59

Kyrin

I walked into the building having just landed. Tired was an understatement but I decided to come. She would have came for me. When I approached the front desk, I told her who I was looking for and she gave me a room number. "Thank you."

"No problem." She replied with a smile.

As I walked into the room, Sarah looked up at me and smiled. "You came?!"

"I came." I smiled back as I hugged her. "Gotta see how my niece or nephew is doing."

She chuckled. "Girl, this baby has been kicking the heck out of my stomach here lately. Seems like the kid can't keep still. One minute it's on the right side, next it's on the left. I can't keep up."

Before I could reply, the doctor walked in. This would be hard for me. Harder than I actually anticipated too be quite frank. I never wanted to walk into one of these rooms again but here I was. Here... I put myself here.

The doctor, who told us her name was Maryann but insisted on us calling her Mary, instructed Sarah to lay back and that the gel would be cold. Sarah nodded and did as she said. The woman applied the gel and put her thing on top.

We turned our eyes to the screen and I took a breath when the baby popped up on it. "The baby's healthy. Seems to be moving around a lot but that's perfectly normal." The doctor hummed to herself before asking. "Want to know the gender?"

"Yes please." Sarah replied. "But, don't tell me, tell the child's God Mother right here."

"God Mo..." I trailed off.

God Mother? I can't be a child's God mother and I'm barely on speaking terms with my own. I barely had a good role model coming up myself, I'm still toxic in some situations, and I don't even know if I can bare a conversation with this child's father. I could not be a God Mother right now.

I suddenly spoke again. "No way. Are you serious? You're letting me be the God Mom?"

Sarah nodded excitedly. "Yes ma'am. Well if you want to of course."

"Of course I want to!" I exclaimed as we matched excitement but it was halfway fake on my end. I wasn't ready for this but I had prep time. Right?

"Good. I've been trying to find a way to ask you." She smiled brightly before sighing. "One less thing on the plate but yes Doc, give the results to her."

Mary nodded at me. "I'll be right back God Mother."

She left the room and I looked at Sarah. "Sis, you're seriously..."

"Seriously,"

I nodded slowly. "I gotta tell J this."

When I went to text her, Sarah stopped me. "Aht. No. Don't do that because she has to agree to be God Mother as well. If something happens to Langston and I, we feel like you two would be the best hands to leave our child in. I want a boy."

Nodding, I assured her knowing that my instinct would kick in if something did in fact happen. "We'd take care of her."

"Her? Don't speak that into existence Ky. I want a boy."

"And I'm betting money that because you want a boy, you're about to have a girl." I teased.

Sarah shook her head. "Whew chile, I can't handle that. Hey, how are you holding up?"

I knew she was referring to Janet's departure two nights ago. "Good so far. She called last night after her first show, but she fell asleep on the phone. I still got to see her though, so it's better than nothing."

"Good. That's good. Did you see the first show?"

"Nope. I haven't gotten a chance to even hop on socials yet and watch. I'll see it sooner than later."

"When you find clips tag me. I want to see as well."

"Of course. I've been thinking on going down there and surprising her for the weekend. You free?"

"Have me back before Sunday and I'm as free as can be." She told me.

I nodded. "Cool. I'll look up some tickets. Where's your baby's father?"

"Your best friend is at work right now." Sarah sent me a look and got a eye roll in return. "You can't keep running from the conversation, sis."

"I know. I know. I just— I'll talk to him soon. I promise. I just need to make sure I don't say anything I'm going to regret so I need to get my anger all out before we swap any type of words."

My phone buzzed in my hand and I looked down to read a text from Mia.

Mia Pooh Yo Momma K! Miss Janet did that last night! Did you see the videos I tagged you in? She's going viral! Even tweeted that Strawberry's back.

My face furrowed at the last sentence as I replied.

To: Mia Pooh Haven't seen them. What did you tag me on?

Mia Pooh Insta. Go see the greatness at work!

I closed out my messages and went to Instagram and hit my activity log. Mia had tagged me in two videos but a ton of other folks had as well. Some asking was this revenge and did Janet and I break up. My face scrunched up more as I clicked the video.

"Uh oh. What's wrong?" Sarah asked me noticing my face and sudden wave of silence.

Handing her my phone after I finished watching, I spoke. "Tell me that my wife isn't grinding and kissing on a man, Sarah. Sarah, I'm serious right now, tell me that isn't my wife grabbing another mans package on a stage in Las Vegas, Nevada like I'm not off the wall crazy. Sarah... you gotta tell me. Seriously, tell me. That's not Janet huh? I'm tripping."

"Kyrin—."

I began pacing and taking breaths. "That's what it is. Kyrin... you're tripping. That's not your wife. Just look back at the screen and you'll see that it isn't your wife. Your eyes are finally deceiving you. That's what it is. Let's just look again."

Grabbing my phone back from Sarah, I glanced at the screen and it didn't work. My wife was still on this mans lap. Blankly, I looked from the screen to Sarah a couple of times.

Sarah, who seemed short of words, finally began speaking. "Okay, it's her image. She's bringing it back. Let's think about it. When she was married to Wissam she had to cover up and what not. Now she's freely married to you and can truly express herself—."

"So she's trying to say she wants to have a three some with a man?"

"Shut-up! You know that's not what I'm trying to say." She rolled her eyes slightly. "I'm saying that she's bringing her look back. The carefree Janet Jackson. She's bringing back the woman she regrets putting away."

"I'm cool with that but did she have to kiss him and grab his penis? Is that apart of the image bringing facade you are pitching me right now?"

Sarah sighed. "Look that's a little questionable but look, it's not to hurt you."

"Oh I'm far from hurt." I shook my head in honesty. The last thing I was feeling right now was hurt.

"Oh Lord, I know that tone."

"You in?" I asked.

"Jesus, I'm pregnant sis. I can't be doing stuff like this right now. Where's Phoebe?"

"Glued to Ember until Ember gets out the hospital which will be a while saying that they still have to get the surgery thing under wraps now are you in?"

I watched as she sighed. "Ou, you know I love you. I'm in. You tone feed me?"

"I don't have a choice." I replied as the doctor came back in and handed me the results. Smiling at the lady shortly, I faked a response. "Thank you."

The doctor wiped the gel off of Sarah's stomach and they had a exchange before she left the room and wished us well.

Sarah traced my face. "You... you and I are a dangerous duo when we get upset." She pulled her shirt down and got up off the seat. "But, hey, we only live once."

"Glad you know." I replied as I put my head down and opened my safari.

Sarah

I pulled my weave back as Kyrin and I exited the vehicle. "It's bright as heck out here."

"I'm saying." She agreed as we approached the back doors.

Joey stood there talking with some other folks. When he saw us he smiled. "What are you two doing here?"

"Just came to surprise J." Kyrin replied with a smile but I knew better than to believe that. "Shawn and Gil inside?"

"Yeah, want me to call them?"

"Oh no. It's okay." I quickly replied because those two would add more salt to the injury.

"Well the shows already started. Let's get you two to the front."

"No we will just wait for Jay in the back. Don't tell anyone we're here. It's a surprise Joey." Kyrin replied as the other men acknowledged her on the way in passing.

We both stepped into the building and as we walked I asked Ky. "Where to?"

"To that stage. Where else?" She looked and raised a eyebrow.

"Kyrin Paige, I know you aren't about to go on that stage."

"You think I flew to Vegas to address this in private? Hell no. Gods working on me, but I'm a work in progress. So therefore, with public actions come public consequences. Let's go Sarah, we've come this far by faith."

I followed her as I raised a eyebrow. "Don't bring God into this. Can we go out to eat after this?"

"Sure. It's Vegas. Whatever you want. On me."

Smiling, I was suddenly all the way in. "Say less then sis. Let's get you on that stage."

We followed the loud music until Kyrin and I came upon the side of the stage. A man looked at us as Kyrin yelled over the music. "Can you hand me a mic?"

I peeped at the stage and Janet was watching as they tied yet another man up. The guy frowned. "I'm sorry and you are?"

Kyrin chuckled before stepping closer. "You see, Janet hired you but I'm her wife, so I'll fire you. I don't know who you are but everyone else..." She motioned around to all the other workers who obviously were noting that she was Janet's wife. "Everyone else knows me. I'm Kyrin Jackson-Broussard. And you are?"

The dude began pressing buttons and soon handed Kyrin a mic. "Todd. My names Todd."

"Nice to meet you Todd. I'll only be a second." She replied before looking back at me. I shook my head signaling that I wasn't tagging along on this here stage tonight.

Janet was stalking towards the man when Kyrin walked onstage. The crowd got louder but I don't think Janet thought anything of it because she was still walking towards the man.

I thought Kyrin was going to talk to Janet but my mouth dropped when instead she went and sat on the mans lap. His arms were tied back so he couldn't move and Janet's face was in pure shock as Kyrin looked at the man and spoke. "I'll only be a second sir, I hope you don't mind."

My hand clasped over my forehead. I was shook. Janet seemed to be about to speak but Kyrin looked at her and spoke first with a phony smile. "Hey wifey."

Her face hit the screen in HD. Folks in the back knew that Janet Jackson's wife was on this stage because it was amazing quality.

Janet replied as the music lowered a bit and it seemed someone turned her mic up. "Hey baby, what are you doing here?"

"Well, I just had to see Strawberries return for myself. I flew out just to support this." Anybody else would think Kyrin was being genuine but Janet and I both knew she wasn't. "That's it, I'll talk to you in a few." She stood up and opened her arms. Janet hugged her and Kyrin whispered something in her ear and I watched as the glimpse of fear passed through Janet's eyes. "Good luck baby. Love you."

"Love you too." She told her shakily as Kyrin walked back over to me. The crowd 'aww'ed' as she left the stage.

She turned the mic off and handed it back to Todd with a smile. "Thank you Todd. You're really lovely."

"No problem Mrs. Jackson. Sorry about that earlier."

Kyrin waved him off. "Don't worry about it Todd. You were just doing your job."

We walked away and before we could find our way to the dressing room, Gil approached us. He looked at Kyrin. "It's her second day of this residency. Did you really just do that?"

"Did you just see me up there?" Kyrin matched his tone and I shook my head knowing where this was going. "I don't give a rats ass what day it is. I wouldn't care if it was Sabbath's day."

Oh Lord. Not Sabbatth's.

Gil rolled his eyes. "Who gave you a mic?"

"Your mother. Move Gil." She pushed passed him and begin to walking.

He looked at me and I shrugged. "I'm pregnant and she is feeding me so I'm not thinking straight right now. Gotta go." I caught up with Kyrin and soon we found Janet's dressing room. She walked in and sat down. "What did you say to her?"

"Who Janet?" She asked as she looked up at me. "Oh I told her it's gonna be me and her after she steps off that stage."

I shook my head as I sat down next to her. "Now let's open the discussion back from earlier, I still think that you shouldn't raise this much trouble when it's simply just her getting back into the groove of things."

Kyrin pointed at the screen behind me. I turned and saw that Janet was dancing to 'I Get Lonely' and grinding on the floor. Crap, she was making this harder. "Let's be clear, that is getting back into the groove of things. The dude in the chair, I can handle. The groping? I can handle. The kissing? She ain't kissing me for a long time. I don't know where these folks lips been but that's all besides the point. You know why?"

"Why KP?"

"It's besides the point because Kyrin got no heads up. I needed a heads up. Weather I was going to get mad or take it calmly, I still don't like things to just jump out at me like this did. Social media seems to think we are divorcing and one blog even said we didn't make it past the honeymoon stage. I had to turn my comments off on half of my recents and they still found some to comment on. Some folks are dming me. So then you know what I do?"

"What do you do KP?" I asked monotoned. I was just gonna let her rant. She hadn't been talking about stuff like this lately.

"I defend my marriage. That's what I do. I post a picture of Janet and I when it's something to clear up that's small but this? Oh I had to post a picture, make a elaborate caption that wasn't too angry but just right so folks wouldn't think I was getting defensive because my marriage was failing. My marriage isn't failing. My marriage will never fail. I'll be damned if that happens but me not knowing stuff makes that hard."

"So let her know that." I responded calmly. "Let her know the position it puts you in. Just don't snap on her. Dating and marriage is a different ball game. Communicate without yelling if you can manage. Don't shut down when you're hurt. We gotta grow sis."

"I know. I know. Speaking of growth, I start my counseling sessions in a few days."

"Counseling? Whattt?" I asked shocked. "Okay, I see you. Come on through. What made you decide to do that?"

Kyrin sighed. "I just— I got sick of the same feeling over and over again. I don't wanna spend the rest of my life shutting down and lacking communication. I can't do that to Janet anymore nor can I do it to you all. It's time to grow."

I smiled. "I see that. That's a good thing Ky, even though the family always said talking to someone was a sign of weakness, it isn't. Talking to someone is a sign of strength. Remember that. I had a hard time going to therapy, but I did it and I'm better."

"True. I'm going to see how it goes and hopefully grow from there." She began staring at Janet's vanity which was filled with makeup. Suddenly, she stood and began clearing off the surface of the it.

"Girl." I called out. "What are you doing?"

"Planning out this situation. Janet's gonna come in. You're gonna excuse yourself from the situation because it'll be too tense. I'm going to try to talk but Janet's gonna cut me off and then so far and so forth. Then it's gonna turn into a argument and it's gonna be hectic for a second but boom!" She yelled and my eyes widened as she motioned to the counter. "Makeup sex. Right here on this counter. What do you think? Or should we do the couch?"

"Langston and I did it on the desk in my office and it was nice. Go for vanity." I admitted as I motioned towards the longer object in the room.

Kyrin faced me and her mouth dropped. "Please tell me you don't mean in the church house sis."

Slowly, I nodded. "It was the heat of the moment though."

"I thought I had put myself in some situations until I hear from your church mouse behind. Sarah, that is not okay. You going to Hell in a haystack."

"Make matters worse I think that's where I got pregnant."

"TMI!" She yelled as she put her hands over her ears. "Too much info. I don't care. I don't care. I swear to God, it always be the PK's that be doing the freakiest stuff. I have nothing on the church house."

I shrugged as I chuckled. "The PK's just got lives to live because we can't live em under Pastors roof."

"I hope that wasn't you trynna make this alright cause boo, it's nothing you can say."

"Oh well. It was some good sex."

"Pastors daughter!" She yelled out as she covered her ears. "I don't want to hear it. I'd rather you shoot me in my foot."

I laughed. "Just saying."

We sat in silence for a while as I watched the show and Kyrin emailed the district back and forth or texted her sisters. I watched as Janet closed the show. The curtains drew closed and everyone exited the stage except for her. The look she wore, I knew she wasn't going to come off the stage if she had anything to do with it. Shoot, I wouldn't either.