Chapter Fifteen
Trinity
It was beyond time for Terrence to figure out what he planned on doing about us being together, because I sure as hell couldn’t take no more of Pooch. It figured that now that he acted the way a real man was supposed to, I would loathe him. Like right now, I was trying to leave the house, and he kept rubbing and kissing on my belly as if I were even showing. All I had was a firm little pouch, and he acted as if I was ready to give birth. Negro, please. Part of me wanted to yell right in his face that the baby he worshipped wasn’t his.
“What’s up, little man?” Pooch said, breaking my thoughts.
“It could be a girl,” I said plainly.
Pooch shook his head. “Nah, babe, he is definitely a boy. I can feel it,” he said, gliding his hand across my belly.
“Can you please leave me alone so I can go and get Brit and Terry?”
Pooch pulled back hands in the air. “A’ight. Dang. I was just trying to bond with our baby and shit.”
Feeling bad about my rough outburst, I softened my tone. “I know, but I just want to get there so I can come back.”
Hearing that I was in a rush to leave Terrence’s and get back to our house brought out all thirty-two of his pearly whites. “Yeah, do that, because I need some of that special attention,” he said, rubbing on his dick.
That was another thing I was tired of: giving hand and blow jobs. “I thought you had some things to get together for the Crown brothers,” I said, hoping he’d be too busy to remember.
“I do, but I always have time for you.” He kissed my cheek.
“A’ight.” I turned, rolling my eyes as I grabbed my purse and phone. “I’ll be back.”
This sentimental Pooch was on my last nerves. It’s funny how I would’ve welcomed this just a few short months ago. Now I loathed everything about him. I swore it pained me to see him breathe in my direction.
My soul literally felt lifted the moment I parked beside Terrence’s truck. I wished I were coming home over here every day. As I made my way to his apartment, I noticed right beside Terrence’s truck was a tight-ass black pearl Cadillac Escalade sitting on at least twenty-sixes. I wondered who the hell had rolled up in this area in some shit like that. Dope boys, I thought, shaking my head. I swore them types of niggas were everywhere. I swore on my life I was gonna teach Brittany and Princess not to get caught up with niggas like Pooch.
“Hey, baby. What’s up?” Terrence greeted me as soon as I stepped into his apartment. We kissed, and then he kissed my belly.
“Same ol’ shit, different day. I was meaning to ask you . . .” My conversation stalled when I saw some dude I’d never seen before standing in the kitchen. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you had company.”
“He was getting ready to leave. This is my cousin Thomas from Illinois. Thomas, this is my babies’ mother, Trinity. He’s the one I was telling you about who wanted our kids to go up to Illinois and spend some time with his kids.”
Thomas eased from his seat on the barstool in the kitchen, came over, and shook my hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard so many good things about you.”
“Oh yeah, that’s right.” It finally dawned on me who he was from a previous conversation with Terrence. We shook hands. “Now I remember. Please forgive me for being rude. I didn’t know Terrence had family visiting. However, it is good to finally meet some of his kinfolk from Illinois who he brags so much about.”
He stretched his arm out with the palm of his hand raised, letting me know that it was cool. “You’re fine. I was just passing through and stopped by to check on my big cuz.” He turned back to Dreads. “Well, bruh, I’m about to head back to my side of the country.”
“A’ight, man. I appreciate the love.” Terrence hugged him.
“That’s what family is for. To make sure everybody is straight.”
Terrence and he moved back from their one-armed embrace, nodded at each other, and slapped hands together, forming a fist. “Be easy out there.”
“No doubt,” he said as they walked to the door. “See you later, Miss Trinity.”
I waved my goodbye as Terrence saw him out the door. He stepped out with him, and a few moments later, Terrence returned inside, then walked back over to me as he packed up the kids’ overnight bag. “I’m almost done getting their things together.”
“You planning a trip or something?” I asked, getting upset.
“I’m thinking about planning one for the kids.”
Frustrated, I threw my hands up. “What happened to what we got going on here? You’re supposed to be making a way for us. How you gon’ do all that and you jet setting around the country?”
“I got that under control. Don’t worry.”
“That’s easy for you to say. You don’t live with Pooch,” I whined, crossing my arms.
He wrapped his hands around my waist and pulled me close. “Don’t I always come through?”
I nodded. “Yes, but—”
“But don’t worry. When I say I got you, I got you. Just hold out a little while longer, and I promise you that everything you want is going to happen.” Terrence palmed my cheek.
“What’s your plan?”
“Baby, let me worry about the plan. You worry about taking care of yourself, the baby inside your womb, and our other children. That’s all you need to worry about. But I will tell you this: the day I call you on your cell and tell you it’s time to make moves, don’t question it. Don’t drag your ass. Just get moving.”
Suddenly, my stomach lurched, and I sat down. “Okay, you’re making me nervous.”
“Don’t be nervous. Just keep Pooch thinking everything is everything between you two, and when that time comes, just do exactly as I’ve told you,” Terrence said as he finished packing the bags. “Okay?”
“Okay,” I agreed, unsure of what the hell was really going on.
“I’ve got to go down the street and grab the kids from Skeet’s house. They are playing with his kids.”
Grabbing his hand, I gently pulled him back with a seductive grin. “Well, wait a minute before you do that.”
Returning my gaze, he whispered huskily, “I know that tone in your voice.”
“Uh-huh. It’s feeding time.”
He patted his stomach and licked his lips. “Daddy is kinda hungry,” he said as I lay on his sofa and spread my legs.
I didn’t know what the hell Terrence had up his sleeve, but for some reason, regardless of the fact that I had no clue what was going on, I felt everything was truly going to be all right. I figured that I was probably better off the less I knew. As of now, I was going to lie back and enjoy the hell out of my Dread’s head game.