by Tiece
“I’m glad to hear that.” Gwen said showing her teeth as she smiled.
“While you’re sober, you need to get that front tooth that’s chipped, fixed.” Scarlett lightly chuckled. “Now carry on.”
“Who wants to carry on after you’ve talked about their teeth?” Gwen questioned with a serious face, but she was only teasing. “Now, back to what I was saying. I think it’s great that you’ve found that one man to settle down with. It’s nothing out there in those streets, but trouble. I know that you still have feelings for Luke, but you’re going to have to let them go; especially since you’ve accepted Troy’s marriage proposal. I know you wouldn’t want to hurt him.”
“I don’t.” Scarlett said as she lightly rubbed her stomach. Gwen caught a glimpse of that, but she didn’t say anything.
“As long as you’re not hiding anything in your relationship then there is no reason why it won’t work out. The key to any relationship is communication.”
“I can agree with that.” Scarlett said, but how was she to communicate anything to Troy about the baby? She was already stuck like chuck on where to even begin.
“Gwen,” she said. “What if there was something that needed to be told sooner than later and I mean much sooner than later, but it could destroy my relationship with Troy if I share this news. What should I do? Should I tell him or hold on the news a little longer?” She held her stomach and the look on her face was very serious mixed with confusion.
“Well-”
“Knock knock,” Troy said pushing the front door open. The first person he saw was Scarlett, but his attention quickly diverted to Gwen. “Hey, sorry ‘bout that,” he paused with a handsome smile on his face. “The door wasn’t closed all the way up.”
“Oh you’re fine. This ain’t my house. It’s hers.” She said pointing over to Scarlett with a silly smirk. Scarlett just shook her head with a surprised look on her face that Troy had almost caught her talking about the baby.
“Troy this is my mom.” She shook her head again. “Gwen, this is Troy, my fiancé.” She said as a bright smile crept upon lips.
“Hey,” Troy spoke reaching out his hand to shake hers. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Gwen smiled thinking that Troy was a very handsome man. He had some very strong features of his uncle, too. Walking in with those bowlegs in a pair of Sean Jean lightly faded jeans was one of them. Not to mention that his smile was alluring and very pleasant. Already she liked him.
“Hey, it’s nice to meet you, too.” Gwen said standing up and shaking his hand. To Scarlett’s delight she wasn’t showing her ass.
Troy sat next to Gwen on the sofa. The relationship between Scarlett and her mom, to him, seemed like it wasn’t that bad and if it ever were, it had certainly calmed down a lot. He smiled glancing over by the door at Scarlett’s packed luggage thinking that it was time for them to go. However, Gwen thought that this was her chance to get to know him for herself, so she started.
“Troy, you don’t mind if I ask you a few questions do you?” she asked as Scarlett’s eyes widened.
“Babe, we aren’t running late are we?” She asked batting her bright, pretty eyes. “Because if we are we can go,” Scarlett said not wanting to get caught up in nothing that Gwen’s little mind was concocting.
“No babe,” Troy said looking down at his expensive Cartier watch. He then turned his attention to Gwen. “Sure Ms. Harper, you may ask me anything.”
Gwen nodded her head with a smile. “Ms. Harper, huh? He is a gentleman, but you can just say Gwen over this way. I’m glad to see that you have manners and all, but you don’t have to show off for me.”
“Gwen,” Scarlett said giving her the side-eye as Troy laughed. Gwen was quite funny to him.
“It’s cool babe.” Troy said.
“Yeah Scarlett, I was only teasing with him.” She said with a snooty smile. “Quit being so damn sensitive,” she added.
Scarlett lightly rolled her eyes while shaking her head, because she knew that Gwen was far from over.
“So Troy, do you really love Scarlett?”
“Yes, I love her very much.” He answered.
“Y’all really haven’t been together long and I can tell that you’re not slipping in the ladies department,” she said speaking of his good looks and stylish gear. “So what makes her the one?” Gwen asked.
“From the moment I laid my eyes on her it was something there. You can call it fate, because I certainly do and I knew that she was the one for me. I’m a God fearing man, Ms. Harper.”
“Gwen,” Gwen corrected him.
“Gwen,” Scarlett called out for being rude.
Troy chuckled lightly at the two of them then continued. “And I also believe in forgiveness among those that mean me well. Your daughter and I don’t have a perfect relationship, but we’re perfect for each other. I believe that.” He looked over at Scarlett and smiled.
“I do too,” Scarlett agreed as she smiled back. Troy had definitely left an imprint stamped on her heart and even if she wanted to she couldn’t leave him, not even for Luke.
Gwen sat there feeling quite impressed with Troy and his answers, but she wasn’t finished with him yet. “What do you think is the main thing a relationship needs in order to survive?” She questioned as Scarlett stood up indicating that Gwen had asked enough questions.
Troy stood up too, but looked down at Gwen who was still sitting down. “A relationship needs to have communication in order to survive. It’s like oxygen, without it we can’t survive.” He responded with a sexy smile then looked over at Scarlett. “You ready babe?”
“Yeah, I’m ready.” Scarlett said. Troy turned to face Gwen as she stood to her feet.
“It was nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too,” Gwen said. “I’m sure I’ll see you around.”
“Me too,” Troy said thinking that he’d be coming around for sure since his fiancé lived there. He grabbed the luggage and kissed Scarlett lightly on the lips, and then he headed outside to load the luggage in the trunk of his car.
Gwen walked over to Scarlett and stared at her for a moment. She’d noticed her body language and the way she kept touching her stomach. It was true that she caught on to more things while she was sober. Without warning, she touched Scarlett on the stomach causing her to jump back.
“Gwen, what are you doing?” she pondered with an ugly frown on her face.
“I’m touching my grandchild.” She said with a smile.
“I’m not pregnant,” Scarlett lied before she knew it.
Gwen looked out the door at Troy as he’d gotten the luggage in the trunk and was now closing it. “If you’re uncertain about the paternity, just tell him. Don’t hold out, because the longer you wait the worse it gets and the more stress it causes you.”
“Gwen, not now,” Scarlett chimed in while shaking her head. “I wouldn’t even think you’d care since you didn’t care to tell me that I could have children in the first place.”
Gwen smacked her lips with a nonchalant attitude. “That’s neither here nor there.” She shot her way. Scarlett’s face showed clear displeasure as Gwen continued. “I understand that’s a touchy subject and I’m sorry it even went down like that back then, but I was sick. Only sick people do sick and crazy things. You’re not sick, so be honest and quit playing the fool in thinking that this man is going to let you keep pulling the wool over his eyes without you paying for some kind of consequences. Before it even goes that far, just tell him.” Gwen said as Troy walked back inside the house.
“You ready babe?” He asked.
“Yeah, let me grab my purse.” She said.
“Okay, I’ll be in the car and again it was nice to meet you, Ms-… Gwen,” he said to correct himself. Gwen grinned, but this time she gave him a quick hug as a gesture that she liked him. He was actually alright with her. Troy then exited the house to return back to his car.
Scarlett walked out of the room with her purse in one hand a
nd a pair of sandals in the other hand. “I forgot to pack these,” she said holding the sandals up. “Tell Ant I’ll call him later since he’s in his room knocked out still.”
“I will,” Gwen said. “And y’all be careful and have fun.”
Scarlett opened the screen door to walk out, but stopped in her tracks as she turned to face Gwen again. “Thanks for that advice, Gwen. I’ll make sure I do that.” She said with a soft smile then exited the house.
Gwen walked over to the sofa and flopped down on it. Her thoughts were in the clouds and she felt excited about being a grandmother for the first time as a genuine smile crept across her face.
Chapter 7
It was around three in the evening as Troy drove through Millen, GA heading toward Savannah, GA. The little quaint city led them straight to Statesboro, GA and from there they’d make their way to their destination spot on Tybee Island Beach.
“You okay over there?” Troy asked figuring that Scarlett had something on her mind. Plus, he still hadn’t brought up Luke’s visit nor had she.
“Yeah I’m good.” Scarlett said, but the whole time she was thinking about revealing what Gwen had told her to. She was definitely on the forefront of confessing.
Troy reached over and grabbed her hand. “So, when is your next doctor’s visit? I’d like to go.”
Scarlett looked over at him and smiled. “It’s in two weeks. I’ll keep you posted so you can go with me and hold my hand,” she teased.
Troy smiled. “I have no problems with that. I wanna go. I wanna be a big part of this.”
Scarlett smiled inside, but she felt that her happiness was about to be short lived. A part of her just wanted to enjoy the moment, but another part of her was torn. As she sat there thinking she decided to tell Troy exactly how being with him made her feel. “You make me happy.” She looked down at her beautiful engagement ring. “This feels like a dream come true.” Scarlett said always having dreamed of a man like Troy being by her side.
“I guess that’s a good thing for me then.”
Scarlett looked over at him. “Why you say that?”
“Because, I wanna make all of your dreams come true.”
Scarlett stared out the window at the grassy land and trees that they passed by while doing the speed limit. What if I tell him and he flips out? She quickly thought, and then rubbed her stomach lightly. She looked over at her handsome fiancé, and then at that moment decided that she was going to tell him. However, first she had to feel him out. “Why are you this way?” she pondered with a nervous smile on her face.
“What way, babe?” he asked while lifting her hand, and then kissing on the back of it.
“You’re so cool about everything. It’s like you’ve already thought things through prior to something happening. So if something comes up then you’ll be prepared or ready for it.”
“Hm, I never thought about it like that. I guess having to prepare myself for the moment that I’d have to bury my mom probably plays a part in that. Those were real trying times for me. My uncle always says that I handle most things in an unusually cool manner. I just don’t see the point in getting all upset over something that’s not relevant.” He said. “But, I’m not all cool. You’ve seen that side. Well, almost.” He added.
Scarlett sat quiet for a moment knowing that she’d definitely seen that side before when he’d found out about the secrets she’d been keeping in knowing what had happened to his cousin. “You’re right. I don’t wanna see that side again.” She stated regretfully shaking her head that they’d even gone through that madness.
Troy glanced over at her. He didn’t want her to ever be scared of him. “Babe,” he said to explain himself. “At that time I felt betrayed. Don’t take that personal. I was feeling used and more importantly played by someone I thought actually had feelings for me.”
“I did and I still do. More than you know.” Scarlett admitted while looking over at him in the most sincere of ways. “I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you, but I was scared. There was never a good time.”
“It’s always a good time, babe. Anytime you feel like you have something to tell me then just tell me. It can never be as bad as you may think it is. All I ask is that you keep it real with me, because I’ll never lie to you.”
Scarlett glanced out the window then over to him. It was either now or never. “Babe, I have something important to tell you.”
“I’m listening.” Troy said.
“I had sex with you and Luke within forty-eight hours of each other.” She confessed almost feeling embarrassed that she’d been giving up the goods like that.
“I see,” Troy said. “Did you tell him that you were pregnant when he was at your house this morning?”
“No, I didn’t.” She answered. “I didn’t even let him in my house.”
Troy slowly nodded his head letting her know that he was definitely paying attention to what she was saying as Scarlett continued. “I wanna believe this baby is yours, but what if it’s not?” She asked with teary eyes.
Troy didn’t say a word as he continued driving. In his heart he felt that something like this could’ve popped up, but he wasn’t for sure until now. He looked over at Scarlett. The sad look in her eyes told him that she cared and if nothing else he was glad that she went ahead and kept it real with him.
“I’m so sorry.” She started to cry while feeling extremely emotional. “I shouldn’t have accepted your marriage proposal without being completely upfront with you. I’ve just not been good at revealing things that makes me uncomfortable.” She said as she continued to hold onto Troy’s hand. He continued to drive, glancing in her direction from time to time then back at the road while listening to her plead her case. “I’ve not had a man in my life that has truly taken an interest in me and just me. Since we’ve known each other, I’ve not known of any woman that you’ve been with me during our time together. Just to be your one and only means the world to me. Please, say something.” She begged feeling like her fairy tale was about to end before it started.
Troy glanced over at her and softly squeezed her hand. “I can’t lie if I didn’t say that you telling me about you and Luke being together doesn’t hurt a little, but we weren’t technically together like that. I knew about him so I can’t trip. However, now with a baby involved what do you plan to do about it? What do you plan on doing about us?” He pondered.
Scarlett wiped her tears. “You still wanna be with me?”
“I never said that I was leaving you, babe.” He said. “I love you and I asked you to marry me because I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I asked you that question before I even knew that you were pregnant. So this is not about leaving you.”
“But, I could be pregnant by Luke.” She said hating to even have to say that to him.
“I’m not really worried about that,” Troy said feeling like that was his baby, definitely not Luke’s. “However, I can see that you are. Do you plan on telling him?”
“I don’t know. I mean, I don’t really want to.” She said. “But, what if-”
“It’s not mine.” He said. “Look babe, I’m not worried about that. I’m not going anywhere regardless, but I have a strong belief that it’s mine. However,” he said feeling like she needed to make the right decision for herself, not for him. “If it makes you feel better then tell him. Either way we’ll get a blood test done.”
“So you’re okay?”
“I will be,” he said. “But the question is what are you going to do?”
Scarlett sat quietly in thought. “I should tell him.”
Troy slowly nodded his head indicating that he understood then replied, “Well, if that’s how you feel then you should.”
Scarlett apprehensively smiled. She didn’t know if Troy was heaven sent or not, but he was definitely not someone she ever wanted to part ways with. He smiled at her then turned up the volume on the radio. Superhuman by Chris Brown featuring Kerry Hilson played as he hummed the tunes. Scarlett
loved this song so she started singing Kerry Hilson’s part the minute it came on then Troy joined in as they sang to each other.
♪♪♪ “You changed my whole life. Don’t know what you’re doing to me with your love. I’m feeling all Superhuman you did that to me. A Superhuman heart beats in me. Nothing can stop me here with you, Superhuman.” ♪♪♪
They laughed in between singing while just enjoying the road trip. Scarlett was happy to be with Troy. It was good to just put all the stressful thoughts about Luke out of her mind if just for the moment.