The Prada Plan 5

by Ashley Antoinette

  His cell phone rang as the security line inched forward. He didn’t recognize the number, so he silenced it before placing the phone in the container and sliding it down the conveyor belt. He slid through security, gathered his belongings, and headed toward his gate. He wore his somber mood on his face; in fact, it was a rarity to see him smile. Besides his children and his dead love, only YaYa had been able to squeeze happiness out of him. With happiness came complications, especially considering whom YaYa was connected to. Indie wouldn’t let her go easily, and Ethic wasn’t the type to back down. It would be a war of epic proportions, and Ethic couldn’t afford to put himself or his children at risk. He had given up the street shit for a reason. He was trying to grow, trying to prove to himself that he was more than another nigga in a Gucci belt selling dope in his community. YaYa was a dope man’s fantasy, and although his lifestyle had changed, his tastes had remained the same. She was just the right mixture of sophistication and street. She had seen a little bit, done a little more. YaYa had lived on the wrong side of the law long enough to know the rules, but came to realize that it wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. How was it possible that her inadequacies were adequate to two different men? Ethic wanted her, Indie had her, and there was no doubt that there were plenty in the shadows lusting for her. Ethic lusted after her vibes, her soul. She was the most spectacular woman he had come across. In a sea full of ducks she was a swan. Putting a thousand miles between them was the easiest way to ensure they both stayed in their own lanes.

  He sat down at the gate and patiently waited for his flight. He powered on the phone, checking the message from the call he had missed.

  “Hello, this is Dr. Stacy Snell. I have Disaya Perkins in the office today, undergoing a procedure that requires a heavy anesthetic. She will not be able to drive herself home. Please give me a call back as soon as possible. It’s urgent.”

  Ethic watched the other passengers on his flight line up as the boarding process began, and he quickly dialed back the number that the doctor had called from.

  “Dr. Stacy Snell’s office. How can I help you?” a woman answered.

  “May I speak with Dr. Snell, please?” Ethic asked.

  “Dr. Snell is in a procedure right now. Can I deliver a message?” the woman responded.

  “My…” Ethic paused because he didn’t know what to call YaYa. She was having some kind of surgery, and no one was there for her. His chest was tight with anxiety. He had just seen her. She seemed fine. She would have told him if something was wrong. Would she? he thought. “A woman that I love very much is there right now. The doctor called me and said it was urgent that I return her call. I just need to know what’s going on.”

  The gate agent motioned for Ethic. “Sir, if you’re boarding this flight, you better do so now,” she said.

  “What’s the patient’s name?” the voice on the phone asked.

  “Disaya Perkins,” Ethic answered.

  “I could lose my job for doing this. I am violating the privacy of a patient,” the woman answered. “She is having a pregnancy terminated today. She’s here alone. She could really use some support. She won’t be able to drive after the procedure.”

  Ethic’s heart split down the middle as he rushed out of the airport. He had thought there was something different about YaYa. She had picked up a little weight, but most of all he had felt an aura when in her presence. It was like they had been alone but not entirely, and he now knew why. She was pregnant. Is it mine? he thought. Surely she knew better than to ever get rid of a seed he planted. They had used protection, he recalled, but he knew nothing was foolproof, and as many times as he had explored the depths of her, he couldn’t say for sure they had been safe every time. A myriad of emotions took over him, but the one he felt most of all was worry. She was all alone, undoubtedly afraid, when he should have been at her side.

  “I need to speak to the doctor performing the abortion, right away. She just called me. Please, it’s important,” Ethic stated.

  “I’m sorry, sir, she’s unavailable—”

  “Please! That could be my child she’s about to kill!” Ethic’s chest tightened. He didn’t want this. If YaYa went through with this, he would never forgive her. Abortion went against everything he believed in. This couldn’t be a mistake. If this baby was his, it had to be sign that they were supposed to be together. She couldn’t just erase the evidence of their love. It existed, and if he could just get to her, he could reassure her that everything would be okay. He would take care of everything.

  The conviction and emotion in his voice could be felt through the phone. “Please hold, sir,” the nurse replied.

  Ethic waited for what felt like an eternity before someone came back to him. “This is Dr. Snell. How can I help you?”

  “This is Ezra Okafor, you gave me a call regarding Disaya Perkins. I’m on my way to her now. Please just don’t do anything until I get there, until I speak with her. That could be my baby growing inside of her,” Ethic said.

  “Legally, I can’t make the decision to stop this procedure,” Dr. Snell replied, conflicted. “But if I discovered a medical reason why I can’t proceed today, perhaps this can be delayed. Perhaps her temperature is elevated, and I need to normalize that to avoid infection before I can give her the abortion. That is what her chart will say. Is that understood?”

  “I understand,” Ethic replied. “I’m on my way to her. Thank you.”

  * * *

  A chill had set into the room, and as YaYa came to she shivered. Death was here, she thought. She was so groggy that all she saw were flashes of the room as her eyelids opened then closed.

  “I’m here,” Ethic whispered as he reached for her hand.

  It was Ethic’s voice, and she frowned. “You’re not here,” she whispered. She opened her eyes again, but the sedation was slow to wear off. They closed right back, but not before she saw a glimpse of Ethic in front of her. She felt his hand on hers.

  Am I dreaming? she thought.

  “I’m so sorry,” she whispered.

  He kissed her hand; she felt his lips on her skin, and it wasn’t until that moment that she realized he was real. She was too sleepy to say much more, but she felt him there. Her eyes closed again.

  “She will come out of it in about an hour. I’ll be back to check on her in a bit,” the doctor said.

  “Dr. Snell,” Ethic called after her. The woman stopped. “Thank you for the phone call. You will be compensated. You didn’t have to do what you did. You put your job on the line, and I appreciate you.”

  “It isn’t necessary. I do this all day, and rarely do I see a father that wants to step up and do right by their child. If she decides after speaking with you that she still wants to go through with it, I will abide by her wishes, but I thought you deserved a chance,” Dr. Snell answered.

  She gave him a smile and then left the room.

  Ethic sat by YaYa’s bedside. He was a shell of a man at that moment. He had an overwhelming feeling that this baby was his, and just the thought of what she had almost done was enough to put an ache in his heart. Ethic stood and walked over to the countertop where her folder sat. He opened her chart. She is twelve weeks along, Ethic thought. His temples throbbed. They were in the throes of a passionate affair three months ago. The timing confirmed his suspicions. This baby was his. It had to be. He lowered his head as anger filled him. She should have known better than to ever act with such disregard toward a baby that belonged to him. YaYa hadn’t even shared the news of her pregnancy. For a man, his legacy was all he had. At the end of the day when the money was gone, when the material things got old and the fake love faded, his name remained. His children were his legacy, and the fact that he almost lost one without even having a say in the matter didn’t sit lightly with him. He knew it couldn’t have been an easy decision for her. YaYa had a life that no longer included him. She had her own family, and having his baby complicated that. Still, it hurt that she would take such drastic measures.
Ethic knew that he had to feel all that he was going to feel about the situation while she was asleep. He didn’t want to come at her incorrectly. It was her body; therefore ultimately it was her decision. He wouldn’t guilt her into changing her mind, but he hoped that he could love her enough to where she wanted to. So when she awoke, he would mask his anger and support her. He would love her, even in spite of the selfishness that YaYa had displayed. He cared too deeply for her to feel anything but empathy. The things YaYa had to consider made the stakes high. He understood, but he had to make her see that even if she lost everything, he would help her pick up the pieces and move on to something greater. She had to want it too, though. She had to want him enough to leave everything she had behind.

  YaYa came to, and the sight of Ethic instantly made her cry. She didn’t know how he was here, but she was grateful for his presence.

  “Hey, beautiful,” he said. His face was solemn, and she placed a hand to his cheek. He leaned his face into the palm of her hand and planted a kiss on her wrist. “I’m so glad I got to you in time. I stopped the procedure, YaYa,” Ethic whispered. She covered her face with both hands and sobbed. She didn’t know if she was relieved, upset, overwhelmed … she felt so many things that she couldn’t identify what they were.

  “Don’t cry. Stop crying, beautiful,” Ethic said as he climbed onto the table next to her and wrapped an arm around her. She leaned into him, bawling her eyes out.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked.

  “I was embarrassed,” she muttered as a tear fell from her eye. “My life is falling apart.”

  “Is it mine?” Ethic asked. “You’re twelve weeks. That was when we…”

  She nodded. “I think so,” she replied. “For a while it was only you,” she replied. “But I can’t be sure. It could be Indie’s. How disgusting is that? I’m not so perfect to you anymore, am I?”

  “It wasn’t the perfection that I was drawn to, ma,” Ethic replied as he kissed her forehead. “It’s the imperfect parts of you that make you one of a kind. Why would you ever think that I wouldn’t be here for you?”

  “It was just too much for me. I don’t have anything, Ethic. Indie is awaiting trial. His accounts are seized. They’ve taken the house. I don’t have anything of my own. I barely know how I’m going to take care of Sky,” YaYa said.

  “You know me better than that. I would never see you and your daughter out in the street. That’s nothing. That should never be your concern. There is nothing I won’t do to make sure you’re straight,” Ethic said.

  “I’m a grown woman, and I’m going from man to man. It makes me feel like a golddigger, and I’m not that. I don’t love you for what you have. I didn’t love him for what he had. From the outside looking in that’s what it looks like. I’m a liability in a relationship, Ethic. You shouldn’t have to take care of me.”

  “A man is supposed to take care of what he values. You’re an asset. In order for an asset to retain its worth, it has to be taken care of,” Ethic said. “Who put this in your head that you got to do it all by yourself? You have my kid in here.” Ethic placed a hand on her stomach. “That’s work. That’s the most important job on earth, mothering a child, and you will be compensated for that. Your bank account will be full, your heart will be full, your soul, ma.” Ethic paused as he wiped the tears from her face. “All that because you’re worth it. I know your heart is wrapped up with ol’ boy right now, but I’mma earn you, and I’m never going to stop earning you. When you’re ready to evolve into the woman the Creator designed you to be, you’ll come home.”

  “Home?” YaYa asked.

  “It’s me and you, YaYa. Whenever you’re ready to make it official. I’m here for you. You have to know that. I don’t care if the baby is mine or if it isn’t. We can put that to rest right here, right now, and never speak on it again. I’ll take care of you and your daughter. We can raise this baby together. I’m a man trying to piece together a real life for my family, for my kids, and you’re the missing link. I’m not perfect. I’m nobody’s catch. I have two children by two different women. Their mothers are gone, and I’m all they’ve got. This baby makes three. Not to mention Raven’s sister that I’m trying to steer the right way. That’s my family and it’s chaotic, but it’s beautiful. It’s full. I love you, and I want to add you to it if you want to be a part of it. You know the energy we have. You know how it feels. It feels like home, and that’s what I’m going to create for you. When you’re ready for it,” Ethic finished. “Will you keep this baby?”

  YaYa knew that it would be easier to just follow her original plan. It would make life less complicated if she could just erase the baby like it never existed. Indie would never have to find out and she could keep fighting for her marriage, but it felt like she was fighting alone. She couldn’t save their relationship by herself, and was the price of her unborn child’s life really the cost? If she had to sacrifice that to keep Indie, did she really even want him at all? YaYa didn’t know. There was a time when she had loved Indie more than she loved herself, but times were changing, and Ethic was offering her a new beginning. She didn’t want to be divided between two men, but somehow she had found her way right back to this love triangle. Ethic was saying and doing all the right things while Indie was fucking up. They both had pieces of her. She just had to decide which one would get to keep them. “Yes, I will keep the baby.”

  “I’m so groggy right now, none of this feels real,” YaYa said with a laugh. “I’m going to wake up and find out that all this good stuff you’re saying to me was just a dream.”

  “Never that,” Ethic replied. “It’s real. Get some rest. I’m going to see about getting you out of here.”

  15

  “What is this place?” Ethic asked as he pulled up to YaYa’s commercial building.

  “It’s home for now. It was the only thing I had left after the feds came and took everything. This building and my car are the only things that are in my name. It’s all I got to keep,” YaYa said.

  “I’m going to set you up somewhere comfortable,” Ethic replied.

  “No, don’t. That’s not necessary,” YaYa protested. “I think it’s good if I stay here for a while. Maybe it will motivate me to do something with it. I need to figure out what I want to do with my life. There is a two-bedroom loft apartment upstairs for Sky and me. It will do for now.”

  Ethic parked on the side of the street and then walked around to help YaYa out of the car. “Thank you for being here,” YaYa said.

  “Thank you for allowing me to be here,” Ethic replied. He scooped her in his arms and carried her inside. “You should have called me sooner, YaYa. I would have come.”

  “I know,” she answered softly. “I just couldn’t.” She cleared her throat and then rested her head on his chest. The rhythm of his heartbeat soothed her. “I’m kind of out of it. I just want to lie down for a little bit.”

  Ethic carried her upstairs, and when he discovered that her apartment was bare, he was filled with anger. An air mattress was the only piece of furniture in the place.

  “You’ve been living like this? With your daughter?” Ethic asked.

  “It’s not so bad. I came up with a lot less. I haven’t always been bourgeois.” YaYa laughed to make light of her struggle, but she knew it looked bad. She simply couldn’t afford to waste money on furniture right now. Not until she figured out where her next dollar would come from. She had to pinch every penny.

  Ethic laid her on the air mattress and covered her with a blanket. He sat on the floor next to her and stroked her head gently. Her eyelids were heavy, and within minutes she was snoring lightly.

  Ethic couldn’t believe how far she had fallen from grace. Indie hadn’t protected her. And he himself had left her uncovered and had gone home to Flint, leaving her to be neglected. He wouldn’t leave her again. There wasn’t any circumstance in which he could see himself living without this woman. He had done the noble thing the first time around, letting her fly
free. If he had known this is what would become of her, he would have kept her for himself. Ethic knew that she belonged to another man, but it was hard not to take advantage of the place she reserved in her heart for him. It didn’t matter whom he was with or whom she was with, the connection between them was like the world’s best-kept secret. Only they understood what they shared. Not even her matrimony had extinguished their flame.

  16

  The ringing of her cell phone stirred YaYa out her sleep. She reached over, but there was nothing but empty space where Ethic had slept the night before. He hadn’t touched her, despite the fact that her body was on fire. Just being close to him made her crazy with desire, but Ethic never made his move, and she had been too nervous to. Instead, they had talked all night, catching up on the time they had been apart. She heard the shower running and then reached for the phone. It was Einstein’s office calling, and she sat up, wrapping the sheet around her body before answering the phone.

  “Hello?”

  “YaYa, it’s me. Einstein has me on a conference line. You weren’t answering my calls. Don’t hang up, ma,” Indie said.

  YaYa looked toward the bathroom, her heart racing as if she had been caught in the act. “I’m sorry. I know you’re mad and you have every right to be, but I need you right now. It’s important.”

  “What’s wrong?” she asked, genuinely concerned.

  “It’s Parker—”

  “See,” YaYa interrupted. “This is what I’m talking about. It’s always Parker. She’s—”

  “She’s dead, YaYa,” Indie said. “They found her body in the trunk of her car, and I need you to get my son from social services.”