Haze

6

Two Months Later...

"You sure you cool with having this BBQ with the boys here?" Vince looked to Jazmine through the mirror as he buttoned up his light blue Polo shirt.

"Yes! I already told you that, plus the party is tomorrow, anyways." Jazmine rolled her eyes as she made their bed.

Vince just kept quiet, he had picked up on her attitude since they recieved sole custody of Jaliyah, he just didn't know of a good time to ask her what was wrong. Her attitude would be there one minute and the next it's as if it disappears or she catches herself and hides it.

Jazmine went into the bathroom and started her shower. Vince sat on the bed and waited patiently for her, the kids were already dressed and Raine could be heard all the way from downstairs hollering as they all played on the Wii.

After a few minutes, the water shut off and Jazmine came out in a sundress and sandals with her hair in two french braids.

"You ready?" Vince held his hand out to her.

"Yeah, where are we going to go?" Jazmine moisturized her face.

"Just a family picnic at the Aquarium." Vince shrugged.

"The kids would love that." Jazmine smiled. She bent down to get her purse from the side of the bed and quickly became nauseated, trying not to make it obvious, she sat down in the chair and took slow deep breaths.

"You okay? You lost your breath again?" Vince rushed over to her.

Jazmine held her hand out to stop him, all of a sudden his cologne, in which she loved the smell of, began to smell like an alley behind a fish mart to her.

She began to dry heave, Vince sat beside her and began rubbing her back but, she quickly shot up and rushed to the bathroom, throwing up right in the sink.

Vince came behind her, standing at the door confused.

Jazmine wiped her mouth and got a bag from out of the drawer to clean up her mess, but put her head down on her arm as she bent over the counter.

"Jazmine, are you pregnant?" Vince sighed.

Jazmine didn't budge.

"Jazmine, I am not playing with you. Are you pregnant?" Vince walked to her but she dry heaved again. He realized it could be his cologne and stepped back.

Jazmine looked up at him through the mirror with tears in her eyes. He immediately knew the answer. Shaking his head, he left out the bathroom and Jazmine burst into tears, she felt horrible; mentally she was drained, physically she was drained, and emotionally she was a complete wreck.

Vince came back in with some new clothes on, that didn't have a scent and got Jazmine up, he carried her to the bed, placing her in there.

"You rest, I will clean everything up. I'm still taking the kid to the picnic and when we get back, you and I are going to have a long discussion." He left to clean up her mess. Jazmine just cried until she fell asleep, with her hand on her belly.

~

Jazmine was woken up to screams and laughter coming from downstairs. Looking at the time, the clock read four o'clock. Sitting up, she rolled her feet and took a sip of her water she keeps beside the bed before sliding into her house shoes and heading downstairs.

What she saw melted her heart. The kids had their faces painted and were playing with their stuffed animals they apparently got from the aquarium.

Raine looked up and saw Jazmine, " MOOOMMMYYY!" She ran to Jazmine attacking her legs with a hug and the other kids joined the hug.

"Why didn't you come today, mommy?" Jabari looked up at Jazmine.