by K, S
“Oh, shit...” Dominick mumbled.
“What did you say?” Marcus moved until he was toe to toe with Amir.
Amir stared at him as he remembered a conversation he’d overheard Aleesha having with Jerra on the phone one day over a year ago. He’d let himself into the house to get some more of his things after they had split up but Aleesha hadn’t realized he was standing in the doorway of her bedroom.
“Jerra, I didn’t mean to call Marcus Amir’s name, I didn’t even realize it. All I know is that I was in the middle of one of the best orgasms…and Amir’s name slips out...well, yes, of course...he was livid...” Then she'd turned and spied Amir standing there and cursed him out before taking her keys.
When Amir didn't say anything, Marcus snorted and looked at him with contempt and disdain. “That’s what I thought you said.” Marcus went back to the grill to turn the meat over.
Fuck it, Amir thought. They wanted to play games? He LOVED games.
“I didn’t stutter. You heard me. I’m wondering if you’re insecure about me being around Aleesha. I mean, I would be too if my woman called me another man's name while I was all up in that.”
Marcus froze then before anyone could blink he ran and tackled Amir to the ground. The two men began fighting as if they were in cage match and were told to fight to the death. They went blow for blow. Amir punched Marcus in the stomach. Marcus staggered, but ran full speed towards Amir and slammed his shoulder into Amir’s stomach, knocking the air out of him.
Dom and Darrell stood to the side letting them fight it out, man to man. When they flew over the table where all of the meat was set up on, everything scattered to ground. Dom did a quick peek towards the house to make sure the women hadn’t heard the commotion. Darrell reached over and turned the music up to drown out the noise.
“Beat his mu’fuckin’ ass, Marcus!” Darrell urged, bent over at the waist and making swinging motions with his fists as if he was the one who’d just connected with Amir’s jaw. But he winced as Amir’s fist caught Marcus’ mouth and split his lip open. Marcus kept fighting as if he didn’t feel any pain. He had wanted to get his hands on Amir for the longest, and the feeling was mutual. Both men were evenly matched, and both t took a pounding punishment but kept going back for more.
“What is going on out here?!” Aleesha came running from the house. “Marcus! Stop...!!”
Keisha, Jerra, and Alexis were right behind her screaming as well. Keisha yelled at her husband. “Dominick, stop them! Why are you both just standing there?!”
As soon as Dom and Darrell saw the women, they made a move to break Amir and Marcus up. “Marcus…come on! Alright man, that’s enough!”
Dom grabbed Amir from behind, finally able to get a lock on his arms and pulled him away as Darrell struggled with Marcus. They had to use all of their strength to keep the two men from breaking free and going at it again.
“What are you doing?!” Alexis screamed at them, tears running down her face. “All I asked is that you two try to get along…for one day!”
Amir and Marcus started talking at the same time, both throwing accusations at the other. Alexis and Aleesha looked at them angrily, taking in their torn shirts and bruised and bloody faces.
Keisha and Jerra glared at their husbands. They knew the two hadn’t tried to break up the fight until they saw them come out of the house.
“Lex…Alexis….” Chest heaving and trying to catch his breath, Amir took a step towards her.
“Don’t touch me!!” Alexis screamed as she stepped back.
“Marcus, you ought to be ashamed of yourself! You just found your sister yesterday!” Aleesha looked at him with disappointment in her eyes.
“I’m sick of both of you! I just…I…just….” Alexis' voice became weaker with each word then her body began to sway before she fainted.
“Alexis…!” Amir caught her right before she fell to the ground and scooped her up in his arms.
“Oh my God! Amir, bring her in the house!” Aleesha threw a pissed off look at Marcus before running to get a wet towel.
“Lexie…!" Marcus face was stricken with fear as he looked down at his sister. "Bring her in the bedroom!” he shouted to Amir.
Amir followed Marcus and gently laid her on the bed as Aleesha put the cool towel over her forehead. Marcus kneeled down beside her and lifted her wrist to check her pulse.
“Jerra, get her some water.”
“Lexie…baby. What’s wrong with her??” Amir's voice was terrified as he smoothed her hair back with a trembling hand
“Alexis. Alexis….” Marcus called her name, shaking her gently. “Leesh get my bag…”
Aleesha ran to the closet and snatched up his medical bag. When everyone but Amir left out of the room to let Marcus work, Aleesha turned to him. “Come on. Let’s go in the front for a minute while Marcus makes sure she’s okay.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” Amir never took his eyes off of Alexis.
Aleesha walked over and touched his arm. “Just for a minute. You don’t want her to wake up and see you like…this.” She indicated his dirty face caked with dried blood. “And Marcus, I’ll bring you a towel. Come on Amir.”
Marcus never looked up when they left. He unhooked the blood pressure cuff from around Lexie’s arm. “Lex…honey, wake up.”
Alexis moaned quietly and moved her head against the pillow. Her eyes fluttered open as she looked at Marcus. “What happened?” she whispered.
“You fainted. You’ve been out for a few minutes." He studied his sister closely, looking for any abnormal symptoms and reactions from her. “Have you been feeling sick? Did you eat today?”
Alexis shook her head carefully. “No. I guess I’m coming down with a bug or something, I can’t keep anything down. I’ve just been so nauseous lately. I’ll make an appointment with my doctor when I get home.” Her voice was still weak, but she looked a little better.
A thoughtful frown crossed Marcus’ face as he stared at her.
Alexis noticed it and frowned herself. “What?”
“When is the last time you had your cycle?”
“Huh?”
“When is the last time you had your –”
“I heard you.” Alexis' voice became stronger as she struggled to sit up.
“Well…?” Marcus waited on her answer.
Alexis suddenly looked sick all over again. “I can’t remember…” she whispered. Then she fell back against the pillows and covered her mouth with her hand as she realized the implications.
“Oh, shit!”
Chapter 23
Pregnant.
Alexis’ hand went to her stomach. How could she not have realized. All the signs were there. The nausea, the slight weight gain, dizziness, tenderness of her breasts…
“Are you okay?” Marcus asked.
Alexis nodded then a smile slowly crept across her face as she thought about the life growing inside of her. Her child. Hers and Amir’s…
“Where’s Amir? I want to tell him the news.”
Marcus grimaced. “He’ll be right back.”
Her smile disappeared when she remembered the fight. “Why were you two fighting? No I take the question back. It’s because you were acting like an ass.”
Marcus looked at her in surprise. “Oh, so you automatically think this whole thing is my fault?” He shook his head as he put the stethoscope and blood pressure cuff back in his bag. “I tell ya, I don’t know what it is about this guy, but apparently he has women ready to jump to his defense at the snap of his fingers.”
“Marcus, I saw the way you and your friends acted towards him today. Don’t you think that was a little juvenile?"
Marcus ignored the question as he zipped his bag up. Lifting his head, he saw her watching him, waiting on an answer. “Let me ask you something. What makes you think he’s going to be there for you with this pregnancy?”
Alexis frowned. “What are you talking about? Why wouldn't he be?”
�
�He obviously didn’t stick around for the first one, did he?”
“For your information, he didn’t know about Michael. I never told him.”
“What?”
“You heard me. He never knew I was pregnant.” Alexis filled him in on everything, including how she and Amir met and her decision to raise Michael on her own. “So now, let me ask you something. Just what makes you so different from Amir? I think you two are more similar than you like to admit.”
Anger suffused Marcus' face. “Don’t compare me to your boyfriend, Alexis.”
“Why not? You knew Aleesha was engaged when you slept with her didn’t you? That makes your actions no better than his. I mean, really Marcus. You slept with her at her bachelorette party. And Aleesha slept with you, not even giving a second thought to her fiancé. But yet, you act like you and she are blameless in that whole situation.”
Marcus glared at Alexis. “It’s not the same thing! Aleesha and I...we...dammit Lexie, stop trying to twist everything around.”
“I’m not. I’m trying to get you to see how ridiculous you’re being. Everything that happened is not just Amir’s fault. We’ve all made mistakes, including me, but we learn and move on from those mistakes. Marcus, I refuse to have all of this discord between us. I love you and I love Amir too. I won't choose between the two of you so for the last time, can you please, please try to get past this whole thing and get along? Especially now.” Alexis placed a hand over her stomach.
Marcus followed the movement. He looked away and was silent for a long while before meeting her eyes. They stared at each other as understanding and finally acceptance on Marcus’ part passed between them.
“Okay,” he nodded. Alexis lifted a brow and just continued to stare at him. Marcus brought his hands up, palms facing out. “Okay…alright. I mean it. I’ll stay out of your relationship.”
“And…?"
Marcus’ jaw tensed. “And…I’ll try to get along with…Amir.”
Alexis' expression softened as she held out her arms and leaned towards her brother for a hug.
“Thank you. That’s all I ask.”
At that moment, Amir walked into the room, quickly looking from one of them to the other. “How is she?” he asked Marcus.
Marcus stood up to face Amir. “She’s fine.”
Amir’s eyes closed in relief before he sat down beside Alexis. He gently cupped her face in his hand. “Baby, you okay? You scared me to death.” He pulled her to him and hugged her tightly before turning to look at Marcus. “What happened, why did she faint? She hasn’t been feeling very well the last couple of days. I told her she was probably catching some type of virus or something.”
Marcus’ eyes went to Alexis. He laughed as he walked towards the door. “Oh, she’s caught somethin’ alright. Somethin’ that’s gonna take at least seven and a half months to get rid of.”
“Marcus!” Alexis glared at her brother.
“I’m going,” he chuckled as he closed the door behind him.
As Marcus entered the living room where everyone else was gathered, Aleesha hurried up to him. “How's Alexis?”
“She’s fine, baby.”
Aleesha knew there was more. “Why did she faint? Is she sick?”
“Nah. She’s gonna be okay.”
Aleesha blew out a frustrated breath. “What aren’t you telling us, Marcus Bennett?? I know you’re holding something back.”
Marcus' took in the expectant faces staring at him and shrugged. “She’s pregnant. She‘s telling Amir now.”
A stunned silence fell over the room. That was the last thing they were expecting to hear. Then everyone started talking at the same time. Aleesha waved her hands to get their attention. Once it was quiet, she glared at the three men before focusing her ire on her husband.
“I think you know this changes everything.”
Here it comes, Marcus sighed.
“Your sister definitely does not need the stress she had to go through today because of you and Amir…mainly you.” She turned to Dominick and Darrell and pointed at each of them. “And you and you.”
“Leesh….”
“No, Marcus, I don’t want to hear it. I don’t know how you’re going to do it, but you’re going to find a way to get along with Amir, if only for your sister’s sake and the baby she’s going to have. He’s a part of this family now whether you want him to be or not. So fix it.”
The women glared at them before turning around without another word and leaving the room.
Darrell looked at Marcus. “Damn, bruh…you fucked up, didn’t you?”
Marcus scowled at him. “Oh, so I fucked up? Seems to me that you’re in just as much hot water with your wife as I am with mine." His frown switched to Dominick. "You, too.”
Marcus stalked to the kitchen and grabbed a beer for them. They stepped outside and looked at the mess they had to clean up.
“To be honest, I guess he’s not so bad,” Dominick said as he went to stand beside Marcus. “I’ll tell you what. I didn’t expect him to man up like he did. He ain’t a punk, that’s for sure.”
Marcus gave Dom a look that basically said ‘shut the fuck up.’
Darrell stood on his other side. “Yeah. Gave you a run for your money, too, in that fight. You had the upper hand, but...you outta practice, son.”
Marcus turned his head slowly to Darrell and shared the look he’d just given Dominick. “For everyone’s information, I’d already decided that I was gonna make peace with him, alright? It’s Alexis’ decision, and if he’s who she wants then I guess I have no choice but to accept it,” he muttered.
“Yeah. It’s’ not as if we all don’t have things in our past that need to stay just that…in the past.” Darrell said.
“No shit,” Marcus agreed somberly.
“Yeah. I guess we do,” Dom nodded.
Sighing, Marcus looked at his friends. “Come on. Let’s get this mess cleaned up.”
Chapter 24
Amir held Alexis' hand in his. “What’s going on? There’s something you’re not telling me, isn’t there?”
Alexis looked at Amir with a twinkle in her eye and nodded.
“Alexis, what??” He shot up off the bed. “Okay, that’s it. We’re going to the hospital right now. Come on.” He reached down to lift her up in his arms, but she stopped him with a laugh.
“Amir, Marcus is a doctor, and a highly respected one at that. I don’t need to go to the hospital.”
“I don’t mean any harm, and I’m not being disrespectful to your brother, but I’d feel a lot better if you were checked out at the hospital.” Amir helped her to sit up and reached for her shoes.
“Amir…”
“Yes, baby.” He kneeled down and slipped her foot in the sandal.
“I’m pregnant...”
Amir was holding her ankle, preparing to slip the other shoe on when he slowly looked up and stared at her with his mouth hanging open.
“Pregnant?”
Alexis nodded with a big grin on her face. The smile that crossed Amir’s was bigger.
He pulled her up and wrapped his arms around her waist. “What??!!” he laughed. “We’re pregnant?!” Alexis laughed with him as he shouted from happiness and twirled her around.
Alexis pulled her head back to look at his face. He slowly lowered her feet to the floor and leaned down to rest his forehead against hers.
“Damn," he whispered in awe. "Thank you.”
Tears came to Alexis' eyes. She reached up to kiss him softly, but when he started digging in his pocket, she opened her eyes.
Amir took a step back and held her hand and looked her in the eye. “You know I love you, right?”
Alexis nodded. “Yes, Amir. I love you too.”
“Lex…I was literally lost before you and Michael came into my life. And now….” He looked at her stomach, smiling and shaking his head as if he still couldn’t believe she was pregnant. “And now, we’re going to have a baby, but...”
Alexis’ smile slipped a little when he hesitated. “But…what?”
Amir sighed as if the joy had suddenly gone out of the moment. Alexis became queasy as dread and a sick uneasiness settled in her stomach.
“Amir….what’s wrong?” she whispered. Oh, please. Don’t let me have been wrong about him…about us.
Amir looked at her. “But I don’t think I can do this...”
Alexis gasped as her heart dropped.
“...without you being my wife.”
Alexis stared at him blankly before his words slowly penetrated. She covered her mouth as her eyes stretched wide. “What did you say?” she whispered from behind her hands.
She screamed as Amir dropped to his knee in front of her and held out a ring with a huge princess cut diamond nestled in the middle of a cluster of smaller diamonds. He reached for her hand, which trembled uncontrollably, and held it in his.
“Alexis Michelle Duvall….will you do me the honor - the privilege - of becoming my wife?”
Alexis nodded her head vigorously. “YES…!!"
Amir slipped the ring on her finger and stood up. He pulled her to him with a deep groan as he kissed her. “I love you. And I’ll never give you a reason…ever….to regret giving me your love and your trust.”
They stayed in the room kissing and holding one another, until a soft knock came from the door.
“Come in,” Alexis called out.
Aleesha opened the door and peeped in. “Hi…I don’t mean to interrupt. I was just a little worried and wanted to check on you.”
“Thanks, Aleesha. I’m fine. In fact…" Alexis held out her left hand to show Aleesha her ring. Her voice trembled in her excitement. "I’m getting married!!!”
Aleesha squealed as she ran over. Jerra and Keisha rushed into the room when they heard the screams. “What’s going on?” Keisha asked as she and Jerra walked towards them. They joined in the screaming when they saw Alexis’ ring, reaching out to hug her.
Amir stood to the side watching them with a grin, and shaking his head at them. However, his eyes glazed over a little bit when they began shooting questions back and forth about planning a wedding, locations, and themes. The four of them chattered nonstop as they sat on the bed. When Aleesha, Keisha, and Jerra started reminiscing about their own wedding and vows, Amir knew it was time to go.
