Page 25 of Chosen By a Baller 3: Playin’ For Keeps

I looked away.

Then looked right back at it.

Because no matter how many times I tried to avoid it, the box wasn't going anywhere.

Neither were the questions.

Taking a deep breath, I opened it and pulled everything out. The directions sat in my lap while I read them three different times. Not because they were confusing, but because I was stalling, and I knew it.

A few minutes later, I finally set everything down and followed the instructions.

Afterward, I placed the test on the counter and immediately turned away. I couldn't look at it. I wasn't ready.

My hands trembled as I gripped the edge of the sink. The longer I stood there, the harder my heart pounded.

Finally, the timer on my phone went off. I started pacing the bathroom.

Back and forth. Back and forth.

Every few seconds, my eyes wanted to drift toward the counter, but I forced myself to look away.

“Nawl,” I muttered, rubbing my hands together.

My nerves were all over the place.

I had waited my whole life to become a mother, but standing there waiting for an answer suddenly felt a lot scarier than I thought it would.

My stomach dropped.

For a second, I just stood there staring at the sink, because suddenly, I wasn’t sure I wanted to know anymore.

’Cause if I was right, everything was about to change.

Slowly, I lifted my head. My eyes drifted toward the counter.

Toward the test. Toward the answer that could change everything.

“Oh, my God…”

I didn’t know whether I was supposed to be shocked or scared, but one thing I did know was that I didn’t regret this. I just wasn’t expecting it. Not this damn soon.

I looked back down at the pregnancy test, hoping my eyes were playing tricks on me, but they weren’t. Those two pink lines were still there.

“Damn,” I whispered to myself.

I let the test sit on the counter before turning on the faucet. As the water ran over my hands, all I could think about was Kyrie. I had to tell him. Keeping something like this from him was never an option. And maybe, just maybe, this would finally make him slow down and realize he couldn’t keep chasing Jamal. Not with a baby to think about now.

After drying my hands, I picked up the test and headed downstairs. Kyrie was still knocked out on the couch.

I stopped at the bottom of the stairs and looked at him for a second.

It was crazy how just a few weeks ago, neither of us saw this coming. Now I was standing here, carrying his baby.

I let out a slow breath before walking over and lightly tapping his shoulder.

“Babe.”

He shifted slightly but didn’t wake up.