Autumn's head laid on the table with cushion from her left arm while she used her right hand to color in a drawing of Princess Tiana in a coloring book. She'd found the book of solely black cartoon characters in Marshall's about a week ago and had been coloring in it nonstop ever since.

It had only been a few days of having the 150 page book and she was already halfway done with it. She frequently used it to pass time and to get her mind off of being alone for most of the day; from seven in the morning until four in the afternoon, to be specific.

She knew it was selfish to say but she honestly couldn't wait until they moved to Houston because Dayvon wouldn't be working for a while. She was so tired of being by herself all day.

Even her mother had friends to do things with almost every day, and although Hazel had invited her out with them plenty of times, Autumn would prefer to be around women her own age. She wanted friends so badly.

It was hard to make them, though. She didn't drive at all due to being traumatized from the incident with her father and sister, so it wasn't like she could just randomly go to the mall and introduce herself to other women; and whenever she went out with Dayvon, she was focused entirely on him and August.

Being lonely had really begun to take a toll on her mental health. She wanted her own friend(s) to go places with, shop with, do each other's hair and makeup, and talk about their boyfriends/families together. It was much easier to make friends back when she was a teenager than it is now.

She felt like especially now that she was pregnant, it hurt her feelings more than ever to spend the day by herself. Her hormones were constantly changing so she cried almost everyday because of it.

"Mommy! I'm homeeee!" August announced as he walked in the house, causing Autumn to quickly wipe her face as best as she could.

"Hi stinky! I missed you sooo much." She returned the same energy after picking him up for a hug, feeling his arms wrap around her neck.

"I missed you too Princess. What you doing?" He asked, and the nickname coming from him made her smile. He'd been calling her that for almost a month now, of course picking it up after hearing his father say it so often.

"I'm just drawing and eating some fruit. You want some?" She tilted her bowl down so that he could choose something from the assortment, and he picked up a small strawberry.

"You can make me lunch while I take a bath mommy? Daddy said I have to 'cause I fell in the mud at recess today." He pointed to the dried up mud on the front of his jeans, and she nodded her head before placing him down on his feet.

"Yeah, I can send the down payment tomorrow morning." Dayvon walked in the house with three Walmart bags and his phone between his left shoulder and ear.

He greeted Autumn with a brief kiss on her lips once he sat the bags down on the counter, then he held up his finger to tell her he'd be back. He gestured with his head for August to follow him to the bathroom, and he did so after getting another strawberry.

Autumn picked up her dark green color pencil again, continuing her previous task of shading in the outline of Tiana's dress. She listened to August's bath water being ran by his dad for a few moments, but tuned it out soon after.

She was sitting there for a little less than ten minutes when Dayvon entered the dining room area again, walking to stand next to her. He was now off of the phone and she finally noticed he was wearing black joggers with a black round neck tee shirt instead of his uniform.

"You did drills today?" She could smell his body wash on him, meaning he'd taken a shower before he left work. He hated coming home dirty, especially after a day of outside drills.

"All day. We had to sprint ten miles to the community center then back to the precinct 'cause some goofy wouldn't come forward about who ate the chief's lunch. He say we just made his retirement a month early." He shook his head as he moved a chair to be directly beside her.

"You getting real slim from all that running. You look good baby." She rubbed over his chiseled abs through his shirt, putting a smile on his face.

"'Preciate that ma. Let me see my babies." He turned her chair in the opposite direction to face him, not waiting on her to make a move. He pulled her shirt up, then squatted down in front of her.

Autumn was now officially fourteen weeks, which meant that she'd just entered her second trimester of pregnancy with her triplets. Her belly had grown over the last month and a half so now there was an obvious bump being displayed and that dark line had returned to the middle of her stomach as well.

Today happened to be the day she'd be having her second appointment with her obstetrician and neither of them could wait. They'd been looking forward to finding out the gender of the three babies since the first appointment.

"You ate something other than fruit today?" He kept his hands on her stomach as he met her lips for another kiss.

"No but I ate the whole watermelon so it balances out. I hope you didn't want any." She folded her legs crisscrossed in the chair again, going back to her drawing.

"The whole thing? Autumn that watermelon was big as hell." He frowned, and she only shrugged in response. She hadn't even meant to but it was the sweetest watermelon she'd had in a while. It was gone before she realized.

"You gon' cook something for lunch or you want me to go get you some Chic Fil A?" He asked, wanting to get some real food in her system.

"I'm okay with my fruit bowl." She placed a diced cantaloupe in her mouth after picking up a light green pencil.

"I want you to eat some real food ma. You basically just eating water." He turned her head to face him, finally getting a good look at her eyes.

"You been crying?" He immediately frowned, seeing how red they were.

"Why you ain't call me? What's wrong?" Like clockwork he became concerned, keeping her face in the palm of his hand.

"I feel like I'm being dramatic so I don't really want to say it." Autumn sighed under her breath, feeling herself get emotional all over again.

"What you was crying for?" He repeated more sternly this time, his frown softening at the sight of her eyes glossing over.

"I just-I be so sad at home by myself. I just want a friend or something. I don't have anybody to talk to or nothing to do while you and my baby gone all day. And it made me sad. It's nothing serious." She wiped her face with a sniff, trying not to get too worked up.

"That is serious ma. Anything that makes you sad is serious. Why you ain't tell me? I can't help if I don't know Autumn."

"I didn't want you to worry about me 'cause there's really nothing you could do to fix it. I was just waiting on us to move so that you could stay home with me." She mumbled, rubbing her index finger with her thumb.

Dayvon let her face go to rub his own, feeling the irritation growing in his body towards himself. He was upset that he hadn't realized sooner; clearly she'd been feeling this way for a while and he should've picked up on it.

"This why I didn't want to say anything 'cause you blaming yourself when it has nothing to do with you. I'll be okay. It's just my hormones that had me crying." She tried to assure him.

"Nah man I should've noticed. You carrying three kids Autumn. You can't be crying and stressing and shit." He told her. "I'ma do better. I'ma get you out the house more, aight? I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize. Thank you anyway though." She chuckled, and her smile spread further when he wrapped his arms around her for a hug.

Dayvon used his left hand to drive while his right one rested on Autumn's inner thigh, rubbing against the fabric of her tights. She sat in the passenger's seat, now eating two spicy deluxe chicken sandwiches and an eight count of nuggets from Chic Fil A.

Although she opted for her bowl of fruit earlier, on the way to her check up appointment she realized she was actually in the mood to eat some real food. She still got a large fruit cup from Chic Fil A too, though.

"That's what you get. Yo' fat ass eating too fast." Dayvon moved his hand from her thigh to put his car in park at the same that she hiccuped.

"What is wrong with you?" She frowned at him, rolling her eyes at the sight of him smiling.

He got out of his truck and walked around it to the passenger side, opening up Autumn's door first. She ate her last nugget before putting the box in the bag it came from, and she carried it with her as Dayvon helped her out.

"Damn. I should've took yo' shirt off." He sucked his teeth at the Polynesian sauce that spilled on August's shirt from his tenders.

"I sorry daddy." There was sauce all over his mouth, too.

"You good twin. Yo' mama packed you another one." Dayvon took a crisp white shirt out of August's bag, switching it for the black shirt he was wearing.

He grabbed him out of his car seat and placed him on the ground, then passed him his iPad. Together, the three walked to the double entrance doors of the women's health center, and Autumn led the way to the front desk.

"Daddy, can I go play?" August tugged on the leg of his joggers, pointing in the direction of a small play area in the corner of the waiting room.

"Yeah. Gimme yo' iPad." He held his hand out, and after taking it, August did a little skip towards the play area where another boy was playing by himself.

Autumn and Dayvon went to go sit down so that she could fill out her paperwork, and she was pulled in his lap before she could sit in her own seat. His arms wrapped around her torso and his hands went underneath her hoodie to rest on her stomach.

Since she'd been here before and had Hazel fill out her primary paperwork, she only had to fill out an updated form about her symptoms over the last few weeks. She finished it in less than five minutes.

"Why do you seem sadder than I was?" Autumn sat down sideways in his lap, knowing that he was still thinking about her crying earlier.

"'Cause man. That shit hurt my feelings lowkey." He said, pausing for a moment.

"You know, Jas had wanted a baby bad as fuck. Ever since August was like, one. She begged for me to get her pregnant but I didn't feel comfortable having no baby if it ain't come from you, but I always told her the reason was 'cause I ain't wanna leave her by herself 'cause I work so much." He revealed.

"I feel like I ate my own words. You let me get you pregnant and I still left you by yourself. And I'm mad at myself 'cause I don't want you to feel like you going through yo' pregnancy alone again, feel me? 'Cause you didn't really let me be there for you when you was pregnant with August." He chewed the inside of his cheek, not able to bring himself to look her in her eyes.

"That was on me. It wasn't your fault." Autumn rubbed his face. "I didn't know you still thought about that. I've been trying to make everything up to you but it's taking time. I'm sorry."

"It ain't yo' fault either. You being pregnant again just reminded me of it. I ain't holding it over yo' head or nothin'. I'm thankful we get to do it together this time." He kissed her cheek, and Autumn angled his head so that he had no other choice but to look at her.

"I'm sorry." She said again, a little quieter this time. His expression softened at the sincerity in her eyes, and his eyebrows lost the slight tension they once held.

"You good mama. I'm sorry for leaving you home." He said back, matching her sincerity.

"It's okay. I know you would stay with me 24/7 if you could." She pecked his lips twice, and he brought his hand up to grab her neck.

"Stop it boy." She put her fingers on his plump lips after quickly pulling away, and he innocently smiled while shrugging his shoulders.

"Autumn Osama?" A woman dressed in pink scrubs called out, causing them both to stand up. August ran back towards them after hearing his mother's name, and Dayvon leaned over to pick him up.

"Twin we can see my babies now?" He asked, holding around Dayvon's shoulders.

"You wanna be me so bad man." Dayvon shook his head at August saying something he would literally say down to a T, making Autumn laugh.

"Well. Can we?" He rolled his neck, sitting down with him in a chair while Autumn sat on a patient's recliner.

"Yeah baby. And we get to see if they are boys or girls or both." Autumn passed him one of the two complimentary blow pops the nurse gave her, keeping the second one for herself.

"You want some D?" She held her sucker out to him, and when he shook his head with a small grin, Autumn put it in her mouth with a shrug.

"Come in." Autumn called after a knock came to the door.

"Hiii honey! And family!" Najee walked in, greeting Autumn with a quick hug.

"Hi Najee. That's my son, August, and that's dad, Von." She introduced the two of them, and Dayvon reached up to shake her hand while August waved.

"It's good to see you all, what a beautiful family. Autumn, how's babies?" She enunciated the plurality on purpose, and Autumn rolled her eyes with a laugh.

"Getting bigger everyday, girl. My back be hurting but that's about it. I've been looking forward to kicks since my belly is getting so big but I haven't felt anything yet." Autumn told her.

"You'll be able to feel them in about a month or so, just moving around, but kicks usually start around twenty three weeks. So, it's nothing that should cause worrying right now. Any morning sickness?"

"Every day." Dayvon answered for her, making Autumn laugh again. He woke up every morning-usually around four-to help her while she spent hours on end vomiting.

"As expected." She briefly laughed. "We can get you some prenatal vitamins prescribed, it will help a lot."

"Okay honey bun, this'll be a bit cold." Najee began to move the wand around gently on Autumn's stomach, and Dayvon stood up with August in his arms to look at the screen.

The three sets of heartbeats began to fill the room at the same time that an imagine popped up of the three babies, whose bodies were now clearly visible. August turned to look at his dad after seeing him wipe his face in his peripheral, kissing him on his cheek.

Autumn smiled at the two of them, but mostly at the sight of Dayvon. He cried at the first appointment he went to with Autumn when August was in her belly, too. She loved him a lot for sticking with her even when she felt like she didn't deserve it.

"Anddd, I know this might be a little pocket breaker for dad, but-it looks like they're all girls!" Najee revealed, studying the images on the screen.

"Oh my god. I wanted another boy so bad." Autumn laughed through her cries, feeling Dayvon leaving repetitive kisses on her cheek. He wasn't upset at all about the news.

"Oh. Oh, my mistake. You just got your wish. It seems as if he was hiding his little whacker, but we in fact do have one boy. He's this one right here. The other two are for sure girls." Najee pointed to the left of the screen, focusing the wand mostly on that side.

"Yes!" August pulled his fist down in celebration, causing them all to let out a laugh. He was hoping he could get a brother.

Dayvon reached over to wipe some cheese sauce from August's mouth, then wiped his thumb off on a napkin. It was as if his son couldn't eat a single meal without getting it all over himself. Luckily, he was only wearing boxers right now so they didn't have to worry about him messing up his clothes.

"You ain't even listening to us lil' girl." Dayvon frowned at Autumn as she actively ignored he and August's conversation on whether chicken nachos were better than steak nachos.

"I am listening. I'm just not paying attention." She corrected with a laugh, and he rolled his eyes, trying to fight off the smile that was growing on his face.

After dinner, the both of them tucked August in for bed and kissed him goodnight, though neither of them left out of his room until they were sure that he was asleep.

"Autumn get off that fucking iPad man. What is you even doing?" Dayvon climbed on top of her, the two of them now in their own bed.

"C'mon mama stop playing with me." He frowned at her again, taking the iPad out of her hands.

"I bought the house." She told him, and his frown dropped while his head tilted to the side, confused.

"I just bought the house. Just now." She said again, slower this time, and with a grin on her face.

"What you talking about ma?"

"I couldn't think of anything that I could do to say thank you for all that you do for me-for us. I know how bad you wanted that house but you said you would have to pay it off over a few years. Well, I just paid it off in full. The realtor is an investor and he dropped the price by half in exchange for the bitcoin I got from my inheritance." She explained to him in one breath, clearly a bit nervous by the way her voice shook.

"Autumn, you did what?" He sat up from between her legs, still obviously confused.

"I bought our house baby. The one with nine bedrooms and twelve bathrooms, and the basement and attic, and the in-law sweet with the pool and hot t-," Autumn was cut off by him grabbing her up in a random kiss, and she smiled, trying to kiss him back.

"Autumn what the fuck is wrong with you? Why would you do that?! Autumn that's all yo' money! I told you I had it." He kept kissing her, and kept kissing her and kissed her some more.

"No it's not. That's all the bitcoin. I didn't need it anyway. And if it bought us the house that we're gonna raise our family in, I would do it ten times over again." She rubbed his face, staring up at the man she was in love with.

"I love you girl. You crazy as fuck man. I love you. I'ma spend the rest of my life with you, you know that?" He pulled her up to sit with him, making her smile grow even bigger.

Dayvon pulled Autumn in for a hug, wrapping his arms around her torso. He laid his face in her neck, and Autumn rubbed the back of his head, knowing that he was probably getting emotional. When her neck became wet, she knew her assumption was correct.

"I would do whatever for you. I love you more than anything I've ever loved before. I can't even explain it. For you to still choose me over everybody, even when I put you last at one point in my life," She sighed. "I could never apologize enough. I can't say thank you enough. I don't even feel like I'm enough for you."

"But you still choose me, every time. I don't know what I did to deserve you, to deserve your forgiveness and your kindness. Thank you for being you; a man of God who chose me to be your partner to walk through life with you. I'll never take it for granted. I'll choose you every time."

"I'm sorry for every mistake I made. I'll spend forever making it up, if you meant it when you said you gon' spend forever with me."

"Hell yeah I meant it. Will you marry me? I mean, I ain't got no ring or nothin' yet but we don't need that shit right now. Forever can start right now. I want this shit for life with you ma. You know how much you mean to me? Huh? The world. I swear to god ain't nobody ever had me like you got me." He told her, and she wiped her face with a smile.

"You're proposing? Right now? In your boxers?" She laughed, and he did as well, both of them practically bawling like babies.

"Man on my mama I'll do this shit butt ass naked if you want me to." He said, only making her laugh harder.

"Yes. I'll marry you in every life my baby."

The proposal was so impromptu. That wasn't supposed to happen but fuck it we ball 🤣