by Coco Pulliam
“Let go of me!” Tammy kicked back against him, but he held on tightly.
“I figured you would never answer my phone calls, but that didn’t stop me from trying to call you. I just hung up first. I bet you miss some of my big cock! You’re as dark as ever, but you’re still a good lay—”
Thomas rushed back in and grabbed Marcus by the collar to drag him out of the room.
“I knew it was your scream! Did he hurt you, baby?” Monica rushed to Tammy’s side with her neat hair and clothing out of place. Tammy could see that her sister had been releasing a little stress outside but had managed to come when she needed her most.
“I’m okay…”
Ignoring her sister’s words, Monica held onto Tammy. She wrapped her shorter sister tight, holding her in place on the couch. Tammy shook in the same way she had when Marcus’s mom told her she was too dark, in the same way she had when Marcus broke up with her, in the same way she had as she watched him get married to another woman. She shook and cried.
“I’m so sorry, baby,” Monica said as a few of her own tears fell. “I had no idea that Marcus still had this effect on you. I thought that you would have moved on with Eric—that’s why I pushed you toward him even though you felt something was missing with him. But you know why you’re running around doing A, B, and C to make Eric happy—things that he doesn't even ask from you? It's because your still hemorrhaging from the way this asshole Marcus broke your heart. You didn't give yourself time to heal. You got married! You can hemorrhage all you want here. Seriously hemorrhage. Then go back and give your husband the baby that you deserve.”
“You’re both going to pass out if you keep crying like that.” Thomas leaned on the wall as they cried, but he could no longer be passive. He brought a towel from the bathroom and dipped it in warm water. He passed it to Monica with a stiff hand. The woman gave him a grateful smile before she wiped down Tammy’s face.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know w-why I’m b-b-being so emotional-l-l-l about this-s-s-s,” Tammy stuttered out. She pulled away from Monica and tried to walk to the bathroom but swayed in front of Thomas. He caught her before she fell to the floor.
“Baby…I mean, Thomas, bring her back over here. Let her lie down.” Thomas did what she suggested. She shook her head. “It’s more than a few weeks late for this, darling, but when was your time again?”
“I was thinking about Maria during that time, so I completely forgot about my period. But no…I haven’t had it for a while. I’ll have to go home to figure out how late I am though.”
Monica didn’t have to look over at Thomas to see his smile. She could already feel hers growing on her face.
“One moment please, baby.” Monica went outside, pulling Thomas along with her. Tammy could hear a little bit of an argument outside, though she could only catch bits and pieces of what was being said.
“You want me to do what? Okay, fine. Make sure that you both don’t start crying again.” Tammy heard the end of Thomas’s comments before she heard heavy footsteps going down the corridor and toward the elevator, she figured.
“I had to send him off on an errand…” Monica said. She returned to her sister’s side with a smile. “Lie down on the couch and don’t worry.” Her sister rubbed her stomach with affection.
“Hey, stop that, you’re going to make me ticklish...” Tammy pushed her sister’s hands away. “What are you doing with Thomas that is turning you so sentimental? I thought you said the only white guy you would ever date would be an actor…”
Monica gave her sister a sharp look.
“Most of them go into the acting game with baby mommas; okay, you know I don’t get into that mess.”
“But…is this a fling or is it for real?”
Monica redid her hair in a messy side bun.
“Aigoo, so many crazy words coming from the woman who got married without little sister—”
“You act more like the older one—”
“Never mind that! Whatever is going on in my panties is none of your business until you become an aunt.” Monica smiled. “And until I become one as well. Make sure you give me a girl first so we can have more fun.” She touched her sister’s stomach. “Make sure you’re a girl, okay?”
Tammy brushed her hand aside again.
There was noise and banging coming from the hallway.
“She’s going to have that man’s baby? Now I’ve really seen everything. I would have never believed that Tammy is one to try and lighten her children!”
Tammy tried to get up, but Monica brought her down as she grabbed a vase from her tabletop. She watched her sister go out of the room and waited a few steps before going to the door. Monica stepped in front of Thomas, who was looking down at the angry man clutching the ripped half of a grocery bag.
“After everything that’s happened, you should be on the floor thanking me that I still haven’t hired anyone to dispose of your body. But now I can’t take your face anymore. Lightening her children? Are you insane?! Those are my future nieces and nephews you’re talking crap about!” Monica kept the vase at her side—making sure the man knew that she would be ready to throw it at him at anytime. “Are you saying that you and your toxically married ass want to be the father of your children? Wake up! Just because your happiness depends on her unhappiness doesn’t mean you get to come here and start something when you can’t have your way.”
Tammy walked slowly out of the room with two more vases in her hands as Monica defended her. Though the pair had gone to mostly separate schools as children, Monica was always there to fight off bullies even though she was the younger one. Tammy had always been the more reserved child, the one who would only be able to fight if somehow in the middle of Monica’s speech, the person ever tried to hurt her sister.
She saw Marcus’s hands turn into fists before both Thomas and Monica did. She ran as Monica fell into Thomas from Marcus’s sudden push. Tammy threw the glass angrily. Marcus had walked away after he’d pushed her sister, but the glass caught up to him and broke in pieces in front of him. It had been two inches away from the man’s head, shocking him enough to keep him in place.
“I was never good at one-handed throwing. Lucky I only have one vase to concentrate on this time.”
Marcus turned back at her words. Tammy faced him straight on with a tight smile.
“I’m going to say this quick, so listen, Marcus. Don’t come near my sister. Don’t come near my husband. Don’t come near any of my figurative ‘lightened children.’ Don’t come near my moms or extended family. Don’t ever think of calling my house again. Don’t even say my name in jokes. Because if I ever see your face again—”
Tammy made to throw the other glass. Marcus bent down to avoid the shatter. He looked up when the glass didn’t fall.
“I knew you wouldn’t be able to throw—”
Tammy was right in front of him. She brought the vase hard against his head, but not enough to break the glass.
“What the fuck?!” He bent down to the floor, holding his head.
“I’m not playing around here, but if you want to try me, then go ahead.” She walked back to her sister and threw the glass behind herself. It landed a foot away from Marcus. He blocked the pieces with his arms but was still hit by a few shards.
“I’m fucking leaving, crazy bitch! Glad I left you!” He went to the elevator but kept looking anxiously back to Tammy’s walking form. He ran to the emergency stairs instead, running all the way down.
“This is why they say not to mess with the quiet ones…” Thomas trailed off. “You’re not hurt from that glass, right? Monica, help her change. I’ll put the test in the bathroom.” Thomas got up as Monica checked her sister over. There was no visible damage, but she looked hardened.
Both of them walked back to the apartment without talking. Monica handed Tammy her clothing in the bathroom, a matching t-shirt dress in black. She finally let out a smile. She changed and then found the test that Thomas at been talking abou
t on the bathroom countertop.
A pregnancy test.
She held it in her hands and gave Monica a raised brow.
“Umm…what do you expect? You don’t remember your last period, you’re tired and emotional and kind of hardcore right now. I figured the only thing that would make you this way would be either a demon possession or pregnancy.”
Tammy rolled her eyes and returned to the bathroom.
“Both of them are wasting their time…” she said. But looking down at the box gave her a little pang of guilt. It was true that she had stopped remembering her periods and had even given up on birth control pills and condoms, but that was only because Eric’s baby talk had gotten to her. The sooner she had someone who looked just like him and her, the sooner her sudden urges would go away. Both the urge to stuff a pillow under her shirt to see what she would look like pregnant, and the urge to answer when any child was calling for their mother.
“I could try…” She exited the bathroom after taking the test. A little dreamily, she sat beside Monica with a nod she held her hand. The other woman held back tightly.
* * * *
Tammy ran into her house, locking the door and throwing off her shoes. She saw a light in the bedroom and ran toward it.
“Eric, I’m—” Her words cut off as she saw him sitting on the bed beside an empty but opened suitcase. An opened mailbox was beside his feet. It was a box with a familiar name on the package. When she had gone shopping with Monica, Sun Dae and Yi Hee the day of Maria’s fashion show, all of them had been talked into trying a new form of birth control. The contest would give the winner a free year’s supply.
“I guess I won,” Tammy said. She smiled, but he did not return it.
“How long have you been using birth control? I thought that after we got married you would stop somehow. But it’s already been a year. Why do you still need these things when we’re married?
“I feel like I’m invisible in front of you, Tammy. I seriously question whether you want to make a family here with me or if you’re just waiting for someone better. I mean, I appreciate the way that you take care of ‘my pleasure’ in bed, but you hardly ever let me inside you… Are you using these pills so you can be with someone else?”
Eric wasn’t yelling, but the tears poured down Tammy’s face even worse than if he was. She knew Monica would most likely kill her for it, but she put the pills in the garbage. She sat on Eric’s lap, wrapping her legs around his form.
“Sorry for not considering you and just acting on my own. But I’m not afraid to have a family with you.” She pulled him closer, feeling him as he wrapped his arms tightly around her body. “I really want our family and our babies. I’m in love with you, Hubby C.”
“Why only now, though?” he asked.
“Because you got me pregnant. Now take responsibility.”
He couldn’t say anything as tears fell down his face. He would only react with his body. He kissed her deeply, letting his tongue embrace hers. He finally pulled away first with a smile.
“What was with those birth control pills?”
“Your kind and lucky wife was woman-handed into signing up for a contest with her sister and friends, and I won. Now your kind and lucky wife wants to treat you to something special.” Tammy grinded her crotch down into Eric’s until she felt like she was going insane. The heat that pooled into her pussy matched the wetness. It felt like if she didn’t stop soon, she would become even more pregnant than she already was. “Do you think it was easy for me to be away from this feeling? It’s just that a woman needs time to heal after round after round of such intense lovemaking. I felt like my thighs were going to enter another galaxy if I didn’t stop for a while. But I still wanted to please you…”
“I’d rather have the full thing, darling. And if your legs are tired, don’t worry, I’ll do all the work.” He rested her on the bed, slowly going over her body as he took off both of their clothing and then finally kissed her stomach. “I’m going to be someone’s daddy.”
Tammy looked up at the joy in Eric’s eyes, feeling like she was seeing him for the first time. He had been feeling like an invisible husband for a while, she figured. But she had made him into one of her actions. She had been hurt by Marcus enough to forget about the great life she had now. And Maria’s appearance had her concentrating on how to keep her great life, instead of on the fact that her new husband made it great. Without her thinking about his feelings, he became her invisible husband. But she’d realized the moment just before her husband turned from invisible to simply gone.
The empty suitcase beside their naked bodies proved it—she kicked at it. Eric held her in place, moving the suitcase under the bed himself before returning to her body.
Tammy smiled.
But I smartened up, she thought. I deserve better than what I put up with in the past. My scars are finally in check.
Eric ran his hands over her body, emitting moan after moan from Tammy. He was back to doing what he did best—giving her love. She pulled him closer to her—one body always, but now one mind as well—and at that moment she couldn`t think of a better place for her to be than under him, receiving that love.
The End
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