RUTHLESS

11

"How we lookin today Lis?" I was in Antonio's office, doing my regular job as usual but the counts was off.

"There's something wrong."

"What you mean?" He came over to where I was at and looked the finance book.

"Right here. It's short. You've been comin up short." There was an initial on the band of money everyone put in. This specific person, H, was comin up short.

"By how much?"

"Well, you usually have about 3 grand by the end of the week. Give or take. But this time you have less than a 2 grand." I'm pretty sure he was stealing.

"Aight. If it comes up short next week, imma bring'em in here Aight?" I nodded, Messiah kickin the shit out of me.

"Stop that." He kept going, Antonio laughed.

"He playin soccer in there."

"Might as well put him in soccer when he turns 5."

{}

"How does it feel to have a baby?" I asked Leslie. My due date was comin up and I was startin to get scared.

"It hurts. You pushin out a small human. I had to get stitched up cuss she tore my coochie." We laughed.

Jakayla was now 2 months old and lazy. She was a lazy baby that only cried when she was hungry or wanted attention. She was so pretty too. I hope my kid comes out lazy. I wish Devon would call, he hasn't been picking up lately or textin but I get it. He's been busy.

"You gettin scared?" I nodded, rubbin my stomach so they could calm down. It's like they been on ten since earlier.

"A human is coming out of me. I'm very scared." I don't even know how babies come out, it was scary. I didn't have my mother to help me thru the process either. It made me feel lonely.

"Don't be. Cuss after yo kid come out, you gone be focused on them. And then the cryin." I laughed a bit, the baby still kickin me.

"Don't women die during pregnancy?" I was more scared of that part then anything. Dyin durin my delivery because of the pain being too much.

"Don't even think bout dyin. Cuss you ain't killable."

{}

I was walking around the mall, wantin to get some things for the baby. Antonio and Leslie were with me too. They took me to all the cute baby stores and kept on getting shit that wasn't needed.

"My god son gone be fly." Antonio picked out some Jordan's from the rack.

"You really want it to be a boy?"

"It is a boy."

"How you know? Tell me while you spending expensive shoes on a baby that don't need it." I was honestly fine with buying Payless shoes.

"Girl, go sit down and let him have this." Leslie told me, handin me some pretzels. I grabbed them and sat down. They were so good.

"Stop kickin me." The baby been doin flips since yesterday and it was gettin on my nerves.

"Aw, your pregnant." A random girl asked. I recognized her from school. We had English together before I dropped out and decided to get my GED instead of graduating with my class.

"Yeah. It keeps on kickin me."

"Can I touch your belly?" I nodded, the baby startin to punch the spot she touched.

"You ready to go?" I looked back, Devon standin there with bags. He looked like he saw a ghost.

"Yeah babes. I was just touchin her belly. I can't wait till ours come." I could've choked.

"It was nice meetin you." She said before leavin, Devon rushing them out. I just laughed, so that's why he wasn't pickin up anymore. His parents got what they wanted.

{}

The phone that Devon gave me kept ringing. It was probably him. I didn't feel like answerin so I wasn't gone answer.

"You should pick up." Leslie said, lookin at the phone.

"It's no one important." I shrugged, turnin it off.

I wasn't mad at him to be completely honest, I was just disappointed. He could've kept it real with me instead of dodge me, I think what hurt the most is he didn't tell me and I had to hear about while baby shoppin. I thought we were friends before anything else. I guess not.

"Ow." I winced in pain, my stomach hurtin so bad.

"What's wrong?" Leslie handed Jakayla to Antonio, rubbin my back.

"My stomach." I hunched over in pain, my stomach killin. The baby wasn't kickin anymore but It was something else.

"You think it's time?" Antonio stood up, going upstairs.

"It's not. I have another 2 months to go." I told them, the pain startin to hurt more.

"We gone get you to a hospital. You probably goin into labor early."