Page 235 of The Ninth

When he first got me the salon, he explained he was putting a surprise in the basement for me. Well, the surprise was a full blown pole dancing studio. He told me he believed me when I said it was only fun and brought me joy. Then he said he’d never take my joy away. Shit was sweet until his mama took a class!

Dean retired Tati, so she teaches classes there in her free time. We do provide alcoholic drinks, and Kenzie comes from time to time and makes the best. Devyn will join if she’s not busy tattooing.

Dean and Tati decided Doodas would be their only. Doodas doesn’t really remember much about Poncho and I can tell that hurts her feelings. Any time she wants to speak about him, I’m open to do so. Kenzie is now pregnant with Devyn, having her and Trent’s first. He and Dean are still working with the football player Josiah while Kenzie’s ass took her degree and became a damn therapist. Someone left her a review calling her a hoax because she told his wife to fuck his brother.

“Where’s Kenzie?” Devyn asked while sneaking a Jolly Rancher candy cane. She knows damn well she ain’t supposed to be having sugar.

“Girl, she’s walking up and down the steps!” Piper laughed. “She’s tryna get that baby out of her!”

I smiled at my baby Piper. She finished grad school and finally allowed Micah to propose to her. They’re happily engaged and sharing a beautiful home.

“I don’t know why she waited until she got to my house! I don’t got anywhere for her to push that baby out, on granny!”

Devyn laughed while smacking my arm. “No but the snow is getting pretty heavy. Maybe she should stop before it’s hard to leave?”

“Let me go get the girl!”

I walked away quickly with the Devyn and Tati following me. When I opened the door to the roof, Kenzie was laid out on the stairs, sleep! I hope this hoe is sleep...I rushed to her, tapping on her forehead.

“Kenzie, baby!”

She sighed with her eyes closed, “Don’t come get me if ain’t a pancake or sausage on a plate for me and I’m not playing.”

We all cackled. I sat behind her, laying her top half in my lap. Tati did the same but with her feet. Devyn sat beside her, just as exhausted. Kenzie started speaking about her nursery and the newest things they added. I couldn’t even listen. My mind was elsewhere.

I looked over the three of them. All four of us had rings on our fingers. In a matter of days, we will all be mothers. None of us are at the club anymore. It’s not that I never seen an out for us; me and my bitches were going to do whatever we had to. I just never knew what that would look like. I never considered that it would be an easy and painless love that assisted each of us.

We’re women who came together to rob niggas, G. The same ones to do that set-up. Stopping at nothing to help, protect, and defend each other. As much credit that I give our men for being blessings in our lives, I have to give it up for us too.

Never once have we lost sight of how much we meant to each other. Never once did we let down our beautiful companionship. It took each and every one of us to water our love up until this point. Some days, one of our wails were dry, but we always made up for it.

That’s why I could never knock The Ninth. I would have to always give it, it’s flowers. I’m grateful for the good and the bad that came from it, because it turned us into who we are today. We luhh The Ninth. That’ll never change.

The door to the stairwell slowly crept open. I smiled at my first born son, Doodas as he walked in. He was taller than me now at nine years old. Oddly enough...he looked like Dean’s ass a lil bit. I told Tati she needs to count back to where they both were around that time but she kept telling me to quit playing with Poncho. That nigga ain’t doing much of playing with anyone.

“Hi! Glamma said the food is ready.”

“WHEW! Come on Mamas so we can get some food in you!” Tati smiled.

Each of us grabbed onto Kenzie, helping her stand up straight. As soon as her body was completely vertical...

SPLISHHHHHHH!

Doodas’ eyes widen before he ran away. We all kind of just stood there, stuck. All three of us had to be induced previously, so a water breaking was brand new news to us! I immediately considered the icy roads and started panicking.

“Oh, Kenzie. We have to call an ambulance!”

“OH MY GOD! I SENT THEM BABIES UP AND NOW HE ABOUT TO SEND ONE BACK ON HIS BIRTHDAY!”

“KENZIE!” the three of us yelled.

Trent came busting into the stairwell, running up the steps. Before Devyn could warn him, he started slipping and sliding, grabbing onto the wall. Tati immediately got irruhtated.

“This bitch finna have a baby with Michael Jackson.”

“BITCH!” Kenzie started dying laughing.

It took Dean, Kenzo, and Duke coming to safely get her and Devyn down the wooden steps without the slipping and getting hurt. Luckily, the snow was pretty soft, so the ambulance was able to come and get my girl. The four of us and our men waited outside while hearing the sirens in the distance.