Always Us (Always and Forever 2)

“I get married next week, Dad, and I’ll have you right here in my heart.” I hit my chest lightly with my closed fist, and with one last look, I leave. Carrying a part of my father with me. I’m ready to marry Shayla, start a family, and follow through on the promises I made Pops.

Shayla

MY BODY IS ACHING FROM yesterday’s attack, the one I’m trying desperately not to think about. I don’t want to wallow in it any longer.

Trey thought I was okay, until I became a blubbering mess in the shower. I was doing so good, but the bruises on my body, marring my skin, hit me like a ton of bricks. The reality of what happened yesterday flooding back in.

I almost stayed at the house today, wanting to avoid seeing anyone. But Trey helped pull me back together, thankfully.

“You nervous to tell your dad?” Lana sounds off from the backseat.

She is seated in the middle, her question pointed to me. I feel her eyes on me while Kingston stays quiet in the driver’s seat, controlling the wheel effortlessly. This is the first time I’ve seen him drive Trey’s truck. We all came in one car, so they took Pops’s truck to see him today. I hope he’s okay seeing his dad today.

“Yes, he isn’t going to take lightly to this, I mean he didn’t.” I thrust my thumb up and toward Kingston, keeping my eyes on the road.

“Hey, I’m sorry, you know that. I was just…scared, I wanted this to be something you’re ready for. But just because I’m not ready for a family doesn’t mean you’re on the same wavelength.” I cringe inwardly for Lana; I teeter on the edge of agreeing with her for not telling him about the pregnancy and how her hiding it is wrong. I wouldn’t know what to do in her shoes.

“I know. I also know Dad will say a lot of what you already did and honestly, I don’t know if I can take another fight like the one we had.” I peer up at him, tugging down the sleeves of my sweater, covering my bruises.

“That’s why you have me. If Dad gets out of hand, I’ll calm him down, I ain’t about to expose you to any more shit.” Reaching over, he squeezes my knee and I share a faint smile, still nervous.

“So are you going to be the best big brother ever?” I pause, leaning on the middle console, putting my head on my curled fist, changing the hostile mood to a lighter one. I bat my lashes. “And tell Mom so I won’t have to.”

He scoffs. “You bet your ass I can, but I would rather we wait until the day you pop and be like surprise! It’s not like you’re gonna see her in the next year.” He has a point, I saw her once this year and that was to dress shop. That’s it. My mom doesn’t come around and after the wedding—which she’s not happy about at all—I probably won’t see her for another year. It’s not a bad idea.

“Can we tell her after the wedding? Please,” I ask again, even though I know Kingston will be the one to tell her, I don’t care to speak to my mother, especially about this.

“Yes, we can wait. And leave it up to me to tell her, okay?” I nod, leaning back into my seat.

“You’re so sweet, Kingston,” Lana says honestly. I peek and see him look at her in the rearview mirror. I watch him wink and blow her a kiss. She giggles, one day at a time she is going to give in. My brother is going to be happy and my best friend will finally be free to love again.

“I have to tell you guys something before we go in there.” I smirk, knowing my secret, my beautiful surprise.

“Yeah?” they say in unison, Lana sitting up and leaning forward.

“We’re having twins…” I don’t ease into it, too excited to share my news.

“Twins! No fucking shit!” Kingston hollers. Slamming his fist down on the steering wheel with a full, throaty laugh. It’s contagious and I smile, Lana laughs along with him.

“Dang, I knew Trey having a big dick could do just the trick to fix your broken vagina.”

“Baby!” Kingston stops laughing, warning Lana.

“What! It’s the truth, that man fixed her uterus! He should be studied, they should use him for cures!” She laughs and I cover my mouth, laughing into my hand. Okay, that was hilarious. Watching her make my brother cringe is one of my top favorite things.

“That’s our best friend and she’s my fucking sister…and how do you know he has a big dick?” he challenges, staring her down in the rearview mirror. I stay silent and just laugh, tears rolling down my cheeks, small snorts coming with each breath in.

“I mean maybe I saw it…” I see his face go stone-cold and his fist tightens around the steering wheel. I know dang good and well she better take that back and thank the gods above she does. “Or your slutty McGee sister told me.” He visibly relaxes.

“You’re gonna get it so damn good tonight, you smart-ass,” he says over his shoulder shaking his head.

“I’m not a slut by the way,” I defend myself, wiping away the tears, taking heavy breaths to regain myself, that was hilarious. I love these two for taking off the edge before I tell my dad, this moment was almost perfect—Trey being here would have been the icing on the cake.

“Yes, you are, we both are,” she jokes.

“No, you aren’t, baby.” Kingston says to her. The air shifts and all humor is gone. “Don’t say that about yourself, you’re my innocent angel.”

Swoon city, my brother can be so smug sometimes, but then this side comes out, his strong, dominating, protective side, rearing its beautiful head. Saying things that would have women melting to puddles all over the world.