22. Evolve.

Jessica held her belly as she sat across from Alexis, pain etching her face, she had decided to stop by after she went out to grab some food.

"Nuh uh, what's wrong with you?" Alexis questioned as concern etched her face. "You are not about to have that boy in here."

This caused Jessica to laugh before another pain shot through, "stop making me laugh. This shit hurts. It's just Braxton Hicks though."

"Braxton what?"

Jessica rolled her eyes at how uneducated Alexis really was with pregnancy and babies, but then again Alexis was determined she didn't want any so in all it wasn't that important to her.

"They're like false contractions."

"Ohhh," Alexis cooed as she picked up her phone as the text tone went off. "How's everything been with you and Mateo?" Alexis questioned as she typed to whoever she was texting.

Once the cramps subsided Jessica picked up her glass of sparkling cider that Alexis so graciously got for her. "We're actually really good, he hasn't said any stupid shit or anything like that. We talk a lot more and he's pretty excited about the baby now." She rubbed her belly as she responded.

Alexis smiled, "that's good. You still considering moving to San Diego?"

"I never said I was considering it." Alexis rolled her eyes as she locked her phone. "You told him you were, and last time we talked I felt like you truly were considering it."

Jessica shrugged her shoulders, "everything I know is here. And it's a lot to just up and move."

"You've always talked about moving anyways. And everything like what Jessica? Your sisters are gone, your daddy is gone, God bless his soul. Your mother isn't acting like she wants to come around and then me, but it doesn't matter where you go I'll always come to you."

Jessica smiled at the last part of her statement, "you're also forgetting my job, my apartment, my car."

Alexis rolled her eyes and waved Jessica off as she picked up her wine and took a sip of it. "Girl, you can get a job anywhere, an apartment anywhere and you can drive your car there! It's eight hours not across the country. Shit, you still in the same state."

"Still," Jessica let out as she took another sip of her drink.

"Give me your pros and cons list, I know you've made one you always make them." Alexis let out with a knowing smile.

Jessica couldn't stand how much this girl knew her. She huffed as she grabbed her phone going to her notes. "Okay, pros. Closer to Kaiden's dad, a change of scenery like I've wanted, a chance to start fresh. Cons, having to look for a job, a pay cut, moving in general, no friends. So technically, my cons list is longer. And why are you acting like you're so gung ho on me moving!? You don't want me here?"

"Girl I'm not, you know I want you here! But like you said you've always wanted a change of scenery and this is your chance. And having his dad closer will be a lot of help and you know it. Here it's like you're doing it alone and I don't want you feeling like you are."

Jessica understood where she was coming from. "Besides," Alexis continued, "your cons list is trash other than the pay cut, I feel that! But San Diego is a little cheaper than here in San Fran. And when the hell did we decide on Kaiden? That's cute."

Jessica laughed and realized she had yet to tell her. "We both liked it! It was actually a name he thought of. Still haven't decided on a middle name though!"

"And last name?" Alexis asked with curiosity. "His."

Jessica let out with ease. "Kaiden Santos."

"Okay, okay." She smiled. "I like, I like."

Jessica looked at her suspiciously. "But what's up with you, enough about me."

Alexis shook her head as she drank her wine, "no," she started as she sat the cup down. "You have to tell me what happened with Dwayne first and then we can talk about me."

"Oh my gosh," Jessica rolled her eyes. "So I went over there like he asked me to do and Brielle was there, she looked like she had been crying and then she drops this big 'I've been fucking him' confession on me. And she asked if my baby was his. Girl I wasn't for the shit at all, so I basically took it as my cue to go! And I left."

"Dwayne didn't try and stop you?"

"Oh he did, but Brielle was still going in and I told him he needed to handle that. He called me the same night apologizing and shit saying that he hadn't been fucking her recently and Brielle was just being spiteful because she wants them together but he doesn't want to be with her blah blah blah."

Alexis shook her head, "but like where is all this shit coming from? You and Dwayne dated for two years and she didn't give a fuck about the nigga and now she want him?"

Jessica shrugged, "she had a man too the majority of our relationship. Then they broke up and I guess Dwayne slept with her in the mist of it and now she wants that old thing back. He honestly was probably feeding her shit to make it seem like he wanted to be with her too."

"You believe him?"

"Believe what? That he wasn't sleeping with her? That Brielle was being spiteful? I honestly don't know. But I know I'm not even about to deal with the nonsense. I think Dwayne and I's time is up. We had our time together and now we just need to let it be. I'm cool with us being friends. But I'm giving up on the romance factor."

Alexis nodded in understanding. "I get it."

"I'll miss the dick though," Jessica stated honestly. "I miss dick period, haven't had that shit in five everrrr." She stretched out.

"Shitttt, can't relate!" Alexis let out with her tongue out. "Now we can get to me," she smiled. "So I have X right where I want him, the nigga is basically eating out the palm of my hand. Okay maybe not, but he's playing accordingly. You know we talked about that texting others shit and he basically asked me if I wanted to be exclusive yesterday."

Jessica still didn't like that nigga but she liked how happy Alexis got when talking about him. "Like exclusive exclusive? Like not dealing with nobody else?"

"I asked the same shit Jess! And he was like yeah. But I don't know how much of that shit I should trust, especially with him being there and me being here and knowing he got groupies everywhere. I'm not for the shit I will cut him and the bitch."

Jessica knew she wasn't playing either. Jessica was wide eyed. "That's big, and I get it completely. I don't know what to tell you. I don't know the nigga like you do and you honestly know I'm not a big fan."

"I know," Alexis rolled her eyes. "But I told him he needed to apologize to you the next time he saw you because he was out of line."

Jessica didn't care for his apology especially if he had to be told to do it. She waved it off, "I'm not worried about that."

"I know you aren't, but I am. Niggas ain't about to talk you like that! Especially a nigga I'm dealing with."

Jessica laughed, "okay! I hear you!" Her phone went off the FaceTime ring coming through as Mateo's name popped up.

Alexis peeked over as a small smile etched her face, "Ooo, baby daddy calling!"

Jessica rolled her eyes and laughed, "shut up! He always calls." She answered the small smile still on her face from Alexis' shenanigans.

"What's up?" She asked as Mateo's face went from surprise to a smile. "Girl you glowing!" He let out causing her to blush a little.

Their relationship was definitely improving day by day. They could joke with one another, keep it real with each other and everything in between. They definitely had a blossoming friendship and Jessica was thankful for it, as was Mateo. It would make co-parenting that much easier.

"Mateo what do you want?" She laughed.

"Hey Mateo!" Alexis yelled out as Mateo spoke back to her before answering Jessica's question.

"Serious question." His smile dropping slightly as his eyes stayed on her. It was clear he was sitting in his car.

"Serious like I need to leave the room or?"

He shook his head no quickly, "nahh. San Diego." He easily stated causing her to roll her eyes.

"I told her to go," Alexis stated with ease. Mateo smiled, "you need to listen to Alexis."

"Are you two going to find me a job? Move all my shit?"

"Yeah," they both said in unison.

"You are the only one acting like no one will help you, and it's an extreme amount to do." Alexis let out.

"I already told you I would do what I have to do to get you here. I'm waiting on you!" Mateo emphasized. "You're due in two months. The sooner you get here the better."

"If you have paternity leave, why don't you just come here with me for that time being?"

"I could but after that's up you would be by yourself. I just want you to have a helping hand Jessica, I feel like we keep talking in circles about this. I've already told you why."

She rolled her eyes, "my lease isn't up for another four months and I'm just supposed to quit my job?"

"Break the lease I'll pay for it, or keep it until you get everything moved. And yeah. You're already going on maternity leave just tell them you won't be back. You're acting like you're quitting tomorrow, you will already have been gone for a month and a half before you would have even went back."

He had a point and she knew he did. She sighed, "can you just give me another 24 hours to decide? This is a lot, and I really don't want to change doctors this late in my pregnancy if I don't have to."

He sighed, "okay Jessica." He had already started calculating how he would make his way to San Francisco, he was feeling like she might not budge.

"Besides, how does your girlfriend feel about you being so adamant on me moving? Does she even know this is a conversation we're having?"

Mateo cleared his throat. "Let me call you back, this her calling right now." With that he hung up as Jessica rolled her eyes and Alexis chuckled as a thought popped up in her head.

"I'm surprised she's still with him the first and last conversation I had with her she said she would be gone if he ever got a girl pregnant on her, I told that bitch you never know what you'll do until you're in the situation."

Jessica didn't say anything as she let the comment ride.

—

Mateo wasn't lying when he said Sofia was calling. He answered her FaceTime call as she was all smiles as she looked at him. "You back in San Diego yet?" She questioned.

He nodded, "in my car, about to head home now."

"Okay, then I'll see you when you get here." With that they hung up as he made his way to the house preparing to tell her his plan.

He grabbed his stuff out his car as he was thankful for this one day they would have to just chill. He walked in setting some of his stuff down as Sofia got up, pecking him on the lips to greet him. "Hey baby!" She cooed.

"What's up?" He smiled, "somebody missed me."

She bit her lip flirtatiously, "I did indeed. Why didn't you tell me you were already back?"

He walked into the kitchen grabbing a water bottle, "I told you when I was coming back." She rolled her eyes as his text tone chimed.

"Whose texting us?" She questioned as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. "Jessica," he stated with ease as he smiled lightly and shook his head at her message telling him not to be hanging up on her like that and asking a question about the hospitals nearby.

"What's she saying?" Sofia questioned with curiosity and a slight ting of jealousy as he smiled at the message.

He sat his phone down after replying and looked up at Sofia as he took a sip of the water. "Nothing, I was on the phone with her before you called and I ended the call abruptly."

"On the phone with her about what?"

He put the top back on the water, "just checking on her."

"What's wrong with her?"

Mateo brought his eyebrows in, "nothing."

"So you just call her to check on her?" Sofia questioned with slight confusion.

He nodded as he took a seat by the island. "Speaking of Jessica though." He picked up his phone spinning it. "I asked her to move here."

"What?"

"She's about to have my baby, and I want to be closer to him. It's not like she's an hour away she's eight hours away." Sofia didn't say anything as she just stood there looking at him with her arms crossed, clear confusion on her face.

"I told her she could stay in the townhouse." He continued.

"And you didn't consult me about this beforehand? My cousin Ric is moving here and needs somewhere to stay temporarily and I mentioned the townhouse to him."

Mateo brought his eyebrows in, "you didn't consult me about that."

"Yeah, because I was waiting until you got back into town."

He shrugged his shoulders, "well he might not be able to stay there. Why doesn't he stay with Marie or he can stay in the guest room here since it's temporary. But wait, how temporary is temporary?"

Sofia shrugged her shoulders, "until he finds a place. Which will be after he gets a job."

Mateo started to laugh, "so you thought he was just going to shack up in the townhouse? For who knows how long?"

"He's not shacking up and it's not like it was being used."

Mateo could give her that point, it was valid. It was one of his points for Jessica staying there. "Well it's going to Jessica if she decides to move here. You can find somewhere else for him to stay or he can stay here. But that shit is only going down for so long. I'm not taking care of no grown ass man."

"But you'll take care of a bitch you got pregnant on me," she stated lowly but loud enough for him to hear.

"The mother of my child? You damn right. Because she's going to be the one taking care of my son. Your cousin a grown ass man, he should of had his shit together before he even considered coming out here."

"Okay Mateo, whatever. Fuck the Ric situation. The fact that you made this decision without bringing it to me first is crazy. Like I'm your girlfriend. This is the type of shit we talk about first."

"Okay, and I apologize that I didn't tell you sooner. But one reason I didn't bring it up is because regardless of whether you are for or against it. It's happening if she decides to come."

"So it's just fuck how I feel?"

"No! But Sofia this shit isn't about you! I have a son coming and I don't know how many more ways I can tell you that. This is so I can be closer to him, be able to be as hands on as I want and can be."

"I get that! But I feel like you just don't give a fuck about how I feel about this! Like this isn't you just moving your son out. But your baby mama and having her stay at the townhouse that you're paying for? Like you're giving her shit that's supposed to be just what I have."

Sofia sounded ridiculous to him. "And I don't mean that in a selfish way or anything but am I supposed to be comfortable with my nigga paying for a side bitch's shit?"

Mateo shook his head, "let's be clear. You get way more shit than what I give her or will give her. Sofia you don't pay for shit. And she's not no fucking side bitch. She's the mother of my child. I said what I said. If she decides to move here the townhouse is hers unless she states otherwise. I'm over this stupid ass conversation."

With that Mateo stood up and collected some the things he dropped by the door and made his way up the stairs while Sofia stood there fuming.