Page 31 of Only a Gemini Will Do
“Why waste your money on that? She gon’ know as soon as you show up to pick her up from the airport shaped like a snow globe,” he joked.
I balled up my fist, threatening to do bodily harm all the way from the kitchen. “Shut up. I’m going to give it to her in the car, stupid!”
Kareem chuckled. “Whatever you say, shawty.”
Christmas Eve.
The air was cool,and the trunks of palm trees lining the arrivals lane were all wrapped in festive, twinkling lights. I made sure the curve of my belly was cleverly concealed behind my oversized jacket. It was easier to camouflage than the anxiety-ridden expression on my face. I tapped the hazard lights button on my dashboard before my fingers tightened around the steering wheel. My knee bounced nervously as I waited for Soleil, rehearsing how the moment would play out in my head, just like I’d done before I told my friends. All I could do was hope it wasn’t as dramatic as it was when I told them back inNovember. But something already told me it would be.Dear Lord, whatever happens, please don’t let her call the cops on this man.
After a few minutes of waiting, a new wave of tourists in Santa hats and summer clothes started to shuffle through the automatic doors with their luggage in tow. Then I saw her—fresh off a flight from North Carolina and looking as dramatic as ever. She wore pink velvet track pants, a pair of gold hoop earrings, and the sweatshirt I’d gotten her last Christmas that read“Somebody’s Mean Ass Sister.”Soleil was a couple of inches taller than me, but we shared the same caramel complexion and physique, except she always wore a long, middle-part wig with water wave texture and the edges laid to perfection. She spotted my car and rushed over, dragging her leopard-print carry-on behind her.
“Hey, ugly!” I greeted her with the window down.
She rolled her eyes as she bent down to look at me through the passenger window. “Hey, yourself. Why do you look suspicious?”
“What? I don’t look suspicious. How was your flight?”
She put her suitcase in my back seat before getting in the front next to me. “Girl, I left North Carolina in UGGs and landed here sweating through my goddamn wig,” she said with a giggle as she fanned herself. “When I say that flight was packed. We were in those seats like a can of sardines, getting real close—bonnet to bonnet, baby. But I made it!”
“That you did,” I responded, pulling the gift bag off the dashboard and handing it to her. “Open it.”
Her brows creased. “What happened to doing presents at midnight like we always do?”
“This one can’t wait.”
She eyed me suspiciously as she pulled out the tissue paper and a tiny pair of pink baby booties from the bag that said“Auntie’s Favorite”on the bottom.
Her lips twisted to the side.“Don’t tell me these are for that damn dog.”
I sucked my teeth. “You gon’ stop hating on my son all the damn time.”
“I’m just saying. You do the most for him.”
I rolled my eyes. “They’re not for Butta, dummy. They’re for your niece. I’m pregnant,” I announced, unzipping my jacket to reveal my belly.
Soleil’s eyebrows shot toward her laid edges. “W-What? Are you fucking serious right now, Sawyer? Don’t make me fuck up my holiday lashes for no reason.”
“I’m serious. You’re going to be an auntie, Soleil.”
“Shut up!” she screamed. “Iknewit! I fucking knew it! Oh my God. I need a drink. Hold up—youcan’t drink. That means I need two drinks. Fuck, this baby is going to turn me into an alcoholic.”
I giggled watching her fan herself harder. “Take a breath, girl.”
She leaned over the center console and hugged me. “Oh my God. I’m so happy, but I also have so many questions.”
“I knew you would.”
“Who knows? Does Mama know yet? You said it’s a girl. When is she due? I’ll need to take at least a month off to be here with you. Do you have a name picked out yet? Oh my God, Sawyer! I didn’t even know you were fucking on anybody new these days, bitch! Who is he? Does he live out here? Is he supportive? Shit, how are you feeling? Are your hormones in check?” she rambled out breathlessly, still holding onto the baby booties.
Her brain was firing in a million different directions, and all I was trying to do was keep up.
“I think you’re stressing me out.”
“Shit. I’m sorry. Okay,okay, I’ll shut up.”
“Thank you. Mama doesn’t know yet. Yes, it’s a girl. She’s due at the end of March. There’s no name picked out yet, but I’ve been playing around with the idea of starting it with the letter K.”
“Why K?”