Page 15 of Loving a Libra (BLP Signs of Love #7)
“The first night, Tariq? Really?”
He shrugged. “What? It wasn’t my intention, but I ain’t mad.”
We’d just left our first prenatal appointment and found out that I was twelve weeks pregnant. I almost passed out when the doctor said that.
“You could’ve at least pulled out.”
“Shiitt. I tried but failed miserably.”
“Clearly, but I’m glad you did.”
We stopped at a light, and he leaned over the console for a kiss.
“My parents might explode with happiness.”
“Aww. You think so?”
“I do. I’m thirty-seven and haven’t been in a relationship since my early twenties. They’d all but given up on gaining a daughter-in-law and having grandchildren.”
“I hope they’re as excited as we are. It would mean a lot to me.”
A wave of sadness washed over me as I thought about how few people I had in my life who I trusted. My support system was small, but I was intentional about who I allowed to get close to me, so I couldn’t blame anyone but myself.
Tariq must have sensed my sadness, because I felt his hand on my thigh. I looked at him, and he quickly gave me a glance before focusing on the road again.
“I know it’s not the same as having your parents, but we can share mine. I promise they’ll love you like they would their own daughter.”
I smiled. “I hope so because I’m gonna need your mother, especially. I don’t have anyone to help guide me through this pregnancy.”
“I’m sure she’d be honored.”
A few minutes later, we arrive at his parents’ house with our ultrasound pictures in hand. It was close to dinnertime, and the house smelled amazing.
“This is a nice surprise. What are y’all doing here?”
“We were in the neighborhood,” Tariq lied.
“It smells great in here. Please tell me you made enough to share,” I pleaded.
“I always make too much. Tonight I made fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and cornbread.”
“You got my stomach growling now. Where’s Mr. Vince?”
“He should be pulling up shortly. Y’all come on in the living room while we wait for him.”
We followed Mama Kia to the living room. She sat in the sofa chair while Tariq and I sat on the couch.
“So, how are things going?”
“I’m all moved into the house and will start work at a different hospital next week. Maurice still has no idea where I am.”
“Really? How’d you pull that off?”
“I moved out while he and Tariq were in D.C.”
“And you changed jobs, so he has no idea where to find you. Excuse my French, but that’s some slick shit right there.”
“I thought so too. I’m a Libra, and I might give you a lot of chances, but when I’m done, I’m done. My karma will be felt for years to come.”
“I know that’s right,” Mama Kia said, clapping her hands.
“Why are you parked in the driveway?” Mr. Vince said before he entered the living room.
“My bad, Pops. I thought you were home. Give me your keys. I’ll go move both cars,” Tariq offered.
Mr. Vince and Tariq exchanged a hug before he gave Tariq his keys, and he disappeared around the corner. I stood to greet him as he approached me.
“I wasn’t expecting company, but this is a nice surprise,” he said as we embraced.
“We were in the neighborhood.”
I repeated the same lie Tariq had told but couldn’t wait until we told them the real reason for our visit.
“Devyn was just sharing how she ended things with Maurice. Tell him, girl.”
I shared the same thing with Mr. Vince as I had with his wife. He had to sit in his recliner to steady himself from laughing.
“I sure hope Tariq stays on your good side. That’s cold-blooded. You must be a Libra,” he surmised.
“I sure am. How’d you guess?”
“Because in my experience, Libra women are some calculated people when you do them wrong.”
“And what experience is that?” Mama Kia questioned.
“Uh-oh! You got me in trouble. What’s for dinner?”
He stood and fast-walked to the kitchen with his wife behind him, just as Tariq reentered.
“What’s up with those two?”
“I think your dad may have dated a Libra or two back in the day. He mentioned how calculated we were, and your mother wants to find out how he knows.”
“Oh. She’s always pretending to be mad at him about something. Let’s go eat so we can tell them the news.”
We headed to the kitchen and washed our hands at the sink. Mama Kia and Mr. Vince had already made up, and she was fixing his plate. As I was about to do the same for Tariq, he told me to sit down.
“I can fix your plate, baby,” I offered.
“I know, but I got us this time.”
I sat down and waited for him to return to the table with our food. Mr. Vince said a quick prayer, and we dug in.
“How are things between you and Maurice?” Mr. Vince asked Tariq.
“He’s been stressed the hell out about Devyn disappearing. A few of our employees asked me to talk to him because he’s been snapping at them for no reason.”
“When do y’all plan to break the news to him?” Mama Kia asked, and I responded.
“I don’t know. I want to hold off for as long as we can because I know it will cause issues between him and Tariq.”
“I keep telling her not to worry about us.”
“I understand where Devyn is coming from. You two run a successful business, and there will no doubt be some issues when he finds out,” Mr. Vince said.
“Don’t you think the longer you wait to tell him, the worse it’ll be?” Mama Kia questioned.
“Possibly.” Tariq and I responded simultaneously.
“I don’t know. Do what you think is best, but also be mindful that you’re playing with someone else’s emotions.”
“He wasn’t worried about my emotions when he was sleeping with every woman who was willing.”
“When you’re right, you’re right. He deserves all the karma coming his way.” Mama Kia changed her tune too quick.
“Speaking of babies,” Tariq said casually.
“Babies? No one was . . . What are you saying, Tariq?” Mama Kia questioned.
His parents put their forks down slowly and looked back and forth between us.
“Devyn is pregnant,” he announced.
“Boy, don’t play with your mother’s emotions like that,” Mr. Vince said.
I removed their copy of the ultrasound pictures from my purse and passed them across the table. Mama Kia grabbed them before Mr. Vince and hopped to her feet.
“Yes! Yes! Yes!” she shouted while doing a praise dance.
“Let me see the damn pictures, woman. You ain’t even looking.”
Mr. Vince stood and tried to take the pictures. Eventually, Mama Kia stopped dancing, and they looked at them together.
“I’m twelve weeks, and we can find out what we’re having at my next appointment.”
“Twelve weeks,” Mama Kia repeated. “Oh my. I didn’t expect you to be so far along. Y’all have made my day. Hell, my year. I’m about to be a Glam-Ma.”
“Hear you go with that nonsense. Why can’t you be a regular grandma?” Mr. Vince asked teasingly.
“Because ain’t nothing regular about me, and you know it.”
We laughed as they returned to their seats to finish their dinner.
Once we finished eating, Mama Kia asked me to help her clean the kitchen.
When her husband and son were gone, she embraced me with so much love, it made me cry.
When she released me, her hands remained on my shoulders, and she looked at me with tear-filled eyes.
“I hope you don’t mind, but Tariq told me a few weeks ago that you lost your mother at a young age, and you’re not close to your father.”
“I don’t mind. I lost my mother when I was thirteen.
She was my everything, and I was hers. I’ll never get over the pain of losing her.
My parents weren’t together, and before my mother died, I rarely saw my father.
I had to live with him, and he treated me like I was nothing but an inconvenience.
Thankfully, he wasn’t physically abusive, but his words cut like a knife.
He gave me enough to keep the people off his case, but believe me, it was the bare minimum.
As soon as I turned eighteen, I went to college and never looked back. ”
“Unfortunately, I understand all too well what it means to have parents who are physically present, and it ends there. We aren’t your parents, but we’re here to love and support you in any way you need.
I know what it’s like to go through a pregnancy without support from your mother.
If you need anything, promise me you won’t hesitate to call me. ”
I nodded as I wiped my tears. “I promise.”
We hugged again, but this time, it was longer, and it meant so much more than any other time. I was so overwhelmed with emotion, and Mama Kia let me cry in her arms.
By the time we left the home of my future in-laws, I felt light and more excited than I’d ever been about the future. I’d prayed for days like this and wouldn’t take them for granted.