My Wife My Baby...And Him

by Shelia E. Bell

  “Stop. Don’t swear. It will all come to the light. You know this.”

  “That’s exactly my point. I think the light may have come on.”

  Stiles and Pastor had a long talk, something they hadn’t done in a while. Josie entertained Audrey and then after Pastor and Stiles finished talking, Pastor played with his granddaughter, the apple of his eye. She reminded Pastor so much of Audrey. She was feisty and stubborn just like her grandmother used to be. Pastor said she was the spitting image of his dear Audrey.

  When they left Pastor’s house, Stiles was compelled to go to Skip’s house. He didn’t have proof that Skip and Detria were involved in something illicit, but he was going to confront Skip, nonetheless. It was probably all in his mind, that’s what he kept telling himself. Evidently, he couldn’t convince his heart to think otherwise because he continued driving until he arrived in Skip’s neighborhood. Stiles neared Skip’s street and it was if suddenly his spirit said, If you go looking for trouble...

  He turned on to the street where Skip lived. Slowly, he drove along the curvaceous road, barely missing the car backing with haste from out of Skip’s driveway. His mind shut down as his foot slammed on the brakes.

  That’s Detria’s car. Stiles watched as the car barreled down the street.

  Skip stood in his driveway until Detria’s car was out of sight, then he turned and walked back inside, focused ahead the whole time. If Skip had simply looked to his left, he would have seen Stiles’ car.

  Stiles sped past Skip’s house. He was confused but he was also furious. The scripture verse, ‘Be angry and sin not’ played in his head, but it was too late to take heed.

  Instantly, another Bible verse popped into the forefront of his mind…And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you… “No man or first lady,” mumbled Stiles.

  Chapter 15

  "Sometimes the person you'd take a bullet for is the person behind the trigger." Taylor Swift

  Stiles tried catching up to Detria, but as he sped out of Skip’s neighborhood, he didn’t see her car anywhere. He drove directly home. When he let up the garage door, Detria was getting out of her car.

  Stiles opened the driver’s door with such force the door swung back and immediately jerked forward, slamming hard against his right shinbone. He yelped, bit his bottom lip, and grabbed his aching leg with one hand, using the other to push the door back off him. This time he held the door, then jumped out of his car without taking Audrey out of her car seat. When she started wailing and reaching for him, he turned around, unbuckled her, and got her out.

  “Where have you been?” His nostrils were flared and his head was pounding.

  “I stopped at the drugstore to pick up a few items.” Detria frowned. “What’s with the attitude?”

  “You expect me to believe that?”

  “What are you taking about?” Detria looked at Audrey and reached for her. Audrey reached out to her mother and Detria took her out of Stiles’ arms.

  “Hi, pretty girl,” she said to the toddler and kissed her on her forehead, before she placed her on the ground. She took hold of Audrey’s hand and led her inside the house.

  “You think you can just tell me anything and I’ll believe it, huh? You’re no better than my ex.”

  Detria entered the kitchen, and then turned around and gawked angrily at Stiles. What’s got him this mad? He doesn’t know about the pregnancy. He can’t know about me and Skip.

  “Look, fool!” Detria yelled. “I don’t have time for your mind games. Don’t come at me like I’m some trick off the street, Stiles. I don’t know what you’re talking about, and frankly, I don’t feel like dealing with your insecurities today. And another thing, don’t you ever compare me to your ex-wife, or any female for that matter!” Detria rolled her eyes, threw up her hands, and proceeded to walk from the kitchen toward the back stairs.

  Stiles followed. “Don’t you walk off from me, and don’t you act like you don’t know what I’m talking about,” he screamed at Detria until Audrey started crying. She reached up for her daddy, and Stiles looked at his daughter, then picked her up.

  “I said I don’t know what you’re talking about. If you have something to say, then say it. I am not going to engage in some senseless argument with you. Dang, you can be so childish and stupid acting!” Detria bolted past him. Rather than go upstairs, she turned around and went toward the family room.

  Her text message chime sounded. She looked back to see if Stiles was behind her, before she quickly read the message. “I saw a car pass by here after u left. Looked like Stiles,” the text message read. Detria read it over again. Her heart started beating fast. Had he seen her?

  “U think it was him?” she texted Skip back as fast as she could.

  “Not 100 percent but think it was.”

  “No wonder he’s actin a fool.”

  “What r u talkin bout? What is he doing?”

  “Goin' off. Actin stoopid. I’ll call u latr.”

  “I’m coming ova—”

  “Don’t. I’m good. I’ll call u.”

  “Dude bet not lay a hand on u.”

  “You’re talking to him, aren’t you?” Stiles roared.

  Detria jumped and turned around. Her eyes grew so big they looked like they were about to pop out of their sockets when she heard Stiles behind her.

  Stiles rushed up to her and abruptly snatched the cell phone from out of her hand.

  “What are you doing?” she screamed. “Give me back my phone.” She reached up toward Stiles. Her petite stature was no match for his towering frame, plus he had the hand that he held the phone in, up in the air. He began reading the text messages.

  “So this is what you’ve been doing all this time. Screwing my friends, huh?”

  Poor Audrey was standing next to her daddy. She ran up to him, grabbing hold of his leg. Tears were pouring down her angelic face.

  “Give me my phone!” Detria yelled again, still trying her best to get it out of his hands. ”You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “You have me pegged for a fool! Well, I’m nobody’s fool. You got me wrong.” Stiles slightly leaned to the side of Detria, scooped up Audrey, and abruptly sat her on the sofa before turning his focus back on Detria.

  “I said, give me my phone, Stiles. Give it to me, now!” she demanded, crying and screaming profanities while shaking like a leaf.

  Stiles elbowed her, pushing her away from him.

  Audrey was screaming to the top of her lungs by this time, but neither one of them did anything to console her.

  “You’re nothing but a slut. A Jezebel. You screwing my friends, and using my money to buy presents for the next dude!”

  Detria prayed that Stiles would not see the fear on her face.

  “Don’t try to play me. I know you’re screwing Skip, and I know you bought that bracelet for him. And dude had the nerve to wear it up in my house and at my church! But you know what? I don’t blame him…I blame you—”

  “Look, I don’t know what kind of little game this is supposed to be, but it’s not funny. I told you already, I bought that bracelet for my mom to give to my dad,” Detria explained, while cautiously moving toward the sofa where Audrey was sitting and still crying.

  “So you wanna go there? That’s the way you really want to do this? Since you don’t know what I’m talking about, maybe you’ll remember this--I just saw you, Detria. I saw you leaving his house. How do you explain that?” Stiles folded his arms. “How do you explain these text messages?”

  His intense stare made Detria feel like she was being raked across a pile of hot coals.

  “It’s not what you think. I can explain.” She leaned over closer to her little girl, like Audrey could shield her from Stile’s verbal assaults.

  Stiles began laughing, sounding like a mad scientist.

  Detria became even more fearful. She had to get away from him before he really lost it.

  “There’s nothing to
explain. The text messages, seeing you leaving his house, the bracelet….there’s nothing you can tell me except the truth. So, let’s hear it. How did the first lady hook up with the deacon?”

  “For the last time, I’m telling you that I did not—”

  “Shut up! I can’t stand yo lyin’, two dollar, wanna be…” A long rant of expletives burst forth out of his mouth, until suddenly Stiles stopped his angry tirade just as quickly as he had started it. He walked to the sofa and stood in front of her. Audrey was crying loudly and reaching for him, but he ignored her, something Stiles never did. He catered to Audrey like she was Princess Kate. To let her cry uncontrollably was evidence that he was infuriated.

  “Let me see what your lover boy has to say about all this.” He read another one of the text messages out loud while Detria reached up, trying to snatch the phone out of his hand again.

  “You think he wants you? Huh? Don’t you know Skip by now, Detria? Why do you think he isn’t married? Why do you think he won’t settle down and commit to one woman? I’ll tell you why; because he enjoys making a fool of ignorant women like you. How much money have you spent on him? That little bracelet, I’m sure is just one of many gifts you’ve given him, other than your body. No wonder you don’t want me to touch you.”

  “Please, it’s not true. I told you, I’m not sleeping with Skip, or anybody. I swear.”

  “Shut up! You’re lying and you know it. You make me sick.” He started walking off. “I’m going to kill ‘em.”

  “Stiles,” Detria pleaded, jumping up from the sofa and running behind him. This time she lunged at him. Hopping on his back, she tried to jerk the phone out of his hand again. Stiles abruptly turned around. A snarl on his face, he grabbed hold of her wrist. Raising his hand to strike her, he suddenly stopped as he looked at his little girl and heard her screams. Instead of hitting her, he violently pushed Detria off him with more force than the first time.

  The push caused Detria to stumble backward, and she fell hard. The front of her face hit the edge of the wood coffee table, immediately causing a deep gash underneath her eye. Blood spewed out.

  Crying and screaming profanities, Detria tried to scramble and get up off the floor. She was shaking like a leaf and her feet wouldn’t gain enough traction for her to get up.

  Audrey was screaming to the top of her lungs by this time, but neither one of them did anything to console her.

  When she tried to get up again, Stiles stood over her, one leg on each side of her body. Detria didn’t move.

  Stiles took a step backward when Detria tried getting up off the floor a third time. She finally got up. Rubbing the side of her face, and feeling and seeing blood, she screamed, “You hit me. You hurt me. You tried to kill me. I hate you!” Her heart felt like a nuclear blast was about to go off.

  “Cut out the theatrics. You did that to yourself. If I hit you, you’d definitely know it ‘cause you wouldn’t still be talking smack like you’re doing.”

  Stiles looked down at her. Standing still, the expression on his face revealed his anger and disdain toward her. His eyes appeared glazed over like he was in another place.

  Detria was hysterical. Hollering and crying, she quickly grabbed up Audrey from the sofa and took off upstairs. She rushed to their bedroom, closing and locking the door behind her. She used the house phone to try to call Skip to warn him that Stiles might be coming over there. He didn’t answer his phone. She was in a panic. What was she going to do? She cried until she heard Stiles rushing up the stairs. He sounded like a tidal wave. He turned the doorknob.

  “Open this door,” he yelled while simultaneously pounding on it. “I said open this door now, Detria, or I swear, I’ll kick it in!”

  Detria panicked. The house phone started ringing. She grabbed it. It was Skip.

  “Hey, why are you calling me from the house phone?”

  “Oh, my God; he knows, Skip.”

  “He knows? Baby, are you sure?”

  “Didn’t you hear me? I said Stiles knows about us,” she said. “He’s gone crazy, I’m telling you. Oh, Lord, please don’t let him kill me. Please…”

  “I’m on my way,” she heard Skip say before the phone went dead.

  Boom. Boom.

  Stiles was beating on the door so hard it felt like an earthquake had struck. Was the door about to pop off its hinges? Audrey was screaming and crying, and so was Detria.

  “Detria. You better open this door.” Stiles kept getting louder and louder.

  Detria picked up the phone again and dialed 9-1-1. “Please send the police right away. I think my husband, Pastor Stiles Graham, is going to kill me!”

  Chapter 16

  “Be careful of who you trust; the devil was once an angel.” Unknown

  Skip drove as fast he could. He tried to remember which street to turn down. He had been to their new house only once, and that was the day of Stiles’ birthday dinner. If Stiles had hurt her, Skip had made up in his mind that he was going to do something bad to the dude. He wished he had listened to Detria when she said she wanted to end things between them. He didn’t mean her any harm. Unlike most of the other women he fooled around with, he actually cared about Detria.

  This whole thing was because she had called him earlier, after leaving Holy Rock. She told him she had something urgent she needed to talk to him about. He left work early and told her to meet him at his house. She did, but he wasn’t prepared for what she had to tell him when she got there.

  “Skip, I took one of those over the counter pregnancy tests. It came back positive.”

  “What are you saying? You’re pregnant?”

  “Yes.”

  “ Is it mine?”

  “I…I don’t know for sure. It’s definitely a possibility.”

  “Are you sure you’re pregnant?”

  “Pretty certain, and my period is late. I told you that I wanted to break things off with you, but you wouldn’t listen,” she cried. “And that day, in my office, when you, when we…that may have been—”

  “When you got pregnant?” Skip finished her sentence.

  Detria nodded, placing her head in her hands. “Skip, what am I going to do?”

  “What you aren’t going to do is panic. Everything will work out. If it turns out that you are pregnant, and it’s my child, then I’m just gone handle my business.”

  Detria looked startled. “What do you mean by you’re just going to handle your business?”

  “Just what I said. If it turns out that there’s a chance this kid is mine, I’m handling my business. Which means, forget Stiles. My child is going to know me.”

  “So you would be willing to see my marriage destroyed? You can’t be serious. If I am pregnant, then Stiles can never know that you might be this baby’s father.”

  “I’m not going to go there with you, Detria. I tell you what,” Skip told her, “make the doctor’s appointment. Find out if you’re pregnant for sure, and how far along you are first. But, let me tell you this. Stiles can kick rocks if that child ends up being mine, because I’m going to be a part of my child’s life.”

  Skip looked at the speedometer. He was going 95 miles an hour on the expressway, but he had to get to Detria and Stiles’ house. He was going so fast that his GPS even sounded confused. “Turn right…make a u….do three quarters of a mile,” the mechanical woman’s voice instructed without hesitation.

  Skip’s heart felt like it was about to burst out of his chest when he turned onto Stiles and Detria’s street and saw blue lights flashing. Hastily, he parked the car as close as he could to their house, turned it off, jumped out the car, and ran toward their house.

  The blaring sound of sirens caused him to turn around. He saw an ambulance approaching. Neighbors were standing outside and others stood in their doorways or on their porches. Skip ran toward the house until a police officer told him to stop.

  “Hey, hold up. You can’t go up there,” a burly looking female officer told him.

  “What�
�s going on? Why is there an ambulance?”

  “I said, step back, sir, before I haul your butt off to jail.”

  Skip placed both hands on his waist and gritted his teeth. With his head hung low, he paced the sidewalk, until he saw the ambulance pull up in the long driveway. Paramedics rushed out and one of the police officers led them into the house. The front door was open, but Skip could see nothing.

  He didn’t know what made him look, but he did. He looked at one of the squad cars lined up in front of Stiles’ house. He bit his bottom lip, shook his head, and started yelling when he saw Stiles sitting in the back of one of them.

  “If you hurt her, I’m gonna kill you, man. I swear I am,” Skip ranted.

  Stiles watched and listened to Skip cussing him out and threatening to kill him. He hadn’t meant to hurt Detria. Didn’t mean to kick in their door, didn’t mean to lose it like he had. But she had pushed him, pushed him to the point that he snapped. He sat in the back of the car and thought about Rena, of all people. Rena was the first woman to crush his heart. She’d just about broken his spirit, but then Detria had come along and he allowed himself to love again. He didn’t love her in the same way that he once loved Rena, but he loved her nonetheless, and he really wanted their marriage to work.

  How did things get out of hand so fast? Detria and Skip? How long had they been secret lovers? Was Baby Audrey even his daughter? He didn’t know what was true and what was fabricated.

  What was his congregation going to think when they found out that he had been arrested and thrown in jail for domestic violence? Hearing Skip cussing him made the situation that much worse. Police or no police, Holy Rock or no Holy Rock, if he could get out of that squad car, he would have beat Skip until there wasn’t a breath left in his body, and the way he felt now, if he had his way, Detria would be lying right next to him.

  Chapter 17

  “It takes no time for a small drama in life to become a wide screen cinema with big blown music for only others to enjoy.” A. Somejoy