Page 184 of Vega

Saint jokingly glared at him. “You threatening my son, bro?”

I shrugged. “He grabbing on my woman.”

Zahra reached for Czar. “Give me my child before Vega starts a beef with him.”

Sonnet handed him back, giggling.

I wrapped one arm around her waist.

“You ready for ours?” I whispered.

Her smile softened. “I’m getting there.”

I kissed the side of her head.

Saint slid a box toward us. “I packed one of everything.”

Zahra looked at the box. “You’re supposed to charge people.”

“They family.”

“You said that about the last six customers.”

“They was family too.”

“Saint, how will we ever make a profit if—”

He leaned over and kissed her before she could finish.

She pushed his face away, but her mouth curved into a smile.

I picked up the box while Sonnet grabbed another cupcake for the ride home. Watching her with Zahra made me want the day I could call her my wife to hurry up and get there.

Lowe still had months of physical therapy ahead of him and had to learn how to walk again, but he was out of the hospital. That was enough for Renee and Denise to turn the house into a full celebration.

When Sonnet and I walked in, the room was already loud with conversation. Renee, Denise, Marcus, Sal, Carla, Lux, Prodigy, and Wise were spread throughout the living and dining rooms. Lowe sat near the center of it all in his wheelchair.

Sonnet went straight to him.

“I’m glad you’re home,” she said, leaning down to hug him carefully.

“Me too. These people getting on my nerves already, though.”

Renee called from across the room, “So! And I’mma keep getting on your nerves!”

Lowe shook his head, but his smile gave him away.

Sonnet and I went around the room, hugging and greeting everyone. I watched her laugh with them while my hand kept finding her back or settling over her stomach. Nothing showed yet, but knowing our baby was there had me touching her every chance I got.

Wise noticed. He looked at my hand, then at me. “You got something to tell us?”

The room gradually quieted as everyone watched the guilty look on my face.

“Yeah, we do,” I said, taking Sonnet’s hand. “We’re having a baby.”

For half a second, nobody moved or said anything. Then the room erupted. My mother screamed. Denise covered her mouth before rushing toward Sonnet. My father pulled me into a hug, then grabbed the back of my neck and told me how proud he was. Marcus slapped my shoulder hard enough to push me forward a little.

“My first grandbaby,” my mother cooed, beaming.