Three months later...
“Are you happy?”
Nicole smiled at her fiancé. They were already an hour late to meet Kendrick’s mom to discuss wedding plans, but Felicia Burrstone was getting used to it. Nicole and Kendrick may be a lot of things, but on time they were not. “Yes, baby, I’m happy. Are you going to ask me that every day?”
“Not every day,” he said. “But probably every day until we get married. Maybe even a little after.”
She laughed. It had been only three months, but it had been the best three months of her life. Sales at Bare Sophistication in LA had taken off once they moved into a permanent location. Aaliyah still flew in at least once a month to work at the boutique and boudoir studio as well as visit her aunt.
The founders of Bare Sophistication each had husbands with offices in LA, so she often saw all her friends. Of course, since two of her brothers were married to founders, that meant Kyra saw them a lot more than she’d wanted and always felt like they were checking up on her, but all in all, she could tell that Kyra loved how often her family visited.
The best news of all had been when the lawyers called to say that the video and all discriminating photos of Kendrick had been removed from the blog site, even though they knew the internet never forgot. Kendrick had used the situation as a platform to speak to the younger generation, in particular young men who were in the same predicament he’d been in. Kendrick’s story about how he turned his life around had gotten the attention of many. Not long after news about him starting his own production company began to circulate, he’d been hired by twelve companies who wanted him and his staff to produce their commercials. Of course, Bare Sophistication, Burrstone Winery and Distillery and Elite Events Incorporated were at the top of the list!
True to their character, Monty and Angelica hadn’t liked the way that The Gilbert Monroe Agency had treated Kendrick and Nicole, so once Kendrick got his company off the ground, they were more than eager to quit despite the fact that Kendrick had told them that it wasn’t necessary. Nicole had to remind him that when God handed you blessings, the last thing you did was push them away. So he’d accepted them on the staff and so far the four amigos were back in business.
Overall, life was looking pretty good, and Nicole couldn’t ask for anything more. Kendrick had finished her tattoo, and it had turned out beautifully. Already, Kendrick was working on another design for her.
Gran and her boyfriend, Mike, were going to be visiting next month, and Nicole had even managed to Skype with her mom twice. The conversations had been short, but it was what Nicole had needed. At the end of both video calls, she’d told her mom that she loved her. Although Ruby Meech had yet to say it back, Nicole was confident that eventually her mom would open more. Like Gran always said, some people let fear keep them rooted in place, never expanding their branches and reaching their full potential. Gran even mentioned that Ruby had spent her entire life never expressing her love for anyone, but that didn’t mean she didn’t love Nicole. It just meant that she didn’t know how to show it.
“Are you happy?” Nicole asked as they pulled up in front of his mom’s house.
“Happier than I ever thought possible,” he said, bringing her in for a kiss. As did all of their kisses, it quickly escalated.
They walked up the sidewalk to the house. When they got closer to the door, Nicole stopped walking.
“What’s wrong?” Kendrick asked. “You look like you’re going to be sick.”
“That’s a strong possibility,” she said with a nervous laugh. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Um, sure,” he said. “Are you sure everything is okay?”
“Everything is fine,” she said. “I meant everything could be fine, but I’m not sure if it’s fine yet. I mean, what does the word fine really mean? Is it another way to say that you’re doing okay? Well, of course it is. You know what, never mind, let’s go see your mom.”
Kendrick blinked. “I can’t believe it,” he said as his eyes widened. “You’re pregnant, aren’t you?”
“What?” Nicole gasped. “How did you guess that?”
“You are, aren’t you?” He rushed to her and cradled her face in his hands. “Please tell me, Nicole. Are you?”
“Yes, I am,” she said with a smile. “I’m—”
“You’re three months pregnant, right?”
“How are you guessing so accurately?” she said.
“Because I’ve suspected it for over a month,” he said. “I just didn’t want to get my hopes up.”
“How have you known? We’ve been so busy that I didn’t even notice that Aunt Flo hadn’t come to visit. I only just found out last week.”
“I knew because I know your body better than anyone,” he said. “Your breasts were tender at times when we made love. Your skin has been glowing more than usual. And we haven’t had to postpone lovemaking in a while because of Aunt Flo, so I knew it was a possibility.” He pulled her closer to him. “I also remember how wild our night was in Miami the day I proposed, so I’m not surprised that we managed to make a baby.”
She pulled him down to her for a kiss. I am so in love with this man. And now, they were going to have a baby together. It was perfect. Life was perfect.
“Are you two going to stand outside all day?” Felicia asked from her porch. The bright pink sundress and headband made Nicole smile. Her future mother-in-law had become one of her favorite people to talk to and hang out with.
“Hey, Mom.” Kendrick kissed Felicia’s cheek.
“Hey, Ms. Burrstone,” Nicole said as she gave her a hug.
“Sweetie, soon you’re going to have to start calling me Mom.” Suddenly, Felicia stood back and looked Nicole up and down. “Oh. My. God.”
“What?” Nicole said. “What is it?”
“You’re pregnant,” Felicia said. “Are you pregnant?”
“How do you both do that?” Nicole asked, looking from Kendrick to Felicia.
“So, you are?” Felicia asked. “Am I going to be a grandmother?”
“Yes, you are,” Nicole said with a smile. “I just found out last week.”
Felicia’s hands flew to her face. “Ahhh,” she screamed. “I’m going to be a grandmother. Ahhh, I can’t believe it. I’ve got to call my siblings and tell all my friends.”
By now, Felicia was pacing back and forth across the porch. “I don’t believe this. I DON’T BELIEVE IT!” she yelled.
“Mom,” Kendrick said as he tried to control his laughter. “Are you trying to tell the entire neighborhood.”
“Yes, son. That’s exactly what I’m trying to do. Ahh, I can’t believe it.”
Nicole was laughing so hard, tears were streaming down her cheeks.
“Come on inside, sweetie,” Felicia said. “Wedding talk can wait until later. Instead, let’s discuss baby names. Do you know if it’s a boy or girl yet? I have some unisex names in mind that could work. You know you have to calm down your busy schedule, right? And are you eating healthy? Let me make you something. What do you want to eat?”
The questions were coming so fast, Nicole couldn’t even respond.
“I’m sorry,” Kendrick whispered. “My mom tends to go overboard when she’s excited. But don’t worry, I’ll tell her that she can’t name our future kid.”
“Not yet,” Nicole said with a smile. “I never had a mom this involved, so it’s kinda nice to hear all the love and enthusiasm pouring from her voice.”
“You mean all the crazy and overbearing things pouring from her mouth,” Kendrick said with a laugh. “But you’re right. My mom already loved you like a daughter, and after this news, she’s probably so excited she can barely contain herself.”
As Nicole stood back and watched Felicia continue to rattle off ideas she had for the nursey, she took the time to soak in the moment. When she’d decided to start her self-reflection journey a few years ago, she never would have predicted that her path would land her here, but that’s exactly what happened. For someone who was once scared to live life on her own terms, she barely recognized that woman anymore.
Neither she nor Kendrick were perfect, but together, they were invincible. She was no longer nervous about what the future would bring but instead was ready to tackle the unknown and make the most out of life.
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from BE MY FOREVER BRIDE by Martha Kennerson.
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