Volume 15

I walked into my shop feeling how cold it was, I sighed going to the thermometer to turn the heat on.

I woke up this morning feeling bigger than normal, it was raining though so my big clothes wouldn't raise too many suspicions. I sighed going to the cleaning closet to get the broom as I started sweeping around. After doing that I mopped a little, I was here at six In the morning just because.

Today was the day I was going to pick my manager, I had a idea who I wanted but today was going to confirm all of that.

Someone knocked on the window making me look that way, I opened the blind to see Hendrix and Keyz. I unlocked the door then locked it back as they just stared at me.

"Please stop, I already feel like I look terrible."

"Nah, you glowing." Keyz said.

"Where have you even been?" I asked looking at him. "I haven't seen you in like two months, what's been going on?"

"I just been staying out the cut and making money, I'm tryna have a house by time Dylan come out."

"I'm glad you love my sister." I smiled.

"I'm glad you finally forgave her, she ain't allat angry no more."

"Me either." I nodded. "Now I know y'all didn't come down here just to catch up."

"Black signed the paperwork." Hendrix handed me the papers.

I didn't say anything as I just looked at the headline on the paper. "He's really signing over his parental rights?"

"He said he doesn't want to be a father." Hendrix said. "He said it's his thoughts, not Niyahs or anything."

"What happened to him?"

"I don't know." He looked at me. "I'm sorry he acting like this Es."

"You made sure he read the contract, right?"

"He didn't read shit." Keyz said. "He just signed over everything."

"Just like I knew he would cause he's a dummy." I chuckled.

"What you do?"

"He has to give me $2000 every two weeks from the time I have the baby til the baby is 22 or he's doing jail time."

"As you should." Hendrix shrugged. "Ya baby always was gon be good but that's extra money to be put up."

"I'm going to make sure everything is signed then I'm giving them to my lawyer, after this I don't want to hear about him."

"Will do." They both said nodding.

"And one last thing, just make sure he knows he can not come in it's life. Not in 2 years when he get his self together, 5, or 10. Until it becomes the age of 18 or whatever age I decide to tell it about Black he can not come around or he's doing jail time."

"I'll tell him." Keyz said.

I nodded going back to the cleaning closest putting more water in my mop bucket since it got cold. I started mopping everything because I felt like the floors was just so dirty.

I got to have a talk with my employees because their stations looked disgusting, it should not be leftover hair and shit on their combs.

"Can one of y'all come with me tomorrow to meet with a vendor?"

"For what?" Hendrix asked looking up from his phone.

"I'm going to start selling hair."

"I thought you did that already."

"I did but I stopped but now I need to do extra."

"I'll come with you." Keyz said as he stood up. "I'm bout to go get some food."

"What you getting?" I asked.

"Probably some Dunkin' Donuts, I don't know."

"Whatever you get call me so I can get something." I said digging in my purse to hand him some money but he just looked at me.

"Don't play with me." He asked and as soon as he opened the door some girl was just standing there.

"I was just about to knock, I see the lights on. Are you open?"

"Nah, she closed and she not taking walk ins today." Keyz said.

"I can't, today just not my day." She said looking like she was about to cry.

"What were you looking to get done?" I asked as Keyz was about to close the door.

"I had this lady do a wig and she just fucked my shit up. I bought her my brand new bundles and it's like she used some old ones and she just damaged the hair. I have a damn photo shoot today."

"Can I see the wig?" I asked as she walked in pulling out some hair out a bag. It was real brittle and it was damaged. "I can fix this."

"Can you really or you just want money?"

"How about this? I fix it and style it then you give me the address to the shoot and I'll come install it. All for free."

"I need it by 3." She said writing a address and number on a paper.

"It'll be done." I told her.

She walked out as I grabbed the wig seeing what I can do to it. This was going to be challenging but easy at the same time.

~

"This shit look suspect." Q said pulling up. "Nah you not going in by yourself, come on."

I didn't say anything as I followed him into the building, when I walked in I seen multiple flashes as hearing talking. I seen a green screen with people around it as they tried to fix it.

"You're late sweety." Some lady said typing. "Models go into the room over there, hurry up so you can-"

"I'm not a model." I cut her off making her look up. "I'm a stylist dropping off a-"

"Are you any good? Our hair stylist is stuck in another city and I could really use one right now."

"I-" I said getting stuck.

"She the best, she could do anything." Q said.

"Follow me." She said as we did. "There's 15 girls and boys, I need makeup and hair done on them in less than two hours. Can you do it?"

"I didn't bring any makeup to-"

"Everything is provided, I just need to know can you do it?"

"I can."

"Don't let me down-"

"Esme. My name's Esme."

"Well good luck Esme, I'll be judging."

I nodded my head going into the room, I seen a bunch of wigs and make up making me sigh. My feet was going to feel horrible after this.

"Imma go see what they got on that snack table, good luck sis. You was meant for this." Q kissed my forehead then walked off.

"You made it!" The girl from earlier said as I walked further. "Lemme see."

I pulled out the new wig I did and showed her, she ran her fingers down the hair furrowing her eyebrows, she continued looking at it making me raise a eyebrow.

"You like it?"

"This can't be the same wig." She flipped it.

"It is. I'm going to install it so sit down."

Her hair was already braided so literally all I had to do was secure it on her head which took less than 15 mins.

"Bitch you melted this!" She smiled. "You bleached the fuck out this."

"Thank you." I smiled. "Um, who else needs their hair done?"

After doing their hair, which most of them only took like 10 minutes because they all was doing something simple. The only thing that was taking long was the makeup because this photo shoot was so diverse that I had to match everyone skin tone.

"Snap snap! Let's go girls, let's go." The lady snapped as they all scattered out as I sat down. I was tired.

"You ever styled for a shoot before?" She asked making me look at her.

"No."

"You can handle pressure." She nodded. "I like that."

"I have my own shop so I understand the pressure."

"Do you have a business card on you?"

"Yes." I went into my bag giving her multiple cards.

"Write your social media on one of them." She spoke as I nodded doing it. "Someone's going to come in here and ask for your bank info, thank you for saving my ass."

"No problem." I smiled grabbing my stuff so I can leave. I was sweaty and wanted to take a damn shower.

"How was it?" Q asked as I walked out after giving the man my bank info.

"Unbelievable." I smiled.

"I just got that bad ass bitch number."

"Um, Quade you have a girlfriend."

"We not together." He said. "She said some shit about her needing to focus on herself so we broke up."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm good." He shrugged. "She still in my life, we just not together."

I stopped walking and stood still as my eyes widened. Q was still talking and walking not realizing I stopped walking. He finally realized and looked back rushing to me.

"What's wrong? Is it the baby? Why you crying? You in pain?" I grabbed his hand placing it on my stomach. "It's kicking?"

"Yes." I smiled nodding as a tear dropped out my eye.

"Kick again for uncle Q." He spoke rubbing my stomach as it complied. "They know they fucking uncle."

"I'm really crying." I chuckled wiping my eyes. "I gotta stop being so sensitive."

"Nah, that's something to cry about." Q said as he opened my side of the car. "You really having a baby."

"I'm really having a baby."

~

"You're so handsome." I smiled rubbing his face, kissing his cheek. "The best looking person in my life."

I chuckled looking at Face as he just laid here, I came to sit with him everyday. They moved him from the hospital to a hospice where he's going to stay. Yana didn't want to give up on her son so she's giving him a chance to fight for his self until he decide he don't want to anymore.

"I miss you, so much." I grabbed his hand. "I miss your smell, your smile, the way you tongue touches your teeth before you say anything. I just miss everything."

Every time I come here all I could think about is his miracle recovery. I just knew it was coming one day.

"I felt the baby kick yesterday." I smiled as I put his hand on my stomach. "I gained 10 pounds too and my stomach feels like it grows more everyday. My doctor told me she proud because I'm finally acting like a mom."

Silence, it was always silence.

"My mom used to tell me to stick with the guy who loves me and not the guy I love. I was too young so I never understood what she was saying but I never seen so clearly til now." I told him. "You loved me before I even knew what that feeling was and even with you laying here that's still all I feel. I love you more Saheed."

I kissed his lips as I felt they were warm, I started to get sad so that's when I knew it was time to go.

"I love you Saheed." I kissed him again.

I got up going to the desk to sign out as I smiled at the lady, she smiled then buzzed the door so I can leave.

"Hey love." I spoke to Sanaa as I answered her call.

"Hi."

"I'm leaving Face, what you doing? You wanna go get something to eat?"

"I'm out with my mom but we can later."

"Yeah, I was thinking of having another girls night."

"I think I need that." She spoke.

"You ready for college?" I asked deciding to change the subject.

"Ready than I'll ever be."

"Terror good?"

"Yeah, he's getting on my nerves but he's good."

"Sanaa, I'm pulling into the building. Imma call you back so you can come over."

"Okay Es."

I hung up getting out the car, I was grateful the hospice was 10 minutes away cause now I don't have to drive so long.

Walking up the stairs I seen Nas in the hallway with some girl as they was smiling at each other. I smiled and waved at both of them as they did the same thing back.

I unlocked my door to hear Hero barking. "I know girl, I'm bout to-oh my fucking god!" I yelled dropping everything out my hands to grab my heart.

Jaelyn and a whole bunch of people was standing in my house with it decorated making me look around. They scared the fuck out of me, I just want to know how the hell they get in.

"Welcome to your gender reveal sis." Jaelyn smiled standing up.

"What?" I spoke. "You did all this?"

"With a tad bit of help."

This is why I love Jaelyn.

"Let's go baby momma." She pushed me into my room. "Thank God you already got on a cute ass wig so just put this dress on."

"I need to take a shower." I chuckled going to my bathroom.

After taking a well needed shower, I started to get myself together. Jaelyn was still in my room on FaceTime with Dai. I went into the closet to put on the two piece dress that she wanted me to. I sat down at my makeup section and started to do a light beat also changing my wig.

"How did you get in my apartment?"

"Like a week before I went to Barcelona I went to get a copy of your key."

"For what?" I laughed.

"Because next time you do that disappearing shit Imma be front row and come fuck you up."

"You so annoying." I shook my head.

"Now come on before them savages fuck all the food up." She rolled her eyes making me laugh. "I need some meatballs in my life."

We walked out as everybody started clapping making me laugh, Jaelyn had me with this two piece on just having my fat ass stomach out. I looked around the room and it was really everyone I loved and I couldn't be more grateful.

~

"Y'all ready to know whether we gon have a little nigga on the block totting them guns or a princess who gon have the world?" Benji asked making me laugh.

"First of all." I said making them laugh.

"Esme stand right here." Emae said as I stood behind a table.

"I was going to do some over the top experiment but ain't nobody got time for that." Jaelyn said handing me some goggles and gloves as Ice wheeled in something that was covered. "So just pour this on this and boom we know what it is."

"Okay." I smiled as everybody started recording me. "Countdown."

"1,2,3." Once they got on three I poured the liquid on the volcano.

Red lava started coming down until it switched to pink making me yell along with everybody.

I was having a girl. A mini me.

"I'm having a niece?" I heard Dylan ask.

"Yes." I said as I heard her yell as her cell mates started yelling too making us laugh.

I started crying because I'm really going to be a mother, a mother to a daughter at that.

"They say if you have a daughter first you need to learn to love but I believe you already know how to love." Q said as he put his arm over my shoulder.

"Too hard if anything." I scoffed.

"I know you pictured yourself having a family when you first had a baby and it may not be the family you want but we're family. All of us is family." He said looking at me. "And as long as I'm breathing I promise you and baby girl could have my last, any thing you could ever want, all you have to do is ask me."

"Why you trying to make me cry?" I wiped my face.

"I just want you to know if every nigga in ya life fail you, you would never have to worry about me doing the same. I wouldn't even let Face down like that cause you was really the love of that nigga life, he knew if nobody had him you did and that's why he loved you so much. Any bitch he claimed he loved, he never did cause they could never compare to you."

"I know, I know the most." I chuckled continuing to wipe my face.

"Esme say something to your guest." Emae said making me look around.

"I want to thank all of y'all for coming, even the one's who bought a gift. I have a different kind of love for every single one of y'all in this room so for y'all to be here and help me celebrate a life while-" I stopped to clear my throat so I wouldn't cry as Q rubbed my back. "Face was the most important person in my life and I lost a reason to live once the bad shit happened to him but becoming a mom, gave me every reason to live and enjoy life. Thank y'all for standing by my side."

"I'm God mommy!" Jaelyn yelled out making me laugh.

"I just ask can y'all not post any of this until I'm posting."

"Periodt." Spencer said making us laugh.

"Now let's turn the fuck up." Sanaa yelled playing some music.

I was loved and that was all I could ask for.
_______________

Someone reading this called me a colorist which I find hilarious😭😭😭 I stg I hate y'all "fake woke sensitive ass" readers. I said "your big black ass" and she called me a colorist💀💀💀 I do not mute people but I stg I'm bout to start muting dumb shit instead of arguing with y'all.

Anyways, it's 1 more chapter for each girl then I'm ending this🤷🏽‍♀️ yeah yeah life sucks💔😰