by Stacy-Deanne
“You should come with a book of instructions.” He rubbed his hair. “Even when I think I’m doing something right, it’s wrong.”
“Why don’t you stop trying to figure out how to love me and just do it.” She stood, turning off her computer and lamp. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” She got her purse off the back of her chair.
“Don’t leave.” He reached for her as she passed. “We need to talk about this.”
She hurried out the room, her eyes swelling with tears.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Three days later, Dr. Bell, Dee’s OB GYN of ten years, shot into the examination room with a huge smile on her face, clenching her clipboard.
Dee held her breath, awaiting the news from the test she’d taken a week ago.
“Congratulations, Dee.” The doctor beamed, red flashing through her triangular cheeks. “You’re going to be a mother.”
Everything went black for a few seconds and Dee assumed she passed out until she noticed the stunned looks on Lydia and Lisa’s faces.
Dr. Bell wobbled toward her on wedge heels and threw her short, musty arms around Dee’s shoulders. “I’m so happy for you.” She pulled away, her face dropping. “Are you okay?”
“No.” Dee’s heart pounded, knees quaked, and anxiety built into a skyscraper inside her stomach. “This can’t be.” She struggled to see through tears. “This can’t be!”
“Am I missing something?” Bell turned toward the others.
“No, um...” Lisa stood from the upholstered chair by the floor lamp. “May we speak to Dee alone?”
“Wait.” Dee grabbed Bell. “How did this happen?”
Bell inched out a grin. “You had sex.”
“I mean...” Dee shook out her hands. “I had my period.”
“You were spotting, which is normal for pregnancy. Women often mistake it for their periods. You can even get cramps and other symptoms of menstruation, but you’re pregnant, Dee.”
“Told you.” Lydia nodded, wagging her finger. “Google. Uh-huh.”
Lisa tucked in her lips, snickering.
“Dr. Bell, what is this?” Dee wiggled on the exam chair, holding her purse to her lap. “I’m not supposed to be pregnant!”
“According to the blood test, you are.” Bell’s fuzzy blonde hair frizzed around the sides of her ponytail. “I’m sorry if this isn’t what you wanted to hear.”
“I can’t believe this.” Dee rubbed the thighs of her indigo jeans. “It’s not that I don’t want to have a baby but not now. There’s too much going on and my life’s a mess.”
“When Mother Nature calls, we have no choice but to answer her.” Bell shrugged. “I’ll let you calm down. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Dee scoffed, gripping the side of the chair. “I’m gonna need more than a few minutes.”
Soon as Bell got out the door, Lydia and Lisa bum rushed Dee.
“A baby!” Lisa jumped in place. “Dee, I’m so happy for you.” She hugged her. “This is great news.”
“Are you two insane?” Dee jumped from the chair. “You know damn well this isn’t the time to have a baby. I’m not ready for this. What will I do?” She touched the sides of her head. “My head is pounding. I can’t breathe.”
“Okay, calm down.” Lydia rubbed Dee’s back. “Take deep breaths.”
Dee did.
“You’re gonna have Winston’s baby.” Lisa touched Dee’s stomach. “Your love created something that no one can ever take away. Doesn’t that make you happy?”
“I love Winston.” She exhaled, swaying. “But, it isn’t the right time.”
“It’s too late to panic,” Lisa said. “You’re pregnant so the question is, what’s next?”
Dee gripped her hands. “How is Winston going to feel?”
“Winston will be ecstatic.” Lydia laughed. “He’s crazy about you.”
“Everything will be all right.” Lisa hugged Dee, kissing her cheek. “We’ll be there for you every step of the way.”
Lydia bounced on her heels. “That’s right.”
“Don’t worry about Winston.” Lisa stroked Dee’s hair. “He’ll probably propose to you when you tell him. He’s such a romantic.”
“I don’t want him proposing out of obligation.”
“At this point I’d take a proposal any way I could,” Lisa joked.
Lydia pointed to her. “Exactly.”
“I’m serious.” Dee paced in front of the peach cabinets. “What if he isn’t happy about this? It would crush me.”
“There’s nothing more Winston wants than to have babies with you.” Lisa smiled. “Call him.”
“Oh hell no.” Dee waved her hand from side to side, shaking her head. “I’m not ready yet. I’ll tell him soon but promise me you’ll keep your mouths shut. Don’t tell anyone.”
Lisa and Lydia nodded.
“I mean it.” Dee pointed at them. “Lisa, don’t even tell Jake. I don’t want this going out of this room, okay?”
“Agreed,” Lisa said. “Our lips are sealed.”
****
Donn Cho sat beside fellow K-Town Crips member Hoon on Hoon’s aunt’s roof three days later.
“Ain’t this nice?” Hoon hung his legs over the asphalt shingles and offered Donn a puff of his joint.
He waved it off. “Nah, man.”
“Something must be wrong with your ass. You don’t never turn down no weed.”
Donn watched the slow-moving traffic below. “It’s been a while since we hung out like this.”
“Yeah.” Hoon inhaled smoke, his slanted eyes sinking into his chubby face. “So much shit been going on with the crew and all.”
Donn tapped the sole of his black Adidas against the roof. “We need to talk.”
Hoon flicked ashes over the roof. “Then talk.”
“Did you guys do something to the Keng family?”
Hoon looked away from Donn, scratching over the K tattoo on his wrist. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Come on, man.”
“You low-level, kid.” Hoon’s blue headband slipped on his forehead. “Means, you don’t have the privilege to be asking questions. Save that for when you become a real G.”
“This ain’t about the crew—”
“It’s always about the crew.” Hoon did a gang sign with one hand. “If you ain’t learned nothing else, you learn that.”
“Did the K-Town C’s hit that family?”
Hoon’s neck rippled when he swallowed. “No.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah, I’m fuckin’ sure.”
“What about the money Normand owed us for slanging?”
Hoon took a lazy drag of the joint. “What about it?”
“Come on, dude. That hit got K-Town written all over it.”
“The Crips didn’t order that hit.”
“We also ain’t the type to let someone off the hook when they owe us money.”
“I said we ain’t do it and we didn’t do it.” Hoon’s arm muscles flexed. “Ain’t gotta prove nothing to your ass.”
“The cops been watching me, man. They think I did it—’’
“You better keep your mouth shut.” Hoon grabbed Donn’s shirt. “You hear me? Or homey or not, you’ll be our next hit.”
“Then you guys did do it.”
“We didn’t.” Hoon let him go. “I’m just saying don’t be talking to the cops. The last thing we need are the po-pos all up in our business. We thinning out as it is.” He stood, fixing his baggy shorts. “Keep your mouth shut, Donn. Your ass got a lot more to lose than we do.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“Stop acting a fool and get in here.” Dee took Winston’s hand and led him into her kitchen that night. “Close your eyes. I got a surprise for you.”
He pulled back, his hand tensing in hers. “Why are you being so nice?”
“Keep your eyes closed.” In her low-cut, V-neck maxi dress, she lit the vanilla-scented candles and placed the
m in the center of the table.
“Hm.” Winston sniffed. “I love the smell of vanilla. I’m opening my eyes.”
“Wait.” Dee scampered to the entryway in her backless heels and flicked off the lights. “Open your eyes.” She stood beside the table, holding her breath.
Winston gawked at the decorated table. “I’m confused. Is this a make-up dinner?”
She sashayed to him, the dress gyrating when she moved her hips. “In a way.” She crooked his head to the side and gave him a slow, lustful tongue kiss.
He whimpered, lips shaking.
She grinned at the reaction.
“Wow.” He licked her violet lipstick off his mouth. “This is too weird.” He laughed and sat down. “Are you trying to poison me?”
She pulled his earlobe, snickering. “I made engagement chicken.”
“What’s that?” He set a napkin in his lap.
“It’s a pasta dish.” She lifted the silver dome from his plate, unleashing the scent of thyme and black pepper.
Winston lowered his face into the dish and took a loud sniff. “It smells wonderful.”
She sat beside him and uncovered her plate. “The recipe calls for white wine but I didn’t put it in there.” She cleared her throat, switching her eyes back and forth at him.
“Why not?” He moved his fork around the chunks of chicken breasts, sliced mushrooms and spaghetti.
“I forgot the drinks.” She got the glasses of grape juice she’d chilled from the refrigerator. “Here we go.” She set the decorative glasses on the table. “Bon appetite.”
“We usually have wine with a romantic dinner.”
“Yeah, well.” She cut into the chunk of chicken. “Wasn’t in the mood for wine.”
He guffawed, holding his fist to his mouth. “Since when?”
“How’s the food?”
“It’s delicious, babe.” He chewed. “No bread?”
“Shit.” She rose. “I forgot to heat up the garlic bread.”
“It’s okay.” He took her hand. “You’ve done enough.”
She sat. “You really like it?”
“A candlelight dinner made for me by a beautiful woman?” He winked, swallowing. “What’s not to like? You look fantastic, Dee.”
She fidgeted, a tickle shooting between her legs. “So do you.”
They ate in silence for a few minutes, exchanging tiny smiles here and there until Winston blurted out, “I’m sorry for not standing by you when you made your decision.”
She sucked creamy sauce off her teeth. “I’d rather not talk about Jonathan.”
“I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings though.” He set his fork in the plate. “That was probably the hardest decision you’ll ever make, and it’s got to be killing you.”
She sipped the tangy juice.
“You forgive me?” He kissed her hand. “For being such a fool?”
She rubbed his knuckles. “Do you forgive me?”
“For what?”
“I should’ve told you my decision before first.”
“You’re the victim in this, not me.” He kissed her. “I love you.”
She caressed his hand, hungry to take him to her bedroom and make love all night.
“Hurry and eat.” He watched her with an erotic under look, his mouth drawing up in the corners. “So we can get the real party started.”
She laughed until she remembered why she’d invited him. “We need to talk.”
“We are talking.” He pushed a forkful of spaghetti into his mouth.
“I’ve been thinking about our future.” She wiped her mouth. “Where our relationship is going and where we want it to go.”
“Um.” His chewing slowed. “I hope we stay together forever.”
She smiled. “As in marriage and kids?”
“Sure.” He smacked.
“When?” She propped her elbow on the table, not giving a damn about table manners. “Any idea what time in our lives you’d like to settle down?”
“Uh...” He coughed into his fist. “I haven’t thought about it. I mean—”
“Well, you better think about it because I’m pregnant.” She laid her fork in the plate.
“Deidra.” He guffawed with his mouth wide open. “Stop playing.”
She glared at him.
His laughter melted into pathetic chuckles. “Wait. This is a joke, right?”
“Nope.” She got the paper off the counter and gave it to him. “Read it yourself. That’s the paper from the doctor.”
He scanned it, his eyebrows rising and lowering as he read. Afterwards, he stared in a daze as if he’d lost oxygen.
“Winston?”
He huffed and puffed, touching his chest. “I...I can’t breathe.”
“Winston?” She jumped out the chair as he stood.
“I need air.” He ran out the kitchen.
“Winston!”
She followed him.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“You tricked me!” Winston lunged at Dee when she got on her porch. “That’s why you cooked this fancy dinner and was being so damn nice? I should’ve known you were up to something.”
“Well?” She put her hands on her hips. “I’m pregnant. Say something.”
“What do you expect me to say?” He spread his arms above his head. “I can’t even process it.”
“Say you’re happy, mad, or something.” She walked in behind him as he paced. “But, I guess your reaction says you’re not happy.”
He rubbed his mouth. “I didn’t say I wasn’t happy.”
“Bullshit. You were turning blue in there.” She crossed her arms. “You’re pissed off about it? So am I. This surprised me as much as it surprised you.”
“I doubt that.” He threw a mean glance at her over his shoulder. “You’ve had time to deal with this, I haven’t.”
“I’ve had a few days!” She scoffed. “You realize how hard this has been for me? I was scared of your reaction and looks like I should’ve been.” She sat on the porch swing. “Neither of us are ready for this but we have no choice. The baby’s coming. Things happen for a reason and if we love each other, we’ll get through anything.”
He continued pacing. “I don’t believe this.”
“I’m disappointed in your reaction.”
“What did you expect?” He stopped in front of her. “It’s a horrible time to have a baby. Too much shit’s going on and you’re trying to deal with the kidnapping and—”
“Don’t turn this around on me.” She stood. “I can handle this if I got to. It’s you that isn’t ready.”
“Fine.” His eyes widened. “I’m not ready for a baby. It’s not fair to spring this on me and not expect me to be shocked.”
“Men. You’re all so goddamn selfish. No matter what women go through it’s always about you. I didn’t get myself pregnant, Winston. Grow the hell up and take care of your responsibilities.”
“You could’ve told me this shit when you found out instead of tap dancing around for days.” He kicked the swing. “If you’re so big and bad then why did you hide it?”
“I didn’t hide it,” she said through clenched teeth. “I needed time to let it sink in before I told you.”
He huffed, plopping down on the swing. “Is it fair for the baby to have it with all this going on? We should wait. You—”
“Don’t you dare.” She squinted. “If you even think of asking me to have an abortion—”
“It’s selfish to have this baby now.”
“No, it’s selfish for you to want me to get rid of it to suit you.” She hit his chest. “How dare you, Winston?” She broke into tears. “Just go.”
“I didn’t say I want you to get an abortion.”
“You were thinking it. You don’t care how I feel.”
“What about Jonathan’s crazy ass?” he shouted. “You want to have a baby with that lunatic running loose? No telling what he’d do to it.”
“This has nothing to do with Jonath
an.” She turned her back to him, sniffling. “You don’t want this baby. Just admit it flat out.”
“That isn’t fair, Dee.”
“Neither is the way you’re treating me.”
She went inside.
****
“Hello, you have reached Detective Deidra Quarter. I’m not available right now.”
Winston sighed into the phone as he paced in his living room later that night.
“Please leave a message and I’ll get back to you.”
BEEP!
“Dee, this is the fifth time I’ve called.” Winston glanced at the oval clock hanging above the entertainment system. “We need to talk about this. Please call me back ASAP.” He hung up, paced more and called again.
“The mailbox of the person you are trying to reach is full. Please try again later.”
“Ah!” He threw the phone on the couch and headed to the kitchen when the doorbell rang. “Fuck.” He did a swift turn and went to the front door. “Who is it?” he yelled.
“It’s Shauna,” she crooned. “Is this a bad time?”
He opened the door.
A huge smile covered Shauna’s red lips, brightening her pale face. “Sorry I didn’t call. Am I interrupting you?”
He leaned into the door. “What do you want?”
“Something going on?” She waltzed inside on spiked black heels, which almost made her taller than Winston. “You seem distressed.” Her eyes stayed on his chest. “Though you couldn’t tell by your looks. You’re just as handsome as ever. What is it?”
He frowned, closing the door.
“I see.” She held her strapless purse in front of her, milk-white cleavage busting from the red blouse. “You still don’t trust me.”
Winston passed her and went into the living room. “Have you given me reason to trust you?” He sat on the couch as she entered.
“Whatever it is, it’ll stay between us.” She lowered herself beside him, smelling like a Snickers bar. “We kinda connected I thought when I shared about my daughter and history with The Circle.” She tangled her finger in her hair, puckering those plump lips. “Let me be your shoulder.”