[Lamarr]

"Lamarr!" 

My head immediately shot up from my iPad and away from the home page of Fit Pregnancy as Riley's voice traveled from our bedroom to the kitchen. In the background I could hear her shuffling around as she had been for the last hour now, supposedly getting dressed. I say that because Riley was the queen of multitasking. She got a rush off of having her hand in more than one thing at a time, meaning at this second she might've actually been on hold with a business call, styling her hair all while replying back to emails on her Macbook and yelling at me.

"Yes?" I said loud enough to reach the doorway, but it took two whole minutes of a beating silence for me to realize what was happening. Riley wanted me to come to her and hold a conversation, not the exact way she initiated it herself via screaming. A sigh escaped my lips as I slowly walked down the hall and glanced at the time on my watch.

"Yes, baby girl?"

"I can't find my Champion leggings," she panted as the murmurs of movement became louder. I peeked my head inside the room and smirked as I watched her, legs bare with nothing but her underwear and a pullover fleece on, briskly flip through every hanger inside our closet. And damn was I right. Riley had her MacBook carefully hoisted on her forearm the entire time too. "Have you seen them? The black and plum pair you bought from Target? They make my waist look smaller."

"I washed them two days ago, Ry. I even folded them up just like those folks in your beloved Macy's and Bloomingdale's do. I'm talking damn near perfect," I pressed on. "Then I put them away with the rest of your clothes that I also washed."

"Then why can't I seem to find them?" she questioned, turning her head just enough to look over her shoulder at me with her brow raised. "And don't hurt yourself trying to make it seem like I don't wash either, sir.

"Since I moved in three weeks ago you haven't," I shot back, holding that same smirk just a bit smugger than before. What I said was nothing but the truth though.

Ever since I became the new addition to this household I found myself picking up many of the chores in effort to let Riley relax, take the load off of her feet. I didn't ever want to see her exerting too much energy around me, especially since she's been twice as busy at work lately. So with any extra time on my hands I made sure that dishes were washed, every room was clean, food was cooked or bought and most of all that she was content. Approaching things this way made the transition of living together much smoother than we both imagined and handling disagreements a piece of cake. I guess you could say we we're building a happy little home over here on the west coast and the wild thing about it all was that I didn't mind. I could easily see myself doing this, dare I say, forever.

"Anyways, look through my side of the dresser. I may have accidentally mixed them in with my basketball shorts or something." Riley nodded as she glanced down at her MacBook and regarded the bubble that had just popped up in the corner of the screen.

With one hand she clicked it open, read the message and quick enough to respond before she trailed out of the closet to sit the device down. I figured Riley would be fine without me now that I had hinted to where her favorite leggings were, but something told me to stay put. She was likely to call me back into the bedroom and I'd have a fit from walking back and forth. So I remained leaned against the frame of the door, making note of the time once again while she finally finished getting dressed. 

"No pressure or anything, but in ten more minutes there won't be a reason for us to go this appointment and we'll be forced to reschedule."

"Oh," she mumbled, letting what I said go in one ear and out the other as I shook my head and snickered to myself. 

Riley was now busy standing on her stool, scanning her eyes over every other shoebox on the top shelf, probably in search for the one that held the pair she matched with these particular pants. They were some bright ass Nike Air Max made just for running, and they stood out amongst either of our collections of footwear. Not while inside the box of course.

At first glance you'd assume half the shelf belonged to me with the amount of Nike boxes scattered across it, but the truth was the exact opposite. We could split the count down the middle. That unfortunately made grabbing the correct one that either of us did own rather difficult. So difficult that I knew from the second Riley called my name yet again, she hadn't found the box belonging to these Air Max in particular.

"Lamarr, you hear me?"

"What now Riley?" I walked over to the closet, gawking up at her as she pulled one from the bunch and climbed down to the floor.

"I just wanted to let you know that I moved that worn Jordan 11 box and placed it under the bed. You know, the one with the photographs and love letters inside," she grinned and sat down on the edge of the bed to slide her shoes onto her feet. I slit my eyes her way, mostly because I was yet again embarrassed. Way too many people outside myself were becoming well acquainted with that damn thing. 

"Aww, don't be like that."

"Ain't no love letters in that box, Ry." I muttered as she rolled her eyes and continued to let a wide smile curl along her lips. "How old do you think I am? Only adolescents in puppy love do shit like that. I consider them more like... souvenirs."

"Mhm. You're a grown ass thirty year old man, but even grown men are loving with huge hearts like yourself. Even grown ass men have an adorable and rather corny side that I appreciate so much. Besides, it's okay to want to hold on to memories as special as those," she clarified and stood up, closing the short distance between us with her arms draped around my waist. "We can show them to our kids throughout their childhood and they'll be able to see how far their mommy and daddy have come. They can see for themselves every significant moment we shared, and most of all, they'll be able to feel the love. That love between us that from birth will be instilled in them. That is what's most important."

"Kids, huh?" I repeated with a smirk, pushing aside everything else she had shared. "You having twins or something and ain't tell me? Matter of fact, you want me to fertilize your eggs, again? I'm honored, seriously."

"You know what I meant, Cole." Riley snapped back and tried to push herself away from me, but the warm embrace I managed to lock her petite body in with just one arm was too resilient. We both quickly became frozen in each other's gazes before I got the urge to break the stillness and lean down to place my lips on hers.

I missed this, the physical part of our intimacy. It had been practically dormant for almost a month now all due to Riley's frequent mood swings, fatigue and sporadic morning sickness. I was understanding of it though because she was carrying something very dear to me and couldn't necessarily help being repulsed by the mere idea of sex. But now that those symptoms were gradually fading and I could feel the heat that got her pregnant in the first place, blazing from her core, I was no longer backing down.

Riley however was now stopping the progression, well attempting. Her sudden plea for me to release her body, because she knew what this would lead to, became muzzled as the kiss that started off as innocent slowly became intense. My tongue eased between her lips, demanding more room to explore as it dueled against hers. It wanted to go beyond just the inside of her mouth, it wanted to be in total contact with every inch of her skin and even more inside another set of lips. 

"Lamarr," Riley mumbled as I slid my tongue across her bottom lip and pulled it between mine, sucking it gently.

"Mhm," I murmured and hauled my face from hers as she released a heavy breath. She wanted this just as much as I did.

"Why'd you do that?"

"Do what?" I quizzed with a hint of mockery and titled my head to the side to stare at her blankly. Riley squinted her eyes and bit back a smile as I pressed the growing bulge below my waist against her. "I was just showing you how much I love you."

"You were and are still being a tease," she corrected and bit deeper into her lip, far enough to draw blood if that's what she was aiming for. "We're not doing this Lamarr, we have to go."

"Oh, so now you don't wanna be on CP time? Funny."

"Nope, so move your ass." Riley ordered and shoved me back with every bit of strength in her arms. 

Even if she had broken out of my grip that didn't mean I was going anywhere. I was still on her toes, shadowing her steps as she moved from one side of the room to grab her purse and finally into the hallway that led to the front door. Riley was very aware of what I was doing, which was making her uncomfortable until she caved in. That and her determination to ignore me up until we got inside of her car had both of us cackling. 

"You're the epitome of annoying, you know?" Riley blurted into our laughter, stretching the seatbelt across her chest as she shook her head. "And now we're actually going to be late, but thanks to you and your frolicking."

"I know," I admitted to both without hesitation as my hand twisted the key into the ignition and the engine silenced us both. "Don't think that ass ain't mine though when we get back. If I get the green it's ov—"

"Just go already!" she tittered, cutting my warning short as I slowly drove off. 

Luckily for us traffic in the city around this time wasn't too bad, making the twenty minutes to Riley's ob-gynecologist office a breeze.

The sight of the glass structure and the last time I was in its presence replayed in my head upon our arrival. It was back in the beginning of September, and Riley and I had the slightest clue that after that day we'd both be tied to this place and visiting it for the next six months. How it all happened was still crazy to me, and though it could've been prevented with the help of a condom I still didn't see this as a mistake. As I always said jokingly but meant wholeheartedly, it was all fate and even more a blessing in disguise – but never ever a mistake. He or she were placed in our lives for a reason. The idea of this baby alone was slowly molding us into the adults we were meant to be. It was helping us think smarter, act wisely and deal with our problems between ourselves and each other the right way.

The small bump rounding out Riley's stomach, the image floating in the center of the ultrasound machine's screen, and even the heartbeat fluttering along the room was awakening a part of me that I knew existed, but never to this extent. That feeling was genuine ass pure love, and I was falling deep into it for the very first time. God up above knew that I needed that. Something that the world hadn't tainted yet as it had done to other relationships. Something the universe hadn't thrown any bad karma into that could potentially break the bond slowly being formed, and what was alleviating my fears more than Riley had was knowing that neither scenarios had to happen. From here I could start over and get it all right. I possessed that power, these were all physically signs that I did.

This baby boy or girl had my own heart racing and my eyes watering because it all felt surreal. This was someone made specifically for me; someone to love me unconditionally even when others hated me. Someone who would never hurt me and someone who trusted me with every fiber in their being. This was mine, and I couldn't fathom how much more this feeling could grow the more this child grew. That was a scary thought to have, but at the same time peaceful. All I needed was this baby.

"Lamarr..." Riley's soft voice called out as I blinked and quickly wiped away a tear rolling down my cheek. She grabbed my hand in hers and squeezed it as I looked over in her direction and allowed her smile to perk one along my lips. "You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm good. Just happy as shit," I disclosed lowly and diverted my eyes toward Dr. Jones as she continued to observe the screen carefully. "How my baby doing, doc?"

"Well it looks like your baby is doing well, remaining extremely healthy and happy from the way they're propped up in there. You all are thirteen weeks along and the baby looks to be a good three inches long. Their face is already showing some features as you can see the little nose and lips from this angle," she pointed out with her index finger. "Their organs are beginning to form too if they haven't already."

"Wow," I slurred out as I stared in complete awe. Just to think we all started off alike to this inside a woman was beyond me. Women were incredible. "That's amazing."

"It is, isn't it? Now, I have to congratulate you Riley for making it through pretty much your first trimester. You're in your last week and chances of a miscarriage that many parents worry about have decreased immensely. Some of those uncomfortable symptoms should begin to disappear too, if they haven't already."

"Most have, thank God." Riley ejected, sounding beyond pleased.

"Good! Now, that doesn't mean you still won't have any at all but not nearly as bad as they were in the earlier weeks," Dr. Jones informed as she twisted around on her stool to face us both. "You should begin to gain a little weight, but not too much though. I need you to get some exercise in when you can now that you'll have more energy, and eat healthy. You can do yoga, walk, even cardio, but know your limits. Don't give in to too many of your cravings either because we don't want you having high blood pressure or sugar levels yet or at all for that matter. Okay?"

"She'll be good, doc. I'll watch her."

"Yeah, like he's already doing." Riley jeered as I sucked my teeth then pursed my lips. "It started right after he found out I was pregnant and it annoys me."

"She's lying," I denied, shaking my head. "Shame on you, Ry."

"Oh am I now?"

"Yeah you are."

"Well it's not unusual for the father to be overprotective," Dr. Jones budded in with a chuckle. "Just make sure in doing that you assure that Riley enjoys this trimester because once the third one comes around, she'll be uncomfortable again. Now Riley, have you been experiencing any pain in your abdomen?"

"No, not that I can recall."

"Good, good." she bobbed her head seeming satisfied. "If you do, inform me so that I can make a note on your file, but also remember that around this time of the pregnancy it's not abnormal and you shouldn't be alarmed. It can simply be gas, but if not it's more than likely round ligament pain. As your baby and womb grows, that ligament stretches and it can become strained. A lot of times sudden movement causes it to tighten and you'll feel that pain. It's all in this pamphlet I'm going to give you along with a few others."

Dr. Jones rolled over toward the counter a few feet away where her computer and an array of other equipment sat. She leaned forward and grabbed each trifold booklet, one by one, then joined us once again and began listing details about each.

"One is focused solely on the second trimester and the round ligament I mentioned, while another is about exercising and eating. Now, I'm giving you these to help during times when I'm not around. They are full of tips that many moms find useful. I'm also adding this last pamphlet on placenta previa to the bunch too."

"What's that?" Riley asked, both our interests now equally piqued.

Dr. Jones angled herself perfectly toward the ultrasound screen while keeping her attention locked to us both as she began explaining. "It's a condition that almost 15% of women are diagnosed with in their second trimester. It occurs when the placenta, that little pancake shaped organ here," she identified at the bottom of the sonogram. "Lies low in the uterus, near the cervix. Normally it's located at the top. Most times because the baby and uterus is constantly growing it shifts to where it needs to be by the day of birth."

"I usually don't mention it this early to my patients for that reason, but because Riley had a D&C procedure when she was younger I made an exception. D&C procedures sometimes cause abnormal placentation and my concern is that yours may never move."

"So, what exactly does that mean?" I spoke up, finding myself being slightly concerned. She was stressing this shit as if it was a big deal yet her tone was calm.

"No worries, Mr. Cole. It just means we need to keep a careful eye on the placenta at every appointment. I also need for Riley to be aware of any bleeding or cramping, and if either or both of those occur we might have to put her on early bed rest."

"This early?" Riley uttered suddenly with a frown. "What about working and traveling? I planned to be like Beyoncé and travel the world with my baby bump all out. I wanted to lay on the beach on some deserted island and get a tan."

"Really Ry?" I cut my eyes her way and chuckled at how serious she was. "You'll be aight in California for the next six months."

"Well hopefully it doesn't come down to that," Dr. Jones tittered, handing me the pamphlets. "I'd hate to crush your dream of living a life parallel to Queen Bey. But if it does, you'd probably have to stay off your feet while at work or simply work from home, and also cut traveling to a minimum. It's just to assure you don't bleed even the slightest or go into early labor. Early labor with a low placenta means emergency cesarean section, and that way we avoid excessive bleeding."

"Well there goes my snapback bikinis," Riley said under her breath, but it didn't miss neither mine nor Dr. Jones ears. We both were now shaking our heads with smirks plastered on our faces. This woman was a mess.

"Well thank you for warning us,"

"Of course, of course. I'm sure Riley will be fine though, she's a soldier." she assured and winked Riley's way. Dr. Jones then reached over and grabbed a cloth from aside her and went on to wipe off the gel spread across Riley's stomach. "If you all have any questions after you do some reading, just call me."

"Actually, I have one now." Riley slipped out as if she had been dying to get this question off her chest. "Are weird dreams normal? I've had a couple over the last month and they're very telling."

"Oh yes! Women tell me all the time about the bizarre dreams they have. It's due to the hormonal changes."

"Since we're here, I have one too." Riley's brow perked up as she slowly rose from the examination table and pulled her jacket down.

"Hit me with it," Dr. Jones encouraged.

"Is it safe to have sex now? I'm dying, doc." I confessed with an exaggerated sigh and fought back a playful grin.

"It all depends on how mommy here is feeling. As for the baby, normally yes. They will be fine at this stage, in Riley's case just don't get too rough. However, having sex during pregnancy is healthy."

"You hear that, baby girl?" I stood up from my seat then gently grabbed her hand to help her down onto her feet. "I can help you exercise."

"Oh please, negro. Just get me to the car and buy me some food."

"What would you like, my queen?" I asked sarcastically, throwing my arm around Riley's shoulder. "How about a kale salad with some broccoli sprouts?"

"How about no. I want flatbread pizza and baked chicken wings."

"Didn't she just say eat healthy?"

"And I am!" Riley exclaimed. "It's all baked, so there's your healthy there. Besides,