Cherish had finally moved into her new house yesterday. She couldn't believe Julissa found her a house so quick, considering when she moved back, nothing was available. Then again, that was months ago. Her house was beautiful. She couldn't wait for her daughters to be back home with her. She knew they would love their new home. If they wanted to stay with Priest a little longer, she wouldn't stop them.

For the most part, Cherish had been trying to keep herself from sinking into a dark hole since everything came to light a week ago. She was constantly selling out online and on most items in her stores, so her money was growing. Her daughters are happy and healthy. She just had an interview with a big name magazine company a couple of days ago and despite Yazmine not wanting to celebrate her birthday, she showed out for her favorite cousin. Things were as good as could be. She still couldn't believe Hendrix bought Yazmine a G-Wagon for her birthday. The smile on Yazmine's face was priceless, but her and Truth were heavy into it because of it.

Marcus and her aunt wouldn't stop calling her. She didn't block their numbers, but was contemplating on doing just that. As much as she loves the both of them, which is still with all her heart; she didn't know what they weren't understanding about her wanting nothing to do with them.

"I'd appreciate if you stop calling me." Cherish frowned while answering the phone.

"I know you want nothing to do with me or Marcus, but please, just let me explain. I have never been on the receiving end of your anger, and I would rather not start. I am so sorry—"

"Rissa, just stop. I don't want to hear anything you or your son have to say. I don't care to hear neither explanations. I don't care if you changed your mind down the line about wanting me and my brother, since obviously that's what happened. I do not care! Leave me alone. Don't call me. Don't text me. Just stay out of my life, okay?" Tears filled Cherish's eyes. She could hear Rissa sniffling, causing her to roll her eyes extra hard. "Save those fake ass tears. Did you get the check?"

"I understand you're mad, but I am still your aunt and I still deserve your respect. I don't want your money, sweetie." Rissa responded.

"You're right about the respect, but I have one aunt and that's Kenya. I never said you wanted the money, but that's for taking care of me and my brother. I don't want anyone saying they did shit for me. Bye, Rissa." Cherish hung up while tossing her phone on the bed. She wanted to cry and was on the brink of it, but something was interfering.

Running to the bathroom for the sixth time today, Cherish fell to her knees while clenching the toilet seat. Her vomiting felt never ending each time. It's like her head would be buried in the toilet for hours. This would be the time she needed someone to rub her back because she was gagging like crazy. By the time she was finished, she felt so light-headed. She had been up since seven in the morning throwing up. It seems like overnight. She suddenly grew a slightly bigger pudge.

She knew she couldn't be pregnant, since she had been taking Plan B's after each time she and Priest had unprotected sex. It's only been a week since she and Assad first slept together and used protection each time. Maybe it was the flu or a stomach virus. Either way, her body felt weak. She couldn't keep anything down.

"Oh my God, what the fuck is wrong with me?" She groaned weakly. She couldn't even stand up to brush her teeth. After wiping her mouth, she reached up and grabbed the bottle of mouth wash she sat on the bathroom sink the night before. Gargling, she then spit the mouth wash out in the toilet before flushing it.

She felt like she was dying, and with her type of luck, perhaps she was. She was too weak to stand, so she crawled out of the bathroom. Grabbing her phone from her bed, she called Yazmine first and didn't get an answer.

"Yaz, please answer the phone. I need you." She cried into the phone. Yazmine didn't answer, so she hung up.

She tried her luck with Priest and didn't get an answer, which she wasn't surprised by. Patience and Kincaid took their grandkids to SeaWorld as a last summer trip before school starts, along with Hendrix's nieces. So calling them would be pointless. Right when she was about to call 911. She thought of Assad.

"I was wondering if I'd hear from you today. What's up, gorgeous?" Assad's deep voice filled her ears.

Cherish sniffled. "Assad..." She cried, which put him on alert. "Something is wrong, and I don't know what. I feel terrible."

"Where are you?" He asked worriedly.

"I'm at home. Can you please come? I feel like I'm about to... Assa—" Everything went black as Cherish fainted. Assad knew where she lived because he helped her moved some things, and they ended up sleeping together, which she swore would be the last time, but had a hard time committing to her word.

Cherish woke up, she was hooked up to monitors. She was confused about how she got to the hospital, but then remembered she called Assad. She saw a doctor writing something down after looking at the monitors. "Ahem." She cleared her throat as the doctor looked at her. Her throat was a little dry.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Smith. I'm Dr. Mavericks. Do you remember anything?" The doctor asked as she walked over to Cherish.

"Just calling my friend, then everything went blank. What's wrong with me, Dr. Mavericks? Just rip off the Band-Aid, please. Am I dying?" Tears filled Cherish's eyes. "Can I have some water?"

"You most certainly can." Dr. Mavericks poured Cherish some water before handing it to her along with some tissue.

"Thank you."

"To answer your question, no, you're not dying. You're perfectly healthy. You suffer from Hyperemesis Gravidarum. HG, for short, which means excessive vomiting." Dr. Mavericks told her.

"Why would I suffer from that?"

"Ms. Smith, are you aware that you're pregnant?"

"P-Pregnant?!" Cherish shouted while choking. She hoped she wasn't pregnant by Assad. Even though they used protection, it could've happened the same way Honesti was conceived. A broken condom.

"By the look on your face, I can see that this is a surprise."

"I can't be pregnant. I already have two children. I'd know, right? I was still bleeding lightly, so... Wait, how far long am I?"

"Spotting or light bleeding is normal in the first trimester. Don't be alarmed. You are thirteen weeks pregnant. Your due date is March 15th. HG causes you to lose weight and cause dehydration, which is what you experienced." Dr. Mavericks answered as Cherish still tried to grasp what she was told. "Have you had trouble with eating or lost any weight?"

"I lost a pound. I was 125 pounds, now I'm 124. That's always been me. I only gained weight when I was pregnant. Otherwise, my weight doesn't go below 124 or higher than 125. As for trouble eating. Yes. As of late, I can't keep anything down. I never ate during mornings. I would always eat in the afternoon, but food hasn't been agreeing with me. I've been vomiting here and there, but today was so bad. I vomited about six times before calling my friend."

"I'm going to prescribe you some pills that will ease the sickness and allow you to actually eat something. Your baby sucked up everything you had, so the little one is doing fine. We will keep a close eye on you for twenty-four hours, then you can go home. Would you like to see your baby?"

"No. I want the first time to be with the father. He never experienced it and I want him to get all his firsts this time around." Cherish's voice cracked. She couldn't believe she was pregnant by Priest. She didn't want any more kids. With that in mind, didn't know how to feel about this pregnancy. Here she was, about to bring another child into the world who would be back and forth between houses. She felt sick, knowing she had been drinking while pregnant.

"The gentleman who's in the waiting area waiting for you? I could send him in, then send in an ultrasound technician."

"No. He's not the father. That's my friend. Could you send him in anyway?"

"Sure. He's been asking constantly if you were okay." Dr. Mavericks smiled friendly before walking out.

Cherish tried her best to keep her emotions under control, but it was proving to be hard. She bit her lip and stared up at the ceiling to halt her tears. Not a moment too soon, Assad stepped in.

"I was worried about you. They wouldn't tell me anything. I was starting to tell them I was your husband, but didn't want to invade your privacy. If you wanted me to know what's going on with you, then you would tell me." Assad sat next to her. He pulled out her phone from his pocket and handed it to her as she looked at him.

"Thank you for coming when I called and for staying. I shouldn't tell you this because Priest should know first, but this changes things."

"What are you talking about?" Assad grabbed her hand to comfort her. She looked upset and on the verge of crying.

"I never felt something for another man aside from Priest, but it's very, very hard not to feel something for you. Any woman would be so lucky to have you, and even saying that makes me a little jealous. We can't see each other in that way anymore." She bit her lip.

"I'm not understanding what you're trying to say." He looked confused.

"I'm pregnant. Priest is the father, of course. Giving how far I am. What I'm trying to say is that us sleeping together can't happen anymore. Us going out on dates can't happen anymore. Us cuddling and enjoying each other's energy can't happen anymore. Just everything we've been doing. I would like for us to be friends... Despite me saying I'm fighting for Priest, it doesn't change that you and I have been doing things couples do. The line of our friendship blurred in LA. I just can't anymore while I'm pregnant with another man's baby. Strictly friends is all we could be."

"Wow. Pregnant." Assad said in a shock tone. He didn't know what to say. "You're keeping the baby?"

"Yes, I'm keeping my baby. I don't believe in abortions anymore. Well, it depends on the circumstances." She frowned.

"Wipe that frown off your gorgeous face. I only asked because you seem upset. You're on the verge of crying, but trying to hold it in. I meant no disrespect by asking you that. This should be exciting news, but you seem anything but happy right now.

She couldn't tell Assad her real feelings about being pregnant. Truthfully, part of her would rather not be pregnant, as much as she doesn't want any more kids. Aside from her daughters being back and forth between houses. She's scared. What if she gets postpartum depression again? What if a month or longer goes by without her bonding and holding with her baby? What if Priest doesn't want the baby? What if she has to raise her baby alone? The what ifs are endless.

"My daughter is two. Turning three in January. I just thought I'll have another child way down the line, you know?" Cherish sighed. Assad didn't respond verbally. He only nodded. His mood shifted, and suddenly, she felt as if she had lost a friend.

"We're good, right? You could accept us only being strictly friends?" Cherish looked into his eyes, but he looked away. Assad was in love with Cherish. The way they've been together, he thought, she was slowly getting used to the idea of them and moving on from Priest. She never had to repeat herself about fighting for Priest, he believed in some way she still was, but the bond they've grown to have in a short amount of time was undeniable.

"I can't..."

"What do you mean you can't?" Tears filled her eyes. It was safe to say she now knew why she was overly emotional. Her hormones might've played a part, but she was actually sad that he was trying to end their friendship. "I've always been honest with you. I never led you on as more than a friend. Even though we did couple things, I still kept it real about where we stood. Now you're acting as if you didn't know any of this."

"When are you going to let go of the past? You can't move on because you're so stuck there waiting for something that's dead and can't be revived." Assad ran a hand down his face.

"Hold up." Cherish frowned a little. "It's hard for anyone to understand the love Priest and I have for each other, but you don't know the first thing about our love. Yeah, as of late, it's toxic. I know that. You just might be the right man for me, Assad. I care about you and I don't want to lose you, but don't sit here and speak about my relationship with Priest. It's not for anyone else to understand. You told me I was the prize. Shouldn't you see yourself that way? You're a good man. You deserve someone who is all in with you. Would you be okay with only getting half of me?"

"When did they say they were discharging you?" He avoided her questions. She looked at him for a moment, but he was no longer looking at her.

"Twenty-four hours. It's okay. You could leave. I'll be fine." She mumbled.

"I tried to have Hendrix hit up Yazmine, but she wasn't answering."

"I forgot she's visiting her mom. She usually leaves her phone in the car. She'll call back once her visit is over." Cherish sat up a little.

Assad stood before placing a kiss on her forehead. A kiss that felt like goodbye. "I'll see you around, sweetheart. If you need a ride, I'll come to pick you up."

"So that's it?" Her voice cracked. "You got what you wanted, and now you're leaving? You knew all we could be is friends. Just say how you're feeling and let that be the truth. Don't just leave like that, Assad. Please. I don't want to lose you." She told him. Assad turned and looked at her. He wanted to kiss her so badly and tell her that he can't compromise his feelings anymore, but instead he said.

"We could be friends." Then left. Cherish hoped that wouldn't be the end of their friendship because that "we could be friends" didn't sound genuine at all. This is why she needed to keep her coochie in park. He never acted like that before. He was all for being her friend, even with the way he felt about her. Now suddenly she put the pussy on him, and he was acting out of character. She liked having Assad in her life. Just because she's pregnant; well, they're now aware she's pregnant shouldn't change the bond they have, but knew that it had.

She sighed before calling Priest. He once again didn't answer, so she texted him a picture of her hospital patient ID wristband along with saying I'm at Mercy hospital if you care. She didn't know if he'd come or not. If he didn't, she'll just break the news about being pregnant once she's discharged.

Despite her mind trying to tell her she needed to let him go, there was her heart begging her to not give up on him.

__

"Fuck!" Priest licked his lips while panting.

Wiping her mouth, she stood from her knees to her full height while smiling. "I aim to please." She winked.

"I'm about 10 seconds from bending your ass over again." Priest looked at her before grabbing his phone as she walked to the bathroom. He saw he had another missed call from Cherish, then a text.

"I'm not stopping you." She yelled out as he chuckled before opening Cherish's text. Seeing that she was in the hospital made his heart stop for a second. The woman he was with had returned with a towel to wipe him off.

"Shit!" He stood up. "I gotta go, Asia."

"What's wrong?" Asia handed him the towel. He quickly wiped himself down before pulling up his jeans.

"It's the mother of my kids—something important came up." He kissed her cheek before hurrying out of her place.

He didn't know why Cherish was in the hospital. All he knew was that he was worried. He tried calling her back, but she wasn't answering, which only filled him with more concern. He remembered how dizzy she was feeling when she came back from going off the grid. It was then he remembered Yazmine's words. God forbid it happens, but if something happens to her, you're going to feel guilty as hell from the way you're treating her, which she doesn't deserve. Do better.

And he was. He was feeling guilty.

Priest made it to Mercy hospital in less than 10 minutes. He damn near flew there. After finding a park, he hopped out before running into the hospital. The woman at the desk wasn't paying attention, but he was sure she felt someone standing there.

"I know your ass see me standing here. The moth... My wife Cherish Smith is here. What room?" Priest frowned.

When she looked up at Priest, she stared at him, and he could see the blush forming on her rosy cheeks. His face was mugged up. He didn't have time for no flirting mess. "My wife." He mugged her. She cleared her throat before typing Cherish's name on the computer.

After getting what he needed, he made his way to the elevator and up to her room. He didn't know what he was walking into. He took a deep breath before walking into her room. She was lying on her side and her back was facing him. He walked over to her and noticed she was asleep. He couldn't sigh in relief just yet because he still didn't know why she's in the hospital.

He crouched down, moving her hair from her face, causing her to slightly jump and open her eyes, which instantly locked with his. They stared into each other's eyes for a good 10 seconds before Cherish spoke. "What are you doing here?" She continued looking at him.

"I got your text."

"I didn't think you'd come. I know you hate me." Tears filled Cherish's eyes, sending a sharp pain to Priest's chest.

His thumb stroked her cheek. I could never hate you. Though he didn't verbally say it, it was the truth. He quickly removed his hand.

Cherish could smell a woman's fragrance on his clothes, which told her where he was coming from. She didn't know if he was with Crystal or what. She couldn't be mad since she was with Assad last night. Still, it didn't stop the hurt from flashing her eyes and the pain in her chest.

Priest stood as Cherish sat up in bed. Before he could ask why she was there, she beat him to it. "I fainted after calling you and Yaz. Something been feeling off with me, but today I just felt terrible ever since I woke up. I had been throwing up constantly. Couldn't keep my food down. I just haven't been feeling like myself. Turns out, I suffer from Hyperemesis Gravidarum—"

"The fuck is that? A type of cancer? Something life-threatening? Whatever it is, I'll pay for the best doctors to help you. My daughters not losing their mother. I'm not about to lo—this shit not about to take you out." Priest cut her off. Cherish wanted to laugh because he was so serious. She also wanted to smile. Still, she knew the Priest that hate her would be returning.

"It's basically a severe type of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy—"

"Pregnancy? You're pregnant?" Priest looked at her. He didn't need to ask if he was the father because he knew.

Cherish nodded. "I'm 13 weeks. I should fuck you up because you got me pregnant when we first slept together after I moved back. Those plan B's were a waste of money."