Page 37

SERENITY

Your baby is the size of a sweet potato.

Senses are growing stronger. Now she can hear your heartbeat, your breathing and digestion.

Sense of sight is becoming more fine-tuned and he or she can perceive light and dark.

Their hormones are now developing which will provide the organs the commands they need to operate.

T he sound of my phone vibrating against the nightstand woke me up before the sun had even fully risen. I stretched and yawned, the weight of my belly almost holding me down, before rolling over and grabbing the phone.

Creed…I sighed, my heart doing that stupid little flip it always did when I saw his name before I swiped my hand across the screen to answer.

"Happy Birthday, Beautiful," he said, his voice deep and groggy like he just woke up too. It was way too early in Phoenix, three hours too early.

I smiled, sinking back into my pillows. "Thank you, Langston."

"How does it feel to be 22?"

"No different than 21," I teased.

He chuckled, and for a moment, I let myself relish in the way his laugh still had the power to make my stomach flip. "You got plans today?" he asked.

"Birthday dinner with the girls. I think Ari has something planned too, but I don’t know what yet."

"I hate I can’t be there," he admitted. "Got a game tonight against Cleveland, but I sent you a little something."

I sighed, already knowing what that meant. "Creed, you didn’t have to?—"

"Too late."

I rolled my eyes, but smiled anyway. "You are ridiculous."

"I just like taking care of what’s mine."

My heart clenched, but I didn’t let myself dwell on his words.

An hour later, the house phone rang letting me know it was the front desk. “Good morning, Gregory.” I answered the phone as I bit into a piece of bacon.

“Good morning Ms. Bradshaw. There’s a delivery here for you.”

“Oh, okay. I’ll come down?—”

“Um, I think it may be easier if we send them up. Is it okay?”

“Oh, um, yeah, that’s fine. Send them up.”

I walked over to the elevator waiting for it to let me know they had made it to my level.

It took a little minute but soon after, the loud ding let me know the elevator had made it to me.

When the door opened, my mouth hung open in shock.

A delivery team from some high-end courier service stood in front of me, carrying an obscene amount of packages.

"Serenity Bradshaw?"

"That’s me," I said cautiously.

They stepped aside, revealing what I found out were 22 small and large boxes, each neatly wrapped with a red bow. And in the center? A huge bouquet of 22 red roses.

I already knew who it was from.

"Where do you want these?"

I shook my head, completely overwhelmed. "Uh… just bring them inside."

As they brought in box after box, Egypt walked into the room, her eyes widening.

"Bitch, what is happening?"

Averi and Ari walked in right after her, stopping in their tracks when they saw the packages.

"Who the hell sent all of this?" Ari asked, eyes scanning the labels.

"Creed."

Egypt whistled low. "Damn, girl. He sent the whole store. I need to find me a man. Tell Sev I said what’s up.” I laughed shaking my head at her before turning back to look at all the boxes.

Once the delivery man was done, he waved goodbye before taking the elevator back downstairs.

I sighed not even bothering to look in the boxes, not yet at least. Instead, I went back into the kitchen and grabbed my phone immediately pressing his contact so I could call him. He answered almost immediately, the sleep now gone from his voice.

"Creed."

"Yeah, baby."

"What the hell is all this?" I waved my hand around the room at the boxes, as if he could see me. He chuckled, like he already knew what I was about to say.

"Just some things I thought you’d like."

"Some things? Creed, it’s 22 boxes!"

"Yeah. One for every year of your life. And there’s an envelope with a check for $22K in it. For whatever you want in case I didn’t get something you wanted. Let me know if you need more."

I paused, completely stunned. "You did not just give me twenty-two thousand dollars, Creed."

"I did. And before you start, don’t even try to give it back."

I sighed, rubbing my forehead. "You didn’t have to do all this," I muttered.

"Yes, I did," he said simply. "You’re my wife, Serenity. Whether you wanna accept it or not, I’m gonna always take care of you." My stomach flipped, but I ignored it. "Besides," he continued, "you bought me a whole G-Wagon for my 24th birthday. I got the better end of the deal."

I laughed, shaking my head. "I’m putting the $22K in Cree’s trust fund."

"That’s a good idea," he said immediately. "Send me the details so I can add to it, just like I do for Gio’s." I smiled, my heart swelling at how dedicated he was to his children. "Speaking of Gio," he said. "I showed him the ultrasound, and he’s so excited to have a baby sister."

A lump formed in my throat. "I miss him," I admitted softly.

"He misses you too. He asks about you all the time."

My chest ached, because I still didn’t know how to navigate this space. I had so much love for Gio, but how could I be in his life without making things worse for me, for Creed and for him. I had grown attached to that little boy all for it to backfire.

"Take your time, Beautiful," Creed said, almost like he knew exactly what I was thinking.

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"Thanks, Langston. I love you."

‘Love you more baby.”

**Week 25**

Your baby is the size of an acorn squash this week. Baby is gaining more fat and looking more like a newborn. Hair color and texture is in place. His lungs are maturing and preparing for that first breath. You might feel the baby having hiccups.

It felt like time was passing by so quickly and on week 25 of my pregnancy, I just wanted to have a good time for the holidays with my family. School was kicking my butt, my belly sometimes getting in the way of my maneuvers.

It was annoying seeing some of the other girls in the class giving me dirty looks for having the audacity to be in dance clothes with my belly sticking out. Still, I showed them better than I could tell them when I flawlessly executed what move the professor had taught or a difficult 8 count.

Again, I was tired. So, by the time Thanksgiving break rolled around, I was excited when I boarded the jet in Teterboro along with Ari. My mama had stopped by from Atlanta to get us and I was grateful for the comfort especially with how wide I felt.

“Look at my baby.” My mama said sitting across from me on the plane. “I can’t believe you’re having a baby Tootie. Has she kicked yet?”

“Yes. Creed calls almost every night to talk to her and she must like the sound of his voice because she’s always moving like crazy. Is it bad that I’m a little jealous.”

“No, I was.” She shrugged. “I knew you were a daddy’s girl because Lenox could step in a room and as soon as he started speaking, you were terrorizing my belly. Be prepared to be envious of her for the rest of your life.”

I stayed silent, only exchanging a glance with Ari, who was sitting next to me. Sienna and I still has some things to work out, but I was trying to be more receptive to her, tried to be more understanding. It wasn’t easy. Still, as an almost mom, I also knew what she felt like some times.

“You wanna feel her?” I asked my mama and she nodded. I made my way over to her, sitting down beside her. I grabbed her hand and placed it gently on top of my stomach in the last spot where Cree had kicked me. “You wanna know her name?”

Sienna looked up at me excitement in her eyes. She would be the first to know besides Ari, Egypt, and Averi. “Yes.”

“Cree Sienna Langston.” Her jaw dropped as tears welled in her eyes.

“Tootie, are you sure?”

“I’m sure. We have our issues Mommy, but at the end of the day you’ve been so much better these last few months stepping up to take care of me when I didn’t know how to take care of myself. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Being home felt good.

The entire family was thrilled about the baby—especially since it had been seventeen years since there was a newborn in the family.

“Guess I’mma be her and Gio favorite.” Sevyn said as I sat next to him the day before Thanksgiving, we were at my aunt and uncle’s house prepping for dinner as they were hosting. My daddy, Sevyn, Aidan, Uncle Leo and Poppi were all watching football when I decided to take a break.

"She’s gonna be so spoiled," Ari added.

"She already is," I laughed.

The love in the room was overwhelming. I knew my baby girl was going to have an amazing support system.

Later that night as I laid in my childhood bedroom, the sound of my phone ringing interrupted my rewatch of The Walking Dead.

I grabbed my phone from the nightstand and saw Creed’s name flash across the screen.

“Hey Langston.”

“Hey Beautiful. How’s Cali?”

“It’s home.” I shrugged and the short silence that followed let me know he understood exactly what I meant. It was the same giddiness I had witnessed from him whenever we went to Dallas for his mother’s party. “How’s Milwaukee?”

“Cold as fuck.” He laughed. “But aye, I ain’t even call to talk to you. Put her on.”

“Nigga fuck you.” I chuckled placing him on speaker phone. “You’re on speaker.”

“Cree Cree, what’s up daddy’s baby.” As if on cue my stomach started to move, small indents showing where her little movements were. “I love you more than I love yo mama.”

“Um, don’t lie to my child Langston.” I playfully rolled my eyes.

“See yo mama a hater Cree.”

“And she’s also about to hang up on yo ass too.”

He was laughing hysterically like the shit was funny. “Aight I’m sorry. You know I fucks wit you the long way shawty.”

“Apparently…that’s how she got here in the first place.”

“And I’mma put a couple more in you too.”

“Still lying I see.”

**Week 30**