"You just relax and stay your pretty ass seated," Penny said.

"Penny, you do too much," I laughed. I'm not allowed to do anything since I've been on bed rest aka house arrest, for the past three months. I have to stay on bed rest until I deliver, for health reasons. Other than that, today is my gender-neutral baby shower. Only women are allowed to come, so the men are off doing their own thing.

Penny was able to come, as well as April, Ashanti, Briana, Robyn, Dashawn and Robyn's mama, and a bunch of their relatives. I had no family members of my own, but I already knew that that was how it was gonna be.

Since the baby shower is gender neutral with a spa-like theme, we are all wearing matching creme beige silk pajamas and white fuzzy slippers. My outfit is slightly darker than everyone else's. The whole theme is all about comfort, and I was beyond comfortable. Ashanti did my hair. I was initially going to get a lace front but I decided to just have my hair silk pressed.

I am a couple of weeks shy of nine months. Then I'll only have a month until my due date, unless the baby comes early or they induce me. But, I try not to think about that because the thought of giving birth terrifies me.

"I'm hungry," I pouted as my stomach growled, knocking me out of my thoughts.

"Then I'll go fix you a plate."

Everyone was either up getting food or dancing while I just wanted to eat. I wanted everyone to eat before we started on the games.

"Thank you," I said as Penny placed a plate full of food down in front of me. Ashanti, April, and Briana came up to the table with plates of their own and took the seats around me. Penny and Briana have been getting pretty cozy since I introduced them. They are currently deep in conversation.

I spotted Robyn across the room going from table to table handing out little slips of paper. When I finally got her attention, I waved her over.

"If you don't sit down and eat first. The games can wait," I stated.

"But, I can just finish-"

"Nope, if you don't sit down I will get up." I know Robyn is just excited and wants everything to go smoothly since she planned the whole thing. I can't blame her for trying to do multiple things at once.

"Fine, I'll be back."

I smiled as she made her way to the buffet of food. We made room for her and I made her ass sit next to me so I could watch her.

"I think it's a girl," Briana said.

"I'm going with boy," April and Ashanti said at the same time.

"I'm going with a girl also," Penny said.

"Me too," Robyn smiled at me.

"What do you think it is?" Briana asked me. I shrugged.

"I have a feeling it's a girl, but it doesn't matter to me. Dashawn and I have a little bet going on. If it's a girl that means I win and I get to have his car. If it's a boy then he gets to keep his car."

"Ohhhh, what kind of car are we talking about?"

"His Rolls-Royce Ghost," I tried not to smile. They burst out in questions.

"Look," I said trying to calm them down. "I didn't think he would agree to the bet when I asked."

"Girl, you know he would do anything for you," Robyn spoke up next to me. I nudged her shoulder playfully.

"That shit nice as hell," Ashanti said googling the car.

"What color and year?" She asked.

"White and a 2020."

"Oh shit!"

"Lemme see."

"I want to see too." They all gathered around Ashanti to look at the google images on her phone.

"He's just giving you this, for free," April shook her head.

"I mean he is getting a baby, and that's only if I win," I shrugged.

"He got money. I wish I had a sugar daddy," Ashanti teased.

"I know right," both Ashanti and Penny gave each other a high-five. I rolled my eyes. They do too much.

We finished eating and I stood up to go mingle before we start the games.

"My first grand baby," Mama Iris said rubbing my stomach. She looked at Robyn with her eyebrows raised.

"I still got time, dang mama. I don't need to rush and have kids if I'm not ready."

"Time is ticking," Iris said before turning her attention back on me. I was about to say something when we all stopped at hearing commotion outside.

"What is that?" I asked Robyn.

"Hold on, I'll be right back." Mama Iris stood up as more yelling could be heard. She was about that life and everyone knew it. She stayed strapped and didn't play about her people.

"Stay here Asha," she said. I went to protest when someone grabbed me.

"You stay here with me," one of Dashawn's cousins said.

"But why? What's going on?"

"I heard it's some bitches, I don't know. They're handling it though," she guided me into a seat.

The noise only seemed to get worse. Soon, Jasmine also had to go see what was going on. I was left with the older crowd. I snuck away, walking to the front and to the door that was wide open. I creeped up behind where almost everyone had gathered.

"What the hell is going on?" I mumbled almost inaudibly.

"That bitch!!" My eyes snapped to the familiar voice. She couldn't see me, but I could see her. Everyone stood blocking the entrance, making sure nothing and no one could get in.

"H-How did she get here?" I whispered to myself.

"That's right. I finally found her ass. Bring that bitch Asha out here." Kennedy was being held not too far away. Her and some girls I've never seen before were all pinned to the ground by the few bodyguards Dashawn made sure was posted up around the building. Kennedy had this nasty look in her eyes, and her overall appearance made it seem like she hadn't slept in months. She looked like a psychopath fidgeting on the ground with her face pressed into the concrete.

"That dirty bitch had him killed!!!"

She was yanked up off the ground, followed by the other three.

"They need to leave before Asha finds out they're here. She don't need all that negativity, especially when she's so close to her due date," I heard Briana say.

"Who is that?" Someone asked, but I couldn't make out who it was.

"The one running her mouth is Kennedy, Asha's hateful ass, dumb ass, bitch ass, and abusive ass sister. And from what Asha has told me, they never got along. I don't know them other ones."

"She gone get what's coming to her!" Kennedy screamed yet again.

"That's enough. Mac, get them outta her before I pop a cap in all of them, and make sure you handle this with discretion," Mama Iris said to the guards.

From then on, I was speechless. I don't have any social media for a reason and I never post about my whereabouts. How did Kennedy know where I was? And, it's not just Kennedy, Dashawn has a lot of enemies and people in general that could 'hurt me,' as Dashawn told me. Luckily, only my close friends and his close family even know that I exist. Not to mention, my friends don't even know Dashawn like that to be running their mouths. So, how did Kennedy know? I thought I was done with her, but by the way she showed up here says she's not done with me. I don't know who she knows and who she has connections with, but it's no coincidence that she showed up here.

I was so caught up in my head that I didn't notice when everyone started turning to head back inside.

"Come on y'all, let's get back to the shower. The last thing we need is for the cops to be called," Robyn said. I froze as they spotted me.

"Asha," multiple people said at the same time.

"I'm fine," I quickly turned and hobbled away as fast as I could. Embarrassed, I stormed over to the little personal bathroom and slammed the door shut. It was childish, I know, but I'm still basically a child myself and when my emotions spike, I shut down. I sat on the small chair in the bathroom and tuned everyone out. I needed several minutes to myself.

To be honest, I don't know how to feel. I think I feel fine, but I'm not sure. I mean, nothing Kennedy does surprises me anymore. I've come to terms with the fact that I've never had a sister, and I've been lost hope on us ever amending our relationship. Now, I'm just trying to stay as far away from her as I can. I just want to move on.

I don't know how long I stayed in the bathroom or when the banging stopped, but the baby shower was officially ruined. I just wasn't up for it anymore. Yes, I could've continued like nothing happened, but I just didn't feel like faking it. I'd rather stay in the bathroom and continue rubbing my stomach.

A loud knock startled me.

"Yes," I cleared my throat.

"Open the door," Dashawn said. He was rather calm, too calm.

I stood, my legs numb from sitting too long. When I opened the door, Dashawn's eyes took me in. He assessed me from head to toe making me fidget.

"Are you okay?"

"I don't know. I think so. I don't feel anything. I feel nothing and everything at the same time, which scares me."

Dashawn closed the door behind him and pulled me into a hug. He took the chair I was previously on and pulled me down onto his lap. I snuggled into his arms. He smelled like weed and cologne.

"I don't know how to feel Dashawn. I-I don't know. I just want Kennedy to leave me alone. I don't go out looking for trouble, that's not my personality. But I'm convinced Kennedy is the devil incarnate. I would do anything to understand, for even a second, why she hates me so much. Then, maybe I could decide whether or not I deserve her hate."

I took a deep breath and briefly focused on the feeling of Dashawn's heart pulsing under me. "You have such a good relationship with your family. I envy you so much. I can't even call my mom and ask her a simple question about everyday things. Fuck, I want to. I wish I could all the time, but then I remember who she truly is and I feel sick to my stomach for even thinking such a thing. Why do I still yearn for her to accept me and love me?" I was getting so emotional that my voice stopped working. So, instead of talking, I just gripped his shirt tightly until I was able to speak again.

"I didn't want the baby. I never did. But, the way your eyes lit up when we talked about keeping it, I thought everything was finally going to be okay for me, and I would do anything to keep that smile on your face. Call it lust or infatuation, but I was in love with the idea that you were stuck with me forever. It's stupid now when I think about it because I think I actually fell in love with you even though you don't love me back. I guess that's okay though."

Feeling tired from today's events and my constant rambling, I snuggled deeper into his body. "You can fuck other women and do whatever you want, I don't care, just don't leave me and help me raise this child. I'm too fucked up to raise this baby by myself," I mumbled as I started to doze off.

Dashawn didn't say a word. I soon fell asleep in his arms.