Page 2 of Fervor

Vegas and Jungle often credited Mister Berotte with showing them how a man was supposed to treat a woman. I met him a couple of times, once when I visited Texas and once when he and his wife came to Tallahassee. It was my first time gracing Houston with my presence in years. I thought I would be triggered by going home, but I’d done okay mentally. The only time I had a little difficulty was when I went to my mother’s house.

The Berottes, who happened to be Giselle’s extended family, were a representation of what family was supposed to look like, and I admired the hell out of that. It was so far removed fromwhat I grew up seeing. I’d been privy to a lot more than Keke had been. Because I was a little more than seven years older than her, I remembered a lot more about what went on in our house and what our father was like. Despite him being an ass with Mama most days, he was a good father.

Once G had relaxed, she looked right at me. “This little girl is definitely going to have my attitude. These contractions are practically taking me out the game.”

“How much have you dilated?”

“I was at a six the last time they checked me, which was nearly an hour ago.”

As if on cue, there was a knock at the door. The nurse walked in shortly after, saying she needed to check G. I stepped out of the room with her dad and Clayton. He was limping a lot more than what I originally noticed. I couldn’t wait until Keke and Vegas got here because I needed the scoop. I knew there had to be more to what happened to him than what Giselle knew or was telling me.

“Clayton, how have you been?” I asked as we walked down the hallway to the waiting area.

“I’ve been c-cool. The brain in-injury I suffered makes me stutter at times. Other than that and this limp, I’m okay.”

“Oh, wow. Giselle told me you had an accident a while back.”

He frowned slightly. That let me know there was more to it and that she probably knew.

“It wasn’t an accident. I got robbed.”

“Well, I guess that can be considered an accident. It was unexpected on your end.”

“Yeah, I guess. I-I was in the hospital for a week.”

“Damn. Did they ever find out who did it?”

“No.”

I nodded.Vegas.While I wanted to chuckle, I knew wasn’t shit funny. Changing the subject, I asked, “Where are the kids?”

“With my mama. I just wanted to check on baby girl. I mean, I know she’s in good hands, but w-we’re still friends, despite everything.”

I nodded again. I knew that much. Giselle was better than me. I would have nailed that nigga to the cross had he been putting me through all those damn changes. She almost lost Gentry because of how she responded to his bullshit.Fuck a friendship. My kids would have been fatherless after I would have finished with him. While I didn’t like street shit, it was still a part of who I was. It was why I was never teased. Kids were scared of me because they said I was mean. That was the first thing Vegas had said to me when he and Keke first visited to meet his mother for the first time; well, since he was two months old… Doctor King.

I glanced over at Doctor King’s husband, who was also Doctor King, and I swore I saw a smirk on his lips. He knew something too. Somebody was gonna have to clue me in. I couldn’t believe Keke didn’t tell me… or Giselle, for that matter. She knew more than she said for her to call it an accident. If he was robbed, she would have just said that.

“Yunique!”

I looked up and saw Doctor King calling me to the room. I practically ran in that direction. When I got to her, she said, “Giselle wants you, Jorielle, and me to be in the room with her and Gentry.”

My eyebrows lifted. I’d never seen a baby be born before. Plus, I didn’t know if I would be comfortable with it. However, I couldn’t disappoint my girl, so I nodded and walked into the room behind Doctor King. When G laid eyes on me, she smiled slightly. “It’s time, Yunique. I needed the most important women in my life in here with me.”

Before I could respond, the doctor and nurses came back inside, pushing a cart. I stood on the other side of the room, outof the way, with her sister-in-law Jorielle. She grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze. “This is so exciting!” she said in an excited whisper.

I giggled and nodded. It was exciting indeed. Gentry and Doctor King were on each side of her, trying to keep her calm. I could see by the expressions on her face… she was just ready for it to be over. She’d rolled her eyes a couple of times. They put her feet up in the stirrups, and her eyes met mine. I gave her a slight smile, assuring her that she could do it. She knew she could too. It wasn’t like this was her first baby.

Jorielle grabbed my hand, and I turned my attention to her and smiled. “I can’t wait to see this little princess,” I said to her.

“Well, we won’t have to wait too much longer!”

I turned to the action and could see the top of the baby’s head. G’s face adorned a determined frown as Gentry kissed her forehead. His eyes were wide as the doctor told G to push. She growled as she bore down, pushing with all her might. When the baby’s head popped out, my lips parted.My God.After another couple of pushes, the baby was out, screaming at the top of her lungs. Princess Akia had made her arrival.

They laid her on Giselle’s chest. She kissed her head repeatedly as Gentry slid his finger down Akia’s back. The tears escaped him, and he quickly swiped them away. He leaned over and kissed G’s lips, allowing it to linger until I saw his tongue slide to hers. I closed my eyes briefly. I was gonna have to bite the bullet and call Arranged Hearts. I wanted this so badly it clouded my vision to everything else. All I could focus on was having my own family, and I would take the first step in a few hours, calling Arranged Hearts to set up my first conference.

“The load only pays two hundred and sixty-five dollars.”

“Naw. That’s too damn far. Going all the way to Corpus should pay more than that. Tell her I said hell no.”