Page 131 of Cartel Devil

There’s a real person inside my girlfriend’s belly, and I’m watching it on a monitor. It still looks a lot like an alien, but we made that tiny alien. It’s felt real since the beginning. This isn’t Tre’s first ultrasound, but at twelve weeks, it’s the first time it’s been truly distinguishable.

“Everything is progressing as it should. You’re actually measuring a little ahead. It’s not surprising since Tres J’s were all close to nine-and-a-half pounds.”

Tre looks at me aghast.

“I was eight-four and considered a healthy size baby. Nine pounds? But your mom’s tiny.”

“Only when she stands beside one of us. You’re the same size.”

I realize, as the words come out of my mouth, they did the opposite of reassure her. She looks back at the monitor, then at me, before staring at her belly.

“Stretch marks.”

“Huh?”

“I’m going to get a lot of stretch marks, aren’t I?” She’s looking at my tía now.

“There’s no way to know for sure. You’re young, and you have great skin. But there’s no way to judge its true elasticity or how fast your belly will grow.”

“But they itch, don’t they? When they’re coming in, right?”

“They can.”

“Tre, it doesn’t matter how they’ll look, if that’s⁠—”

“It’s not. If I want to wear a bikini I will, though I’d probably give you a stroke if I did in public. No, I just can’t stand the idea of something being itchy all the time. I’m nervous about how tight the skin will feel—like it’s going to pop. I know I shouldn’t read stuff online, but…” She shrugs.

“You can try things like cocoa butter, aloe, and vitamin E cream, but there’s no guarantee any of those will prevent them. They should soothe the itchiness though.”

“I can live with that.”

“You’re going to be the most beautiful pregnant woman.”

Tía Margherita offers a knowing smile. I know that smile.

“What are you hiding, Tía?”

“Not my secret to share, but you’ll know soon enough.”

“Someone else is pregnant too!” Tre blurts what I’m thinking before I can.

Tía cocks an eyebrow and turns away to wipe down the ultrasound wand. I accept the tissues she passes toward Tre. I gently wipe the goop from her still pristine skin. I’ll never stop craving the woman I love. I’ll spend every day ensuring she knows that. I won’t have to say it. She’ll know because I won’t stop chasing her until I have my cock inside her.

I shift in my seat, and Tre looks at me. Her smirk. I frown and dart my gaze to my tía—our tía. Now she gives me a toothy grin. She knows what I’m thinking, and she knows I don’t want Tía Margherita catching us.

“Remember no hot dogs or deli meat unless they’re heated to steaming. Choose fish that are low in mercury. Caffeine but in moderation. No unpasteurized dairy. It nearly killed me both times giving up those cheeses.”

There’s a wistful look as she thinks about it. I’d like to imagine it’s about my cousins, but I know Tía. She believes cheese should be its own food group.

Tre reaches out her hand, and Tía Margherita takes it. She sits up and hugs our tía before resting back against the raised examination table.

“I wouldn’t wish this first trimester on anyone. You’ve gotten me through every wave of panic and every wave of guilt. I don’t know what I’d do without you, Tía.”

“Thank you, sobrina. I’m here for you always.” Niece.

Tía Margherita beams. She loves Florencia like a daughter, Tía Elle as a sister, all the other women who’ve married into this family as nieces. It would be easy for the women not to return her sentiments, but they do.

I lean over and kiss Tre’s forehead before Tía excuses herself. Once Tre’s dressed, we meet our guards in the hallway. Pablo had lunch with Tía in the cafeteria, so he joins the rank and file who surround Tre and me.