by Tiece
“No, you were calling it quits,” he said walking back up on her.
Scarlett hated to be so close to him as she shook her head. “I’m not here to do this.” She said.
“That’s fine.” He said with a serious look on his face. “How far along are you?”
“I’m eight weeks along.” She said knowing that Luke would already be on it. He was going to school to be a Gynecologist so he definitely knew more about this situation than she did.
“Eight weeks,” he said just above a whisper. In his mind, he was thinking that she’d gotten pregnant by Troy and that’s why she wanted to completely leave him alone. However, hearing her say eight weeks changed his perspective on things. “Is that my baby?” He asked with an unsure frown on his face.
Scarlett stared into his eyes and shook her head with a befuddled expression. “I don’t know.” She said.
Luke sat quiet for moment trying to process it all. “So, you’re pregnant and you’re not sure if the baby is mine or his?” Scarlett just nodded her head letting him know that he’d got it right. That’s exactly what was going on. She was just as confused as ever when it came down to who actually fathered her child. “Babe,” Luke called out to her as she stood there like she was speechless. “If this baby is mine, it could change a lot of things between us.” He happily said.
“No Luke,” Scarlett said. “I’m still going to be Troy whether this baby is yours or not.”
Luke pushed up on her. He definitely knew her weaknesses as she took in a deep breath in hopes that he’d back up off of her. “I love you. Don’t do this to us. If this baby is mine then we can still get married and be together. You don’t have to marry that dude.”
“I know I don’t have to, but I want too.” She said.
Luke grabbed her by the face, making her stare directly in his eyes. “Tell me that you don’t love me anymore and I’ll walk away from the fantasy I have of us being together. Tell me,” he said.
Scarlett swallowed hard. “How many times do we have to go through this?”
“As many times as it takes for you to be real with yourself.” He said.
“I am real with myself.” She lied.
“No you’re not. Let me show you what’s real.” With her face already in the palm of his hand, he passionately kissed Scarlett in the mouth. As bad as she wanted to pull back she couldn’t. She enjoyed his sweet lips pressed up against hers. Finally, after a good minute she snatched back from him like she was just coming to her senses.
“We can’t do this.” She said almost like she wanted to cry for not choosing him instead.
He sadly looked at her, and then asked, “Why not? You can’t deny how you feel about me and if this baby is mine then it’s only going to make our bond tighter.”
“I won’t deny you your rights to see your child if this baby is yours, but I need for you to understand that we can’t be together. I’ve honestly moved on.”
“I can’t believe that.” Luke said feeling bad as hell that he could probably be having a baby by the woman of his dreams, yet she was saying that she would be with someone else. “How do you know that I want another man raising my child when you haven’t even given us a chance?”
“Luke, I’m so sorry.” Scarlett said as she stood there fighting back the tears. If she wanted to be with him, she’d already taken things too far with Troy to turn back now.
“Don’t do this to us. We could be a family, a real family.” He said looking like at any given time he was going to burst out crying.
Scarlett turned to walk away, but Luke grabbed her by the arm, spinning her around to face him. Without warning he kissed her lips softly and stared desperately in her eyes. “We can be a happy family together. Let me prove it.” He said. At that moment, a car swiftly pulled up in Luke’s driveway behind Troy’s car like someone was there on a mission. “What the hell,” Luke said as two men got out of the car.
Scarlett frowned when she saw Jay and his father walking up to the porch. “Why are Jay & Mr. Lewis here?” Scarlett questioned just above a whisper. In her mind she was almost relieved that someone had showed up to stop her from probably making another big mistake.
It instantly dawned on Luke why they were there. Damn, he thought. He had started making progress with Scarlett and now they were possibly there to fuck all of that up.
“Hey,” Jay called out as he got closer to the porch. Luke could already see that he had an attitude.
“Maybe you should leave. We’ll talk about this later.” He told Scarlett. She just looked at him, because she wasn’t moving until she knew what was going on. The only reason they could’ve been popping up to his house like that had to have something to do with April and those paternity tests.
Damn so Luke is the father? What the hell is going on? She thought, and then quickly said, “Hey Jay and Mr. Lewis.”
“Hey Scarlett,” Jay and Mr. Lewis spoke back almost in unison.
“What’s up?” Luke asked them with a nod of the head. Already, he was feeling like his back was against the wall; especially with Scarlett standing there being nosey.
“Dad, that’s him. That’s Luke, his son.” Jay said nudging his head toward Luke.
“Hi son,” Mr. Lewis spoke looking over at Luke. “I’m Jay’s father, Mr. Lewis. I’m also an attorney and I’d like to speak with your father. Is he here?”
“No sir,” Luke quickly said in hopes that they’d just leave.
“Well, I wanted to question him about the paternity tests that the young lady had taken at his private practice; the young lady that you and my son were seeing.”
“April,” Luke said.
“Yes her.” Mr. Lewis nodded.
“Well, like I said. My dad isn’t here.”
“Jay didn’t you retake the tests? Is the baby yours or not?” Scarlett butted in just wanting to know what was going on.
Jay disappointedly shook his head. “Yeah, the baby is mine. But, that’s not why we’re here.”
Luke didn’t say a word as he just stood there looking clueless.
Mr. Lewis directed his attention to Luke. “We’re here because one of your father’s employees quit her job and she informed us that your father switched the paternity tests so that April’s baby was yours and that Jay wasn’t the father.”
Scarlett had a very distasteful look on her face. “What now? Who did what and when?” She questioned with widened, surprised eyes.
Mr. Lewis ignored Scarlett’s questions as he stayed focused on Luke. “Tell your father that he needs to call my law firm at his earliest convenience.” He said pulling out a card from his front pants pocket and handing it to Luke. “He’s being sued by my son and April for tampering with the paternity test results, as well as, pain and suffering.”
“I can’t believe this. Wait,” Scarlett said as she cut in. “Luke are you going to stand here and let them accuse your father of doing something so conniving and low down. Your father likes me so why would he even tamper with the tests so that you’d show as the father to April’s baby? It doesn’t make sense.” She said with a confused look on her face.
“Apparently, he doesn’t like you that much Scarlett if he did that.” Jay told her.
“That’s enough,” Luke cut in now finally trying to defend his father. “I’ll let my father know that y’all came by. I’ll give him your card so that he can straighten all of this mess out and if that’s it then y’all can leave.”
“Sure, we’ll leave. Just make sure that he gets that.” Mr. Lewis stated.
Jay looked over from Luke then to Scarlett. “Be careful with this family, Scarlett. Something ain’t right about his father.” Jay said.
“Don’t make me do something that I’ll regret.” Luke said feeling pissed.
“Go ahead and do it. I’m ready to knock me a nigga out.” Jay said with his chest out like he meant it.
“Knock me out!” Luke said feeling ‘bout it ‘bout it after they’d showed up to his house like that and
spoiled everything that he was working so hard to get back.
“Hey, hey hey,” Mr. Lewis nonchalantly said to the both of them. “Jay, let’s go. We’ll let the courts handle this. He’ll be lucky if he keeps his license.”
“What?!” Luke said feeling offended.
“Luke, Luke,” Scarlett called out. “Calm down.”
Mr. Lewis pulled Jay by the back of his shirt. “I said let’s go.” Jay finally took his eyes off of Luke, and then turned to walk off. Luke and Scarlett both stood there with befuddled expressions as they watched Jay and his father leave. Scarlett then looked over at Luke.
“So, did you know anything about your father switching the paternity tests?”
“Those are allegations, because that nigga is mad that he’s the father.”
Scarlett just stood there and watched him. Luke had never lied to her since they’d dealt with each other and right now he was definitely evading her question. “So, did you know?” She asked again.
Luke looked over at her with tears in his eyes. He didn’t know if he was mad or sad.
“Did you know?” she asked again.
“I did,” he said with a light nod of the head. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you right away what he’d done, but I was embarrassed and also pissed that he’d do that. That is not my father’s character at all.”
“So, why would he do that? I thought he liked me. The only way he’d do something like that was if he didn’t want you with me.” Luke just stood there with a blank face. He didn’t have any words to say. Scarlett noticed his body language and the way his demeanor had quickly changed with the arrival and departure of Jay and his father. “Why doesn’t your father like me? What did I do to him?” She asked almost wanting to cry. She wasn’t foolish. She knew what the deal was now.
Luke wiped the tears that fell from her eyes. He hated to see her cry. Furthermore, he hated that once again he was somehow hurting her.
“Tell me why your father doesn’t like me.” She demanded.
“He saw the video.” He sadly told her.
“Huh?” She pondered with furrowed eyebrows and a confused frown upon her face. “What video?”
“The video,” Luke said knowing that this wasn’t looking good for him.
Scarlett’s mouth dropped open. “Oh my God.” She whispered. “He saw the video of me? Wow,” she said feeling cheap and dirty. “Wow, so he did that to keep me away because of the video?”
“Babe please,” Luke said. “I don’t know what he was thinking.”
Scarlett stood there feeling like she’d never want to raise her child by a family that had ill will and hateful thoughts about her. Hearing Luke say this, brought back memories of her insecurities and how far she’d come to get past it all.
“I can’t do this.” She said.
“We still have to take the paternity tests. That baby could be mine,” Luke said wishing for some glimmer of hope between him and her.
“Don’t worry, Troy will take his results first and if it shows that he’s not the father then I’ll call you. Otherwise, don’t call me.”
“Don’t do this,” he said as he grabbed her by the arm.
“Don’t do what? The damage has already been done. You can thank your high class daddy for that.” Scarlett said as she snatched her arm away to walk off. “If we weren’t over before, we’re definitely over now.” She said, and with that she left him standing on the porch feeling sad and blue as she mashed it out of his driveway like he was now nobody to her.
Chapter 18
Sheila woke up with all kinds of thoughts going on in her head as she reflected back on the past two months. A smile crept across her face as thoughts of Dmitri surfaced. They weren’t officially in a relationship, but he was definitely someone that held her interest.
As she rolled out of bed another smile crept across her face seeing that her mother was almost back to normal. For the past two months she’d been having some difficulties with her health. She’d been forgetting things, sometimes complaining of headaches, and not eating very well. But, in the past week she’d been vibrant, eating good, and a joy to be around.
Sheila headed into the master bathroom to wash up. As she passed the mirror going into the bathroom she stopped to look at herself. She looked liked a different person; a better person. It felt good to actually care about someone else’s well being, other than her own. At one point, she was a very selfish person and could be quite cut throat to prove a point. But now, she only wanted to do right by those that did right by her. As she turned on the water in the shower, her cell phone began ringing. She headed out of the bathroom and picked her cell phone up off of the nightstand beside the bed. Instantly she smiled.
“Hey Pooh,” she answered with a smile on her face.
“Hey babe,” Dmitri spoke on the other end. His sexy, deep voice always made her tingle inside. “What you doing this morning?”
“Nothing much since I woke up not too long ago.” She replied. “I just turned on the shower. Glad you caught me before I got in it.”
Dmitri smiled. “Yeah, me too.” He said missing her sweet voice.
“So, are you back in Georgia?” she asked as she scrolled over to her dresser drawer pulling out a pair of black panties and a black bra.
“Yeah, I just got back this morning.”
“What were you doing in Texas for the past week, anyway?” Sheila questioned as she headed back into the bathroom, and then placing her belongings on the countertop by the sink.
“You are a nosey lil some.” Dmitri said with light laughter. He wasn’t the one to put anybody in his business. He had too much at stake to even play like that.
“You’re so secretive about everything.” Sheila said while sitting down on the ottoman that was in the middle floor of the bathroom.
“I’m not secretive. I tell you most things I have going on.” He said, but he knew that he didn’t. She wouldn’t be able to handle some of the things that he’d tell her about his life.
“Well, what was your trip to Texas about?” She questioned again with her legs crossed as she comfortably sat there waiting on his response.
“I went to Texas to spend some time with my homeboy.”
Sheila frowned, and then said, “Your home boy? You sure it wasn’t your home girl?” she teased.
Dmitri laughed. Sheila was quite funny with a feisty attitude. “I’m positive that it was my home boy. We grew up together so he’s someone that’s more like a brother to me.” He informed her. “Maybe I’ll get to introduce the two of you one day.”
Sheila smiled. “It’d be nice to meet some of your closest people other than Troy.”
“Yeah well, we’ll see.” Dmitri slid in. He was still trying to figure out his feelings for Sheila. He really did like her, but at times he’d think about his lifestyle and wonder if she could fit in it as his woman. “Speaking of Troy, him and Scarlett are going to find out the results of the paternity test this morning, right?”
“Yeah, and I can’t wait until we find out. She has been so ready to get this behind her. I just hope that the baby is Troy’s.” Sheila said; especially with Troy and Scarlett planning a wedding within the next year.
“I have no worries. That’s my bro’s seed in there.” He said always believing in the dreams that Troy would have about his mom. Those dreams always rang some truth.
Sheila prayed for the same results, but only time would actually tell. “So, when am I going to see you, Mr. Busy Body?” She asked.
“That’s why I was calling. I actually wanted to know if I could come see you later this evening.”
Sheila frowned, but then smiled. “You sure can.” She quickly responded. She’d met Dmitri two months prior, but had only seen him once since that first initial time at Troy’s house. She stood up wanting to pace the floor, but instead walked over to her bathroom window and peeked out of it. “I can’t believe you’re making some time for little old me.” She teased. “No wonder the temperature is dropp
ing outside.”
Dmitri laughed. “You got jokes this morning.”
“Nah, I’m just saying. You know how you do me,” She said with light laughter.
“I’m coming to make up for that. I’ll be there around seven this evening.” He said.
“I can’t wait,” Sheila responded as she pulled her nightgown over her head. “Well, let me get in this shower before my water gets cold. My mom invited me over for breakfast this morning and I don’t wanna be late for that.”
“I feel you, babe.” Dmitri said knowing just a little bit about Mrs. Grand’s condition from small talk here and there with Sheila. “Call me later or I’ll call you.”