by Zi'ere
“First things first- we have to get you and my girls out of here safe and sound. I have hired a guard to stand at this door until you leave. A person would have to be David Blaine to get up in her now!” Carlos gave her a reassuring kiss on the forehead, ending with a sloppy lip lock with just as much tongue.
“Fine, I will agree with that. You just have to make one promise to me?” Amina looked up into her King’s eyes.
“I don’t know what you want me to promise because I can’t make any guarantees should I see Emani before you do.” Carlos walked away from the bed.
“That’s exactly it. I will handle Ms. Emani Barton myself, my way. I need for you to conduct yourself as if we don’t know what caused this situation. Can you do that for me?” Amina followed her husband’s body with her eyes.
He was making her dizzy.
“I promise you I will take care of it way better than you could imagine. I know just the thing for her.” Amina felt like she was begging her daddy for a cookie.
She wanted the joy of returning a life and death situation to her only sibling.
‘Who said blood was thicker than water?’ Amina thought to herself. There was going to be a whole helluva lot of bloodshed.
6 months later
33
Amina sat in one of the three rocking chairs in her baby’s room. Amina held her middle daughter, Kai up on her left shoulder as she attempted to burp her. Carlos was holding his first born little girl, Lailah in the same position. Mama Anna was in the last rocking chair holding on to the baby of the bunch, Akina. All of the girls had been born at a healthy, yet on the small side of just over six pounds and a few ounces. After a normal vaginal birth, Amina stayed in the hospital only two days after giving birth. Considering the past, not to mention Carlos’ number of responsibility doubled in a few hours. He was taking no chances leaving the babies or Amina in the care of strangers.
Although Amina had not reached her pre-pregnancy weight just yet, she was really close. The girls were being breast milk fed. The task seemed to shrink her size in a few weeks. Amina looked around the room and couldn’t contain her smile. All of her sister-in-laws were seated on the floor all about the room. The women were merely holding their tongues until Carlos left the room and returned to the men at the pool table. Not one to shy away from fatherly duties, it didn’t matter to Carlos that Amina had several pairs of hands in the house. He was well aware of his daughter’s schedule and no one could chase him away from spending quality time with his angels.
Lailah let out a grown man’s burp which gave her father a laugh. Samantha was on her feet ready to take her niece.
“Well, I know when I am not wanted.” Carlos rose from his seat in the rocking chair.
None of the younger women responded to his statement.
“Close the door behind you, son.” Anna spoke out.
Carlos looked back and rolled his eyes.
“I know that wasn’t for my benefit!” Anna snapped again.
“No ma’am, but the guilty ones know who it was for!” Just as Carlos closed the door, all of the young women laughed at loud.
“They kill me thinking they running things around here!” Simone, Terrell’s wife spoke up.
“We all know they are the head and we are the neck and heart. Without us everything is at a standstill!” Anna spoke out.
“Ok, now! We are getting off task. We need to finally decide what we are going to do with the cancerous cell in our family.” Of course, Steph would want a final answer that day about getting Emani away from her best friend as quick as possible.
“I have it all figured out sis, don’t you worry.” Amina was confident in her decisions.
She couldn’t help but take in another smell of her clean babies. Often times she and Carlos lost their train of thought and were severely knocked off track by simply starring into the newborn girl’s faces. No one in the family knew of the strange sleeping habits they had taken on. Each girl had her own real oak wood crib with matching baby pink décor. The girls had yet to sleep one night apart in their own beds. They all slept in one crib, side by side, on their backs. Carlos and Amina blew up an air mattress and slept on the floor of the nursery since they had all come home. The two were embarrassed to admit how hard they had fallen in love all over again.
The triplets were a beautiful new mix of Carlos and Amina’s skin tones. Aside from the change of skin, the girls were mini Amina’s. Carlos would forever be surrounded by pink, prissy, frilly, girly-girls. Amina decided to give God total praise for their three bundles of joy, there would not be another attempt for more kids. Amina had to swear on the bible for her husband. During the heart attack then the rest of the pregnancy, Amina could see how her man had become a ball of nerves. He was too afraid to travel, too afraid to take his eyes off of Amina period, for months. After he felt the girls move for the first time, he didn’t attend another function out of town. Amina was sure he was going to drive her insane. They had never spent so much time together.
“Look! Am I the only one focused right now?” Stephanie stood in the middle of the room talking in her loudest inside voice attempting not to startle her nieces.
To Amina she looked absolutely adorable. It was probably why no one wanted to talk about the ex-communication of Emani. There were so many good and positive things happening in the Haywood family. Stephanie was very pregnant with her third child and what would be Ced’s sixth. Just like all the times before she spread horizontally. Amina had never seen pregnant Steph without some kind of food in her hands. Her already healthy appetite was a beast while she was pregnant.
“Baby Steph, we are going to take this thing to the next level when the time is right. Calm down, I seriously can’t take another trip to the emergency room!” Anna put her on notice.
Steph waddled over to the empty chair pouting the whole time.
“We have waited six months, I need this done already. Seeing her thinking she is the smartest one in the room boils my blood!” Steph was still on her rant.
“Well now, she threw us all a curve ball when she came up pregnant. No matter what we would have done, Darrell is not going to walk away from his children.” Samantha tried to give Steph comfort.
“Well Ms. Thing still hasn’t given birth. If there was a time for her to go she needs to do it before that baby gets here. If not, Darrell is going to be just as obsessed as Carlos!” Steph had managed to hold on to her anger since the day she found out Emani had poisoned Amina.
“We have to be delicate in each step we take. If we give Darrell the list of sins his wife has committed then the fragile situation of the pregnancy, we could be sending him into a tornado. That’s not what we want to do. That man has to see his wife for what she really is with his own eyes. She started to grow horns in front of him but she got her halo back when she announced they were pregnant.” Anna was rocking her grandbaby and dishing wisdom at the same time. “We’ve been patient. There is no need to get sloppy now.”
The women all settled down. The wheels of deep thought were spinning in each of their heads. Since the time of Amina’s heart attack, Emani had crossed a line with each of the women in the family. There had been a cardinal family sin that had been broken regarding each couple, from the heads down to the baby boy. When issue after issue came up that put the Haywood’s on front-street, Greg was in denial about the intentions of his beautiful daughter-in-law. He understood Emani’s diva attitude and gave her an extra mile for her independent based spoiledness that he had seen in his own daughter. It took Emani feeding his wife to the wolves for him to get the sour taste in his mouth for her everyone else had. When Greg had his own experience, he called a family meeting and was put on notice on her list of indiscretions. The entire family was ready to return Emani to the depths of hell from which they were convinced she came. Suddenly the door to the nursery flew open.
“Girl you need to do something about all these stairs in this house. I can barely make it up here now.” She devil herse
lf waddled into the room.
Six sets of eyes watched the stranger invite herself into the room. Seeing Emani for the first time in more than three solid months was hard for Amina. Carlos had long put a stop to Amina going to the office. Carlos had also kept a tight closed door on the number and specific people crossing the door frame to his home. Amina was troubled by what had brought Emani to her home that particular day once again uninvited and most importantly unannounced.
“Well hello everybody!” Emani sang in an irritated tone of voice.
She got no return response. Amina was convinced everyone was shocked that she had just walked into the room like everything was all good between them all.
“let’s not all get too excited to see me at one time.”
With no available seats in the room Emani made a beeline to Amina’s seat.
“You’re the only one not a senior citizen or pregnant in a chair, move girl. Let me sit down.” Emani bumped Amina’s leg with her foot.
“If you don’t sit your sad ass down on the floor and get out of my face! This ain’t your house! I didn’t invite you here and you surely didn’t announce your arrival unlike every other WOMAN in this room. Then you gonna get here and think you are the Queen of Sheba! And another thing, don’t disrespect my mama! Your tired ass is the only senior citizen in this room!” Before Amina was fully aware Simone had taken Kai out of her hands.
Moving them both to safety and out of the way.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa! I knew it was a mistake letting you come up here!” Carlos must have heard the shouting.
“I’m sorry for my language in front of you mama but you know I am not going to let this wench come up in her and disrespect in my house!” Amina bypassed Carlos as she talked.
Her words were meant for her mother-in-law but she did not take her eyes off of Emani.
“What’s wrong now? Don’t tell me ya’ll can’t be in the same room anymore?” Darrell was now in the room looking for answers.
Carlos was careful not to raise his voice again because Akina started to get fussy.
In a loud whisper, he let out “get out of my baby’s nursery with this foolishness! Bro get your wife, things were a rainbow when I left from up here before, now its chaos. She gotta go. You can take her or she can fly solo but she has to go right now!”
With a stare still locked on her sister, Amina watched Emani’s face change.
‘This thing is about to produce crocodile tears!’
Amina got ready for the drama in her head.
“You’re really gonna stand there and let this dude throw me out of your house?” Emani spoke directly at Amina as if Carlos had not said a word.
“He is the head of his household. I am his wife, I have his back in the decisions he makes concerning his home and his family. Now he said you got to go and I second that motion!” Amina was trying her best to get within arm’s reach of her sister.
“I third it!” Steph shouted.
“Why are all ya’ll ganging up on my pregnant wife today?” Darrell spoke up in Emani’s defense. “First ya’ll didn’t even tell me that it was a pool game going on in here today. I just so happen to call looking for everybody and ya’ll having a family date without all of the family….”
“D, it wasn’t like that. Why-“ Simone tried to interject.
“Simone you aren’t even blood related to anyone in this room! You are the last one that should be talking right now!” Emani was back on her screaming match.
The triplets let out wails of aggravation. Even they were tired of the nonsense in the serenity of their bedroom.
34
As if they were getting thrown out of a nightclub after a beer bottle brawl, Emani and Darrell were tossed out of the Mr. and Mrs. Carlos Haywood home. Just as Greg was slamming the door on the two, Emani was still taking jabs at her sister.
“You sitting in this house that you paid for being stupid over some dude who isn’t even on your level. You seem to forget that your name was Barton first, not Haywood. You took a step down!” Amina stood at the door trying to make sure she heard every word Emani used.
“Since she married down, what direction did you marry? Seeing as to how her husband is my brother…please tell me how that works. I know you are just being spiteful right now, but Carlos made more than I did last year. Please tell me how you feel about me and my finances.” Darrell was pissed and embarrassed.
Amina had watched him come to his wife’s defense only for her to show him that she was deserving of everything she was getting from the rest of the women. Poor Simone was in tears before Emani made it out of the room. Out of all the women, no one expected her to crack under pressure. Amina figured that her hormones were probably on soft because just like all the other younger wives, she too was pregnant. Things had gone from already bad to absolutely out of control. Emani had always been a strong shot to take down but Amina had always been able to deal.
Amina had come to the final decision that Emani didn’t love her anymore. Anytime someone took low blows when they are angry, that is how they’d always felt. Emani didn’t know the net worth of Carlos. The only way you knew what Carlos was worth, was if he told you. And he only told his dad how much he was worth. Amina wished she had the opportunity to let Emani know a little known fact. Carlos was the wealthiest Haywood man walking. Getting down to her level wasn’t necessary. Phase one of the plan was already in place. Darrell had seen a side of his wife that he’d never seen before. Then for her to take a jab at his brother’s pockets was a no-go. Amina heard car doors slam and the tires burn out of her driveway. It was hunting season. And, Emani’s ass was the target. It took an hour, warm lavender baths, and fresh breast milk to get the girls back into serenity. It was all hands on deck to help the new parents in any way they needed. Samantha cleaned the kitchen after everyone had eaten. Steph vacuumed sealed and stored away extra breast milk to be frozen. Simone started a load of the triplet’s dirty laundry. Anna restocked the diaper shelves. Greg, Terrell, and Ced each had a sleeping newborn in their arms as Carlos and Amina took baths.
Instead of a quick new parent shower, the two had a chance to sit in a bubble bath with the jets on. Amina sat on her husband’s lap as she buried her face in his neck. It took him a minute to realize she was crying. They would have a chance to talk about everything when the family went home. Amina was glad he chose to hold her. It wasn’t a simple hold, Carlos held her as if she was a priceless jewel. He held her tight. She had to admit that in that moment she felt closer to him than she had on their wedding day. Their breathing was matched. They were in sync with one another. The more Amina sobbed, the tighter he flexed his muscles around her. He took care to rub her back with the soothing warm water. It was only a matter of time before she felt him stand at attention under her. Amina felt as if she was the luckiest woman walking the earth.
She knew there were some blessed women spread all over her home at the moment, but she didn’t know who couldn’t love a man like hers. Her hair sat in a messy ponytail on the top of her head. She had bags under her eyes from the lack of sleep. Not to mention she was sobbing her eyes out. Carlos still found her attractive. Little Carlos was on the scene ready to put in work. She would never deny her man, this was one time she needed the release just as much. Carlos had Amina bent over the counter top in their bathroom suite. Watching him in the mirror hold on to her hips as he served her long, deep strokes had her wetter than ever. After carrying three babies at the same time for nine months gave Amina hips. The fine man holding on to those hips had the most attractive grip she had ever seen. The positioning of his fingers and palms, made Amina think of a quarterback’s hold on a football before he threw a pass. Carlos was holding on for dear life. He tried to reach around to cup a breast, Amina already had them occupied.
“I got this up here! You handle that back there!” Amina managed to talk through each gut wrenching stroke.
She swatted his hand away and placed it back on her waist. Just like clockwork, A
mina raised her right leg and hoisted it on top of the counter. Carlos had a wider gap and a clear road to plunge deeper inside of her. She knew not ten strokes later, if not before, her man would tap out.
“Damn Mina, don’t do that! I’m not ready for that right now!” Carlos locked eyes with her in the mirror.
Amina matched his stroke and threw her ample bottom back with as much force as he was giving her. Carlos’ shit talking face was gone. Amina giggled to herself. She knew he was in concentration mode. She made the move on purpose knowing it wouldn’t take him long to cum with her in such a kinky position. No matter how much he tried to focus, nothing could contain his second load as he pumped into his wife since they had entered the bathroom together. Carlos was obviously not thinking about the people throughout the house waiting for them to return to guard duty on their babies. After a semi sex marathon, Amina was taking Carlos out for the night. He was going to be useless to her for baby duty that night she thought. It really didn’t bother her. Amina’s job was to satisfy her man. Keep him satisfied. She wanted his sacks to be totally empty as often as possible. Nothing or no one was going to come between the beautiful life they’d made together. If her husband decided to break his vows, he would never be able to blame Amina. She listened more than she talked. She never turned him down when he wanted any sexual favor, no matter what it was. And most importantly, she was always willing to give even if she was going to end up getting less in return.
As Carlos stopped moving around inside of her, making sure she got every drop of his juice, he collapsed on top of her back. Once again she studied his face in the mirror. She prayed that she could always give her husband the look of satisfaction he held in that moment. Carlos had stood by her side in sickness and in health. He was bothered but understood every move she made to shield him from the sickness. She had indeed given him babies. No matter what happened to her or her heart, Carlos would forever have three reminders that Amina had been there. He would always know that Amina had done something great in her life that had nothing to do with a runway or the Agency. As Amina’s breathing settled she realized how content she was. If she never received another blessing from above, it would have been well with her spirit.
