Chapter 12

It was Saturday morning when I spoke with Jade. We were on a video call, “I swear my life went from being great to being just straight shitty, and plus, I don’t know what’s up with Richard.” I said as I pulled my hair into a top bun.

“I don’t know sis. But just be careful,” she replied with concern. “Have you called your therapist?” she asked.

I lifted my left eyebrow, “For what?”

“Lelani, that’s a lot of shit you just went through. I just don’t want you going off the deep end—”

“I was 20 years old then. I’m like a whole grown-ass woman now.”

“It doesn’t matter. Whole grown-ass women still need to make sure their mental health is good.”

I sighed, “If. IF it comes to that, I’ll make an appointment.”

“You promise?”

“Yes, heifer.” I joked. She had this look on her face like she wanted to tell me something, “Okay so what’s going on with you? How’s life with Bill?”

Her face glowed, “Well, I didn’t want to take away from your crisis—”

“Girl, bye, tell me what’s up.”

“You’re going to be an auntie.”

“Really?” I was so happy for her, “When?”

“May 15th, 2022!”

“So you were pregnant at the wedding.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t know. We were going to start trying on the honeymoon, but I was already pregnant.”

We spoke a little longer and then I went to work. I had an office to remodel. And later that day, I was headed to a Halloween party with Bethany. She insisted I needed to have some kind of fun.

That night, she picked me up. We were both dressed as sexy as vampires. The bodysuits we wore looked as if they were painted onto our bodies and we both were shapely women. “I love the way this makes my girls sit up,” she said and she pushed her tits up higher and checked herself out, “Bitch we look good.”

I laughed, “Yeah we do.”

The party was at a club in Tampa where her boyfriend was a promoter. We walked in and she kissed him. I smiled, “Hey Troy.”

He hugged me, “Hey queen,” he replied. “What are y’all drinking?”

“Wine for me babe, a bottled water for Lelani.”

I eyed her, “I want some wine too.” Shit after the week I had had, I needed a whole liquor store.

She looked at her boyfriend and tilted her head. He nodded, “Wine and bottled water it is.” And he walked away.

I stared at her with confusion, “why am I drinking bottled water?”

She tilted her head and looked at me, “When did you last have your period?”

I shook my head, “Girl bye.” But I thought about it. I was so busy fucking Mario that I didn’t pay attention. “Um, I think ... yeah, I had a period around September 13th, and plus I’m on the pill.”

“Contraceptives aren’t 100% and ... It’s almost November,” she said with a huge smile as she pulled me in for a hug.

I pushed her off, “Stop, this is not funny Bethany.”

“I’m not laughing. And you know I’m—”

“Yes. Yes. I know.”

Her boyfriend returned with our drinks and handed them to us, “Everything good?” he asked. I guess the look of sheer distress on my face warranted that question.

“We’re good babe.” She pulled me away, “You have to talk to Mario.”

The fact was I knew I had to, but I didn’t want to. I didn’t want him to think I was using a baby to trap him. And I certainly didn’t want that to be the reason he came back to me.

“Fuck, fuck.” I said.

“It’s not that bad. Just talk to him.”

I nodded, but first ... I needed to pay a visit to my gynecologist and find out what the hell happened.