Jeremy smiled. “Sure. I’ll wait for you, and we can go together.”
“That sound’s good. Thanks.” Regina dashed to Marcus’s office. “I just have to make a phone call.” Her hands shook as she hit speed dial.
“Regina?” The sound of Simon’s voice made her weak in the knees. She braced her legs against the desk.
“Hi. How are you?” She fondled the clasp of her evening bag. That was about all she had.
“Is everything okay?” The clicking sound of the subway filtered into her ear.
“Yeah.” She wiped liquid beads from her forehead and put her hand on her hip. “Yeah. I just wanted to let you know, that you should know, that I went for my first ultrasound yesterday. I mean, I thought that maybe you might wanna know.” Get a grip. You sound like a blithering idiot.
“Really? Thank you for letting me know.” His tone was distant.
Maybe Toni is wrong. Simon may not care about the baby or me for that matter. He hasn’t called in all these weeks, after all. He might have decided to move on with his life. Idiot. He didn’t call because you told him not to.
“I wish I could’ve been there with you.” The strain in his voice shot straight to her heart. He was hurt that he missed such a special event in his unborn child’s life.
Regina’s eyes glistened. She sniffed and swallowed hard. “You do? Of course, you do. I should’ve told you. I’ll make sure you know next time.”
“Thank you. Listen, Gina. I’ve been trying to respect your space. I haven’t called, even though it’s killed me not to. We need to talk. What I said to you was horrible. I regretted it the moment it left my mouth and ever since then. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and my life has been one big empty hole since you left.”
“I don’t understand why you would say something like that.”
“Because it’s happened to me before.” He told her everything about Samantha. “But that’s in the past. I know you would never do anything like that. I love you and the baby.” She heard the subway screech in the background.
She took in a deep breath. “I love you too, Simon. I’m sorry, for everything.”
“I’m sorry too, babe. I don’t want to lose either of you. I want to be with my family.”
Tears breached her eyelids. “Me too. I was angry and hurt, but as that started to fade, I wanted you so much. I was just being stubborn. When can we meet and talk? I’m at the center now, but I’m heading to the gala soon. Are you going?”
“I know you’re at the center. I should be there in about 5 minutes.”
“How did you know where I was?”
“Marcus texted me. He said I should get there in a hurry.”
She laughed and reached into her handbag. “I guess he decided to be an intrusive big brother after all.”
“I guess.” The train is coming to the stop. “I’ll be there soon.”
“I’m glad. I’ve missed you so much.” Regina pulled out the small square of paper with the image of their baby. “I have the sonogram. I can’t wait for you to—” She gasped as fingers dug into her shoulders and spun her around. A sharp pain shot through her eye, and everything went blurry. She stumbled backwards into the desk and fell to the ground. Her phone made a cracking sound, skidded crossways and slammed into the wall. Pledge forms fluttered to the floor around her.
“Gina?” Simon’s voice drifted across the room from the phone. “Are you okay? What’s happening? Gina?”
Regina tried to brace on quaking arms, barely making out the black loafers with her throbbing eye. She shook her head, trying to stop the room from rocking.
She grabbed at the hand on the back of her head and cried out in pain. Jeremy hauled her from the floor and propped her against his body.
“I can’t believe,” he seethed, “that after everything that’s happened, you’re still fucking that Chinaman!”
Chapter 33
Emergency
A sharp pain shot across Regina’s back. Jeremy laid over her body splayed across the wood desk and wrapped his tendril-like fingers around her neck. “Jeremy? What are you doing? Stop.” She choked out the words and slammed her fists against his narrow chest, but with no effect. He was so much stronger.
Jeremy thrusted his knee between her thighs. “No matter what I do, you keep runnin’ to spread your legs for Simon.” He pinned her arms underneath her and put his full weight on her body. Pain radiated through her abdomen. “I thought posting those disgusting pictures of the two of you pawing each other on Instagram would make you realize how wrong screwing him was.” He snatched his evening scarf from around his neck and flung it to the floor. “Not even your fans checkin’ you on your nasty behavior made you come to your senses. You still went crawlin’ underneath him.”
He jabbed his fist into her lip. Blood oozed into her gaping mouth. “Please, Jeremy.” The sound of Simon screaming something streamed from the phone. “You don’t want to do this. We’re friends.”
Jeremy scoffed. “When were we ever friends? You treat me like a pet. I spent so much time waiting on you, trying to get you to think of me as more than a lap dog, but you never even noticed.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Don’t act like you didn’t know. I hate teases like you. We used to hang out all the time. You’d smile and twirl your hair.” The rage in his eyes faded. Jeremy buried his nose and sniffed. “Your hair is so pretty, Gina. All of you is.” He peered into her eyes with renewed anger. “Then Simon came along and you sniffed around him like a bitch in heat.”
“I’m sorry, J. I didn’t know. I always thought of you like a brother. Please, I’m pregnant. Don’t hurt my baby.” The adoring baby face she thought she knew so well screwed into maniacal disgust.
Jeremy growled and grabbed fistfuls of her hair, slamming her head over and over again against the hardwood. The room spun out of control. “You stupid, selfish cunt. You think I give a shit about some mongrel you’re breeding? Another confused child that doesn’t belong?” He rammed his fist over and over into her sides. Screams burst out of her constricted throat. “You’re just like my father. Your own race isn’t good enough,” she cried out after another blow, “so you lay with anything else and make a bunch of mixed-up, mixed-race mutts, and it’s the kids who suffer. Where do you think your kid is gonna fit in, with its dark skin and chinkie eyes?”
Agony streaked across her torso and down her body. She could only think about saving her baby, an innocent life that shouldn’t be snuffed out.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with bitches like you. What? a brotha isn’t good enough?” Jeremy tore away the blue chiffon and tugged at his pants. “A Black man’s too much for you?”
“Get off me.”
Jeremy lifted his head and snarled. “I’m not getting off you.” She rocked her head back and forth to avoid his mouth touching hers. He slid his tongue along her cheek instead. “I’m about to get in you. Let you know what a real man feels like.” His stiff penis pushed at her thigh and the feeling of long skinny fingers rubbing violently at her panties made her back arch in convulsions and her heels kick at the back of his long legs.
This wasn’t happening. It couldn’t be. Jeremy was a friend. Simon is coming. I have to keep him talking. “You? A real man? Sneaking up on a woman and sucker-punching her, is that what makes you a man? Just let me go J. You don’t want to do this.”
“Shut up, cunt. Don’t tell me what I want. Are you afraid, Gina? You can’t handle some Black dick? Is that it?” He smashed his lips against hers. She tried but couldn’t move her head away. Bile burned her throat with trapped screams as Jeremy’s tongue invaded her mouth and sloshed around spit and blood, churning her stomach along with his stale breath and cheap cologne. “I knew you tasted good,” he said with a sleazy moan. “Now to taste those.” The delicate chiffon and lace yielded to Jeremy’s grip and tore back, laying one breast bare.
Regina screamed and bucked at the searing pain of teeth cutt
ing into her. She yanked her arm. Her hand flew from underneath her. “I said get the fuck off me!” She buried her nails into the soft flesh of Jeremy’s cheek and dug in hard.
He howled, jerking his head from side to side, but Regina dug in her nails so hard that they wouldn’t budge. She cut four red streaks across his fair skin and started punching his cheek. “Get off! Get off!”
Jeremy grabbed her wrist and shoved her arm back underneath her. He touched his cheek and then looked down. She stared into his hard, enraged eyes. He was always smiling and happy, but now Regina saw raw killer instinct. He roared over her. “I’m gonna fucking kill you!”
Long fingers cut into her neck. Her lungs burned for air. Thrashing limbs slowed and went limp. Baby. Simon. Jeremy and the world became increasingly black.
“Hey!” Simon’s voice cut into the blackness. A rush of air ripped through Regina’s lungs and washed over her body, replacing Jeremy’s crushing weight. Legs kicking into space, she stared at the ceiling, gasping and coughing, her chest heaving to take in more air while shattering glass and cracking wood from the other side of the room reached her ears. Regina rolled on her side. She saw Simon delivering a series of blows. “I’m gonna break your neck, you piece of shit.”
Regina slid off the desk. She wobbled a bit. A sharp pain pierced through her abdomen. She sank to the floor, holding her stomach. The baby. “Simon, wait,” she grated despite her burning throat. Her words were futile. Pain overwhelmed her torso. Tears and fear for the tiny life inside her made it impossible for her to say anymore.
Jeremy wedged his forearm under Simon’s chin and pushed until they rolled on the floor and he pinned and punched his foe. “She’s not yours. She’s mine.”
Simon hooked a jab into Jeremy’s temple, and the two tumbled again. He straddled the tall attacker and bashed his face over and over. “You’re out of your mind. She never wanted you, and if you touch her again,” Simon spoke between punches, “I’ll kill you.” He continued to pummel Jeremy until police uniforms stormed the room.
-
The officer pinned Simon’s arms behind his back. Fiery pain seared through his shoulder. “What’s goin’ on here,” asked a burly policeman. “Someone made an emergency call.”
“I’m the one who called, officer,” Simon panted. His heart was still thumping from the moment he heard Regina’s screams on the phone. Fear welled in him when he realized she was in danger, and he ran from the subway. “I was on the phone with my fiancée, and she screamed.” He craned his neck to view the less than gentle police officer holding him. “I called 911 and ran here to find that man assaulting her.” He lunged towards the similarly-restrained Jeremy, who just stood with his hands behind his back staring at Regina. “Stop looking at her, scum.”
When he saw Jeremy on top of her, Simon’s rage controlled him like never before. He yanked the assailant by the neck and threw him on the floor. He was just about to break the gangly rapist’s neck when the police arrived and pulled him off the slime. Just a few seconds later, and they would’ve needed a body bag.
“Hold your horses, buddy,” warned the officer restraining Simon. “There’ll be no more fighting.”
Simon took a few deep breaths. I’m no good to Regina blinded by fury. “My name is Simon Young, I’m an attorney admitted in New York.”
The cop behind him tugged at his wrists. “Then you really need to cool off.” He looked at his partner with Jeremy towering in front of him, already in handcuffs. “Take that one out of here,” he commanded, jerking his head towards the door. “You alright, ma’am?”
Simon’s heart sunk. Regina was shaking on the floor, surrounded by a pool of blue. She leaned on one arm and splayed her hand across her belly. Their gazes met, and the terror in her tear-soaked eyes filled his gut with dread. “I’m calm now, officer,” Simon spoke in a forced collected tone. “Please, let me go so I can help my fiancée. She’s pregnant.” Simon dove onto his knees the moment he was free from the cop’s grip and wrapped his beloved in his arms. “Gina, Gina. Are you okay?”
Regina crushed Simon’s coat lapels in her hands and held his gaze. “The baby,” she said through bloodied, quaking lips. “Something’s wrong—pain.” She laid her head on his chest. Tears soaked his shirt. Breathing became harder than when he was fighting Jeremy. Please, let the baby be okay. Just a few minutes before, he was excited about seeing a picture of his unborn child. Now it was possibly dying while its mother sits beaten.
Simon stroked her hair. “It’s alright, I’m gonna take care of you.” He pressed his lips just above her salty eyebrow. He looked at the police officer. “I need to take her to the emergency room.”
“Don’t worry, buddy. We’ll get you there. I’ll call for an ambulance.” The cop craned his neck and hovered his mouth over the device on his shoulder.
“No.” Regina brought her face in line with his. “They won’t let you on it with me. I want to stay with you.”
“No, thanks. We’ll take a cab.” Simon started to rise from the floor, but Regina tugged at his coat. He grabbed the desk to keep from falling on her.
“Don’t leave me, Simon.” She pushed her arms under his coat and clutched his waist.
“Okay. I’m not. I’m right here.” He sat and propped his back on the desk. Regina rested her head on his chest. “I’ll order a car.” He retrieved his phone and searched small dots on the app screen. He selected one and put the phone on his lap. “It’s coming.” He squeezed tighter. “We’re gonna be alright, babe. We’re all gonna be fine.” They stayed that way until the notification ding announced the arrival of the car. “It’s here, Gina. Can you stand?”
“I think so.” They struggled to their feet. Regina shook and gripped her belly. “It hurts so bad.”
Simon yanked off his coat and laid it across her shoulders. “Just lean on me. I got you.” He kicked the papers and fallen furniture out of their path. The corridor stretched in front of him. They moved to the door, stopping occasionally for Regina to gather enough strength to bear more pain. “Where almost there.”
Frigid wind whipped around them and cut straight through Simon’s evening jacket. He closed his coat closer to Regina’s hunched body. His teeth clenched so tightly that his jaw ached. He raised his hand to the black car at the curb.
The driver jumped out and jogged around the car with a grin. “Simon?” It faded when his eyes fell on Regina. “Is she okay?”
“Yes. No.” Simon shook his head and grunted. “Yes, I’m Simon. No, she’s not okay. Open the door, and get us to the nearest hospital.” He supported Regina’s back and helped her onto the seat then lifted her leg into the car and shoved the flowing dress under her. He wiped at the tears on her anxious face. “We’ll be at the hospital soon. Please, hold on.”
“I will.” She extended a shaky hand towards his cheek and traced the cut on it with her fingers. “Are you okay?”
Simon closed his eyes and winced. Staring into his love’s eyes, he saw her concern for him overshadow her own agony. He kissed her hand. “I will be, once you are.” He closed the door and climbed in on the other side, sliding over until he could hold her again. The car veered into the busy street. Motors and horns became background music for their tense ride.
The smile he offered Regina fell as he peered into traffic. He rested his hand on the small mound poking from her stomach. It was the first time he’d touched his baby—ever. The two most important people in his world were in crisis, and everything that made him happy was in jeopardy.
Chapter 34
Shower
Simon gently slid his coat from Regina's shoulders. “Would you like something to eat, babe?”
“No. Not now.” She shuffled towards the hallway, her hands remained protectively covering the small bump in her lower abdomen. “I just want to take a shower.”
Simon hung the coat and evening jacket before walking into the kitchen. He rolled up his sleeves. “Okay. I’ll put something together while you’re in there.�
�� He bent into the refrigerator. There was an assortment of fruits in a large container, and a platter of vegetables. Next to stacks of yogurt were three dozen eggs. He spotted a pot from the bottom shelf. He took it out and lifted the lid. His stomach released a huge growl. I guess I found dinner. A mound of food on a plate started spinning in the microwave.
“Simon?” Regina appeared and extended her arm over the counter. “Can you cut these off?”
Drawers clanged until one presented a pair of scissors. The blades cut between the names “Regina” and “Kent” on the hospital bracelet, which then fell to the counter, revealing purple bruises. Simon kissed the precious wrist and held her hand. “Done. I’m heating up the beans and rice you made.”
“Toni made them.” She shivered, holding one side of her torn dress at the breast. A purplish-red mask surrounded both her eyes, searching his face for something. What it was, he didn’t know. “I don’t think I can eat. My mouth is pretty sore.” She looked down and pulled her hand away, walking back towards the bathroom.
“All right.” He pushed over the counter and raised his voice. “I can make something else.”
“No.” The bathroom door creaked but didn’t click shut.
Simon exhaled and got the food from the microwave. He left the kitchen with the hot plate and a fork in hand. Stretching his head to glean the inside of the bathroom, he saw Regina with her hands under the stream of water running from the sink. “Are you okay, Gina?”
“Fine.”
His favorite spot on the sofa welcomed him back. He massaged the tender spot on his side where Jeremy punched him and reclined into the soft leather rotating a sore shoulder. The forkful of food he slammed into his mouth filled it with savory flavors. It was strange how easily he felt at home after such a long time away.
Simon examined the contents of the coffee table. There were quite a few books with babies and pregnant bellies on the covers. He smiled and flipped the thickest one with colorful tabs sticking out along all the sides. No surprise, Regina was being thorough about the care of their baby. Toni already told him how serious she was about eating and doing all the right things. I have to make sure tonight doesn’t derail all of her hard work.
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