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Cassius had been acting secretive all morning, but I didn’t press him. We had been good for months since the Keisha incident, and everything felt normal. I was sitting on the sofa, playing Candy Crush while the TV droned on in the background, when he came out of the bedroom, fully dressed and looking determined.

“We’re going shopping,” he announced, a hint of excitement in his voice.

I dragged my eyes away from the screen, feeling a bit resistant. “I don’t want to,” I said, not really in the mood to go out.

“Please?” he pleaded, then smirked. “I’ll take you for oxtails and ice cream.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at his offer. He knew exactly what to say to get me on board. “Okay,” I said, giggling. Lately, all I wanted to do was eat. My body had changed so much—my ass had spread from a size 14 to an 18, and my belly was huge for six months. Cassius waited patiently while I changed, a small smile playing on his lips.

We drove to a small, upscale baby boutique, the kind where you had to be buzzed in. As we walked in, I noticed it was completely empty, except for the salespeople who greeted us warmly. A redheaded woman with an upturned nose approached us, her smile professional and polite.

"Where is everyone?" I wondered aloud, confused by the empty store.

Cassius leaned in and whispered as if he could hear my thoughts, “I shut down the store just for you. Take your time, pick whatever you want.”

My eyes widened in surprise. “Really?”

“Really,” he confirmed, his smile widening. “I want you to have the best.”

I spent the next hour picking out little boy clothes. Cassius had cried when he found out we were having a son. I didn’t care as long as the baby was healthy. When I was done, Cassius paid for everything without batting an eye. We left the boutique with bags in hand, my heart full.

“Where are we going now?” I asked as he started the engine.

“I have something to show you. Then I’ll feed you,” he replied, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

We drove from Tampa to Clearwater, the sun setting behind us. Cassius turned onto a quiet street, a few blocks from the beach. He pulled up in front of a beautiful two-story house with a large front yard and a wraparound porch. I stared at it, my heart pounding.

“Whose house is this?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Yours, if you want it,” he said, turning to look at me.

My heart skipped a beat. “What do you mean?”

He turned to face me fully. “You mentioned needing more space, and I thought it was time. I want to move you closer to me,” he explained. “I know everything is happening fast, but I want to make things easier for both of us.”

I looked at the house again, taking it all in. It was everything I had ever dreamed of. But a part of me felt disappointed. I had hoped that moving in together would be the next step for us, or maybe a proposal—some kind of commitment. But I reminded myself that we had only known each other for less than a year. This was a big step in itself, and I needed to give us time to grow.

“Thank you, Cassius,” I said, genuinely grateful.

He smiled, relief washing over his face. “I’m glad you like it. I want you to be happy, Angel.”

We got out of the car, and he led me inside. The house was empty, a blank canvas waiting to be filled with memories and love. The possibilities were endless.

"Come on, let me show you around," he said, taking my hand and leading me through the five-bedroom, three-bathroom house. As we walked around, I started to envision our life here. I could see our child growing up in this home, playing in the spacious backyard, enjoying the proximity to the beach.

In the master bedroom, Cassius came up behind me, wrapping his arms around my belly as much as he could and burying his face in my neck. “Does this make you happy?” he murmured, his breath warm against my skin.

I nodded, leaning back into his embrace. I thought back to the night before Naomi had invited me to her party, and how lonely I’d been. Despite the few hiccups we’d had, I was happy. I loved Cassius and knew our life together was just starting. We were going to be a family.