Lover's Island, page 8
“I don’t!” Nyimah exclaimed. Asun had introduced her to sea moss and black seed oil years ago. She took a spoonful of sea-moss gel every day and drank water infused with black seed oil. Her immune system fought off illness like a gladiator. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
Aida gasped, coming to a revelation. “When’s the last time you had your period?”
“Like a week before we went to Vegas. It should be on in the next few days.”
Aida’s mouth formed an O. “That means you were ovulating in Vegas. Bitch, you’re pregnant!”
Nyimah kissed her teeth. “Uh, I think I would know if I was pregnant. It wouldn’t be the first time. I know my body.”
“It’s been almost two months. Your period should’ve come and gone by now.” Aida focused her gaze on Nyimah’s midsection. “I can run around the corner to Walgreens, if you want to know for sure,” she offered.
“Nah, I’m not pregnant. I can’t be.” She sounded unconvincing, as her voice rose a few octaves. Nyimah blew out a sharp breath and slowly lowered herself into the salon chair. After unlocking her phone, she located her period tracking app. “Shit,” she mumbled, locking the phone and dropping it in her lap. Her cycle was nearly two weeks late.
“Okay. Get the tests.” Nyimah shrugged and dropped her shaking head into her hands.
“I’ll be right back.”
Ten minutes later, Aida reappeared carrying a plastic Walgreens bag. She retrieved the two pregnancy tests and handed them to Nyimah. “I got First Response and Clearblue. Just to be sure.”
Nyimah inhaled deeply and picked up the First Response box. “I’ll only need one.” She doubted the results would be positive. After walking into the salon’s bathroom, she pushed the door closed behind her. When it was closed, Nyimah fanned herself and paced the floor. Her shaky hands barely contained the pregnancy test box before it fell to the floor.
“Fuck,” she whispered harshly, bending down to pick the box up. “Whew. Okay, okay.” She opened the box, pulled the stick out, and lowered her jeans. Squatting over the toilet, Nyimah relieved her bladder, praying for a negative result.
The last time she and Jabari had had sex was two weeks ago. She used to enjoy sex with Jabari. If they didn’t agree on much, they could agree that their bodies were fluent with each other. Ever since she’s been with Cree, Jabari had barely turned her on. She gave him what some women knew as pity pussy. In any case, if she was pregnant, the baby didn’t belong to Jabari. He had mastered the art of pulling out, because neither of them wanted a child. It had taken Nyimah months to recover from the loss of her daughter. The grief would’ve consumed her if Asun hadn’t been by her side. She could not endure a loss like that again.
Five minutes seemed like five excruciating hours as Nyimah awaited the results. Anxiety crippled her, and her breathing became shallow. “Woo.” Nyimah closed her eyes briefly before glancing down at the test.
Pregnant.
She gawked at the two red lines on the stick. Aida must have picked up the oldest test on the shelf, she thought. “Aida, bring the other test!”
“Bitch!” Aida exclaimed from the opposite side of the door. “Now you want both tests,” she teased. After pushing the door open, she handed Nyimah the Clearblue package.
“I think this one’s old.” Nyimah tossed the stick into the trash can.
Aida stepped into the bathroom, then shifted her weight from her left leg to her right to lean over the trash can. She pulled out the stick and smacked her lips when she read the results. “Old, my ass! Nyimah, you’re pregnant.”
“I can’t be pregnant.” Nyimah emptied the rest of her bladder and shook the second stick. Taps from her Dr. Martens boots echoed through the bathroom as she sat on the toilet. “Here. I don’t even want to look.” She held the test out in Aida’s direction.
“Chile, you lucky I love you.” Aida held the stick between her thumb and pointer finger. After about two minutes, the digitized result screen read PREGNANT. “You didn’t need a second test to tell you this.” She flipped the test in Nyimah’s face.
Nyimah snatched some tissue from the roll and wiped herself. “Girl, what am I going to do?” She pulled her pants up and washed her hands. “I can’t be pregnant, Aida!” she repeated. Her chest heaved as she walked out of the bathroom and began pacing the salon floor.
“I’m assuming it isn’t Jabari’s?”
“No. It’s Cree’s for sure.”
“Thank God!” Aida clapped her hands and jumped inches off the floor. She looked at Nyimah, whose brows furrowed as she bit her thumbnail. “I’m sorry, but what’s the issue? You and Cree literally created a love child.” In her mind, this was great news for Nyimah. It gave her a reason to finally leave Jabari and consider the possibilities of being with Cree.
Nyimah shook her head and brushed her hands down her face. This was a moment when women were expected to be elated. Having a child with someone you loved was typically every woman’s dream. Nyimah had dreamed of it once. A life filled with her and Asun’s kids and plenty of love. Those dreams had died along with Asun and her unborn child. Nyimah had learned to be content with the thought of never carrying another child.
“I’m scared, Aida. My last pregnancy went so wrong. That loss was almost too much to bear. Cree and I aren’t together. He has a situation, and I have to figure my shit out with Jabari. Shit, we haven’t even known each other that long.” She threw her hands up in exasperation and plopped down into the chair at her station. “There are options.”
“Don’t consider those options without telling Cree. You don’t know how he’ll respond. He doesn’t seem like the type to abandon his responsibilities,” Aida said.
“That’s the thing. I don’t want him to want me out of obligation. I want him to want me because he feels the same way I do.”
Aida dropped to Nyimah’s side and wrapped her in an embrace. “You won’t know how he feels if you don’t tell him how you feel.” She knew that Nyimah feared surrendering herself to Cree because it felt too familiar. It reminded her of how she had loved and lost. Of Asun and their daughter. “I’ll support you in whatever you decide, but give this a chance. Don’t make a decision you’ll regret later. Talk to Cree. I’m sure he’ll listen.”
Aida caressed Nyimah’s hair. If anybody deserved the world, in Aida’s opinion, it was Nyimah. She stretched herself thin to satisfy the people in her life. Clients. Jabari. Even Aida herself and Paige. Nyimah had lent her a helping hand numerous times, with no expectations that the favor would be returned. She deserved to be filled with as much as she poured into people. Cree had unleashed a happiness in her that Aida had never seen before. Aida’s intuition told her that the two were destined to be together.
“Thank you for always being here,” Nyimah said, returning Aida’s embrace. “I’m going to talk to Cree. Tell him how I feel and about the pregnancy. He has a right to know.”
“You already know you’re stuck with me till the end! And I’m going to be the godmother.”
Nyimah chuckled and slid out of the seat. “I’m sure Cree will approve. He fucks with you. Said I should watch Paige.” Nyimah gathered her belongings.
“You know men are usually right about shit like that. I been watching her sour ass since we’ve been back. She really rubbed me the wrong way with her remarks, but I let it slide out of respect for you,” Aida said as she set the alarm on the wall. Paige had one last time to come at her sideways before she tagged her ass.
“Paige has her ways and her days. She has been acting weird lately, though. I’ma talk to her.”
The girls exited the salon, and Nyimah locked the doors.
“Good luck with that,” Aida replied sarcastically. “Well, I want you to enjoy your weekend. Fall into Cree. Get that pussy beat, because I know Jabari not hitting it like Cree!” she exclaimed, smacking Nyimah’s ass softly. “Have fun! Be safe and send Cree my love. Call me if you need me. I love you, babe.”
Nyimah laughed and nodded. “I will. I love you too!”
They parted ways and Nyimah headed to her Benz.
* * *
Nyimah’s suitcase and duffel bag lined the wall while Floetry serenaded the bedroom. There was a three-hour trek to Charlotte ahead of her. Cree had offered to have her flown on his jet from Raleigh to Charlotte, but Nyimah had declined. The car ride would allow her to ponder how she would break the pregnancy news to Cree. Just thinking about it scared the fuck out of her. It had been too much for her to process yesterday. Today she hoped to make sense of it all.
She stood in front of the full-length mirror and curled the final section of her fresh install. The sixteen-inch body-wave wig fell in wispy curls at Nyimah’s shoulders. She fingered the curls, pushing them back in the direction of her deep side part. After turning to the side, Nyimah rested her hand on her flat stomach. The revelation that she was pregnant hadn’t completely hit her yet. She didn’t know how to deliver the news to Cree, let alone to Jabari. Sighing, Nyimah rolled her shoulders back and picked her phone up from the bed. Her fingers glided across the screen quickly as she texted Cree.
About to hit the road.
Three dots danced across the bottom of her screen right before he texted back.
Can’t wait to see you. Drive safe, beloved.
She blushed, picturing Cree speaking the words to her. The bedroom door opened just then, and Jabari entered the room. Nyimah locked her phone just as he hugged her from behind. He planted a kiss on her neck.
“Where you going, looking all good? Damn,” he said and sniffed her. “Smelling good and shit too.”
Rolling her eyes, she turned to face Jabari. “The hair show in Charlotte. I’ve been mentioning it for weeks. You don’t listen to anything I say,” Nyimah scoffed and pulled away from Jabari. She might have stretched the truth a little. There was a hair show taking place in Charlotte when she’d mentioned it to him. Since then, it’d been canceled, however.
Jabari swiped his hand across his freshly cut hair. He had been so occupied with hustling that he had tuned out most of what Nyimah said. Guilt rushed through his chest. “Damn. I do remember. My bad, Ny.” He reached into his pocket, pulled out a wad of cash, counted out thirty-five hundred-dollar bills, and handed them to Nyimah. “A li’l something in case you need it.”
Nyimah folded the money in her hands. “Thank you.” A part of her wanted to feel bad about lying to him, but her guilt subsided when she recalled all the lies he had fed her. “I’ll be back Sunday. Maybe we can go out and talk when I get back?”
“I’ll be here. Be safe. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
Nyimah grabbed her purse and duffel bag and rolled the suitcase out of the house.
* * *
The sounds of R & B music teleported Nyimah to her own realm during the car ride. She reached Charlotte in record time. Maybe it was her nerves, but Nyimah felt queasy as she neared to the exit for the hotel. She rolled the window down and allowed the spring air to ground her. It’d been fifty-one days since she’d seen Cree, and she wondered if he had missed her as much as she’d missed him.
Her GPS indicated that her estimated time of arrival was in five minutes. The closer she got to her destination, the more she felt Cree’s gravitational pull. All her apprehensive thoughts dissipated when she entered the gates of the Ballantyne Hotel. The charming resort sat on an estate surrounded by water and encompassing acres of land. Huge trees lined the landscape, giving the hotel a hospitable Southern vibe. She pulled up to the porte cochere, where the valet stood.
“Welcome to the Ballantyne,” the young male valet greeted after he opened the driver’s door so that Nyimah could step out. “May I have your name please?”
“Deveraux. Nyimah Deveraux.”
The pale man swiped his finger down his iPad. “Thank you, Ms. Deveraux.” He took notice of the VIP note attached to the booking’s profile. “We will have your belongings delivered to the presidential suite. Mr. Baptiste awaits you there.”
Nyimah blushed and lifted her purse onto her shoulder. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure. Enjoy your stay.”
Nyimah entered the lobby, made her way to the elevators, and got on the first one that dinged. There was a couple snuggling in the corner.
“Excuse me,” she said politely, reaching over them to press P for the presidential suite.
“We just got engaged!” The blonde held her hand out, displaying her princess-cut diamond ring. Her fiancé beamed proudly and nodded.
“Wow. It’s beautiful. Congratulations! I wish you two the best.” Nyimah loved a great love story, and she honestly wished every woman got to experience healthy, unconditional love at least once in her life. She had experienced it once with Asun and hoped to have it again.
“Thank you,” they said simultaneously before stepping off the elevator on the fourth floor.
A few seconds later, Nyimah arrived outside the presidential suite. She knocked twice on the door, then looked down at her outfit and smoothed out the SKIMS dress. It was a nervous gesture.
The door opened. “Hello,” greeted a middle-aged woman dressed in a maid’s outfit. She stood aside and motioned for Nyimah to enter. “I’m Marisol. Mr. Baptiste will be back shortly, but he requested that you enjoy the setup.”
Nyimah rolled her suitcase through the door and noticed a trail of white and red roses leading to the back of the suite. Balloons in the shape of hearts floated around the living area. Tea light candles lined the roses on each side, creating a makeshift aisle. She set down her duffel bag next to her suitcase in the foyer and then followed the trail until she stood in the bathroom. The halogen bulbs above the sinks were dimly lit, allowing the candles surrounding the jacuzzi tub to illuminate the room. The tub was already filled with water, and roses floated on top.
A golden tray filled with bottles of champagne and sparkling water, flutes, and chocolate-covered strawberries sat on the counter. Nyimah blushed and helped herself to a flute of champagne. She hadn’t expected to be pampered this weekend, but who was she fooling? She should’ve expected no less from Cree.
Nyimah tipped the flute to her lips. “Shit,” she mumbled. I can’t drink, she thought to herself. She placed the flute of champagne down and opted for the sparkling water.
She slipped the dress from her shoulders, and it fell to the floor and pooled around her feet. She pulled her hair up into a bun, set her flute on the side of the Jacuzzi, and dipped her pedicured foot into the steaming water. “Whew,” she exclaimed as she placed her other foot in the water. She slowly lowered herself so that she sat on the bottom of the Jacuzzi. The pressure from the jets kneaded her body like a masseuse, relieving her anxiety. It felt like she attained the peace she didn’t realize she needed.
“Mmm,” Nyimah moaned and closed her eyes. The combination of heat and pressure had her drifting to a blissful paradise. She hadn’t been pampered like this in a while. And the fact that she hadn’t even had to ask made her want to show Cree how much she appreciated the thought.
When she finally opened her eyes, she spotted an Alexa device on a shelf. “Alexa, play R & B music.” Alexa followed the command, and Usher crooned from the device seconds later. “This . . . is love,” she said and lifted the flute, tilted it to her lips, and drank the remaining water. Minutes passed, and then Nyimah rested in the water with her eyes closed. Over the music playing, she didn’t hear Cree enter the suite, deliver her luggage to the bedroom, and make his way to the adjoining bathroom.
He stood there, leaning against the bathroom’s doorframe, admiring Nyimah from a short distance. He fingered his goatee before grabbing the loofah from the counter. Cree kneeled by the side of the tub and dipped the loofah into the warm water.
Nyimah opened her eyes and sat up. “Oh my God, Cree. Don’t scare me like that!” Her wet fist connected with his shoulder. “You getting in?” she asked and moved back slightly.
“This is for you.” He shook his head and pressed the soapy loofah against her shoulder firmly. “I’ll get mine later,” he whispered in her ear before kissing her earlobe.
“Fair enough.” Nyimah leaned back and closed her eyes again as Cree washed her body. “I really needed this.”
“I know. Your energy was heavy, even through the phone.” Cree squeezed the loofah and allowed the water to trickle down Nyimah’s bare chest. His hands roamed to her shoulders, and he massaged them gently. “This weekend I want you to let go of whatever’s stressing you. No deadweight.” His breath tickled her neck, and he kissed it.
Nyimah reached her hand behind her shoulder and held Cree’s hand. Small sentiments like that made her want to submit to him. He cared about her mental well-being, and that meant more than any monetary gift he gave her. Genuine concern was priceless. “I can do that.”
“Good.” Cree grabbed the Versace robe from the bedroom closet and handed it to Nyimah. “This was just a warm-up. I have spa time booked for you tomorrow. Let the professionals get you right.”
Nyimah stood and stepped out of the tub. Dripping water, she leaned in and locked lips with Cree. “I’d prefer your touch any day.” She slipped into the robe.
Cree wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her nose. “If we didn’t have somewhere to be, I’d devour you right now. I’ve been waiting weeks to see you . . . to taste you. Nigga been having withdrawals.”
Nyimah surrendered to Cree’s embrace. She had dreamed of this moment since she’d landed back home. His touch disarmed her, and she dripped in anticipation. “Mmm, keep talking like that and we won’t make it.”
“If my nigga Press ain’t go out of his way for me tonight, I’d be cool with that. But I planned this especially for you.”
Press was a business associate of Cree’s who owned multiple entertainment venues in Charlotte. Press and his brother Limb ran Charlotte. It was safe to say that between dominating the city’s nightlife and having a hand in the city’s illegal trade, the brothers were having their way. Press had invited Cree to one of his clubs and had promised a special show.
