Page 46 of A Minute Past Midnight

“Juliana invited everyone here because we have two announcements to make. Well, I have two announcements. One, I'm officially a free man as of today. There is no more Forever in the picture⁠—”

“Praise the Lord!” Moms exclaimed.

“Hallelujah!” Gam shouted.

“Amen,” Pops followed up.

I looked at Qua, waiting on his ass to put a praise on it, but he just smirked and held his palms up while stuffing his face.

Juliana just giggled.

“Glad y’all got all your praises out of the way. Hopefully y’all keep that same energy when I tell y’all that Juliana is pregnant. And yeah, it’s mine.”

Quamir damn near choked on his food while everyone else grew quiet. Then a big smile drew up on Gam’s face. “You two didn't waste a moment in time, did ya? If ya pregnant, then that ain't nothing but God, baby. I, for one, am happy that he chose you as the mother. You're going to be a great mom.”

Juliana smiled. “Thank you, Mrs. G.”

“Just call me Gam, baby. No sense in you still being formal when you're carrying my grandbaby’s legacy.”

“Is this real?” my moms asked.

“She’s not Forever, Ma. It's real.”

“I know. I’m just asking. It isn’t like you to be so rash. That's no disrespect to you, my love,” she said to Juliana.

“None taken.” Juliana sat up straight in her seat. “It wasn't planned and definitely came unexpected. While Samir and I hadn't known each other very long, I just couldn't see myself taking an innocent life. Even if he didn't accept it, I would have gone with adoption as the next resort.”

“Nah. We would never allow our bloodline to be in this world and we not take care of it,” Quamir stated.

He was right.

“We wouldn't. His ex kind of made a fool of us and had us buying baby stuff and planning gender reveals and baby showers, so you'll have to forgive us for being a little on edge about this news,” Pops told her.

“I completely understand you guys’ apprehension, but I am one hundred percent sure that there’s a little chicken nugget growing inside of me.”

I smiled.

“Well, congratulations! I can tell you both are happy about being first-time parents. Whatever you need, Juliana, just let me know,” Moms told her, taking her hand from across the table and smiling at her.

“Thank you. I will.”

“Now that that’s out of the way. You put your damn toes in this food, sis. You southern people know y’all got the juice.”

Juliana laughed. “Thank you.”

We continued eating and enjoying conversation. A little after Juliana and I shared the news, I could tell the tension had left her body, and she, my mom, and Gam talked like old friends.

I loved to see it.

I couldn't stop thinking about how all of this had come to be. I wasn't sure if the Big Homie ordained it to be this way, but whatever it was He was doing up there, I greatly appreciated Him for removing that toxin out of my life and giving me something as pure as Juliana. He knew, and I knew that I deserved better, and Juliana deserved someone like me. Someone who saw her flaws, her struggle, and her desire to feel loved and appreciated for her efforts.

A man who was going to make all her fairy-tale dreams come true.

A month and a half had passed since Samir and I had officially stopped pretending that whatever was happening between us was temporary.

Somewhere along the way, without permission or warning, I had started to fall for him.

Hard.