Hakeem yawned widely and tried to prevent himself from falling asleep in the chair.

"Baby's healthy." The doctor spoke slowly, his voice matching the speed at which he ran the wand across Maya's stomach.

A relieved smile went across Maya's face, "She wasn't moving that much this morning. I drank the juice and everything."

"That's fine. If you ever feel worried, don't hesitate to come in."

Ivy was sluggish through the night and well into the morning, prompting Maya to tell Hakeem she thought something was wrong.

Hakeem hadn't even been to sleep yet, and left from with Corey to go there after Monica called him. He was also relieved to hear it was nothing wrong with the baby, so now he was ready to go.

They were being seen by the OB who would deliver Ivy, as Maya was on the brink of her third trimester. It appeared as if the pregnancy were moving fast, but that was because Maya didn't know how far along she was when she asked Hakeem for the abortion money.

Add that in with the fact that she delayed a lot of appointments to ensure Hakeem would be there, and you have a 24 week pregnant Maya.

The doctor was still staring at the screen when the wand stopped and he looked down at Maya, "Are you experiencing any bleeding?"

Maya thought back to the most recent times when she used the bathroom, "Yeah but I bled with my son sometimes too."

"And that was a relatively simple pregnancy up until delivery, correct?"

"He wouldn't turn and his heart rate was dropping so they just did a C-section." She answered after nodding her head yes.

As she said, the pregnancy was a breeze up until delivery. Jayden was breech, refusing to turn himself so that he was head first rather than bottom first. It wasn't really a complication, as the doctors were prepared to perform the C-section to ensure Jayden's safe delivery, but it still was a major surgery and important to mention in case there was a repeat.

He nodded his head and removed the wand, "I want to do a transvaginal ultrasound."

Hakeem's eyes opened as Maya began asking questions at a rapid rate, "Why? It's something wrong? You just said she was healthy."

"And she is." The OB answered with a gentle smile, "Your placenta, however, is lying low. Since you said there wasn't any bleeding, I'm not too concerned but I'd still like to get a better look."

A low-lying placenta can correct itself but the chance of that happening for Maya was significantly decreased since she had a previous C-section.

It felt like she was holding her breath as the OB left the room to allow her privacy to undress from the waist down. She wasn't sure at first why she was panicking even after the assurance from her doctor.

When she laid back on the table and looked at Hakeem, who was on Google trying to figure out what a low-lying placenta was, she realized why she was so anxious.

While she loved her daughter simply because she was her daughter, there was also the fact that Ivy was her ticket to a better life. If there was a problem, such as her not making it to birth, the looks of disgust she recieved, the times Hakeem talked to her crazy, living with Grace who clearly didn't like her, giving her mother custody of Jayden, and even deciding to have Ivy in the first place.

Will have been for nothing.

She blew out a breath and tried to convince herself that no matter what happened, she'd still have Monica. That took some convincing though because she couldn't pretend to notice that their relationship was built largely around the fact that she was having Monica's grandchild.

"It say sometimes the placenta be popping back up." Hakeem spoke, making her look at him again.

"Really?"

Hakeem nodded and stood up to go show her his phone where he'd found an article, "They said it ain't even that bad forreal. If it don't come back up you'll probably just have to get another C-section."

Maya made a face but said nothing. She was still reading the article when a text from Bri came sliding down the screen.

Hakeem didn't swipe it up fast enough, and Maya read what was said, smiling slightly, "You can go. Your mama in the waiting room."

"I'm good."

The problem when you're trying to co-parent with a person who has feelings for you is that no matter how innocent your actions may seem, they take everything the wrong way. Brielle wasn't in Mobile so he couldn't let her put her coochie on his nose anyway, but he wasn't about to tell Maya that Bri wasn't in the city.

Or maybe he should have because from those two words, Maya thought Hakeem was turning down sex with Bri to stay with her. Even if that was the case, a logical person might think that he was doing it because she was in a clear state of distress.

Maya never won any awards for being logical.

"So we straight," Hakeem said as he pulled his phone back, "That lil placenta don't stop shit."

"That's how they get nutrients and stuff."

"Too much nutrients look like. Big neck ass baby."

Maya laughed and pulled out her phone to show him a picture of the 3-D ultrasound he probably didn't even know he paid for, "Don't talk about her period. She is big though. Look."

He was still looking at the picture when the doctor came back in, effectively ending their conversation. Once he'd completed the exam, Hakeem and Maya walked out to where Monica was patiently waiting, updating her Facebook status.

"What'd they say?" She asked as they approached.

"My placenta is low but Ivy's fine and to come back if I have any cramps or heavy bleeding."

"Thank God. Do you wanna go eat?" Monica questioned, feeling at ease now that it was confirmed everything was fine.

Hakeem sighed, "Ma you stay asking her do she wanna eat."

"Right." Maya laughed, "But I'm thankful you care enough to ask."

She received a side-eye from Hakeem because he was wondering how much attention you had to be missing to be thankful that someone asked if you ate. Their relationship never went past sex so he didn't know her life, and he was now thinking she was probably just lonely or some shit. A lonely weirdo.

"I do want some strawberry french toast though."

Monica looked at Hakeem and decided to ask, "You wanna come? I'll go get Grace and it can be  a family thing."

Had it just been Monica and Grace going, Hakeem would've gone, sleepy and all. Since Maya was also in the mix, he declined, "Nah Ian been to sleep since yesterday morning. I"m finna pass out time I see my bed."

She reached up to hug him, "Okay. Maybe next time."

Hakeem nodded and walked away as he replied to the set of attachments that Bri sent.

• • •

Raelyn picked up a t-shirt, then put it back, then picked it up again, "You think this worth $20?"

"Rae it's Walmart." Josiah sighed, "Get your cheap ass on."

"People be hating on Walmart. I bet I could find a whole outfit in here and wouldn't nobody know."

"Broke ass."

She laughed and followed him over to the produce section where she began feeling for a good tomato, "When Bri and Kayla coming back? You not a good friend at all."

"Ion know." He replied, "And I'm not your friend so that's probably why."

Josiah and Raelyn started back talking after Darnishia's funeral. She sent a 'you up' text on a random Thursday, and Josiah took the bait leading to them having sex.

To his disappointment, she ghosted him right after it.

He thought that sex would mean they were together since she said she wasn't having sex with him until then, but she was treating him like a homeboy. Raelyn really only texted him in the middle of the night, she acted single on the internet and was just all around fucking with his head.

Which she knew she was. It was a part of her plan to show his stupid ass that you can't treat people how you don't want to be treated. She was tired of him thinking he could just smile and everything was good.

It didn't matter if he was acting differently, Josiah had a switch somewhere inside of him that turned on and off his not-shitness.

Raelyn wanted to find the permanent switch, and the way she was going about it seemed to be working.

Once they'd gotten the tomatoes, Rae started walking towards self-checkout only to stop when Josiah placed a hand on the cart, "That big girl up there. She stay snitching."

"I'm not stealing boy. I plan on paying for it."

Josiah shook his head, "Nah we gone steal it. The hell I look like paying for that when I can just put it inna bag? Walmart make enough money."

As she began pulling things from the basket, Josiah looked over his shoulder, "Don't scan the drinks or nun."

"How you gone call me broke but you tryna steal some $1 sodas?"

"Shhh!" He hissed in a whisper, "The fuck you so loud for?"

The woman eyed them suspiciously before going to assist another customer. She insisted on telling if she suspected you stealing, which was her job, but it only resulted in people coming when she wasn't on shift.

"Now you got her looking at us. Ian tryna fight no women tonight but if that's what I gotta do then fuck it."

Raelyn scoffed, "A puss ass hoe could never. I been taking boxing lessons too so I'm ready to knock a bitch out."

"Boxing lessons from who?" Josiah asked as he continued to slip items in the bag without paying for them.

"Bri. She said I can't be messy as fuck and not know how to fight."

"So why you ain't just stop being messy?"

Rae thought about it, "I'ma just learn how to fight."

By the time they were done, Josiah was satisfied with his hard work and smiled at the woman on his way out of the door.

Looking down at her ringing phone, Raelyn accepted the call from Brielle. Josiah was trying to listen but he couldn't hear due to the fact they were walking. He hurriedly put the bags in the trunk and got in the car so he could hear what was going on.

"Bitch said teamwork makes the dreamwork." Bri's voice sounded through the radio, "I can't stand that lady Rae."

"Why you let that shit get to you? You know how those old bitter ladies be. We need to find her some dick."

"I'm not finding her nothing but a life. She need to go play Bingo or some old with her bored self."

"Damnnn." Josiah instigated, "Who we talking 'bout?"

"Monica big Teletubby built ass. I'ma go hide them cheap wigs she got when I come home so everybody can see the real her. Baked potato head ass."

Of course, Josiah laughed, "Chill on mama, Bri. What she do?"

"Gone post a picture of Hakeem and Maya putting the baby crib together on Facebook talking about some teamwork. Like girl just say you don't like me and go."

Before Monica posted that picture, the only person who knew about Hakeem having a child on the way was their inner circle.

Bri didn't particularly want anyone to know. She wasn't saying hide it, but she didn't want it broadcasted either. The reasoning behind her feeling like that was the opinions that everyone would have. They didn't know, and likely wouldn't care, that Maya got pregnant while she was gone.

So she felt like people would call her stupid over her decision to stay.

While, again, the people in their circle knew what all Hakeem had done for her, outsiders didn't. It shouldn't have mattered what they had to say anyway, but it did.

"You doing exactly what she want Bri. You probably already sent Hakeem a message telling him how he got you fucked up while the double-mint twins over there laughing."

Brielle sighed, "I got it typed but I didn't send it yet. I called you first."

A turn of events for their friendship. Bri calling Raelyn to ask for advice, and Raelyn telling her not to respond in a dramatic manner.

"So just chill. Don't let nobody trick you out your spot."

"You right," Bri replied, sounding resolved to not make a scene, "I'ma still tell him how his mama got me fucked up though."

"As you should. Tell him she got one more time before you push her down the stairs."

The rest of the conversation was mainly them telling her not to let Monica make her mad until Bri got off the phone so Josiah and Raelyn could go play house again for the night.

• • •

"Hot behind Texas," Bri complained to herself as she watched Kayla happily swimming in the pool.

She was working on a paper, and rather than have Kayla watch tv all day, they tried to find things for her to do. She still had assignments, but it was first-grade work that didn't come close to wasting enough time out of the day.

Bri was in college, so all she had to do was explain her absence to her professors, fabricating a lie she felt would get the most sympathy, and turn her assignments in on time.

Kayla, whose attendance was already being monitored, went with an easy excuse of her being sick. Brielle had barely finished saying 'Corona' before the registrar hung up as if she could catch it through the phone.

"I'm done," Kayla declared, climbing out of the pool, "Let's do something else."

Standing up to stretch her arms over her head, Bri gathered the things she'd brought outside and started towards the door, "What else you wanna do?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know. We can play the game? And then come back out so I can swim again."

Bri eyed the sopping wet towel as well as Kayla's bathing suit, and didn't want the water dripping on the floors of the Airbnb, "Stay right here while I go get your clothes out the dryer."

Kayla made a saluting motion, "Aye aye, captain."

Rolling her eyes with a laugh, Bri went to the wash room to get said clothes from the dryer. The wash room was outside, which was annoying, but they didn't know that until they'd already checked in.

Bri leaned down to grab the clothes from the dryer, feeling to make sure they were completely dry.

When she leaned up, a hand wrapped around her mouth, making her panic and kick her foot back. She made contact with whomever's shin, the person grunting and letting go of Bri's mouth.

That gave her time to grab the iron that rested on top of the dryer. She hit him in the head with it, but the hit didn't land as she hoped. Before she could swing it again, he grabbed it from her. Brielle decided then to go for what she knew and kicked him directly in between his legs.

"What the fuck." He whimpered as he cupped himself.

Brielle took the opportunity to run, bolting from the room so she could make it to Takayla who was still sitting by the pool waiting for her. She was oblivious as to what was going on, but when she saw Bri running, she stood up and started running too.

"Kayla go in the house!" She yelled, "And lock the door!"

It didn't cross Brielle's mind to give the code to Kayla since they would be going everywhere together. Luckily for Kayla, she'd asked Bri what the code was to the door when she saw her put it in.

Her hands shook as she tried to press the numbers, and her vision was clouded by tears, but she quickly made it inside locking it as instructed. Takayla then ran into the kitchen going underneath the sink where she pulled her knees to her chest and waited for Bri.

• • •

Corey's knee bounced up and down while he waited for the phone call to confirm or deny that the plan went accordingly. He couldn't sleep until he knew what the outcome was, and his movements kept Mia awake along with him.

"Can you just lay down?" She asked in concern.

"I'm good. You go to sleep."

His anxiousness was increased by the pills he was taking to keep him awake while he pretended to help Hakeem look for Deon. It wasn't pretending per se since he didn't know where he was either, but he had way more information about what was happening than what he told Hakeem.

Hakeem was up for a 'mere' 27 hours. Corey had been up for 3 days straight.

"I can't go to sleep if you shaking the bed."

"You wanna go to your house or some? 'Cause you ain't stop til I came in here now you complaining again."

His constant hostility was growing old, and Mia stood up from the bed to leave, "At least I won't have to feel you shaking the bed."

"Lay back down."

She paused to look at him, "Huh?"

"Get back in the bed," Corey repeated, picking his head up from his hands to stare at her.

When she got up to get her shoes, she'd turned on the lamp to see. Now that light shined throughout the room, Mia finally looked him in the eye.

Her background wasn't the same as Raelyn or Bri, and she didn't grow up in the hood at all. All of this was new to her, and the look in his eye as he sat on the bed made her think she was in over her head.

So instead of finding out what would happen if she didn't lie back down, Mia forgot about her plan of leaving and crawled back into bed to quietly lay there.

It remained quiet until Corey's phone vibrated against the nightstand. He answered the phone on the first ring, silently placing it to his ear while waiting for the person on the other end to speak.

"Where the fuck did he find her?" Deon asked in reference to Bri, "The UFC?"

Corey didn't find it funny, "Ion know. What's next?"

"You being rude like we not in this together. I gave you your money, you gave me Bri. Ion think it's going that bad."

Unlike last time, Corey made no effort to leave the room. Mia couldn't hear everything, but she made out some words.

Moreso a name. Brielle's name.

She should've been focusing on hearing the rest of what was being said, but her mind refused to let her focus on anything besides why Corey was having a conversation about Bri in the middle of the night.

"Where her sister?" Corey nearly whispered.

"Still in the house for all I know." Deon chuckled, "She fast as hell. I wanna know what they putting in that Similac these days."

Though it wasn't a joke to Corey, it was indeed a game for Deon and he didn't have a problem letting it be known it was comedy to him.

"What did Keem tell y'all? What I'ma do to that child?" He asked, stressing the fact that Takayla was young, and trying to do anything to her was beneath even him.

Corey got his answers so he hung up, and lay back on the bed, one foot still on the floor. He tried to force his body to sleep but it wasn't that simple. It took hours for him to fall asleep, but he made it there eventually.

Shortly after his eyes shut, Mia's feet hit the floor.

She hadn't been to sleep yet, waiting for him to go so that she could figure out why Corey was talking about Bri at 3 am.

What better person to ask than Hakeem?

• • •

ouuuuu mia finna get the dirt. i can't wait bc we need to know why corey being an opp!

monica irritate me too y'all but she miss her son. do we understand orrrr we don't care lol?

thanks for reading. stay healthy bbys 💕