Page 21 of Certified Pressure 3 (Certified Pressure #3)

Eboni Keep in Nzuri Hall

Iwas on my way to my mom and pops crib, ridin’ slow and thinkin’ about everything I had to tell ‘em. The drive felt longer than usual, like the road was stretchin’ itself out on purpose.

The sun was bright, the air was warm, and all I could think about was how none of this shit was gon’ be easy once I pulled up.

The closer I got, the more the shit weighed on me. I kept runnin’ through the conversation in my head, tryna figure out how to say what needed to be said without everything blowin’ up.

Pops was calm but stern, and my mama didn’t play about our bloodline. I knew she would want answers, especially when she found out Pluto was pregnant.

Me and Kashmere had been kickin’ it tough lately.

We had been good—at least on the surface.

She was the type that made everything look perfect from the outside.

She made sure I ate, made sure the house stayed clean, even though we had maids on deck and she made sure I had peace.

She was beautiful, funny, and smart in her own way.

She gave me the kind of comfort that most men would be grateful for, but even with her there, my head wasn’t where it should’ve been.

Every time I heard my phone buzz, I half-hoped it was Pluto.

Lately, she had been sendin’ me videos. Just her voice soft in the background and the sound of my baby’s heartbeat through the portable ultrasound I bought her.

The first time I heard it, it felt like somebody reached in my chest and twisted somethin’ I ain’t even know was there.

Every time after that, it hit deeper. I would play those clips late at night, even when Kashmere was right next to me talkin’ about weddin’ colors or some designer shit she wanted to wear.

I would smile, nod and say all the right shit, but my mind would drift straight back to Pluto.

She had that pull on me that didn’t let go no matter how much I tried to act like I moved on. I couldn’t get her outta my head. I couldn’t get the sound of son or daughter’s heartbeat outta my ears. My baby... our baby…

When the gates opened, I eased through and parked out front.

The guards nodded when they saw me, and I gave a small one back before cuttin’ the engine.

For a second I just sat there lookin’ up at the place.

The stone, the tall gold pillars, the vines crawling up the sides… all of it looked the same as always.

Inside, everything was still and perfect. The air smelled like jasmine and wood polish. My mama always had this thing about presentation. You could walk in any time of day and it would still look put together.

I walked through the main hall, past the long staircase and into the sittin’ room where they always had their tea.

Ma was sittin’ there already, back straight, and legs crossed in her cream-colored silk.

Her hair was wrapped neat, makeup flawless, not a single thing out of place.

Pops was next to her, quiet as usual, readin’ from a tablet with that focused look he always had.

Ma looked up and smiled. “Pressure, my love. You finally decided to visit your parents?” She joked, even though she knew I was on the way.

I leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Always got time for you, Ma.”

She smiled and patted my hand. “You better. Sit down, baby. You look tired.”

I hugged my pops next. “Wus’ good, Pops?”

He gave me a solid pat on the back. “Everything’s good, son. You lookin’ sharp.”

I dropped down across from them and rested my arm on the couch. “Appreciate it.”

Ma poured me a cup of tea, slid it across the table, then gave me that look—the one that meant she already knew I was holdin’ somethin’ in. “So, tell me, how’s everything? You’ve been quiet lately.”

I took a sip of the tea that was still warm, and set it back down. “Been workin’. Stayin’ focused. Tryin’ to move right.”

Her eyes narrowed a lil’. “And the women?”

I gave a small nod. “I made my choice.”

That made her sit up straighter. “You have?”

“Yeah. I chose Kashmere.”

Her face lit up with pride. “Oh, Pressure, that’s wonderful news. Finally.” She reached over and touched Pops’ arm. “You hear that? Our son has made his decision.”

Pops looked up from his tablet and gave me a surprised, but proud expression. “That’s great! Congratulations, son.”

I nodded, but I could already feel the next part burnin’ in my chest. I couldn’t leave here without sayin’ it. “There’s somethin’ else y’all need to know.”

Ma’s smile faded just a lil’. “What is it?”

I rubbed my palm against my leg, then looked both of them in the eyes. “Pluto’s pregnant.”

Her eyebrows rose high. Pops looked at me like he needed to make sure he heard me right. My mama blinked slow like she needed to make sure she heard me right.

“I’m sorry?” she said.

I swallowed hard. “Pluto’s pregnant.”

She tilted her head slightly. “So let me make sure I understand. You got one woman pregnant, but you’re engaged to another?”

It sounded worse when she repeated it. I hated the way it came out her mouth, like I was some careless ass boy. “Yeah,” I said finally. “That’s what happened.”

She leaned back, lookin’ at me with disappointment that stung more than if she had yelled at a nigga. “That’s a lot to manage, Pressure. Why not be with the woman carrying your child?”

I sighed and looked away. “Because she don’t want me, Ma.”

Her brows pulled together. “What do you mean she doesn’t want you?”

“She act like she don’t wanna be with me. I done got on my jet more than twice, went to her city, told her I wanted to take care of her, told her to come home, but she keeps refusin’. She say she wanna handle this on her own, which I ain’t tryna hear all that.”

Ma’s lips parted, but no words came out at first. I could see the shift happenin’ in her.

That calm queen energy she always had was startin’ to crack.

She glanced over at Pops, then back at me.

“This is my grandchild we’re talking about,” she said, her voice softer now but carryin’ weight.

Then her tone hardened. “That girl doesn’t have a choice.

She’s carrying our heir. She will come to Trill-Land. ”

“Ma—”

“No,” she said, cuttin’ me off before I could finish. “You listen to me. Marriage can wait at this moment. That child cannot. You make sure the mother of your child is where she’s supposed to be. I don’t care what promises you made to anyone else, that baby, our baby comes first.”

Before I could answer, Pops finally spoke. His voice was calm, but it carried that weight that always made people listen. “Your mother’s right about the baby,” he said, “but if that woman is carrying your child, that’s the woman you should be planning to marry.”

I leaned forward, my elbows on my knees. “It ain’t that easy, Ma. Pluto ain’t like that. She don’t care about the title or the money. She think I only want her ‘cause of the baby.”

Ma stood up and started pacin’ slow in front of me, her arms crossed. Her perfume followed every move. She turned toward me and said, “Give me her number.”

I frowned. “What?”

“I said give me her number. If she won’t listen to you, she’ll listen to me.”

“Ma, you not callin’ her.”

“I most certainly am if you don’t handle it.”

Her tone was sharp, and I could see how serious she was. Her voice ain’t rise, but it didn’t need to. “Pressure, you are my son, and I love you, but if that girl thinks she can carry our bloodline outside this family’s protection, she’s mistaken. That baby will be raised in Trill-Land.”

“Ma, I’m tellin’ you, I got this. Let me handle it.”

She stopped right in front of me, lookin’ down with eyes that was no longer calm but fiery. “If you don’t, I will. That’s not a threat. That’s a promise.”

Her words hung heavy between us. For the first time, I saw the emotion slip through that calm she always carried. The pride and grace was still there, but so was that fire.

I nodded slow. “I hear you.”

She sat back down, still composed but quiet. Her hand trembled slightly as she reached for her teacup.

Pops didn’t say shit else, but when I looked at him, his eyes said everything. He ain’t need to talk. He just stared, and I could read it clear as day. I needed to grow up, handle my business and stop runnin’ from what’s mine.

The silence that followed wasn’t uncomfortable, but it was definitely heavy.

I leaned back and ran a hand across my head, starin’ out the window.

The sun hit the glass, bouncin’ light around the room, and for a second, I thought about Pluto again.

I thought about her sittin’ somewhere rubbin’ her stomach, listenin’ to my child’s heartbeat while I was here tryna explain my mess.

Ma finally spoke again, softer this time. “You need to bring her home, Pressure.

“I know,” I said quietly.

Her words stung ‘cause they was true.

I stood up and kissed her forehead. “I’ll handle it, Ma.”

“You better,” she said without lookin’ up.

I turned to Pops and nodded.

When I stepped out the doors of the mansion, the light hit my face, and I exhaled slow.

No matter how much money, power, or control I had, nothin’ felt heavier than what was sittin’ on my heart.

I had a fiancée waitin’ for me at home, a baby on the way with a woman who didn’t want me, and a mother who was gon’ move heaven and earth to bring my baby to Trill-Land.

And in that moment, I realized I couldn’t run from none of this shit.

After peelin’ off from my mom and Pops crib, I grabbed my blunt from the center console and lit up.

The smoke filled the car fast as I turned onto the main road.

My mind was racin’, thinkin’ about everything said.

I could still hear her voice tellin’ me that marriage could wait but my baby couldn’t.

Pops ain’t say more than my mama, but he said a mouthful and that shit stuck.

If Pluto was carryin’ my child, that’s who I needed to be with.