Chapter Twenty-Five

Jordyn Love

"This yellow or that one?" I asked, holding up the paint swatches for A'ja to see. She was sitting in the glider, hands resting on her enormous belly.

"The lighter one for the wall behind the crib. The darker one on the opposite walls," she instructed, her voice steady but tired.

I nodded and set the paint cans by their respective walls, glancing at her as she shifted uncomfortably in the chair. A'ja was 37 weeks as of yesterday—full term. Belly could come any day now. I smiled to myself at the thought. We still didn't know the gender, which only made the anticipation more exciting.

As I started prepping the roller, I heard her phone buzz. She smiled at whatever message she'd received, but I couldn't ignore the small, familiar ache in my chest. That twinge of jealousy had no place here, I reminded myself. Not anymore.

"Alright, I'm gonna get started," I said, brushing off the feeling. "I'll FaceTime you when it's all done so you can see how it looks."

A'ja nodded and shifted forward in the glider, clearly trying to stand. She paused, her face tightening as her belly made the effort harder than it should've been. Without a word, I set the roller down and walked over to her.

"Here," I said softly, offering my hand.

Her eyes met mine for a second before she took it, letting me help her up. "Thanks," she murmured, her tone quiet but sincere.

As she waddled toward the door, I couldn't help but watch her go, a swirl of emotions rising in my chest. We were still married—technically—but we hadn't really been us in a long time. Most of our conversations were about Belly now, and I was okay with that. Or at least, I was trying to be.

A'ja Wilson-Love

I couldn't stop the smile that crept across my face when I read the amessage from Angel.

|bro. Paige got a mean ass mouth piece A|Think I gotta marry her idk

Angel Huh?!😭😂|

|You read it right. All bs aside I really love her🥹look what she did for me|attatchment:

Awe that's so sweet. I see you P!  |I better be the maid of honor Ik that |much

I laughed but I was so happy for my girl. Paige was so good for her and I loved their love. I loved seeing my friends happy, even if my own love life was... complicated.

Grabbing my hydro flask and a bowl of green grapes, I made my way to the theater room. Settling onto the couch took a solid minute with Belly throwing a rave inside me.

"My love, you gotta give Mommy some slack here," I cooed, rubbing my belly. The baby shifted, a tiny foot grazing the inside of my stomach, before they finally calmed.

But a minute later, the kicking resumed—sharp and insistent. Then came a roll that made me wince.

"Okay, okay," I muttered, adjusting my position. "You're definitely your mama's child."

The thought of Jordyn sent a pang through my chest. I pushed it aside, focusing instead on the show playing on the screen. But the ache lingered, and with every kick from Belly, I felt more overwhelmed. My body hurt, my heart hurt, and I didn't know how much more I could take.

Jordyn Love

The sound of movement in the theater room pulled me from my thoughts. Something felt off. Setting the roller aside, I wiped my hands and headed down the hall.

When I stepped into the room, the sight of A'ja broke me. She was curled up on the couch, one hand on her belly and the other clutching her phone, her face tight with pain—or maybe something deeper.

"Hey," I said gently.

Her eyes opened slowly, and she gave me a weak smile. "Baby's having a party in here," she said, her voice strained.

I moved closer, crouching beside her. "Are you okay?"

She hesitated, her lip quivering. "No," she whispered, her voice cracking.

Without thinking, I climbed onto the couch and pulled her into my arms. She didn't resist. Instead, she melted into me, her body trembling as the tears came.

"I'm so tired," she sobbed into my neck. "My body hurts all the time, I can't sleep, and I'm scared, Jordy. I'm so scared."

My chest tightened at the rawness of her words. I wrapped my arms around her tighter, stroking her back in slow circles. "Hey, hey," I murmured. "It's okay. You're not alone in this. I'm here, A'ja. I've got you."

Her sobs grew louder, and I held her through it, whispering whatever I could to ease the storm.

"I don't know if I can do this," she admitted between shaky breaths.

"You can," I said firmly. "You're already doing it. And you don't have to do it alone. Let me help you. Please."

Her cries eventually quieted, replaced by sniffles. She pulled back, her tear-streaked face meeting mine.

"I didn't realize how much I needed this," she whispered.

"Sometimes, even superheroes need a break," I said softly, brushing her tears away.

She let out a small, watery laugh. "I don't feel like a superhero."

"You are," I said, my tone unwavering. "You're carrying life, A'ja. That's the most amazing thing I've ever seen. And you're going to be the best mom to this baby."

Her lips quivered again, but this time it wasn't sadness. "Thank you, Jordy," she said. "For still being here. For this."

"Always," I promised, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

For the first time in what felt like forever, the walls between us began to crumble. Maybe this was the start of something new—or at least, the start of healing.

"Let's get you comfortable," I said, shifting back slightly. "How about some of that pregnant people tea you got in there? Then you can pick a movie to watch and relax."

She nodded and laughed a bit, her expression softer than it had been in weeks. "That sounds nice."

As I helped her adjust on the couch and headed to the kitchen, I felt a flicker of hope. Maybe we could find our way back to each other after all.

Excuse all errors Ajah 💕💕