by Ancelli
Chapter Seven
Brandon knocked on the wooden door. He took the time to observe his surroundings, at night he didn’t see much, but in the daylight he could see the lilies and orchids in the little garden next to the porch. There were flowerpots around the entranceway, some plants were blooming and others were brown. Mrs. Jackson slowly opened the door, staring up at him. She looked different in the daytime too. Irene was dressed like she was headed to church in a black and purple dress, and a large purple hat.
“Good afternoon, ma’am,” he stepped back as she opened the door wider. “Is Kanielle still here?”
“Yes, let me get her.” She closed the door, slightly. He could see her through the crack left between the door and the jamb. She walked down the hall, and a few minutes later returned with a hand fan in her hand. “Come in,” she moved to the side, allowing him to enter. “She’s in Chris’ room, the first door on the right,” Mrs. Jackson continued to the kitchen.
“Thank you,” Brandon strolled to the room, and pushed the door open. Kanielle sat on the bed, pulling out her hair. He squinted to make sure he was seeing right. Brandon panicked, why was she pulling out her braids, was this a sign of depression?
Kanielle didn’t notice him as she continued with her hair. He backed away quietly and went in search of Mrs. Jackson. He found her in the kitchen. “Ma’am, I think something is wrong with Kanielle.”
“Why would you think that? I was just in there, and she seemed fine to me.”
“She’s pulling her hair out, by the root.” Brandon acted out what he saw Kanielle do.
Mrs. Jackson laughed out loud, but Brandon didn’t find what he said funny. Her daughter needed help. He shook his head in disbelief.
She fanned herself with the paper in her hand. “Son,” she exhaled. “She’s not pulling out her hair, those are extensions.”
“Extensions,” he repeated softly. The things women did to themselves didn’t make any sense sometimes.
“Yes, hair extensions. Some women add human or synthetic hair to theirs, by braiding or gluing it in.” Mrs. Jackson snickered.
“Oh…” Brandon was out of his element. He’d heard of hair extensions, but never knew that’s how they worked. “Why would you do that?”
“To make it longer, fuller,” she giggled. “You have a lot to learn if you plan to continue a friendship with my daughter.”
Brandon didn’t know what to say. This wasn’t about friendship, it was about the unborn baby that may or may not be his daughter.
“She’s fine, and waiting for you.” Someone honked their horn. “That’s the church bus, can you tell Kanielle I left? And please feel free to stay for lunch. She makes a mean meatloaf.” She rushed out the door.
Brandon stood the in the middle of her kitchen feeling unsure of what to do next.
“Hey,” Kanielle entered the room in a black sports bra and sweats. He couldn’t help but scan her body. Her breasts were full, almost bulging out of the flimsy material. Her protruding belly was unbelievably stretched, so much so that he couldn’t believe she had two and a half more months to go. Kanielle had a glow to her, maybe it was the pregnancy. Brandon willed himself to stop staring.
“What’s wrong with you?” Kanielle passed him.
“You’re half naked,” he answered, looking everywhere but at her.
She chuckled. “These are my workout clothes, I have on a shirt and pants,” she grabbed a bottle of water. “Don’t act like you’ve never seen a woman in sportswear.”
“Not a pregnant one,” he stared into her eyes. Kanielle’s hair was half in braids, and the other half was wavy.
He must have embarrassed her because she placed the bottle on the counter and tried to cover herself with her hands. While doing this he noticed that she still had her wedding ring on. Brandon didn’t mean his comment the way it sounded, shit. He always seemed to put his foot in his mouth when he was around her. “Kanielle…”
“Let me put something else on,” she was about to waddle past him.
Brandon clutched her wrist. “Kanielle, you’re fine. I just wasn’t expecting to see you like this.” He observed her stomach, and at that moment the baby kicked.
“Ouch,” she said, and he released her wrist thinking he must have hurt her. The baby punched or kicked again. It was like looking at an alien movie.
He was mesmerized watching her belly move. “That’s crazy, it’s like she’s trying to jump out of there,” his eyes were glued to the movements.
Kanielle scratched her head, staring up at him. He hadn’t noticed until then that she was so petite. She couldn’t be more than five feet, five inches, and she looked so small next to his six feet, two inches. “Brandon, why are you here?”
“I wanted to make sure you’re okay,” his eyes were still on her stomach. “I called your cell, but it went straight to voicemail, so I assumed you haven’t picked it up.”
“You thought correctly,” she rubbed her palm over her belly. “My brother is getting my car and some of my stuff.” Kanielle leaned against the kitchen counter. “I’m doing well as you can see, so you can leave now.”
Brandon studied her, “Your mom said I could stay for lunch.”
“No she didn’t,” she peered at him suspiciously.
Brandon smiled.
“Why are you smiling?” She patted her belly and angled her head down towards her stomach. “Yes, he’s making me mad.” She said to the baby.
He hesitated, and then he just asked. “Can I feel her?” He took two steps.
Kanielle flinched when he got close.
Brandon backed away. Did she think he was going to hurt her? “I just wanted to feel the baby, I didn’t mean to scare you.”
She took a couple of strides over to him, took his hand, and placed it on her stomach, pushing it down. Coral moved liked crazy. “That’s her tiny feet,” Kanielle chuckled. “I love feeling her. I turned six months yesterday.”
“Three more months and we’ll know.” He wiggled his fingers. “She feels so weird.”
“Can we please not talk about what we’re going to do until she’s here and we know for sure, please…” she gazed into his eyes. “I can’t take any more heartbreak at the moment, just let me have these three months.” She pleaded.
He stared back into her brown irises. “Okay, until the baby is born.” Coral kicked again. “I’ll talk to Maggie.”
“Thank you.”
They both were so lost in feeling the baby that they didn’t notice the young man staring at them, until he cleared his throat. “Am I interrupting?”
“Chris, pull up your pants,” Kanielle, looked at the guy. She released Brandon’s hand. “What’s up with sagging your pants, the other day you were wearing skinny jeans?” She shook her head. “That’s why no one will hire you, I pray you don’t go to your interviews looking like that.”
“I don’t,” his voice changed when the guy talked to her.
Brandon moved away.
“Who is this idiot?” Chris nudged his chin.
Kanielle got in the guy’s face and pointed. “You will treat my friends with respect. Don’t come up in here trying to be all hood, because you aren’t.”
“When did you get any friends?” Chris asked.
Kanielle ignored his comment, and turned facing him. “Brandon, I apologize for his behavior and mine. This is my knucklehead brother Chris.”
“Hi, Chris.”
“Hey,” he stared at his sister. “Your car is in the driveway, here,” he handed over her purse and cell.
“Thanks.” She tried swiping the phone on, but it didn’t light up. “Great, it’s dead.”
“And that wasn’t cool, putting my business out there in front of a stranger,” he mentioned.
“He’s not a stranger.” Kanielle searched her purse. “If you would act like a man with respect, I would treat you like one.” She pulled out the charger. She walked over to the socket, and plugged it in. Brandon always wished he’d had a si
bling growing up. He could imagine the arguments and fights they would’ve gotten in. He saw the love they had for each other, regardless of all the banter between them. Chris hung his head, quiet, listening to Kanielle. In that he saw respect. Brandon felt sorry for her brother; it was like watching a mother scold a child.
“Do you need help?” Chris asked, before Brandon could get the words out.
Kanielle putting him in check changed Chris’ whole demeanor. Every time Brandon saw her, he had more respect for her.
“I got it,” Kanielle grabbed the sofa, and Brandon stepped forward. He wrapped his arms around her waist, helping her up. “How’s school?” She asked her brother. “Thank you,” Kanielle sincerely said, taking his hands off her waist.
“Good,” he stared at Brandon.
For some reason Brandon thought her brother was lying about doing well in school. He watched the man, instead of his sister.
“I’ll be right back,” Kanielle said. “I need to get a decent shirt,” she giggled looking at Brandon.
He shook his head, Kanielle was happy one moment, and sad the other. Women’s emotions were like a box of crayons, too many choices. They had levels of each emotion, and he only had three emotions he could think of: Happy, sad, and angry.
Chris just stared at him. He had a feeling he needed to talk to someone other than his mother and sister. His grandfather died when he was seventeen, so he became the man of the house rather early. Brandon remembered how he felt, not having anyone to confide in. “What’s your major in?” Brandon sat on the loveseat in front of the young man.
Chris moved back on the sofa, resting his head on the pillow with his legs opened wide. After a few minutes, “General education.”
“General education,” Brandon leaned forward, letting Chris know he was interested in what he had to say. “I guess you don’t know what degree you want?”
Chris glared at him, and hesitated to answer. “I don’t.”
“Nothing wrong with that. How old are you?”
“Nineteen, I’ll be twenty next month.”
“I had no idea what I wanted to be when I graduated high-school,” he moved back on the loveseat. “It took me some time.”
“What did you do in the meantime? Did you go to college?” Chris cracked his neck.
“I joined the Army, best decision I’ve ever made.” His statement got Chris’ attention.
“Are you still in?”
“No.”
“How was it, being in the Army?”
“The military isn’t for everybody. It teaches you discipline and honor.” Brandon remembered his time in boot camp, the drill sergeants yelling, trying to mold him into a killing machine. “I served for ten years.”
“Why, didn’t you like it?”
“I did, I became an Army Ranger. Man, I loved what I did, but my wife at the time couldn’t get used to the lifestyle. I still received my Master’s while I was in.”
Chris stood, “In what?” he walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator.
“Communications, and a minor in Creative Writing.” Brandon looked back to make sure Kanielle’s brother was still in the room.
He was standing looking out of the window, he looked like something was on his mind, and then he spoke. “I think my mom would have a fit, if I joined the military.” Chris continued gazing outside.
“It’s your life. What’s best for you?”
Chris took a sip of the water. “I’ve always been interested in enlisting the Air Force.”
Brandon stood, strolled up next to him. “Then go. You’ll always have a roof over your head, food in your stomach, and money to help your mother out.”
Chris observed him. “I don’t feel like a man, especially when my mother and sister have to take care of me financially. School is not for me, I’m about to lose my scholarship because of my grades. How could I tell them without disappointing them?”
Brandon knew exactly what the young man was experiencing. He went through the same thing when his granddad past away, and he had to step up and be the man of the house. He remembered thinking, how will I take care of my grandmother if I’m in college without a job, so he made the only decision he could and left.
“You tell them. You might be surprised by their response.” He tapped his shoulder. “You won’t know unless you open your mouth.”
Kanielle waddled into the room. “Closed mouths don’t get fed.” She crossed her arms over her protruding belly. “Why didn’t you come to me?”
“I didn’t want to disappoint you,” Chris lowered his head.
“Chris, I know school isn’t for everyone. I wanted the best for you, but my best isn’t your best.” Kanielle nudged him. “If you want to join the Air Force, then I’ll take you to the recruiter.”
“Think about it first,” Brandon smiled.
***
Kanielle watched Brandon interacting with her brother. They were laughing and telling jokes. Who would’ve thought it would be Brandon that got Chris to talk. Chris was missing a father, brother figure in his life. At the moment they were talking about Chris’ pick-up lines.
“That time you tried flirting with Ava from work. He asked her, are you an interior decorator, because when I saw you the entire room became beautiful?” Kanielle covered her mouth laughing.
Chris’ mouth tightened. “I was young and dumb.”
“Wait,” she held her index finger up in the air. “What was the other line? Damn if being sexy was a crime, you’d be guilty.” She giggled making her stomach shake.
Brandon chuckled at the last line. “Dude, the first line was okay, since she was an interior decorator. That last one was cheesy.”
“What was your best pick up line?” Kanielle asked Brandon.
“Are you religious?” He got serious gazing at her.
“I didn’t ask you that, but yes I am.”
“Because you’re the answer to all my prayers,” Brandon eyed her, making her look away.
“That line is so cheesy, I bet it didn’t work.” Kanielle was uncomfortable. Brandon wouldn’t stop staring at her. His eyes, damn he had the most beautiful eyes she’d seen.
“Oh it worked a few times,” he grinned, “it just worked on you.”
They regarded each other, never breaking eye contact.
“Oh by the way, Robert said he was coming to talk to you.” Chris pulled up his pants, and sat on the sofa.
***
On that note Brandon decided it was best if he left before her husband came to see her. Chris was here if Robert got out of hand, which he doubted if he was trying to win her back.
“Great,” Kanielle smirked. “Can’t wait.”
“Chris, it was nice meeting you,” Brandon took a couple of strides to the entrance and stopped. “Kanielle, I’ll give you a call later on this week, if that’s okay?”
“Yes, but I thought you were staying for lunch,” Kanielle sat next to her brother.
“I think it’s best if I leave before your husband gets here,” he turned the knob. “I don’t want him to get the wrong idea.” He wanted to say, I don’t know if I’ll be able to hold myself back if he insults you in my presence again.
“I don’t care what Robert thinks,” Kanielle watched him. “Don’t be afraid of him.”
Brandon chuckled. She didn’t know he was once an Army Ranger, trained to kill. He remembered the last time he lost control. He and Maggie were on their way out to a bar, when some dude tapped Maggie on her ass. Brandon seriously hurt him and almost ended up in jail for involuntary manslaughter, but thank God the bastard pulled through.
“Kanielle, I’m not scared of your husband, but he should be terrified of me if he harms you or the baby.” He clenched his jaw, thinking of the way Robert grabbed her the other night. He could’ve hurt her. At that moment he looked at her forearm and saw a dark red hue where he had gripped her. Kanielle must have noticed what he was inspecting, because she covered the area with her hand.
Brandon felt his blood pressure raising; yeah he needed to leave.
“You don’t have to worry about that,” Chris balled his fist. “I won’t let him get close enough to touch my sister.”
“Good, I’ll talk to you later,” Brandon walked out of the house, praying that Robert wouldn’t do anything stupid, and hoping he wouldn’t regret leaving her.
He walked down the pathway to his truck, pushing the button on his fob, unlocking the door. As he was about to place his hand on the handle, a white BMW parked next to him. It was Kanielle’s husband, and he was peering at Brandon through narrowed eyes. Brandon smirked, and did the universal sign of I’m watching you with his index and middle fingers. He pulled on the handle, and the car door flung open. Brandon hopped in his truck, placed the key in the ignition, and turned his vehicle on. It roared to life and music blasted from the speakers.
Brandon dug in his pocket, pulling out his cell phone and texted.
“He’s here. Text me. I want to make sure you’re alright.”
“I will.” Kanielle replied.
He lowered the window, waving at the asshole. He pulled out, and drove down the road.
Chapter Eight
“What?” She yelled.
Kanielle had been gone for six days, Robert was going insane without her; he missed her. She’d never abandoned him before, even when he lost control she’d forgiven him more than once. Robert sat in his car, glaring at the same white guy that showed up at his home the night Kanielle decided to leave him. What was he doing at his mother-in-law’s house? Robert felt his nostrils flare.
“Why would your wife leave you?”
“I made a huge mistake,” Robert turned the car off watching the Stokes character as he was about to open the door to his truck.
“Bobby, please tell me you didn’t cheat on your wife,” his mother’s tone was low. “You cheated on your wife!”
Robert took off his sunglasses making sure he was seeing right. Was that asshole threatening him? The Stokes guy made a gesture with his fingers, pointing at both his eyes, that meant he was watching him. “I made a mistake.”