《Glass Ceilings》|1| Pregnant
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"That's what I'm talking 'bout baby! They're taking it all the way. Came close last year, but with this new trade, nothing can stop 'em!" My one and only loud twin brother Jr stood briefly shouting at the tv.
We were watching our home team season opener on the big screen at my parents' house. Something we do often as a family.
"Yep, nothing but heavy hitters. We need to get our tickets for the playoffs early. They're getting rings this year, mark my words." My dad stated factually, pointing his index finger in the air.
"Jackson, Kenzo, and Marcel, the dynamic trio. —They're dominating; this is going to be a high scoring game." My mother chimed in seated next to my dad, snuggled under him.
"Yep, yep." I added, hyped as well.
As you can see we are die hard basketball junkies. Specifically our home team, here in the beautiful city of Los Angeles.
"If I ever get to meet Kenzo I'd literally die. That's my husband, I'm claiming it. So all of you other woes' can just back off." My fifteen year old little sister Kamala slightly shouted snapping her fingers in the air.
My dad leaned over and playfully nudged hers. "Watch it, I'm the only man in your life and will ever be. Don't make me go tear all of your lil' posters down in your room."
Kamala has this huge obsession with Californias very own Allstar Kenzo Martin, Los Angeles Lakers starting point guard.
"You wouldn't dare." She gave my dad an evil stare with her devilish brown eyes. She has my dad wrapped around her finger. If we ever needed anything from him all we had to do is get babygirl to ask.
The game finally met the halftime break. We made our way to the kitchen grabbing some of the finger foods and treats my mother prepared. She didn't have time to do a full spread like she usually would.
"Dira what time is your appointment? I need to make sure I have that time off. You know how my office hours can be sometimes." My mom walked behind me to the kitchen. I went over to the sink, quickly washing and drying my hands.
"It's tomorrow at three. You can be late if you need to, I can meet you there. I don't want you going out of your way." I leaned my arm down on the counter taking a bite of the lemon pepper wings that were on the counter.
"I think I can swing it. I'll leave around two that way we can ride together." She grabbed some napkins placing them in front of me.
"Thank you."
"Di, how far along are you again?" My twin brother Jr. asked me looking down at my nonexistent baby bump. "I'm still shocked, you of all people. The girl who grew up trying to kick my ass."
"I did kick you your ass." I bucked at him almost dropping my wing in the process, making everyone laugh.
"Anyways, I'm officially twelve weeks. That makes me three months along." I giddily smiled shaking my head at him.
"You nervous about it?" He queried.
"Duh stupid," I joked. "I'm more bummed about not being able to shoot around with you when I'm further along."
"I feel like you're having a girl." He waved his hand in a circular motion out on front of me, pretending he had some weird psychic power.
"Nope she's having a boy, I already called it the moment she told us she was pregnant." Maliha, my older sister by four years stated. She, her husband Garret and son Garret Jr were here also watching the game.
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"Trust me it's a girl. You wouldn't understand, it's a twin thing." He retorted while still waving his hands in front of me. I quickly popped both, making him jerk back.
"It could be both." My mom sipped on her glass of lemonade, peeping at them.
"Let me stop you right there because you're tweaking." I scoffed, grabbing another lemon pepper wing from the platter.
"It's possible, trust me I know." She pointed at me and my brother. "Your brother was hiding, I didn't find out about him until my second ultrasound."
"Dad get your wife. I already heard the heart beat and saw one baby. Things are looking solo dolo' this way." I picked out all the flats and left the drumettes, placing them on my plate. You can't just have one. I found me a seat at the little bar.
"The games back on." My baby sister Kamala hurried back over to the tv reclaiming her spot. Everyone else cleaned around themselves before heading back over as well. I stayed seated at the bar table enjoying my wings, celery and peanut butter.
I started thinking about my situation. My life right now feels like it's moving so fast. If I think on it too much I'll cry. I thought about the moment I told my parents I was pregnant, they were devastated. Mainly because this is the last thing they thought would happen to me. I'm a career driven, focused woman who seemingly had it all together.
I wasn't sure how they would take the news. I took a deep breath before knocking on the door. I've been preparing myself all day for this news. With night upon me, I now think I have the courage to come forward.
I knocked again, waiting for an answer. A minute later my dad opened the door. "Hey Diri, everything ok sweetheart?"
Mom walked behind him tightening her robe. I looked at the two them curiously."Did I interrupt something?"
"That's none of your business little girl. What brings you here at this hour?" My dad smiled gesturing for me to come inside. I proceeded heading straight to the kitchen, taking a seat at the breakfast nook. They followed behind taking a seat.
I took another deep breath. My dad seemed pretty clueless, waiting anxiously. While on the other hand my mom was calm and collected as if she already had an idea.
"We're listening, you have us here so speak." My mother finally spoke raising her brows. The way she said it made me want to think twice and run for the hills. She's a sassy woman. My dad is the more reasonable one, but my worst fear is to disappoint him. Even though I'm a grown woman.
Why not just rip the band aid off, right?
"I'm pregnant." I covered my eyes in my hands, waiting for their response.
"You're what?" My dad yelled while sliding his chair back taking a stand.
"I'm pregnant." I repeated in a tone begging for him not to freak out. My mom looked down at her hands while shaking her head. My dad paced back and forth in front of us.
"How did this happen Diri? I mean, how could you let this happen? We have a plan, this is not it. You're in medical school and currently a nurse down at my hospital. Where will you find the time to raise a kid? Where's Nelson, why isn't he here with you, sharing this news?" He continued pacing and rambling. I sat quietly wanting him to get it all out. Then maybe things would magically cool down.
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"You're twenty four, almost twenty five. You have your whole life for kids. How could you be so careless? —Pregnant on your last year of medical school. Do you know how hard that's going to be? What about your clinical firsthand training, your nursing career you have now? Your plans to be a cosmetic surgeon? How are you going to be able to do all of that?" He finally quieted waiting for an answer. I didn't have one at the moment.
I didn't even tell him about what happened with Nelson and I. I'm usually private about our drama. My family think he's this charming, loving and supportive guy. They don't know we broke up a year ago. I went back to him for sex only and now I'm pregnant.
"Adira Belle Thompson, you hear your father speaking to you." My mom deafeningly stated.
"I don't know what to say." I replied honestly, I was speechless. Where do I began, how much do I say to them? Nelson and I were a lie. We weren't happy, far from it.
"How far along are you?" My mom went on to ask trying to get me to open up.
"My doctor said I'm seven weeks."
She sighed. "Where's Nelson, does he know?"
"No." I mumbled.
"When do you plan on telling him?" My dad stopped pacing and faced me.
"I don't know, we're sort of not speaking."
"This is unbelievable, so you can possibly be a single mother? That's just great. You're a walking statistic, congratulations. We raised you—." He paused taking a breath trying to control his tone, "but not like this."
"Julian that's enough." My mom stood up in front of him. He stared down at her stern expression for a second before walking away. My dad's usually the more understanding one. How could he say these things?
I was never one to just cry, but this completely broke me down.
Looking back at that moment I realize its been a huge adjustment, but I'm making it work. I plan to graduate pregnant and all.
I finished my food and cleaned up to join everyone in front of the tv. By the time I got over there the third quarter was ending. We were up by fifteen points. A high scoring game indeed.
The camera zoomed in on Kenzo number fifteen while he was seated on the bench, drinking some water. My baby sis' Kamala was right, Kenzo is handsome. And I don't mean the over the top type of handsome. He has moments about him that'll make you weak. It's in his expressions and the way he says his words, even in his walk.
Standing in at six feet with dark brown eyes. With the cutest lips ever, complimenting the most adorable smile. Also a very dangerous smile, women flock and turn into putty instantly around him. Some of the hype is from his status as a star basketball player.
He's probably a cocky ladies man who spends money frivolously, in real life. The one the blogs eat up every chance they get.
Him and Marcel are well known everywhere and now Jackson the rookie as well. The dynamic trio.
Kenzo has over a hundred million followers on social media. In a lot of ways he's looked at as Americas superhero.
I guess you never know what a person's like until you meet them.
I watched the game all the way up until the last ten minutes in the fourth quarter. The starters were already out for the night. They annihilated Oklahoma, straight massacred them. Off to a great start of the season.
My sister Maliha, her son and husband made their way out the door. My brother left behind them, he had the longest drive. My lil sister Kamala went up to her room, it was late. I stayed around to help my parents straighten the family room to their liking.
My mom spoke next to me in a low tone. "You still haven't contacted Nelson? Did you think about the restraining order suggestion?"
I sighed. "I really don't feel like talking about this."
"You kept so much hidden from us, what do you expect?" She folded the throw blanket and placed it on the back of the sectional.
"I didn't talk to him and he hasn't made any contact me either. I haven't seen him since our last moment together, conceiving our child. —As far as the restraining order goes I don't think it's necessary. I don't feel threatened at all."
"He put his hands on you and you don't feel threatened?" She stood directly in front of me.
"Like I said before it was never one sided. I'm not making excuses, the relationship was overall toxic." I tried explaining things to her. My dad stood near listening. He's been this way with me ever since I told them everything. He tried confronting Nelson but was unable to get in touch with him. Maybe that was for the best, he needed time to cool off before seeing him.
"He hit you first, you were defending yourself.— Anyway this shouldn't even be a debate." She expressed with concerned in a more soothing tone.
"We fought and I whooped his ass. That's the bottom line. His spoiled self had a tantrum. Things got out of control and you know me, I don't back down."
"That's a grown man, he should know better than hitting you. I don't care how much of a tomboy you are." She placed her hand on her hip.
"No, he's a child trapped inside an adult body, I'm not afraid of him, he's weak."
She mumbled something in Spanish under her breath and sucked her teeth. My mother grew up in Barcelona and moved to California at age eleven. She met my dad who's African American, in high school. They became best friends. My mothers an editor for a major publishing company. My dad's the director at the hospital I'm currently employed as a nurse.
I remained quiet.
"Do you plan on telling him about the baby? Every time I ask you this you don't have an answer, time is passing. You need to start figuring things out for this little one growing inside of you." She touched my stomach.
"Soon." I answered back with no confidents at all.
"Aubrey hun' I'll see you upstairs, goodnight Diri." My dad half hugged me. He casually made his way up the stairs, no longer wanting to hear the conversation.
"Go home and get some rest I'll see you tomorrow for the appointment." She hugged me noticing me getting emotional. Seeing my dad like that, I could only hope that things would get better. Maybe he'd even be proud of me again.
__________________________
💜💚💜💚
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