Page 59 of Certified Pressure 3 (Certified Pressure #3)

The Holy Crown Temple

Istood at the altar feelin like my heart was tryin to beat its way out my chest. The whole church smelled like roses and money, and all I could think about was how crazy this shit was.

My tux was cream and fitted right, and I was clean from the shirt to the shoes.

The gold cufflinks matched the Rolex on my wrist. Everything was simple but fly.

I looked the part, but inside I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

Kay’Lo was next to me, lookin’ like this was a regular day. Renza was on the other side, fixin his cufflinks and whisperin to Blaqson about somethin I ain’t even catch. They was chillin’, and talkin’ like this wasn’t the biggest day of my life. I tried to smile but my mind wasn’t here.

The crowd was full. My whole family showed up, cousins, uncles, aunties and old folks from Trill-Land I ain’t seen since I was a kid.

They was all dressed up with they phones out, ready to see me say “I do.” I glanced down at the front row and caught my mama starin’ right at me.

She had that look that let me know she wasn’t pleased.

Her face said everything she didn’t have to.

She was proud of me but disappointed all at once, like she already knew I ain’t belong here.

My pops was sittin beside her with his shoulders back, quiet, and watchin’ everything.

He didn’t have to say a word. Just the way he looked at me said enough.

I swallowed hard and adjusted my collar.

The closer I got to that moment, the more my chest burned.

I thought about last night, and Pluto’s skin under my hands.

I thought about the way her belly moved when my son kicked.

That shit was eatin’ at me. I could smell her scent if I focused too long.

I could still hear her voice when she told me to leave before Zurie woke up.

Everybody was probably thinkin’ I was nervous about gettin married, but I was sick ‘cause I already knew I was lyin to myself.

The music switched and the whole room stood up.

The doors opened slow, and Kashmere stepped in.

Her daddy was walkin’ beside her, and she looked happy as hell.

Her gown was beautiful, long and glittered like it was dipped in diamonds.

She was smilin’, tryin’ not to cry, and all eyes was on her.

She was lookin’ at me like I was the man of her dreams, but I felt like the worst nigga alive.

My heart started beatin’ even harder, and my fingers kept twitchin’ by my side. Kay’Lo leaned toward me and whispered, “Shit gettin’ real, Cuz,” but I barely heard him. My ears was ringin’. My mind was stuck on how wrong this shit felt.

When Kashmere got close, her eyes was already glassy. I couldn’t even be fake and smile. She reached the front, and her daddy kissed her cheek before handin’ her off. I nodded at him and shook his hand, then took hers. Her fingers was shakin’. Mine was too.

The pastor started talkin’ about love and commitment, about vows and faith, and every word felt heavier than the last. I couldn’t even look Kashmere in the eyes for too long ‘cause every time I did, I saw Pluto’s face behind her.

I was barely listenin’ when I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. I tried to ignore it, but it buzzed again. I shifted a little, tryna act like I was scratchin’ my leg, and pulled it out slow to check.

When I saw it was Pluto, my heart dropped. She never called me durin’ no random time like this. My stomach knotted up. I looked down at her name flashin’ on the screen and the whole church disappeared for a second. I could hear the pastor’s voice, but it sounded far away.

I hit the side button to silence it and shoved it back in my pocket, but before I could put it all the way away, a text popped up.

Pluto: My water just broke.

My whole body froze. I swear I couldn’t breathe.

I looked up at the pastor, then at Kashmere, then back at the phone. I blinked a few times like maybe I read it wrong, but it was right there in front of me. My water just broke.

I backed up a step and said, “I’m sorry, I gotta take this.”

The crowd got quiet. Kashmere frowned and whispered, “Pressure, what the hell are you doing?”

“I just need a second,” I said, already walkin’ down the steps. I pulled the phone out and hit call.

“Hello?” Pluto’s voice came through shaky and scared. She was cryin’.

“Yo, what’s goin on?” I asked, my voice low but loud enough that the church could hear.

“My water broke,” she cried. “It won’t stop, and I’m having bad contractions.”

“Your water broke? What? You still got another month before the baby get here.”

The whole room gasped. I didn’t even realize how loud I was talkin’. I turned my back to the crowd, one hand on my forehead, tryin’ to think straight.

“Yes,” she cried harder. “It won’t stop, and I’m scared. I’m on my way to the hospital.”

“Can you hold on till I get there?” I asked, my heart beatin’ so fast I thought I was about to pass out.

“I don’t think I can,” she said.

“I’m comin’,” I said quick. “I’m on the way, I swear.”

I hung up and looked at Kashmere. Her face was red, her eyes wide, and she looked like she was about to explode.

“You serious right now?” she yelled. “You really about to walk out of our wedding for her?”

I took a deep breath and walked closer. My voice was calm but my whole body was shakin’. I took her hands and looked her straight in her eyes.

“I can’t do this,” I said. “I can’t marry you, Kash. I’m sorry, but I can’t.”

“What?” she whispered, her lips tremblin’.

“I love somebody else,” I said, the words heavy but real. “I love Pluto. That’s who I’m supposed to be with. That’s who got my heart.”

Tears started rollin’ down her face, and it broke me. I didn’t mean to embarrass her, but I couldn’t keep lyin’.

“I’m sorry it took me this long. I’m so sorry I wasted yo’ time,” I said. “You ain’t deserve this, and I’ll still make sure you get that money. You earned that… but I can’t marry you.”

She stared at me like I stabbed her right through the heart, and I did. Then she pulled her hands away and yelled, “Fuck you, Pressure!” before storming off down the aisle.

The whole church went quiet, and the only sound that broke through was my mama startin’ to clap, loud and proud.

“About time son,” she said with tears in her eyes. “About damn time.”

Kashmere turned back with a cold glare that could kill. My mama stared right back like she was waitin’ on her to try somethin’.

I couldn’t stay here another damn second. I felt around in my pocket for my keys but realized I ain’t even have none.

“Say, Cuz!” Kay’Lo called out from the front.

I looked up and he was holdin’ his keys up. “Go handle that, fam,” he said, and tossed them across the aisle. I caught them without even thinkin’.

“Appreciate it,” I said, already headin’ for the doors.

I could hear Renza yell somethin’ behind me, people talkin’, but none of it mattered. My whole body was movin’ on its own. I pushed through the crowd and out the front doors, the sunlight hittin’ my face hard.

I pulled my phone out again and called Pluto back. Sirens was blarin’ in the background when she picked up.

“You on the way to the hospital?” I asked, breathin’ heavy.

“Yes,” she said between sobs. “The one I’m registered at.”

“Zurie with you?”

“Yes.”

“A’ight,” I said, jumpin’ in Kay’Lo’s matte black coupe and slammin’ the door. “I’m on the way, baby. Just hold on for me, please.”

“Pressure,” she whispered. “Please hurry.”

“I’m comin’,” I said, my voice breakin’ with emotion. “I’m comin’ right now. Pluto… I love you.”

There was silence for a second, then her voice came through soft but sure. “I love you too.”

That was all I needed to hear. I gripped the wheel, my heart racin’, and pulled off fast. I was headin’ exactly where I belonged.

I ain’t give a fuck about cops, pedestrians or none of that shit as I weaved in and out of traffic. I was tryna get to my girl and my baby. I had Pluto on the phone, and all I could hear was her breathin’ hard, cryin’ and tellin’ me they was wheelin’ her into the hospital.

“Baby, listen to me,” I said, grippin’ the wheel tight. “Hold on, you hear me? I’m seven minutes away. You gotta hold on, Pluto.”

She was cryin’, her voice weak and scared. “It hurts so bad, Pressure. It’s too early. I’m not even due yet.”

“I know, I know, baby. Just breathe. I need you to stay strong for me. I’m almost there. Is he movin’?”

“Yes.”

Every red light looked like a personal attack. Every slow driver felt like they was tryna keep me from gettin’ to my family. I could hear her cryin’ harder and I swear the shit was killin’ me.

“I need to see my son born,” I said, my voice shakin’ even though I was tryna keep it together. “You hear me, baby? I need to see him come into this world. Just hold on for me. Please.”

She didn’t say nothin’ for a second, just sobbed. Then she whispered, “Pressure, I’m scared.”

“I know you are, baby, but you not alone no more,” I said, pushin’ harder on the gas. “I’m on the way. I love you, Pluto. You was right about everything. All of it. I was selfish, and I should’ve waited on you. I should’ve been the man you needed me to be instead of the one I thought I had to be.”

Her voice cracked when she said, “Don’t say that right now.”

“Nah, I gotta,” I said, my throat tight. “I hurt you, and I hate that. I ain’t mean to. I swear I ain’t, but I need you to know somethin before our baby come.”

“What?” she asked, breathin’ uneven.

“I ain’t marry her.”

I could hear her gasp over the phone, then there was silence. The sound she made after that, like a sigh mixed with a cry, made my whole heart warm and heavy.

“You didn’t?” she whispered.