Sampson grabbed my hand when we pulled up. “You okay? It’s all love over here, Nazarene. Relax, girl,” he said, giving me a winning smile.

We went and got a hotel, thank God. Although I did agree to come, I didn’t feel right sleeping in his mother’s house. Who knows what he told her, but that did quell my anxiety just a little bit. Meeting a man’s family was a big deal, no matter how much he tried to downplay it.

Before coming, we checked into the hotel and showered. Sampson didn’t lie, going all out not only at the mall but getting me my own suite at the W. I had on a long, mustard yellow, Billabong maxi dress with a gold pair of Tony Burch sandals. I chose yellow, as it accentuated my eye color.

My short curls were lightly damp after dragging a little mousse through it. My naturally curly hair was cute, growing out the further along I was in my pregnancy. My face was lightly made up, complete with a little rouge, gold eye shadow and nude lip gloss.

Sampson kept it simple, wearing a black, Diesel button up top and jeans with a burgundy pair of Cole Haan GrandPro leather sneakers. Before we left, he called me in his room to braid his dreads into two big braids. At first, I was hesitant, him resting his head and arms across my thighs as he sat on the floor. The entire time neither of us spoke, but the energy was definitely there. We were feeling each other.

“Yes, I’m good.” You can do this, I said to myself squeezing his hand. I looked up and saw a woman that looked just like him come to the front door, waving us in.

“There she go,” he laughed. “It’s just my moms.”

“Okay then.” He walked around, opening the door for me. I caught his mother smiling with her hands on her hip.

“If this is what’s been keeping me away from my son, then I understand. Hurry up now and get this girl in here!” she yelled, turning on her heels and going inside.

The house wasn’t big, but it was clean. I could tell it was lived in, the furniture was not in the best condition. I looked to the table and saw who I assumed were his brothers all grinning and snickering.

“What’s happening, bro?” he said, slapping hands with one that was a little darker than him but just as built. “This is Nazarene,” he said, looking at me. “Nazarene, this my baby brother, Raynell.”

“Bro, I see what you doing,” he laughed, standing up, slapping hands with the other two that sat on the other side of the table.

“Ahhhh, stop all of that,” their mother yelled, coming out with a platter of honey-baked ham. “Get up and help me with this food. Bernard, take that hat off,” she said to the one that looked to be the youngest.

They all had sharp jaws, and dreads in different stages. With the exception of Raynell, they all shared the same caramel complexion. “Bro, much better than the last one,” Bernard said, before he took off.

“That’s Bernard. Excuse his ignorance. And that one right there,” he said, pointing at the young one, “is Cain.”

“Well, good evening, beautiful. You let this nigga get some play, but you should have waited for me.”

My face had to turn red, watching him as he didn’t even break into a smile. He was straight up shooting his shot. I grew up with a lot of siblings, but never would any of them would be so blunt. Well, let me take that back. Nadje would.

“Ma! Get Cain, out here being disrespectful!”

“I ain’t fooling with y’all today,” she said, placing a big pan of macaroni and cheese on the table. Within seconds, the table was filled with steamed cabbage, candied yams, cornbread and a large pitcher of what I thought was freshly brewed iced tea. It just had that look, making my mouth water. “Did y’all wash y’all hands?” she yelled at us.

“Dang, ma. Stop all that yelling. You gone run the girl off,” Bernard said, winking his eye.

“Hush up, boy. Well, I’m Carol Young, Sampson’s mother,” she said, reaching out and pulling me in for a hug. “No hand shaking around here, baby. We’re from the south. You’re family now.”

I wasn’t sure how I felt about that when she said it, but it did make me relax a little. “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Carol.”

“Awww, just call me Carol.”

“Pfft! She really like her,” Raynell, mumbled.

“One bathroom is down the hall to the right and the other one is through my bedroom. It’s the cleanest. Sampson, go ahead and take Nazarene to mine because I know your brothers. They done peed all around the toilet.”

“Not me, though. My aim is official,” Cain said, nodding his head.

Sampson grabbed me by my hand, pulling me quickly through her bedroom. It was small but clean with a large, wooden Victorian-like bed in the middle. We squeezed around it, barely making it because the bed was so big. I felt his hands around my waist and I jumped, almost falling on the floor.

“Oh shit!” I belted, feeling his large hands holding me, one firmly pressing my stomach. When I finally calmed down, he was looking at me. I already knew why, figuring that would be the last day his family saw me.

“Soooo, you want to tell me about that?” I saw the disappointment in his voice, but the cat was out the bag.

“My ex. It’s his baby. You met him at the bowling alley,” I said, slowly looking up in the mirror with him standing behind me. He sighed and looked back up at me.

“Dude with the pretty, dark-skinned chick that go to FSU, too?”

Of all the ways he could describe her, he just had to throw in pretty. I wasn’t a hater, but that didn’t mean I wanted to hear it.

“Yes, but we’re not together anymore and he doesn’t even know.” I felt him grip my waist, sliding both hands on my stomach. He leaned his head down on my shoulder, still staring at me. I could see the discomfort on his face, but he held me tighter, swaying back and forth.

He shocked me when he said, “I still want you. That is if you still want me.” My eyes lit up and I smiled.

“I do.”

“Well, let’s go out here and feed this baby then,” he said, reaching forward as he turned on the water. He then took both of my hands, running warm water over them as he washed both of them together.

Shit, that was hella sexy. I was in trouble now. Not only did he accept my baby, but my center was jumping too. I must have moaned when he said, “Save that for when you ready.” He turned off the water, and asked. “You will be around for later, right?”

“I will.”

“Cool,” he said, grabbing a few paper towels as he dried both of my hands. His hands were big and calloused, but with the gentle way he catered to me, he made me feel so loved and deserving of it too.