Unexpected Pass

by A. Blossom

The number you texted is no longer in service.

Ghosting me when he was a professional athlete was crazy. I had half the mind to do exactly what Lo said and blast his ass on the internet. Reggie had never once mentioned having a girlfriend nor were there signs of her on his socials.

In a few days, I would let Carson down easily and focus on my future as a single mother. Embrace the evening.

I found her, and my eyes immediately locked on the angel image of my big brother Jeronee plastered on her shirt. His eyes seemed to be staring into mine. This was his moment, and I couldn’t mess this up. I couldn’t let his death be in vain.

I was engulfed in a sea of my teammates’ laughter and cheers surrounding me. I’d just won the Super Bowl.

I didn’t like giving interviews. I was an introvert, but this was the most significant moment of my life, and it was good for my brand.

The mention of Jeronee had me grabbing the pin I had on my chest. I missed my big brother. It had been almost ten years since that eighteen-wheeler hydroplaned into my car. It wasn’t a day that went by that I didn’t think about him or see his lifeless body lying in the passenger seat of my memories.

I loved my mom, but most of the time, she was more concerned with running Kellon Barnes’s business than she was with me.

“Oh,” he said dryly. His tone was giving unimpressed. “You got any celebrity clients?” “I have a few athletes and rappers, but most of my clients are regular people.” “And you make a good living off of that? Aren’t haircuts like twenty dollars?” “Excuse you⁠—”

“My date…” “He left a while ago with his boyfriend.” Kellon cut me off. My eyebrows narrowed because I knew Carson hadn’t left me alone, and what did he mean by boyfriend? “Boyfriend?” “Yeah, that nigga Carson on the DL. Everybody know… That nigga still in denial though.”

Not him being gay lol

“Chill. You’re coming with me to Disney.”

lol he said bet we'll go to Disney

“You know I’m fat, right?”

Why would you say that after he clearly expressed interest in you!

I chuckled. “It is! Call me Prince Charming.”

“Yes. Thank you so much for the clothes and everything.” “No problem. Where do I send the bill?”

She bold!

Hell, I’d never actually been courted. I always seemed to run into the Netflix and chill types.

“I’m… um… pregnant!” I blurted out in between moans. The words spilled out, and he lifted his face to look at me. “That’s not how this works. You get pregnant after I fuck you.”

“You being pregnant isn’t enough to run me off, Phileigh. I still want to get to know you.”

“I mean… I like being in your presence… You still owe me a haircut, and time is relative. Plus, you make me feel… at peace.”

Everything about this was too much too fast, and I should have been pumping the brakes, but it seemed like I was already in too deep.

Ma didn’t have a man, so she always poked her nose in my business. Sometimes, it was annoying as fuck. Other times, I welcomed the intrusion.

“I like her for you. She brings out the grown man, protector side of you. Reminds me of your grandfather.”

Not mom coming around

“I’ve been pregnant enough to know the signs,” she replied gently. Her gaze was piercing yet kind. “I know you’re pregnant with my son’s baby.”

Whoa whoa wait a minute

“Twelve weeks today.” “Good. You can still get an abortion, right?”

Grabbing my phone, I went to my Picsgram account and typed in the username that was attached to their viral engagement post. There she was, happy and smiling holding up her ring in her profile picture. Without a second thought about the consequences, I clicked on her inbox and typed eight simple words along with my ultrasound photo. Phileighthebarber: I’m pregnant by Reggie and I’m keeping it.

“Mrs. Read?” Kellon slid the phone out of my hand. His jaw was tight. “With all due respect,” he said politely. “I’m here. I care about your daughter, and I care about this baby. We ain’t doing this by the textbook, but that doesn’t garner disrespect. I am a stable man and capable of taking care of my responsibilities. I’d appreciate it if you respected that.”

I glanced at it. My face scrunched up from the number that flashed on the screen. Reggie? Yeah, dude had my number, but we mainly talked about business if he was in NYC or if I was in LA.

“Naw, nigga, don’t come at my girl like that. Control your situation and leave mine alone. We’re good over here. Phileigh good. Your baby good. A real nigga stepped up. Don’t call my phone again, nigga. And don’t make any more pop-up visits to see her either.”

Not him trying to claim the baby now

Kellon pulled out his phone and snapped a photo of me in the bed holding our son skin to skin with his lips on my forehead.

This did not need to go to social media...

Love did NOT make him...