Page 2 of Certified Pressure 3 (Certified Pressure #3)

Nzora City–Flashback

A Father’s Pain…

Ka’mari had just turned seven months pregnant and I was excited as fuck ‘cause that meant we had just a couple more months before we got to meet my baby boy… Kamir.

I went all out for her, not just ‘cause she was carryin’ my son, but because she was my girl and I wanted her to feel like the queen she was.

We wasn’t doin’ no regular ass baby shower with balloons and diaper cakes.

Nah, this was legacy. This was the same way my father had it when he was waitin’ on me to be born, and now I was carryin’ that tradition for my own son.

The Galleria in Nzora City was glowin’ that night.

I rented the whole place out, and when you walked in, you could feel money drippin’ from the ceilings.

Gold chandeliers hung low enough to catch the diamonds on everybody’s neck, and the marble floors reflected the shine from the lights.

Every table was laid out with glassware, crystal centerpieces, and roses that looked like they’d been dipped in silver.

The smell of food hit you before you even got to your seat.

It had chefs movin’ through the kitchen with the type of dishes you only saw on magazine covers, and the bar in the back was stacked with wine and liquor bottles you couldn’t even find in the States.

I looked around and already knew it was a billion dollars in the room easy, and that was the whole point. All this power, all this money, and tonight it was all centered on my son. The Mensah’s was in the buildin’ heavy, and so was the Draquó’s, which was my mama’s side of the family.

My father sat at the head table lookin’ like the king he was, and on each side of him was his brothers, Kwame and Asa.

That was the three pillars of the Mensa dynasty right there.

My uncle Kwame was Kay’Lo’s father, and Asa was Renza’s.

Together, the three of them didn’t just walk in a room and take over that bitch, but they made grown niggas sit up straighter and watch how they moved.

They carried generations of power on their backs like it was nothin’.

They wasn’t just niggas in suits; they was real men who had built empires brick by brick, the type of men who made other families fold under pressure.

Each one was married to powerful women of their own, and together they carried the Mensah name.

Lookin’ at them up there reminded me that this wasn’t just family, this was a bloodline built on power, respect, and legacy, and now I was the one carryin’ it forward with my son.

On my mama’s side, her sisters Novah and Lyricah Draquó was done up to perfection, sittin’ there with all their diamonds catchin’ the light.

They always carried themselves like they had crowns on their heads, and their daughters, my girl cousins, was right there too, laughin’ and blendin’ in with everybody else.

It felt like both sides of my world was standin’ together in one room, and for me, that was somethin’ I would never forget.

Ka’mari was glowin’. Her stomach was round, and she had on this soft cream dress that made her look angelic, but with the type of curves that had me whisperin’ shit in her ear all night.

I stayed close to her, rubbin’ her back, makin’ sure her plate was full and her glass stayed poured.

She didn’t lift a finger for shit. If she wanted it, I got it for her.

That was my job, and I loved it. Every few minutes I was leanin’ down to kiss her, lettin’ her know she was mine and I couldn’t wait to make her my wife.

She smiled at me in that way that made me feel like nobody else was in the room, even though the whole family was watchin’ us.

Her mama and daddy sat nearby, not my biggest fans but still present, showin’ their support for their daughter and the grandchild she was carryin’.

A few of her cousins lingered close too, all of them takin’ in the moment.

The music played smooth in the background, somethin’ classy mixed with a lil’ soul so it still felt like us.

People was eatin’, drinkin’, and laughin’, but when the time came to bring out the offerings, the whole room shifted.

This wasn’t about gifts for a baby to grow out of.

It was about settin’ Kamir’s legacy before he even took his first breath.

Uncles was presenting deeds to land, stocks, and family jewels that had been passed down for generations.

My aunts spoke blessings over him, promisin’ to keep him covered and remindin’ me of the same way they had poured into me when I was born.

Ka’mari sat there with tears in her eyes, overwhelmed by the love, and I wrapped my arm around her tighter, whisperin’ in her ear that this was just the beginnin’.

Then Mamáh stood up, and the whole room gave her the type of attention only she could demand.

Solenne Mensah aka, the Great Matriarch.

She wasn’t just my grandma, she was the head of this entire dynasty.

She was the woman who held it all together.

At seventy-two years old, she was dressed down like a queen in emerald and gold, with her bold red lipstick shinin’ against her smooth brown skin, and heels clickin’ on marble like she owned a runway.

She ain’t look like no frail old lady either; she looked like power, elegance, and legacy rolled into one.

Everyone in here knew it too. She was Mamáh, and in our family her word carried the same weight as law.

She didn’t have to ask for the microphone. The host knew to place it in her hand as soon as she stepped forward. That’s how much respect she carried.

The room went quiet when she raised her hand.

Her voice was smooth, strong, but calm as she smiled at me.

“Pressure,” she said, “my first grandson. You were the first to teach me what it meant to love the next generation. You are the reason I became Mamáh, and now you are giving me my first great grandchild. Do you know what that means to me?”

I couldn’t stop smilin’. My chest swelled with pride just hearin’e her say that in front of everybody.

“I’ve watched you grow into the man you are,” she continued, “and I am proud. Not just because of what you have, but because of the love I see you give. You’ve always been mine, my first, my baby boy, and now you are a father.”

I nodded, bitin’ my lip a lil’ ‘cause her words hit me deep. I looked at Ka’mari and kissed her forehead, holdin’ her hand tight.

Then Renza, bein’ Renza, leaned forward with a smirk. “Mamáh, what about me? You don’t see me sittin’ here?“

“You boys know the truth,” she said, pointin’ at Renza and Kay’Lo. “I love all my grandsons, but the first will always be different.”

Everybody clapped and laughed, but I knew she meant every word. She had a love for me that couldn’t be matched, and now she was showin’ that same love for Kamir.

The night went on with more food, more laughter, and more drinks flowin’.

The men was talkin’ business in corners, the women was showin’ off their jewelry and catchin’ up, and the cousins was jokin’ and dancin’.

It was everything a celebration should be.

But for me, the only thing that mattered was Ka’mari.

I kept my arm around her, rubbin’ her stomach, tellin’ her how I couldn’t wait to see Kamir’s face.

I whispered in her ear, “You know he gon’ come out lookin’ just like me, right?

My lil twin.” She laughed and shook her head, sayin’, “No, he’s going to look like me, and you gon’ be mad about it.

” I kissed her lips and told her I didn’t care who he looked like as long as he came out healthy and strong.

I told her she was everything I ever wanted, that I couldn’t wait to make her my wife, to give her everything she deserved and more.

“You’ll never want for shit, baby,” I said.

“Not a damn thing. You and Kamir, y’all got me forever.

” She leaned into me with tears in her eyes, soakin’ up every word, and I kissed them away before they could fall.

Life was perfect. I was surrounded by family, by legacy and by love. I had my father, my uncles, my aunts, my cousins, and most importantly, I had Ka’mari carryin’ my son. In that moment, I felt untouchable. I felt like everything I had been through was worth it ‘cause it brought me here.

I didn’t know what was waitin’ for me just weeks later. I ain’t know that joy could flip into pain so fast. All I knew that night was happiness. All I knew was love.

And I held onto that with everything I had.

Trill-Land, Jungle Estate

One week later…

Today was Ka’mari’s appointment and I already had a private doctor at the crib, checkin’ on lil’ man.

I wasn’t playin’ about my son. Ever since I found out she was pregnant I made sure everything was set up so she ain’t have to run around hospitals every week sittin’ in no long ass waitin’ room.

The doctor came to us, brought all her equipment, and it gave Ka’mari that comfort too, ‘cause she was already nervous about every lil’ thing.

She wanted to know her baby was safe all the time and I wanted to give her that.

We was in the livin’ room, Ka’mari sittin’ back on the couch with a soft blanket over her lap.

She looked so beautiful with her belly pokin’, and glowin’ even though she had been tired all mornin’.

I was right next to her, holdin’ her hand and whisperin’ lil’ things in her ear just to make her smile.

The doctor pulled out a small monitor, rubbin’ some cold ass gel on Ka’mari’s stomach, and I kissed her temple while she flinched from how cold it felt.