Page 122 of Justice II

“Come in, y’all,” Zainab said, hugging each of us. Her baby bump pressed against me, and I wondered how long it would be before mine looked like hers.

“It’s good to see you again,” I said.

“Same here. You’re glowing, beautiful. She’s waiting for you in the living room. I’ll get you some sweet tea,” she replied while trying to wrangle the children with one hand resting on her stomach.

That was the surprise. It was my Rita. She was sitting on the sofa dressed in a skirt and a sky blue blouse that matched her eyes.

“Come in here, Everly. Don’t be actin’ like you don’t know me,” she hollered out.

I rushed to her side and knelt down and hugged her. I had missed her so much.

“Rita, how have you been?” I asked.

“Better, now that I see you. Let me get a good look. You’re pregnant?” she asked.

“Did Justice tell you?” I asked.

“I didn’t tell her,” he announced.

“He ain’t tell me shit. As a matter of fact, Justice go get my belt!”

“Come on, Grandma,” he called out as he walked over to us.

She swung back her frail hand and whacked him across his butt. “You fired my Everly after you got her pregnant. She should sue you for sexual harassment. I’ll be a witness. We gon take you for all you got!” she fussed.

She had me in tears. Her energy had been surely missed. She looked good, vibrant and energetic.

“I’m apologizing to her every day. I’m making it right.”

“Only way to make it right is to handle that oldest daughter of yours. You might have to pull a Beloved on her,” Rita hissed.

“Rita!” Zainab exclaimed.

“That chile ain’t right. That’s why I had to escape to freedom!” She laughed.

Justice laughed but I could tell his heart was breaking. I reached for his hand to soothe him.

“But you, Everly. I felt it. I knew you were pregnant. It’s going to be a boy.”

“That’s what I said.” I smiled at our in-sync intuitions.

“Sit down and talk to me,” she said, patting the sofa next to her. Obeying, I plopped down.

For the first half of our conversation she was completely lucid, even though she called me Everly. For the latter half, she was no longer her present self. It was heart-wrenching to see, but I was still forever grateful to be a part of this family.

37

Aria

ARIA

I called Roman for what had to be the twentieth time that morning, hoping he would answer before Julian started asking me the same questions again. When the call went to voicemail, I left another message telling him to call me immediately.

I was exhausted. I had barely slept since he was supposed to come home, and now I had his brother in my kitchen looking at me like I was responsible for finding him. I was the pregnant wife. Somebody needed to be reassuring me that my husband was okay.

“Did he mention stopping anywhere before coming home?” Julian asked.

“No. He said he was tired and wanted to get here.” I was annoyed. We’d gone over this multiple times. Roman would never give me his location, so I couldn’t track him. He was secretive like that.