Jo'nae Marie Andrews, NJ📍

It's been two days since Demarcus and I found out the gender of the baby. We have a majority of the things we need. We jus have left the small things like foods, people, and the place. Ah shit. I'm not even going to worry about that cause Ashanti will help me with it.

"Bestieeeee." I said walking in her room. She was flat ironing her hair in front of her mirror.

"Wassup boo." She said parting her hair.

"You think you can help me with a few baby shower things after you come back?"

She's going on a date with Jay. He told me he's trying to make sure she knows she's his "one and only" since females tend to doubt it while their pregnant. But Ashanti hasn't been having any mood swings yet. She's been thuggin this pregnancy out.

"Of course. Whatchu need help with?"

"Just the people, food, and the baby registry list."

"Do I really have to make a list of things I want to suggest people to buy for me?"

"Yes! Trust me you'll be thanking them! Rachel didn't have a baby shower or any help and she was going through it! You have this opportunity. Take it!"

"Okay. We will figure that all out after this date." She said finishing the last of her hair. She pulled it all up into a high ponytail.

"Alright which one this red one or this black one." She said pulling out two sundresses. I pointed to the black one and she threw it on the bed along with a denim jean jacket and a bra and panty set.

"Ya fuckin today?" I asked her.

"Girl. Shit we might. Cause my hormones been acting up and he been lookin so damn good." She said smiling hard.

"Imma go shower." She took her clothes off the bed and went to the bathroom.

I hope she pinned her hair up.

Once she got out she came back in the room fully dressed but without shoes on.

"You should skip the makeup today. You look beautiful with your natural face." I said to her.

"Bitchhh, you right. Thank you boo." She leaned over and kissed my cheek. She went in her closet and got out some sneakers and a black purse.

"Alright this is it." She said standing up in front of her mirror. "How do I look?" She did a spin.

"You look great. But why you acting like this is your first date with him he takes you out all the time." I say laughing.

"Because he gives me butterflies every time I see him or hear his voice." She said smiling.

"Or the baby is kicking." I said

"Or that. But every time he makes me feel so womanly. I love him nae."

"You guys are meant for each other boo. Now come on he's waiting." I said getting off the bed and walking out the room with her in my hand.

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Jay'shawn Lawson, NJ 📍

I was standing at the bottom of the stairs on the phone when I saw Ashanti and Jo'nae walking down. I quickly tucked my phone and held my hand out for her and she took it.

"What was you doin?" She said looking up at me with mug.

"What you mean?"

"You tucked ur phone when you saw me."

"It's nothing ma. I promise."

I just didn't want her to know. At least not yet right now it's the time. She brushed it off which made me happy cause I wasn't ready to tell her yet. We got in the car and started driving.

"Where are we going?" She said rubbing her bump.

"Don't worry bout that. Jus enjoy the ride."

She sat back and looked out the window.

"Bae what's wrong?"

"Baby's moving around a lot making me uncomfortable."

"Awe he just having fun in there." I said reaching over rubbing it.

We soon pulled up to Benihana's.

"What the fuck is this?" She said once we parked.

"You've never been here before?" I asked her. She shook her head.

Ashanti deserves the small things like this she's never been taken out for real. She told me back in New York she never really dated because the niggas would only want her for all the wrong reasons and she "was not the one".

I went around the car and helped her out before we walked in.

"Welcome to Benihana's." A lady at the front desk said. "Would you like a table for two?"

"Yes please." Ashanti said holding her stomach.

"Oh you're pregnant?" The lady asked us.

"Yea, I am."

"How long are you?"

"Four months."

"Awe. I'm so happy for you. Congratulations. Come on I'll lead you guys to your seats."

We walked into the restaurant and got to a small booth and sat down. The lady took down our drinks before she left.

"Ashanti" I said grabbing her hand.

She gave me a death stare.

"Why you say dat?"

"Whatchu mean?"

"Why you callin me by my first name?"

"Oh, my bad. Bae can we talk?"

She made and uncertain face before nodding her head. I took both her hands in mine and looked her dead in the eyes.

"I cheated."

She snatched her hands from me.

"Fuck you mean you cheated Jay'Shawn." She said in a low yell.

"Baby, It's a joke chill out. I'm sorry! I jus thought that was a perfect time to pull something stupid." I tried grabbing her hands again but she folded them across her chest. I laughed because they were propped up on he belly instead.

"Shut up." She said looking dead at me.

I slid around to her side pulled her closer to me.

"What I really wanted to say was I've been thinking."

"About what?" She said not even looking at me.

"The condo." She nodded her head.

"What about it?"

"We need to sign up to go see it. I'll call the dude and we can go together."

"When do you think we should go and see it?" She asked.

"Ion know. Maybe a day or two from now."

"Okay." I kissed her temple down to her cheek.

"Alright you can move." She said pushing me away from her.

"I know you not still mad."

"Yes, I am cause why the fuck would you even say something like that you bozo."

"Bae I was playin."

"Yea whatever nigga." She started pushing me away from her.

"Aight stop fuckin playin w me Ashanti." I said grabbing both her wrist.

"And what the fuck you gon do?"

I lifted up the bottom of her dress and rubbed my fingers against her panties.

"You won't." She said laughing.

I pulled the panties aside and pushed my two fingers inside of her. She tried pushing my hand away but I moved her hands and pushed my fingers in and out of her. I started to speed up and I heard her trying to hold back her moans.

"Shh. You don't want them to hear you do you?" I whispered in her ear.

I felt her getting close so I pulled out my fingers.

"Jay. Are you deadass??" She said breathing heavy.

"What you wanna make a mess here?"

She smiled and straightened her dress and posture. I watched as she tried to ease her hormones. I laughed looking through the menu.

"What's so funny?" She said rocking back and forth in her seat.

"I told you to stop playin wit me."

"You're annoying." She said laughing.

"When we get home it's wraps."

The waitress came back with my sweet tea and Ashanti's lemonade. We ordered our food and she left. A man came and started up the grill in front of us. We watched as he did fire tricks with that liquid in his bottle. He made a tower of onions and had fire shootin out of it. That shit was cool ngl. He finished his lil show and served us our food.

"Baby?" He said pointing to Ashanti's stomach.

"Yea." We both said in sync.

He grabbed some rice and made it into a heart and made it beat. Ashanti smiled and took a picture of it. He took the rice and combined it together and put it in a bowl in front of us.

"Enjoy." He said walking away.

"So about this condo." She said picking up her chopsticks. "I want to decorate it."

"You do ma?" I said to her. She nodded her head. "How you wanna decorate it?"

"I want it to have a theme like clean and neat you know what I mean?"

"No." I said shaking my head. She laughed.

"Like I want black, white and rose red as the colors for the apartment. Like the furniture and shit."

"Oh, Okay we can go furniture shopping after we have this baby. Ion need you stressing about anything."

We ate and talked about becoming parents and moving in the condo. The more I talk to Ashanti the more I learn about her. She's a very sophisticated girl and she loves to get shit done as soon as possible.

"Ma." I said cutting her off.

"Yea."

"You should be a businesswoman." She tilted her head to the side with a smile.

"Why'd you say that?"

"Cuz you smart asl, interesting to talk to, and you mad pretty. I'll love to look at your face on a billboard any day." She blushed and sipped her lemonade.

"I can't be a businesswoman. It's a nice career but I can't." I gave her a mug look.

"Why can't you?" I asked her.

"Because I'm a mom. I'll have to take care of a whole baby and they need as much attention as possible."

"That's why I'm here. You think I'm goin tuh leave you and my baby abandon or sum. I'm a man. I will step up to the plate."

I understand that Ashanti is an independent woman but when you with me you gon have to be dependent cuz a real nigga don't let his woman do anything that he has the ability to do.

"You should become a businesswoman ma. I know you can make it happen."

"Will you help me?"

This is the first time since I met this girl that she has asked me to help her do something. I looked at her and smiled big asl. Cuz like damn I love feeling needed.

"I'm right here ma. Of course I'll help you."

We talked all night long. A businesswoman is exactly what she needs to be. She has so many ideas to benefit people and communities. Before we knew it, it was almost 11 at night and Benihana's was bout to close. We paid for our food and walked out the restaurant.

"Whatchu wanna do tonight boo?" She asked grabbin my hand. "Wanna watch movies and sh-"

"Nah Nah Nah I ain't forget about that shit you was talkin shit in there." I said cutting her off.

"Whatchu gon do about it?" I went to grab her but she ran a little bit in front of me laughing.

"You think everything is funny." I yelled out to her she started doing a little dance. I laughed and took out my phone to snap a picture.

We got in the car and drove home.

"Ashanti!" Demarcus said walking up to us as we walked in the house.

"Yea wassup?" She said taking her shoes off by the door.

"We need you in here right quick hold on bro." He said to me taking Ashanti by her wrist and walking into Jo'nae's room.

That gave me the perfect opportunity to hop on this phone right quick.

—————————————————————-

Ashanti Renèe Robinson, NY📍

"Ya I am so tired and sore why do you want?" I said sitting on the bed.

"You said you would do the list with me when you got back!" NaeNae said looking up at me.

"I will can we do this tomorrow though, I am tired as hell."

"Alright, Alright. Oh wait! I wanted to show you something I got you."

She grabbed my hand and lead me in the living room. She opened up the closet and took out this baby cast maker and a baby headphone set.

"Awe pooh." I said holding the stuff in my arms. "Thank you so much" I kissed her forehead and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Bae! I need your help!" Demarcus yelled from the room.

"What happened??"

"I got my foot stuck in the bars of your headboard and it hurts!"

We laughed and held our heads.

"Here I come. Goodnight babes." She kissed my forehead and walked to her room closing the door behind her.

I picked up both the gifts she bought me and walked up the stairs. Once I reached Jay's room I set them on the floor and pushed open the door a little. He was standing at his window with his back to me. He was on the phone.

"Yea, Thank you I appreciate it."

............

"No she's not supposed to know."

............

"When and where?"

............

"Okay I'll ask Jo'nae to take her out."

............

The fuck is he planning? I picked up the stuff and pushed the door open all the way and tossed the stuff on the bed.

"Yea, Bro you know where to go." He said looking back at me. I rolled my eyes. Now I know some shit is up.

"Aight hit me. Ight one." He hung up and walked over to me and kissed my temple. I pulled away from him.

"What was that for?" He asked looking down at me. I sat on the edge of the bed unboxing the baby headphones.

"Who were you on the phone with?"

"No one important ma."

"If it isn't important can I know?"

"What's this?" He said pointing to the box.

"It's headphones for the baby. I put it on my belly and the baby can listen to music."

"Oh, and what's this?" He said pointing to the belly cast.

"It's a belly cast you put it on my be-. No. You not gon distract me from who you were on the phone with."

"It's nothing bae." I nodded avoiding eye contact with him. He sat beside me and pulled me closer to him.

I took the headphones out the box and connected them to my phone. I pushed Jay's hands off me and got up placing the headphones on my bump. I played the song "Like I want You" by Giveon. The headphones weren't loud at all they really only sent a vibration through my belly to the baby. I swayed side to side holding the headphones on my bump. Jay got up and came behind me and joined me. I laid my head back on him and closed my eyes.

"How you feel ma?" He asked holding the baby and me.

"I'm good." He let me go and walked off into the bathroom. I took the headphones off the bump, placed them back in the box and cleared off the bed.

"Come on mama." Jay said walking back into the room. I took his hand and he walked me to the bathtub. He ran me water and put bubbles in it. I looked up at him and smiled.

"Strip ma." I took off my jacket and dress putting it on the counter. I felt his eyes on me as I removed my bra and panty set.

"You lucky I can't give you another kid right now." He said helping me into the bath. He pulled my hair up into a bun at the top of my head and sat on the floor next to the bath.

"Why don't you get in?" I say to him.

"Nah. You enjoying yourself right now you need it."

I laid back in the bath and closed my eyes. I can still feel his eyes on me.

"What's wrong baby?" I say not openin my eyes.

"Whatchu mean?"

"Why you keep starin at me and not talkin?"

"Just thinking. That's all."

"About what?"

"Imma be a dad. Like fr fr. A whole ass baby. And I get to do it with you. I don't know it just makes me really happy."

I opened my eyes and saw him looking up at the ceiling smiling.

"I'm happy too. I'm happy I'm with a man like you." I saw to him. "I'm even happier to carry your baby."

He reached over and kissed my lips. I finished up my bath and we laid in bed and watched a movie till we fell asleep.

Something just didn't feel right.