Oh baby...

I stare down at the piece of plastic on the sink that had just changed my life forever...

A baby.

We were having a baby.

Sure he said at my mother's wedding that a year from then I would be wearing his ring and carrying his child, but I thought that he was just on a high from all of the happiness that was going around that day...

I thought that he was bluffing.

Obviously his sperm had other than plans.

And this iud in my arm— it finally let me down.

We had only been together one full year and he'd managed to get me pregnant. I had graduated college not even a full week ago and here I stand, staring at a positive pregnancy test.

A baby changes everything.

Even so, I knew that Carson would be so happy about me being pregnant. We were in a great place, we were stronger now when it came to communication, and now that I had graduated, I would be joining him in San Francisco.

His career was taking off astronomically. My internship is starting soon... hopefully they wouldn't turn me at the door for being pregnant.

However, I would be interning at a firm run by a bunch of empowering women of all shapes and walks of life.

I would hope me being pregnant wouldn't affect their decision in allowing me to intern for them. Being a lawyer was my dream, but sometimes dreams were just that, dreams.

Pulling away from the bathroom counter, one hand rested against my forehead while the other drifted to my stomach... and a soft smile drifted across my face.

I was pregnant with Carson Adrian Addams' baby.

My bliss was short-lived when my phone went off. Picking it up, I hit the green option to join the group facetime call with the girls.

" Hey!" I smiled at their chorus of greetings.

" Where's the birthday boy?"

" Running off doing god knows what with the guys. I can't believe that he wouldn't allow me to throw him a party," I expressed to the girls.

" Men," Skylar spoke." They always find ways to fuck shit up wether it be intentional or not."

I snorted. If it was one thing that Skylar was going to do, she was going to blame her and everyone else's problem on men. " She says this as if Marcus didn't but her a ring the size of fucking Saturn."

The girls laugh as we observe her smile and tilt her head, studying the classic 5 carat emerald cut diamond that sat on a simple silver band with two baby diamonds sitting on either side of the rock.

She was in love with that ring— maybe more so than she was with Marcus.

It was no surprise that they would be the first to get engaged. From having to hide their relationship for the majority of it, taking a small, yet necessary break in order for Marcus to finally put his foot down in regards to his parents, to being engaged a year later.

Skylar and Marcus were like cookies and milk.

Perfect together.

She was wild and outgoing. He was calm and secretly sassy.

" Excluding Marcus," she sighs, getting blinded by the ring." He's perfect."

The girls go into an uproar about the hypocrisy that she just spewed out of her lips. I simply laughed before catching sight of the pregnancy test throughout the corners of my eyes.

Should I tell them now?

No. Carson should know first.

They would want him to know first.

" Ayannna! What are your plans for the birthday boy? Are you getting down and dirty tonight or what?" Sade questioned, snapping me out of my internal battle.

Down and dirty was definitely in my near future.

" Um, I was thinking more of an intimate dinner and then going out with you bitches and your hooligans, and then getting down and dirty."

Rhegan snapped her eyes to the camera, squinting them at me." Don't fuck him the bathroom again you nasty whore."

" That was only once," I defended.

Rhegan tilted her head, eyes boring into mine, "now Ayanna."

Rolling my eyes, I gave in," okay maybe twice but that's besides the point."

And then leverage popped into my mind. This bitch wasn't all that fucking innocent.

" Don't get railed in the courtyard on top of Dominic's car while your father lays fast asleep thinking that his little girl is tucked safe and sound in bed," I retorted, her mouth dropped as she sputtered dramatically.

" Fuck off," she decides, adding her middle finger to top everything off.

" That one was in the top ten of all orgasms I'll have you know." I visibly cringed, not needing to know that my step-brother was giving her top ten worthy orgasms.

Looking at the time, I realized that I had to be going for my hair appointment. " Well as much fun as this call has been, I have a hair appointment that I need to be on time for."

Before hitting the end button, they expressed their ' I love you's' and said that we'd see each other later.

I quickly made my way throughout Carson's bedroom in his penthouse and slipped into my shoes before grabbing my bags and keys and headed towards the elevator.

I had to beat lunch hour traffic.

L.A traffic was the worst and I was not trying to be in bumper to bumper traffic with people driving two miles per hour on a day like this.

Which is why I booked my appointment before lunch hour traffic.

As I got into my car, the birthday boy himself decided to call.

" Hello birthday boy!" I smiled, adjusting my mirrors as I pulled out of my parking spot. " What are you and the goin squad up to?"

" Nothing," his voice fills the car due to my phone being connected to the bluetooth. " Just got done with a game of basketball and now I'm headed home. Are you on your way to your appointments?"

I nodded, even though he couldn't see me." Yes. Hair first, then makeup, and nails. Any special request?"

His end is quiet for a minute, the sound of his car door closing and him locking it puts a pause on the silence.

"French tip and green to match your dress please." I could just imagine the smile on his face as he talked. "Did you get my gift yet?"

Oh he was getting a gift alright.

My eyes widened as I spoke, voice cracking a little,"yeah... I got you a few gifts."

Before leaving the penthouse, I made sure to put the pregnancy test where I was sure that he wouldn't look.

My tampon box.

He would buy them for me but that was where his relationships with tampons ended...

" Ouuu," he sings." I like the sound of that."

It was no secret that Carson and I enjoyed spoiling each other... he just enjoyed spoiling me a little more than I did him.

As he should though.

" You're going to love them," I played with my steering wheel as I spoke softly.

" I can't wait," he speaks." I'm going to let you go. Don't want you missing your appointments because of me. I love you, angel."

" I love you too, wonderbread." I hold back a giggle, my face beating up in a blush that only he could bring to my cheeks.

" See you soon."

____________________

I had just left my nail appointment, my hair was in curlers and I was currently walking down the aisles of Target looking for a gift box and bag for Carson's unexpected pregnancy.

This morning I didn't expect to wake up, spontaneously take a pregnancy test and it turned out to be positive.

On my way to the section with the gifts bags, I passed by the baby section and got distracted by the tiny little baby shoes.

" Oh my..." I breathed as I picked up a small sparkly pink shoe. " This is so adorable. I'm going to melt."

And somehow I had spent nearly thirty minutes in both the girl and boy section of the target. I got a pair of shoes and a onesie from each section.

Just in case...

I was so excited.

I was so excited that I had almost gone to self checkout without buying what I had actually come in here to get.

"Oh shit!" I cursed softly, getting out of the line for self checkout and running towards the aisle that I originally came in to get.

Once I rang myself up, I raced to my car realizing that I was running low on time to get ready. I quickly threw the bag into my purse and drove out of the parking lot.

" Do you need to shower?" Carson asked when I came rushing into the bedroom. He stood in the bathroom with a toothbrush in his mouth and a towel hanging low on his hips.

" No. I took one before I left for my hair appointment."There was no chance that I was getting my hair wet, shower cap and bonnet be damned.

" Right," he remembered, disappearing into the bathroom once more.

" Actually, baby," I spoke, grabbing my purse from my bag." I do need to freshen up a little. Can you get ready in the closet?"

Carson gives me a weird look. " I made love to you this morning and last night, angel. It's nothing that I haven't seen before," he teases, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist.

" Can I have a kiss?"

Twisting my lips up, I hummed as I pondered over it." I have on lipstick." That didn't stop him, Carson grabs my chin and presses his nose against mine.

He presses his lips against mine and kisses me softly and unapologetically. " Shame," he mumbled against my lips."It was a pretty shade of lipstick."

I squinted my eyes at him in subtle disbelief. " I thought this would happen so I just bought the same shade."

Carson threw his head back in laughter as I pulled out the package and sat it on the counter. " Now get out so that we can make our reservations on time."

With an exaggerated sigh, he pulls himself away from me slowly and makes his way out of the bathroom. I waited a few minutes to make sure that he was getting ready before I pulled out the tampon box and reached inside for the test.

I made quick work of placing the test into the box and placing it into the gift bag.

Now it would be extremely unsanitary for him to open this up at dinner given that I did pee in the stick, which is why the box is for looking and not touching purposes only.

Once that was done, I took the line that was holding up my curls and watched them fall down my back flawlessly. I ran my fingers through them to separate the curls.

Rushing into my closet, I put in the outfit that was hung up. I was going for a green monochromatic moment tonight.

It was a green spaghetti strapped corset style dress. The corset had cutouts a little under the breast area but not big enough to show under boob. I picked an oversized jacket to go with and strappy heels to match.

" Hot Damn! My girl is fucking gorgeous!" Carson startled me as I pushed the backing of my earring into my earlobe.

" Can we just cancel the dinner reservations and stay home? I'd rather spend my birthday eating you for dinner and dessert instead," he suggested.

" That sounds tempting," I smiled as I turned around.

" But we're eating dinner and you're going to be a good boy and suck up those urges so that you can have the best birthday ever and then have me as dessert."

Carson smiles," yeah... that sounds like a plan too. Let's go with that one."

Smiling, I gripped his cheeks as his grey eyes stared into mine. " This is going to be the best fucking birthday ever, angel."

Oh baby... you have no idea.

" Let's go. The car is downstairs."

We make it downstairs in a timely manner. Carson holds me close to his body, arms wrapped my shoulders lazily as he responds to a few people and teammates that messaged him for his birthday.

I watched him, studying him and wondered what features of his that our child would get.

I was hoping for the eyes.

He turned his head away from the phone and powered it off when he noticed my stare. " What?" He questioned as I shrugged.

" Nothing. You're just getting so old."

Carson laughs sarcastically." I am a year and some months older than you. You aren't too far behind," he reminds me.

" It's okay," he squeezes me assuringly." We'll be growing old together, angel." His soft lips press against my temple and his icy breath flutters against my skin as he sighs.

The driver stood and i'm a bit confused. It should've taken longer for him to make it to the restaurant that Carson chose for dinner.

" Where are we?" I asked as we stepped out of the car. Carson had me faced towards the vehicle and suddenly a blind cold was placed over my face.

" I'm pretty sure this is supposed to be done the opposite way around," I teased as he chuckled lowly.

" You can use it on me later," he promises as he puts his hands on my lower back and guides me towards the mysterious destination.

Throughout the walk to our destination, I stepped in grass multiple times which led to me cursing Carson out if there were to be grass stains on my heels.

Carson being Carson promised to buy me more of that was the result by the end of the night. Which led to more bickering when I said that I would buy them myself... which he then replied by calling me stubborn.

" Why does it smell like Professor Donaldsons class?" I could never forget the smell of his cheap, loud cologne and mothballs because he lived with his elderly mother.

Carson removes the blindfold from my face, reveals the classroom in question," because we're in it."

No shit sherlock.

" Why are we here?" I chuckled, clutching the bag that was in my hand.

" Because it was the first place where we had a conversation. It was the first place where I started to slowly fall in love with you from a distance unbeknownst to me."

All the memories that I had in class came rushing back.

The times that I spent giving him secret glances that I had hoped went unknown to him. The times where our eyes would meet for a split second and a strange feeling that I'd never experienced rushed throughout my body. The times at parties when I'd ignore that he was blatantly checking me out behind the rim of the cup while I danced with the girls.

All those memories to look back on just to see that our attraction to each other was always there.

" And it only makes sense, that this is the place where you say yes," he says from behind me.

My brows furrowed as I turned on my heels, only for my hands to fly to my mouth that was detaching from my jaw as I saw the sighting before me...

Carson on one knee with a six fucing carat elongated cushion cut ring with a hidden halo and a diamond encrusted band sitting in a velvet box.

" Ayanna Simone Heart," he swallows as the nerves settle in.

" I'm pretty positive that I have been in love with you since the moment I did that dirty jenga dare in my sophomore year. You outshined every girl at that party with your laugh, long legs, and perfect smile. So yeah," he shrugs,"maybe I did that dare to impress you even though it was probably the most embarrassing moment of my life."

My laughter is choked back as warm tears fall

down my face. " But it was worth it because I made you blush as you tried your hardest not to check me out."

I thought that I was doing a pretty damn good job trying to resist temptation... clearly not.

" And then the next day you stole my fucking pen," he shushed me as I fanned my face.

" I'm getting to that part," he scolds, taking a breather."And then the next day your own landed at my feet when... I didn't steal it... it came to me."

"It was fate," we said together.

Carson's smile that sets off a million fireworks in my soul spreads across his face as he looks at me like I'm the only person in the world that matters to him.

" I've loved you for longer than a year and five months, angel. Ever since I laid eyes on you, I was infatuated, I was obsessed, I was whipped behind repair."

" And when I saw you at that party last year I thought, now is my time, now is my time to win over the girl that I couldn't stop thinking about no matter what I did."

" Clearly the Dirty Jenga gods thought the same with giving me that dare and I am so glad that they did because I would be so fucking lost without you, Ayanna Heart." I'm ugly crying now and all I can think about is wanting him to hurry the fuck up with this speech so that I can say yes and share my news.

" You are my happiness. You are my light. You are my reason for living," Carson chokes up on his words a little before getting it together. " And more importantly, you are my best friend and my lover."

" Will you make this the greatest birthday of my existence and marry me?"

I didn't waste another second answering him. Nodding my head, I held out my hand and tried to form the word yes behind my tears.

" Y-yes," I nod my head frantically. " Yes! Yes! Yes!"

" Damn straight," he sniffles, trying to steady my shaky hand with his own shaky hand to slide the ring onto my finger.

" Perfect fit," he smiles.

" Not for long," I say, bending down to clutch his face that turns into a confused frown. " What do you mean?" He questions when I place my forehead against his.

" It means that in about four or five months my fingers will probably be swollen beyond repair due to the baby growing inside of my stomach."

" Congratulations Carson Adrian Addams," he's immediately on his feet before I can finish my sentence, his arms are around my waist.

" You're going to be a daddy!"

His lips are on mine immediately, kissing me softly and slowly as we taste the saltiness of our happy tears on each other's tongues.

Carson pulls away smiling from ear to ear. " You hear that boys!" He shouts. " I'm going to be a daddy!"

The sounds of cheering startles me as Carson puts me in the ground and our family and friends emerge from the dark corners of the classroom.

My mother and Giselle were the first to rush over to us.

" I told you that you would make beautiful beautiful babies," Giselle pressed a kiss to both of my cheeks, crying happy tears. " I'm so happy! You've made me the happiest woman today! This is amazing news!"

She turns to my mother," bitch! we're going to be grandma's!"

My mother laughs as she reaches me, pressing her forehead against mine as she rubs my back. "My baby is having a baby," she cries." You're getting married. You're all grown up Ayanna and I am so so proud of you baby girl."

" I love you," she cries.

" I love you too mama."

Our moment is short lived as two overly tall male figures join in on the hug, squishing us with their heavy arms and muscular bodies.

Dominic and Jax speak over each other excitedly, already debating what team my child would be playing for.

" Excuse me," I interrupted." My child could be a girl."

The both of them paused, stared at me, and then laughed before going back to their conversation. "He's going to be a golden state boy like his father and uncle."

Oh joy... let the buffoonery begin.

My mother and I pushed out of his hold and made our way towards the girls who were bouncing on their feet excitedly.

" We're going to be aunties!" Elizabeth yelled." I have to plan a wedding, a gender reveal, and a baby shower. My year is going to be booked and busy."