We in the same building, I’ll see her when I see her. Why you worried about it?”

He raised his arms. “I’m just asking. Damn.”

“She has a lot going on right now. I’m just trying to be there for her when she needs me but still giving her space.”

“So, it’s true that she’s pregnant?” Antwan asked.

My brows knitted together. “Where did you hear that?”

“Word is she was seen vomiting in the parking lot one day. I guess people just assumed she’s pregnant.”

Damn, I didn’t know people knew. Or at least thought they knew. It still made my stomach do flips thinking about her growing a baby in her belly. Now that people were finding out her secret, it made the situation even more real.

Before I could downplay the rumor, there was a knock at the door. Theo walked over and opened the door.

“Speak of the devil,” he said as Isley and Snow entered the unit.

“Are y’all working hard or hardly working?” Isley asked as she waltzed in carrying a pizza box.

“Hey, you,” I greeted her. “What’s up, Snow?”

“Hey, hey,” Snow replied as she looked around. “I like the upgrades in here… fancy.”

“I figured I’d bring y’all something to put on your bellies after all of that strenuous labor.

” She laughed as she placed the food on the counter.

She wore a yellow halter dress that fell just below her hips and hugged every inch of her curves.

Her nipples were erect and very visible through the thin fabric.

My jaw clenched because I noticed both Theo and Antwan were checking Isley out.

I knew they were doing it to get a rise out of me.

They knew she was off limits despite my failure to lock Isley down.

Theo and Antwan didn’t hesitate grabbing a slice of pizza.

Seeing that I hadn’t bought any dishes yet, I was glad Isley came prepared with paper plates and utensils.

I hadn’t even thought about food, but once the aroma saturated the air, my stomach began begging for a piece.

I washed my hands then smashed a couple of slices.

“I just wanted to congratulate you on your new place, but I need to get back to my man,” Snow said as she made her way to the door.

“I appreciate that.”

“I’ll call you later, Isley,” she said before leaving.

“We gon’ get out of here too,” Antwan announced as he disposed of his trash.

“Okay, cool. I appreciate y’all helping me.” I dapped each of them up before they bounced.

“Do you need any help with cleaning?” Isley asked.

“Nah. As soon as I got the keys yesterday, Mama insisted that she come over to clean and disinfect.” I shook my head because she wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“Oh okay.” She snickered. “Are you staying here tonight?”

“Yeah. I need to go back to my mom’s house for a few more things, but the plan is to spend my first night here. You going to hang out with me for a little bit?”

“Sure… if you want me to.” She shrugged.

“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want you to, Icey… how are you feeling by the way?”

“I’m feeling really good. I guess my morning sickness phase ended way sooner than I thought it would.”

“That’s good to hear. You look like you feel better.”

She smiled. “Thanks… I guess.”

“Wanna ride with me to my mom’s to get a few things?”

“Sure. I’m not doing anything else.”

We made it to my mom’s house and back within an hour.

“I’ll wash these dishes for you,” Isley said as she unpacked a box of brand-new dishes my mom had surprised me with.

“Nah, you need to have a seat. I’ll take care of that later.”

“It won’t take me long,” she insisted.

“Isley, I said no. Sit your pretty ass down and put your feet up. Those dishes can wait. I don’t plan on cooking anytime soon.”

“Ughhh.” She rolled her pretty brown eyes before plopping down on the sofa. “I’m pregnant, not disabled, Bernie.”

I joined her on the sofa. “I know that, but still. When you’re around me, I don’t want you doing too much. It’s bad enough that you’re always on your feet doing hair. I’m going to find you a comfy stool to sit on while you’re doing hair.”

“Nah, I don’t need all of that… not right now anyway. Maybe when I get into my last trimester.”

“Have you given any more thought to renting a booth or one of those little suite things?”

“Yeah, I’m still thinking about it.”

“I definitely think you should do it. You don’t need people coming all up in your home when the baby gets here. All them germs and shit.”

“That’s what I’ve been thinking about… all of this stuff is stressing me the fuck out.”

“No need to stress, Icey. Just tell me what you need and I got you.”

“Thank you, Bernie… I appreciate you being here for me. You and Snow are the only reasons that I feel I can face this decision.”

“I’m gon’ forever be there for you. No matter what.”

She studied me for a moment with a hint of a grin. “I bet you’ll make a great daddy one day.”

I nodded. I agreed for sure. When it was my time to become a parent, I was going to take that shit seriously. My wife wouldn’t have to beg me to do shit, I was going to be on it. I was going to be at every doctor’s appointment, basketball practice, school open house. You name it.

“Did your baby daddy ever reach out to you?”

She exhaled deeply. “I don’t even want to talk about that.”

Her tone told me everything I needed to know. Either the nigga was denying paternity or didn’t want anything to do with the child. Maybe both. I wasn’t surprised but the shit didn’t sit well with me.

“And I forgot to tell you that we found out Scrap done took his ass to Arkansas and got arrested.”

“Let me guess. He took his ass out there stealing.”

“Hell yeah. Armed robbery. He robbed a surgeon at gun point. His ass is going to get some serious time.”

“I hate to say it, but jail might be the safest place for him right now. Because he gon’ mess around and get killed stealing from muthafuckas.”

“I hate to agree, but I think you’re right. In the meantime, I’ve been having to try to cheer Aunt Fee up. You know that broke her heart.”

Isley and I spent the rest of the night just enjoying each other’s presence. I was glad to be back in the same building with her. It truly felt like home having her there. Even though circumstances didn’t look exactly like I envisioned, I knew eventually it would work out for the best.