Chapter 15

Sunday, November 28th, I drove back to Tampa. I couldn’t help but think about the conversation I had had with my grandmother. After her birthday party was over, I went to the kitchen to clean up.

It was actually to get away from my mother’s suspicious eyes. As I put the dishes away, my grandmother walked in, “Hey puddin’,” she said with her southern drawl. I turned and saw her statuesque frame. Her skin was the color of copper, her eyes a bright brown, “Hey mama,” I replied.

“So what’s going on with you?” she asked as if she had an idea, but wanted me to divulge the facts.

I played it off, “Me? Not too much.”

“Um-hmm.” She grinned, “Lil gal, when are you going to tell your parents about that baby you’re carrying?”

“Huh?”

“I have five children, four of them were girls.”

I sighed, “I can’t. Not right now at least.”

She nodded, “Can’t keep it a secret forever.”

“I know.”

“And the father?”

“It’s complicated.”

“I see, he’s not married, is he?”

I laughed, “No. nothing like that. Just didn’t work out between us.”

She hugged me, “Well, no matter what happens between you two, that baby deserves to have parents that love and look out for its best interest. Remember that.”

“Yes ma’am.”

I grunted. She was right, I had to tell Mario, but how? I didn’t want him to think I was pulling some bullshit to trap him. I screamed out loud and hit the steering wheel. I’d need to think more about it before telling him.

Ten weeks pregnant and I wasn’t showing. The lower half of my tummy was hard and I knew a little person was growing inside of me. I smiled as I sat at my desk looking at articles on the internet about expecting a child.

June was not far away. I wanted to buy another house. The townhome I lived in was barely enough space for me. I knew once I told my mother I was having a baby, I’d have to prepare a room for her to come live with me for at least three months.

My cellphone sounded. I saw Richard’s name flash. I rolled my eyes and answered, “Hello.”

“Hello, gorgeous.”

“Hello, Richard.”

“Is everything okay?” he asked with concern.

“Look, I know that you’ve been fucking your ex-wife. Why are you playing games?”

He cleared his throat, “I wanted to talk to you about that. Can we meet later at my place or I can come to you. We can have dinner, whatever you want.”

“Just tell me what you have to say.” I didn’t need a whole dinner for him to tell me that he was getting back with his ex. Just spit that shit out.

He sighed, “Very well, I am not getting back with my ex.”

“So you’re not sleeping with her?”

“We did, but it only happened once and I was drunk.”

“So when you get drunk, you just randomly fuck other women?”

“Come on Lelani, cut me some slack. She was my wife and we have history.”

I sighed. I didn’t know how to take that. Yes, I knew they had history but was that going to be an issue. Because I wasn’t about to share no dick.

“I assure you that it will not happen again. Let’s have dinner.”

“I’m pregnant.”

“What?!”

“Yes. I’m pregnant. I don’t want you to get all this glittery stuff in your head about us if it will just end with you being disappointed.”

“I see. I still want to see you.”

“Why?” I asked. I thought sure he would have been upset.

“You’re young. I know you wanted a child. Now you can have one. I’ve raised two children. I want to be there for you and the baby.”