Page 33 of Book Bae

“You don’t need to do that.”

“I want to. Please, let me do this, and don’t resent me for wanting assurances for myself.”

She sighed and replied, “I don’t resent you, Micaiah, just the situation. I’m frustrated that my ho-ish behavior led to you needing a DNA test.”

“Your behaviors weren’t whorish, Myraj. You simply wanted a reason to believe, and I gave you that. There was nothing wrong with what you asked for or expected. Neither of us could have known that we would end up here. We took precautions.”

“I guess it would’ve helped if I’d been on birth control, but I didn’t have a reason to be.”

“You know what?”

“What?”

“I’m a firm believer that whatever is meant to be, will be. If this baby was going to come into this world, your birth control wouldn’t have stopped it. Whatever the Lord wanted to happen is what would happen.”

“You’re right, but I’m still so embarrassed. I mean, I told you that I didn’t want to stay in touch, and here I am having to call you about a baby. Honestly, I didn’t want to make the call.”

“Why not?”

“I didn’t want you thinking bad about me. Most of all, I didn’t want to have that wonderful night ruined by coming to you and finding out that you were really a frog and not a prince if you acted an ass on me.”

I chuckled. “I’m not that guy, Myraj. I know that discussing the DNA test couldn’t help either. Ladies feel like there’s a stain on their reputation or their integrity is being called into question. You shouldn’t have to suffer through that, but unfortunately, just as many women out there that have integrity, there are that many and more who are out here duping men to take care of kids they know don’t belong to those men.

“Unfortunately, I’ve known a couple. One of them didn’t find out the truth until his son was in high school and decided to do one of those family tree projects. The other one was a friend of mine who learned the truth in his thirties. He had a medical emergency. His father came through for him, because his mama was out of the country, and they found out he wasn’t his dad.”

“Damn.”

“Yeah, and those are just the two I know about. Unfortunately, there are so many scandalous women out here ready to take their secrets to the grave with them. They’ll never admit it to anyone, maybe not even their best friends. I’m glad that you suggested it. This will give baby girl and me assurances in the future. We all deserve that, wouldn’t you agree?”

“I agree, but it doesn’t make it any easier.”

I reached out and caressed her hand. “I know. Once we get it done, we can plan our next steps, like introducing you to her big brother.”

She smiled shyly and looked into her glass of iced tea. I could tell that she was still bothered, and while I hated it, too, I knew it was something we had to do.

(JULY) TWO DAYS LATER

“I was a real G and never backed down from a challenge. I backed up whatever I said I would and put my weight on that shit—but shit had just got real.” –Heart of Stone, MJ Stone

“Breathe. Everything is going to be okay,” I declared.

Myraj squeezed my hand as she closed her eyes and inhaled. She slowly exhaled as the phlebotomist inserted the needle in her arm.

I took in her beautiful features while she was not looking at me. I admired her heart-shaped face, unblemished skin, full, pouty lips, and her long lashes that seemingly swept the apples of her high cheekbones.

When the needle was removed from her arm, the phlebotomist stated, “There. All done. Was that so bad?”

Myraj lifted her eyebrows and giggled. “Yes.”

I laughed. “It wasn’t that bad.”

“Says you, who apparently doesn’t have a fear of needles and won’t be getting poked and prodded for the next four months,” Myraj retorted.

I smirked. “You’re right about that. If I could do it for you, I would.”

“Sure. All you had to do was get your cheek swabbed.”

“Like that was fun.”