Princeton
“Bella, this might be your corniest work yet.”
I had seen enough videos of these things to know how they went, had seen plenty more to know exactly how exciting finding out the gender of the baby could be. But looking at the giant gold balloons sitting on my back patio that spelled out, “ISSA BABY” had me shaking my head as I watched my girl pose for pictures in front of them, pulling out my phone to snap one for myself that I’d be sharing on my Instagram to announce the baby to my fans.
“Quit being a hater, Prince,” Denise shouted as she snapped pictures on her own phone, Tony standing nearby doing the same with the flip phone I was surprised even had a camera.
I was just getting ready to tease him about the picture quality when Bella shouted back, “He’s just trying to play it cool now cause he knows he’s going to be crying later when he finds out it’s not the girl he predicted.”
Smiling, I snuggled up next to her which ended up putting me on the other side of the camera as Denise and Co. continued snapping pictures. But none of that mattered more than telling Bella, “I’m happy with a healthy baby, B. You know that.”
“I also know what you said that day. Uh-Uh. It felt like a girl. Uh,” she said with a hip thrust and arm pump that had the both of us cracking up laughing.
“I hope Denise caught that candid,” I thought to myself as I pulled Bella into my arms, looking down at her to ask, “Was that supposed to be my post-nut voice?”
“It was your post-nut voice,” she replied with a giddy smile, giving me lusty eyes as if she wanted me to put another baby in her sooner than later.
But for now, we’d just focus on the current one - and on each other - as I bent my neck to whisper in her ear, “Well you can hear it again once all these people get out of my damn house.”
“Oh, can I?” she asked out loud, running a hand against my chest as Gina shouted, “That’s how y’all got that baby now!” And once again, we both busted out laughing before posing together for a few pictures in front of her corny balloons.
“Whew. Mama’s gotta spring a leak,” Bella said, putting a hand on her belly - our baby - as she took off inside the house with Gina right behind her.
While my eyes naturally followed her in awe, I was quickly snapped out of it when Little Tony said, “Aight. Yo turn, P!”
“My turn?” I asked more to myself than him.
Though Brandin was sure to make things clear as he threw an arm around my shoulder and shouted, “Yeah, yo turn! Issa baby, nigga! Come on!”
I shook my head with a smile as him and Little Tony joined me in front of the balloons, first looking like a reject rap group as we posed with our arms crossed over our chest, then turning into a bunch of jailbirds as we dropped into a squat. But I was glad to have them here, glad I had at least some family for us to celebrate with along with Bella’s parents who had come into town just for this event.
At first, I worried they wouldn’t be too happy to see me since their first time meeting me was at their daughter’s gender reveal party for a very unplanned pregnancy. But I quickly found out Bella’s father was a big fan and her mother was just as sweet as she was, creating an environment that we could all enjoy, even through Bella’s multiple pee breaks.
Of course, my enjoyment didn’t mean the dark spot of my life wouldn’t be brought up the second our impromptu photoshoot stopped, Little Tony leaning in to ask, “Yo, Prince. You talk to your dad recently?”
I shrugged, pulling out my phone and trying to decide what filter I wanted to use for Bella’s picture when I answered, “Not since he was cleared to go home. He been aight?”
It seemed silly for me to be asking him of all people about my father’s well-being. But since I didn’t really want anything to do with my father right now outside of knowing his ass was still alive, going through a middleman seemed like the best bet. And I got all I needed once Little Tony replied, “Same ol’ grumpy ass King, so I guess so.”
“That’s what’s up,” I told him, deciding she didn’t need a filter after all before posting the picture with a caption that matched her silly ass balloons. And while I could already imagine the notifications that would come from it, I was happy just staring at the picture - staring at my girl and our baby - and imagining what the future would hold.
But while my head was in the future, Little Tony was still caught up on the past, asking, “You still don’t wanna talk about that day, huh?”
Once again, I shrugged. “Not really. I mean, there’s really nothin’ to talk about. He was having a stroke, I got him to the hospital, the end.”
Reliving the details made me feel things I hadn’t felt for my father in a long time. He had been so vile for as long as I could remember to the point that I had grown cold and numb to actually caring about him as a person. But seeing him in a crisis, having his life in my hands even if the doctors said he had a few minutes to spare by the time we made it to the hospital, made me worry about him in a way he never worried about me.
And that made me angry.
“So y’all were in the middle of training when it all went down?” Brandin asked in between his nibbles on a cupcake, a dot of frosting on the top of his nose like he was a damn kindergartener.
The sight was enough to at least calm me down, even when I explained, “Not exactly. We were uh… we had kinda gotten into it over some shit he said about Bella and the baby. I was setting him straight and he… started having the symptoms. Asked me to call 911.”
“Damn. That would’ve been crazy if he would’ve died right there in the gym,” Brandin replied, instantly making me cringe since it had crossed my mind more times than I wanted to admit.
Still, I was glad when Little Tony did the scolding, giving his brother a punch in the shoulder as he snarled, “Do you ever stop and think before you speak? Or does it always just spill right on out?”
Brandin responded with a shrug just as Gina and Bella made their way back, Gina excitedly announcing, “Alright! The punching bag is set. You guys ready to do this?”
“Who’s punching it? Me or Bella?” I asked as we made our way over to the speed bag that looked more like a basketball piñata covered in red paint. But once again, this wasn’t about me or my opinion on Gina’s craftwork.
This was about Bella, though it was clear I was alone in that thought when Brandin asked, “Who’s punching it? Who’s the real boxer, dummy?!”
“Hey now. My girl’s got hands. Don’t get it twisted,” I replied, shooting a look Bella’s way just in time to catch her already blushing.
But I was a little surprised when she clasped her hands in front of her mouth and insisted, “I want you to do it, Princeton.”
“What? Nah, B. This is your shit. You can do it,” I told her, stepping back to make room. But instead of filling it in, she pushed me back into it.
“I might not be able to break it. So you do it. Please.”
Naturally, I had a soft spot for everything about Bella. But hearing her beg had me ready to knock that piñata clear into the neighbor’s backyard just to make her happy. And I damn near did, launching a punch with enough power to burst the speed bag open, causing a shower of pink confetti to erupt.
“Holy shit,” I whispered once I pulled my fist back, my eyes flashing over to Bella’s whose were already glossed over with tears as she covered her mouth with her hands in shock. But before I could say anything to her, I felt an arm around my neck as Brandin shouted, “And “The Prince” stays undefeated!”
While I wanted to share in his celebration, I was desperate to get to my woman first, knocking him off so that I could pull her into a hug tight enough to lift her off her feet. And she eagerly accepted it, her arms wrapped around my neck as she whispered, “Issa girl.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at her silliness, putting her down just long enough to pull her face into my hands for a quick kiss before I said, “Told you so.”
She lifted onto her tippy toes to give me another kiss, unable to control her wide smile even when she teased, “Well maybe you can pick up where Miss. Cleo left off once you’re done boxing. Since you wanna be a psychic and what not.”
I shook my head with another laugh, resting my arms on her shoulders then my forehead against hers as she wrapped her arms around my waist. And I was grinning nearly as hard as she was by the time I replied, “Nah. I think I’ll just be a stay-at-home dad. Raise little Princess Lattimore while you’re out here being young Robin Roberts and shit.”
“We are not naming her that,” Bella squealed loud enough for everyone to hear as she pulled her head away.
But I pulled her right back in, her hands digging into my lower back as I rocked her in an embrace and offered, “Middle name then. Gotta continue the royal tradition.” … or better yet, bring some good back into the royal tradition.
Before she could offer a rebuttal, Gina leaned in nearby, sticking her finger up as she said, “If I may put a name in the running, I hear Gina is becoming popular again.”
I turned out of our hold, still keeping my arm around my girl’s shoulder when I replied, “Nah, Bella already knows what it is.”
“Bella doesn’t know a damn thing besides the fact that she wants her daughter to be taken seriously when her resume slides across someone’s desk,” she replied with enough snark to make me giggle.
Still, I tried to plead my case, looking over at her as I reasoned, “The world will be different by the time she’s that age, B. Hell, the world is already different now. I mean, there’s some mighty fine Princess’s out there.”
“You would know, wouldn’t you?” she asked with a roll of her eyes; something I knew better than to take the bait on.
There was no way in hell I was getting into a petty argument on such a special day. So I played it cool, squeezing her shoulder a little tighter as I answered, “I’ve lived a life, sure. But you’re my world now. Everything I need is right here and… here.”
With my hand on her belly, there wasn’t much she could say. But of course, being the determined individual that she was, she still found a way to get back at me when she covered her hand with mine and said, “Oh yeah? Well we’ll see if you still feel that way in a few months when “here” is crying bloody murder at three in the morning.”
&
“This really is a cute picture of me, Princeton. You have a good eye. Maybe you can be a photographer when you’re done boxing.”
While I couldn’t have agreed more with Bella who was looking at the picture I had taken of her for Instagram for what had to have been the thousandth time, I also couldn’t ignore her shady little remark, shaking my head with a chuckle as I replied, “Damn, B. The end of my career can’t come soon enough for you, huh?”
She had made her feelings about me boxing known on plenty of occasions, especially since finding out about the baby. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to act as if this was her first time saying anything, shrugging as she answered, “I’m just sayin’. Giving you options. No harm in that, right?”
“Besides the fact that I’ll probably have another fight before the baby is born… nah, no harm at all,” I replied with a shrug of my own, cringing once I saw my response register on Bella’s face.
“Another fight before the baby is born? You do realize we’re already halfway through this thing, right?” she asked with a hand on her belly for emphasis; the belly that seemed to be growing by the day even though Bella had only gained a few extra pounds.
In fact, I was sure I had already gained more than her just trying to keep up with her appetite, all the reason more for me to answer, “Of course, B. But the reality is, my work doesn’t stop for pregnancies. If they have a fight for me, I have to take it.”
“Or you could say no because you’re a grown ass man who makes his own decisions,” she said without looking at me, knowing good and well her suggestion wasn’t really a viable option.
But even if she didn’t, I had no problem breaking it down for her when I added, “I’m also a grown ass man who has a family to take care of which means I need an income. And how do I get that income? I fight.”
“But you also have plenty of endorsements. Why can’t you just live off those checks until baby girl is like… eighteen?”
Since we both knew my boxing career would be well over by the time our baby got that age, I couldn’t help but laugh, snuggling up next to her in the bed as I explained, “Endorsements only stay active as long as I stay active, Bella.”
Still, my girl wasn’t backing down, blocking my hold as she held up a hand to reply, “Not true. Shaq has tons of endorsements and he hasn’t seen a court in years. Then there’s Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, George Foreman...”
“You’ve been doing research or somethin’?” I asked, my eyebrow piqued at how quickly she’d been able to rattle off names regardless of how famous they were.
I shouldn’t have been surprised when she peeked over to fire back, “Is that really a question?”
Sitting up straight, I pulled her into my chest, a move she resisted but eventually settled into so that I could tell her, “Look, B. I love the way you look out for me, I swear I do. But I need you to chill on this, aight?”
It was already enough for me to be contemplating my next move, ready to give up boxing just a few days ago after dealing with my father’s situation while also itching to get back in the gym right this second. The last thing I needed was Bella on my back about it too, though that didn’t mean she was completely ready to give up, groaning through clenched teeth, “I. Can’t. Chill.”
“Bella, please?” I asked just as her phone began to ring in her hand, the unfamiliar number enough to get her out of bed though I didn’t particularly want to let her go.
But with her freelance career taking off like a rocket, she had been fielding phone calls left and right, something I didn’t want to get in the way of, even when she turned back to whisper, “We’re not done talking about this…”
“Oh yes we are,” I said more to myself than her as she left the room, her signature sweet and peppy response in the distance as she accepted the call enough to make me smile as I thought about being on the other end of one of those calls not too long ago. But so much had changed since then. I had gone from using an interview as bait just to see what she was about to having my world turned completely upside down with a baby to show for it. And while that might’ve freaked anyone else out, the truth was, I had never been happier.
My smile was full as hell by the time Bella made it back into the room wearing the exact opposite, her eyes blank as I teased, “Damn. Must’ve been one hell of a bill collector that’s got you frowning so tough.”
My words were enough to snap her out of the daze as she brushed me off to reply, “Just someone… for work. Now what were we talking about?”
“We were talking about how you’re gonna keep your little nose out of my career until I figure out my next move,” I reminded her, trying to make it clear that this was something I had to do for myself.
To my surprise, she actually went with it, plopping back onto the bed as she agreed, “Fine. Whatever. But this isn’t the last you’ll hear about it. Just wait until I get some real facts. You’re getting a full blown PowerPoint presentation, boxing brain simulation, all that.”
Even though I had a feeling she was serious, I still managed to tease, “Nah. You’ll be too famous by then to really worry about me. I mean, who you got up next anyway? The Super bowl Champ, right?”
Bella’s face instantly lit up when she gushed, “The Super bowl Champ and his former Olympic Gold Medalist Track bae.”
“See what I mean. That’s way bigger than dealing with little ol’ me.”
She quickly brushed me off, reaching over to the nightstand to grab the serum she used religiously as she said, “Boy, please. There is nothing little about you. Like… absolutely nothing. And I know you got some crazy genes from your father, but your mother must not be too far behind.”
I shrugged, taking the bottle from her hand when I said, “Actually, she wasn’t the biggest lady. Maybe a little taller than you.”
“What was her name again?” she asked just as I squirted a little into my hands, rubbing it together between my palms as a lump grew in my throat from just thinking about my mom.
Naturally, I wondered where she was, if she knew about my career or had avoided boxing all together, if she was safe, if she was… alive. I swallowed hard so that I could push out, “Lucinda. Lucinda Lattimore. I don’t know if she still goes by that though.”
I honestly couldn’t have blamed her for dropping the Lattimore name knowing firsthand what came with it. But while I was caught up on the last name, Bella was caught up on the first, turning towards me to ask, “Wait… Princeton, you really named your dog after your mom?”
“Kinda. Not really. Coincidence, I guess,” I answered with a shrug as I slipped my hands beneath the t-shirt I had given her to sleep in to apply the serum.
Still, my focus being on that didn’t stop Bella’s from being elsewhere when she said, “Bullshit. You did that on purpose.”
My hands went stiff, for whatever reason feeling embarrassed - or just a little too seen - as I told her, “So maybe I did. What’s the big deal?”
“It’s not a big deal, Princeton. Just a... surprise, that’s all,” she replied, though the giddy smile on her face said otherwise as if she really wanted to tease me.
I gave her an opportunity to get it out of her system when I asked, “Now you probably think I’m soft or somethin’, huh?”
But to my surprise, her face only scrunched as she suggested, “Soft and Princeton Lattimore don’t even belong in the same sentence. Sweet, maybe. But soft? Nah, I know better. My man is as tough as they come in more ways than one with plenty of accolades to show for it.”
“Damn. Rubbing on you while you’re stroking my ego like that definitely got me hard as hell now,” I told her with a nod towards the tent in my shorts she had created with just a few words.
The way she pulled her lip between her teeth in response only seemed to make it worse. And while I wasn’t necessarily expecting it, I shouldn’t have been surprised when Bella knew how to give me exactly what I needed, pulling my shorts back far enough to relieve it and palming my dick in her other hand as she groaned, “Well in that case, why are we still talking?”