Page 15 of Breeze and Melodie

“Wait a minute. What’s going on here?” Natavia, Shyne’s mother, said.

We arrived at her family’s home about ten minutes ago for Sunday dinner. Breeze and I hadn’t attended since we became a couple, so today was the first time she’d seen us together.

“This my new man, Ms. Natavia.”

She smiled. “I might have heard something about you two, and it’s about damn time. I couldn’t stand that other one you were with. He wasn’t that good-looking, and I heard he can’t keep his hands to himself. How are you feeling?”

“I feel good, but dang, Ms. Natavia, tell me how you really feel.”

“I always do, and I’m glad you’re feeling better. I told you that fool wasn’t your forever. Did I not?”

“You did, but I was being stubborn.”

“And you, Mr. Cool Breeze, were wasting that young lady’s time you were with. Whenever you brought her around, you spent most of your time looking at Melodie.”

He chuckled. “Oh, you peeped that too? I thought I was slick with it.”

Ms. Natavia shook her head. “Not even a little bit. You were so focused on Melodie that you didn’t see your woman and her man giving you dirty looks.”

“I couldn’t help myself.” He wrapped his arm around me. “This woman is my future wife. I ain’t never been drawn to a woman like I have her, so I can’t help but stare when she’s in my presence.”

“Whew! Okay, Cool Breeze. I’m glad y’all stopped denying your feelings and playing with other people’s. That can be dangerous.”

“Now that you’ve grilled us, where is everyone else?” I asked.

“Y’all are the last to arrive. I think everyone else is out back. Jacob is on the grill, and most of the sides are ready.”

She turned and led us through the house, stopping in the kitchen as we continued to the backyard. As soon as we opened the patio doors, the aroma from the grill hit my nose, causing my stomach to growl.

“Hey, Jacob. The food smells amazing. I can’t wait to eat,” I told him as we passed him on the deck.

The three of us exchanged a few words before he returned his focus to the food on the grill. We left him to do his thing and headed down the deck stairs to the yard.

“About time y’all came up for air,” Raine said.

I rolled my eyes. “Girl, I know you not talking with the way Shyne be having you?—”

“Aye, chill with all that, Mel. I’m not trying to hear all that,” Breeze said.

“Your baby sister is somebody’s mama. I know you know how that happened.”

“Yeah, and I don’t want details. Where’s my nephew?”

“Over there in that playpen taking a nap, thank goodness. Mari just put him to sleep.” Raine nodded toward RJ, who napped peacefully in the shade. “He’s been so crabby lately, and I can’t figure out what’s wrong with him.”

“Nah, he hasn’t been crabby. He’s just not feeling you right now unless he wants to nurse. He’s cool with me,” Shyne said.

“You don’t have to rub it in, Shyne. My baby will be a year old in a few months, and he’s already kicking me to the curb.”

“Maybe you’re pregnant,” I said.

She reared her head back and frowned. “Why would you say that?”

“Because there’s an old wives’ tale that says something about babies shying away from pregnant women, even their mothers. You should take a test,” I suggested.

“I’ve heard that too,” Yvonne added.

“Shyne, I swear, if you got me pregnant again already, I’m cutting you off.”

“It’s not nice to threaten your husband,” he stated.

“It’s not a threat. It’s a promise. I better not be pregnant.”

Indira, Shyne’s youngest sister, finally tuned in to the conversation. “Oh my God, Raine. You’re pregnant again?”

“Raine’s pregnant?” Noelani, the oldest of Shyne’s three younger sisters, asked as she ended a phone call.

“Oh my God, Mel. Look what you started,” Raine whined.

“I ain’t start nothing. It was just a theory about why RJ ain’t feeling you right now.”

“Hey, y’all. What are we gossiping about today?” Talia, Shyne’s middle sister, asked as she descended the stairs of the deck.

“Raine’s pregnant!” Indira announced with excitement. She was known for not being able to hold secrets.

“Indy! Shut up! I’m not pregnant!” Raine shouted.

“There’s only one way to be sure,” Zayn said with a grin. “Take a test.”

“Why are you in women’s business? You need to go get some tests for your harem of women to see how many babies you got on the way,” Mari said.

“You jealous?”

Mari scrunched her nose. “Eww!”

“Thank you, sis. Stay outta women’s business, Zayne,” Raine said, walking away, pouting, and pretending to check on RJ, who was still sound asleep. Shyne followed her, and I watched as they exchanged a few words.

“Look what you started,” Breeze said from behind me, repeating his sister’s words.

He wrapped his arm around my body, pulling me close before leaning down to kiss my neck.

“She’ll be alright. RJ could use a sibling.”

“He could use a cousin too.”

“Since you refuse to wear rubbers, he’ll have one sooner rather than later.”

“I think you both should take a test,” he suggested.

“Who?”

“You and Raine. As a matter of fact, I’ll run down to the pharmacy and get a few. Aye, Shyne! Let me holla at you for a minute.”

He released me and headed toward Shyne before I could stop him. I watched him share his plans with Shyne as I thought about the possibility of being pregnant. I didn’t feel pregnant, but my body had been healing, and I may have missed the signs.

“We’ll be right back,” Breeze announced to everyone.

“Hold on. Where y’all going?” Ms. Natavia asked from the deck.

“To get some pregnancy tests,” Shyne responded as he and Breeze disappeared around the side of the house.

“Pregnancy tests!” Ms. Natavia exclaimed. “Who’s pregnant?”

“Not me!” all three of her daughters exclaimed.

“Me either!” Mari declared.

“Don’t look at me,” Yvonne added.

“That only leaves the two of you,” Ms. Natavia surmised, looking between me and Raine.

“You can’t take their word for it. How can they be so sure they aren’t pregnant?” I attempted to shift the attention from me and Raine.

“My cycle just ended,” Noelani announced.

“Mine started today,” Talia shared.

“I’m not having sex,” Indira confessed.

“Jacob, you got anything for us to do up there?” Zayn asked as he and Adan stood.

“You should hurry and catch up with Shyne and Breeze to grab those tests for your roster of women,” Mari said.

“The way you keep coming for me, you act like you wanna be one of them.”

“Tuh. Nigga, please. Don’t nobody want you.”

“Okay. This conversation has taken a turn, and I want no parts,” Adan added.

“Y’all were just in women’s business a few minutes ago. Don’t leave now,” Raine said.

“Y’all who? Don’t put me in it because I ain’t said a word.” Adan pointed out.

The twins rushed up to the deck before the conversation went any further.

“Mm-hmm. I guess that just leaves the two of you,” Ms. Natavia accused.

“What about them?” Raine pointed to Mari and Yvonne.

“Nah, sis. You’re too old to be deflecting. However, just to clarify, me and my man broke up two months ago, and I’ve had two cycles since then. Ain’t no babies coming over this way,” Mari clarified.

“I’m on birth control,” Yvonne offered, removing herself from the pregnancy allegations.

“Wait! You didn’t tell us y’all broke up. What happened? Are you okay?” I asked.

Mari shook her head. “I’m great, and that’s a conversation for another time. Right now, we’re talking about y’all and these babies you’re about to have.”

“Aww, Mari. You know we got your back. Do you need us to do anything?” Raine asked, concerned.

“We’re back!” Breeze shouted as he and Shyne entered the backyard, both holding up plastic bags with what I assumed were pregnancy tests.

“I assume those are for Raine and Melodie since you two were so eager to go to the store,” Ms. Natavia said.

“You assumed right. We’ll be back. C’mon, baby.”

He took my hand and damn near had to drag me to the deck, ushering me up the stairs, into the house, and to the nearest bathroom.

“What are you doing?” I asked when he stepped inside.

“We’re about to take these tests.”

“You can’t wait outside?”

“Woman, if you don’t lift that dress up, pull them panties down, and piss on them sticks. I ain’t waiting outside.”

“I’m not wearing panties.”

He raised his brow. “A celebratory or try again fuck might be in order before we leave this bathroom, depending on what these tests say.”

“We’re not about to have sex in Ms. Natavia’s bathroom.”

“You gon’ deny me?”

“No, but that’s so disrespectful. Plus, I don’t want your kids dripping down the inside of my legs for the rest of the afternoon.”

He laughed and thankfully conceded. “You have a point, so I’ll give you a pass this time. You ready to find out if we made a baby?”