UNIQUE IV SNEAK PEEK A glowing eight-‐month pregnant Unique, was starting to get really excited about her baby shower for the first time. She really didn’t want a baby shower because between her picking up things here and there, and her husband, Kennard going overboard buying the cutest little designer things every time he hit the mall, the unborn baby already had plenty. But Kennard’s mother, who seemed to be even more excited about her first grandchild than the elated expectant parents were, would hear nothing of not having a big welcoming party for her grandbaby. And Kennard had learned a long time ago, the same as he had with his wife, Unique, that when his mother had her mind made up about something, there was no point in arguing about it with her. There was no win or peace. Just like his wife, his mother was relentless. Now that the shower was literally around the corner, as her mother-‐in-‐law would say, Unique was happy as a lark. Before meeting Kennard and becoming a part of his family, no one had never really made a big stink about Unique or celebrating her. Though she didn’t have many friends, between Kennard’s friends, his business colleagues and the countless number of other folks his mother had invited, there were over one hundred and fifty RSVP’ed guests, who were expected to attend the soiree. Though her invite list was short, there was definitely one guest that she was really looking forward to: Sasha, a new friend with whom she had really connected. “So, girl, I just booked myself on the red-‐eye.” “Yes!” an ecstatic Unique said. Sasha had called to update her on her travel plans. “I get in at like 7am on Thursday morning,” Sasha told her. “I already called my hotel and told them I’m coming in early and I'm going to need me an early check in. Gonna hit the
ground running-‐-‐shower and live out a Jay Z song,” then she harmonized the Jigga Man’s lyrics, “'Change clothes and go.'” Unique laughed. “And my first order of business is to meet you for brunch. Somewhere fabulous in the city about 11. Is that good?” she asked. “It’s perfect.” A smile spread across Unique’s face, then she said, “I thought you were going to come in on Friday?” “No, I decided to just come in a day earlier so I can really spend some real sister-‐girl time with you. It’s like we’ve spent so much time talking on the phone and face-‐timing, but actually getting real time would be good. Aside from that, it’s some real deep things that I want to share with you face-‐to-‐face.” “OK, and can I just say, I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am that we are going to finally get to meet,” Unique said. When Unique’s pregnancy bump started to grow, she had found Sasha’s couture maternity line online and began to order a lot of things from her. The two hit it off immediately from the first time she called to place an order. They had talked for over an hour. From that moment their friendship had grown and it didn’t take long for them to start talking every day, a few times a day, and in a matter of a few months the two were new best friends. They laughed and most importantly did no judging. In a strange way, even though they had not seen each other, they were somehow connected. Kindred spirits.
“I wouldn’t have miss this for all the red bottoms and Celine bags in the world.”
“Now that’s deep right there,” Unique said thinking of how important she must
really be to Sasha, because the one thing she knew about her friend, that like her, she was a girl who loved her high end designer shoes and bags.
“Girl, it is and wait until I run down everything that I have to share with you when I
see you.”
“Wow! Girly, what could be juicier than some of the things than you've already told
me?” Unique asked with a raised eyebrow. "This sounds like some real scandal.”
“Trust me, it so is,” Sasha confirmed.
“Girlllll…you know now I can’t wait to hear the tea.”
“I got you. I just hope and pray it doesn’t send you into labor.”
“You so crazy." Unique laughed. "Well, just don’t drop it all on me at one time,” she
joked.
“I got you covered,” Sasha told her. “I’m about to pack, but I’m thinking that I’m
going to call and make an appointment at my favorite spa in New York that I use to go to when I lived there. They have a pregnancy massage that I’m treating you, too. And we can get facials and pedis, too.”
“Sounds like a great plan. You know I love the spa.”
“Yes, girl, oh yeah and call Tyeedah and see if she want to join us. Because she gets
into town today, right?”
“Yup.”
A silence fell between the two of them. Then Sasha asked, “How long will she be
staying?”
“Until after I have the baby.”
“Well, then ee if she wants to come with us to the spa, but let’s just keep lunch as our
bonding time. No one else.”
“Sure, no problem. Seems like a good plan to me. I really can’t wait.”
Just then Kennard walked in. “What seems like a good plan?” he asked her, ear
hustling then jumping right into her conversation, kissing her on the lips.
“Heeeeyyy Kennard,” Sasha’s said as if he could hear her.
Unique smiled and filled him in on her plans. “Sasha decided to come in a day early, and we're going to do lunch and then hit the spa and Ima see if Tyeedah will join us at the spa.”
“That’s what’s up, so then later tonight, I will take you ladies to dinner after all the
pampering and girl talk is done.” He paused. “That’s if you two are up to it,” he said as he rubbed Unique’s baby bump.
She smiled, genuinely happy. “I’m sure we will be up to it, baby.” Then she said to
Sasha, “You know this is going to be the best visit ever. Now let me call you back, so you can get ready, plus I wanna talk to my other baby.”
Sasha laughed. "No problem, girl. I'll see you soon!"
Unique hung up the phone with Sasha and told Kennard, “Thank you.”
“Thank you for what?” he asked.
“For always being a team player.”
“I’m committed to you and our baby.” He leaned in a kissed her, and said, “Never
forget that.”
She smiled. “I’m a real lucky girl.”
“No, I’m the lucky one,” he insisted. “But not for nothing, babe, you know I’m happy
that you found a friend. I know shit is a little off between you and Tyeedah, though you’d
never admit it. I know you are madly in love with me and I’m the man of your dreams and all that, but no matter how you look at it, it’s still a double cross when your best friend and ex-‐boyfriend end up together,” Kennard stressed, making it clear to his wife that even though she never really talked about the situation, that he completely understood.
“Yeah, you're right, but honestly, as long as she’s happy, that’s all that counts right?”
Unique said nonchanlantly.
“If you say so…” he said with a raised eyebrow.
“It was a little akward between us and the way they got together wasn’t normal…”
Unique said verbalizing her thoughts for the first time. She was still trying to make sense of it all. But there was no use in trying because the entire situation was crazy that her best friend was now in a relationship with her ex-‐boyfriend who had tried bring her down.
Unique choose to laugh at her own dysfunctional friendship. “Shit is crazy, that I will
admit, but he did save my life though.”
“Yeah and he owed you that,” Kennard said. “Him saving your life was the only thing
that could spared his.”
“Stop that, babe,” Unique said and then quickly changed the subject. “Thanks again
for being such a sweetie pie and taking us to dinner."
“No, I’m really pleased that you have someone in your corner that seems to have
good intentions. But time will tell with her, too.”
Though he understood the cattiness and unstableness of the friendships with most
women, Kennard didn’t really have much tolerance for it. He had loyal homeboys that he had known for forever, who would damn near jump in front of a bullet for him and he felt bad that his wife didn’t have that. He knew women were different, but it was a shame that
very friend Unique had moved from Virginia to New York for, was the same person that moved back to Virginia with Unique's ex-‐boyfriend. He knew the entire situation hurt Unique to her heart and since she didn't have any family, Tyeedah had been as close as any could be. He was now happy that she had Sasha, even though she lived cross-‐country and seemed to have came out of the woodwork.
Kennard’s thoughts were interrupted by the phone ringing. He pulled it out and
looked at the screen. It was home boy and right hand, Drop-‐Top.
Kennard had been pre-‐occupied over the past few weeks, putting together a huge
boxing deal with pay-‐per-‐view and busy with preparing for the birth of his baby, but he realized that he hadn’t seen his man in a minute.
Still he couldn't shake the light finger of dread that seemed to reach out and touch
him just then.
He hit "Answer" and said, "Drop-‐Top. What's up?"