by C McCullough
“Yeah Shay that was foul.” Dino followed Mateo. Junior is at the foot of me, with his head on the back of my, sound asleep.
“What did I do now?” I asked Sophia, who’s still carrying around a glass of wine in her hand.
“Girl, you just moaned Franklin’s name out.”
“No, I didn’t.” I thought I was dreaming.
“Yes, you did! Oh, and while you were sleep everyone opened their gifts. These are yours.” There were two Christmas bags and three wrapped boxes sitting on the living room center table. “Here-- I’ll lay Junior down in my bed while you open your gifts.” She was about to get up before I stopped her. “That’s okay. I want him close to me as possible.”
Sophia understood. “Okay, well open them up. Here-- open mines first.” I smile at how eager she is for me to open her gift. I open the medium size box and inside it is a two-piece gold and white bathing suit, a long white sheer gown to go over the suit and four tickets in an envelope to a water park splash in Kentucky Kingdom.
“When you go, let me know because I wanna go too.” She had said. I told okay and thanked her for the gift. Junior’s gift was a diamond necklace and earrings. I kissed him on the cheeks, admiring my baby. Dino had two gifts for me in gift bags. In one bag was a Gucci Queen Margaret small GG supreme bag and a Loui Vuitton Monogram Giant bag. Sophia high maintenance ass wanted to hijack my bags, both averaging around seven thousand dollars.
“Dino, I did not know you had taste like this! These bags are gorgeous.” Sophia called out to him. Dino joined us in the living room again. I apologized for my outburst and thanked him for my gift.
“You’ll be surprise of how much I know what women want.” He shot Sophia a cheesy smile. She blushed back at him.
“Ya’ll two need to go to the room with all this flirting.” I joked. Dino and Sophia always had a close relationship, they just never crossed those lines in fucking.
“Girl, hurry up and let’s see what else Dino got you?” She winks at Dino. I open the last gift and it was a Bath & Body Works spa gift basket, a pink fury robe with pink slippers and a gift certificate to a spa for an entire month. “Oh my, Dino, this is more than I could possible accept.”
“Shit, I’ll take it then Mommy!” Sophia joked.
“I had a lot of making up to do. It’s the least I can do.” He said with a hug. From behind Mateo handed me a rectangular gift box. “Here’s mine, since I couldn’t share with you, the other day.”
“I’m sorry.” I told him. He nods “I know.” And left back into the kitchen. Inside the box was an invitation to Shay & Mateo’s wedding vows renewal. And an engagement ring inside is a 14kt white gold, with a 2.50 carat, round diamond.
“He was gonna give that to you yesterday” Sophia said. Damn, can I be any more of a selfish bitch?
I joined Mateo in the kitchen to give him a kiss and a hug. He could see it on my face that renewing our vows is not the best thing to do right now. He pins me to the counter, pressing his pelvic into mines. “I will fight for you Shay and I’m not talking about in the ring. There is no way I’m gonna let you leave me for him. Your mine. You’re my wife, the mother of my child and I’ll do anything for you, but I can’t lose myself trying to fight for you and you still end up in his bed. You don’t know how fucken pissed off I am when I think about you fucking him. I wanna rip his tongue and dick off so he can’t fuck with another married woman again. This guy is not what you think he is. He’s gonna ruin you baby! Mark my word.”
I laugh at the thought of Mateo knowing who Franklin is. I’m the one who spent three years with him. I know who Franklin is. “How do you know what he’s about? His ex-wife? She’s the joke.”
He laughs back, I could feel his manhood protruding through his sweatpants. He stares me down. “Hmph.” He exclaimed. “Your defending him.”
“Mateo I’m not defending him. I wouldn’t allow someone to judge your character without knowing you. I know your upset, but you can’t base your judgements on what you think you know.”
“You know! I had feelings that you were fucking someone else, but I didn’t wanna believe it. Even after my affairs and you took me back, you still let me touch you. You didn’t stop me from having sex with you. I didn’t have to wear a condom. You wanted me just as much as I wanted you. Hell, there were days I couldn’t come home to shower after a long day at work, without you jumping on my dick. I want my wife back. What happened the other night with you two? Did you fuck him?” The rage in his eyes could kill a man. Mateo’s never been this concern about another man then now. His new cut and trim had me looking at him differently.
I took a gulp, feeling him press his hardness against my vulnerable pussy lips had me weak for words. “No Mateo.”
“No Mateo what? Did you fuck him or not?” He stared deep in my eyes.
I took a deep breath, he’s turning me on so bad, I just know having sex with him will only make things harder for me to move on, if I have too. “No, Mateo we did not fuck. Suck or nothing. I fell asleep. That’s all.” He saw the truth in me.
“Come here.” He took me by the hand. We walked pass Sophia and Dino who were cuddled up watching the parade on tv. We came to the computer room, were Mateo asked me again. “When was the last time you had sex with him.”
“Mateo why-
“Just answer the question Shay.” His got frustrated with me.
I tried to remember the last time. “I don’t know. Three or four months ago. Why?” He ignores me and pulls out another rectangle gift wrapped from the desk drawl and hands it to me. “Merry Christmas.”
He is full of surprises; I’m all gifted out. “You gave me enough. You know how much that ring cost?”
“I know. I bought it. Here open it.” I open it.
“What is this?” What the hell. I’m confused why he thinks I need this.
“You know what it is.” He smirked.
“I mean, yeah I know what it is but why are you giving this to me? I’m not.”
“I am almost positive you are Shay. Prove me wrong. Go in the bathroom and pee on the stick.” He ordered me.
“Mateo I can’t be pregnant.” We weren’t trying to get pregnant so there is no possible way that I can be. I am under a lot of stress.
“Shay, I know your body. Especially a few months back when you asked me to put on a condom; you were with him that night. So, you were fucking him raw.”
Oh shit. I knew he was fishing for something when he tried to eat me that day.
“I am also almost positive that the child you were caring that passed, was not mine. We weren’t having sex then for that child to me mine. All the lies you told me while you were with him, is coming to the light. I know about the cologne.” He chuckles. “When he showed up to the house, he had the same cologne on. I saw him at Juniors play.” He licked his lips. “When Lola confirmed it, I knew my instincts were right. Pee on the stick Shay.”
“Fine then. I’m not pregnant. I’m late because I’m under a lot of stress. Mateo wasn’t trying to hear it. He waved me off to the bathroom inside the room. He stood in the bathroom doorway to watch me.
“Tell me this then… why didn’t you say anything, if you knew? You don’t never bite your tongue when know something isn’t right?” I asked, since we’re being truthful.
“I had to be sure.”
“There you go.” I laid the Clear Blue & Easy stick on a napkin on the sink.
Sophia comes storming into the room. “Hey, that guy Franklin is on the news.” Mateo waited to see if I would react to the news, but I didn’t. I already seen it, there’s nothing I can do. When I saw it on television it felt like someone punched me in the chest. Then when Junior was missing, I felt lost and nothing else mattered but seeing my son. I never want to go through that again. “They said he’s in the hospital in ICU.”
“What hospital? So, I can finish him off.” Mateo said seriously.
Sophia waves her brother off. “Mateo shut up! You aint gonna do shit.”
>
“Yea, I agree.” I rolled my eyes at him and was just about to walk off but forgot about the pregnancy test. I go back into the bathroom to view the results, while Mateo tells his sister how much he doesn’t care about Franklin. I dropped the test when I saw the results. Mateo and Sophia come barging into the bathroom.
“Honey, you okay?” Sophia sympathetically asked. I starred at Mateo as if he planned for this to happen. He smiled with a chuckle. “I don’t even need to look at it. I already know.”
“Already know what?” Sophia asked. She investigates the sink and pulled the pregnancy test out. “Is this a pregnancy test? Oh, my Lanta! Your pregnant! I’mma be an Auntie again!” She did her little drinking dance then stopped once she realized Mateo wasn’t the only man I was with. “Oh, shit. I forgot—
“Don’t worry, this child is your brothers.” I gave Mateo the meanest look before leaving.
“What did she mean by this child?” Sophia asked.
Mateo ignored her and trailed behind me to the living room, where Dino and Junior are playing with his Christmas toys. “Why are you looking at me like that? You participated too. That victim role has got to stop Shay.” Mateo laughed, shaking his head at me. “Hey little man, did you sleep good?” He sat beside Junior on the couch, eyes still following me into the kitchen.
“Yea, I’m good.” Junior answered. I started to set the table, and everyone joined to help, even my baby boy. He set the napkins and silverware on the table. We said grace and ate. In the middle of eating my cell phone goes off. Mateo stares at it on the table as if it was his enemy. The caller ID says Gary.
“Are you gonna answer it?” Mateo said before swallowing his food.
“It’s just Gary. He knows I don’t answer my phone when I’m off.” Dino and Sophia could see the fire in his eyes, he is determined to see if it’s really Gary. He grabs my phone and answers it.”
“Hello.”
I can hear Gary’s loud southern hillbillie tone. “Hey, Mateo. Is Shay around? I need to talk to her about a story.”
“Yo’ Gary, its Christmas. She aint working. You’ll see her at work on Monday.” Mateo was just about to hang up, then Gary begs to talk me.
“I really, really need to talk to her Mateo. This can change the game. If she can get this story, I’ll double her pay. Hell, I triple it. I really need this.” Mateo hands the phone to me. “He said he’ll triple your pay if you get this story.”
“Give me that phone.” I snatched it so fast out of Mateo’s hand. Making thirty thousand a year is barely enough to take care of one child. Now I’m pregnant again, childcare will eat up my entire check. Not to mention Mateo is making teacher salary which isn’t that much. “Yes Gary, what is this story you’re talking about?”
“I can fill you in tomorrow. This is juicy Shay and could change the game with our magazine company. When this gets published, millions of copies will be sold. She’s coming to the office in the morning for details. She asked specially for you. She loved your story about Gay Rights in ATL. You are it baby girl!”
I didn’t ask any questions. I took the offer and told Gary I’ll be there at 7am as he instructed me too.
chapter seventeen – franklin
“Where am I?” I faintly open my eyes; the bright lights weakened my sight tremendously. “Turn the lights off. My eyes dammit!” I see a blue and a silver badge but still couldn’t make out anything or anyone.
“Mr. Wesley? I’m officer Doggins. You’re at Chelsea Hospital. Can someone turn off the lights please for him?” Doggins ordered. Hospital? How the hell did I end up in the hospital?
“Sure.” A had woman said.
“Can somebody tell me why I can’t see. I can’t even open my eyes all the way.” This is crazy.
“Sir my name is Bethany, I’m your doctor. Do you know who you are?” The same woman who turned the lights off asked.
I feel myself beginning to get mad up in bitch. “Of course, I know who I am. I’m fucken Franklin Wesley! I am the fucken Mayor of Atlanta. Somebody better tell me something. Is this temporary or what?”
“You’ve been drugged. It was an overdose and it could of kilt you. There was traces of women lipstick on the cups in your condo. Do you remember who was with you last night? There were two women to be exact and you were found naked on the floor of your living room with a condom on.” The psycho doctor kept rambling on. As if I would commit adultery on my wife. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. There is no way I would sleep around on my wife. And what condo? We have a ranch on the hills. I don’t have a got damn condo. You know what? I’m not talking to you, get my wife Lola Wesley in here now!” My vision is slowly for surely coming back. I see the officer and doctor backs turn towards me chatting it up.
“Could you reach his wife yesterday?” The doctor asked the officer.
“No. I called the cell phone and home phone. No answer. It’s a day before Christmas, maybe she’s out of town.” The officer insisted.
“Can you please try calling again. Its 7:15 in the morning, she might answer.” The doctor asked.
“Sure thing.”
chapter eighteen – shay
The next morning, I was running thirty minutes late to meet this woman who supposedly has a story to tell. When I arrived at our one-story brick building, Gary was waiting in the lobby area to unlock the doors.
“Sorry I’m late. Junior wanted me eat breakfast with him this morning before I left. Is she still here?”
“Yea, she’s in your office. When you go in there, try not to be so passive aggressive and be more patient. Okay?” He had the nerve to school me on how to be a writer.
“You’re basically telling me not to be myself?” I told him.
“Exactly. We need this.”
I enter my office, closing the door behind me. When I turned around the devil in red made me drop my portfolio. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“I came to talk. Sit down.” This bitch said.
“I don’t have shit to say to you. If I wasn’t pregnant, I’ll mop yo’ ass across these floors and rip that awful weave out of your hair bitch.” I wanted to dig my nails into her brown skin and shred her apart.
“I really don’t see what he saw in you.” She stood to size me up, walking around me. “Maybe it’s because of your green eyes, and big tits. I, unfortunately was only blessed with these 36 B’s.” She jiggles her braless breast through a V-neck red dress, steadily counting the reason’s why her ex-husband loves me so much. “It’s certainly not because of your ass, its average. Mm, well now we know why. It’s your breast and eyes.”
“Your ex-husband loves my ass; his face is always between my cheeks when we make love. And maybe if you weren’t such a lying manipulating bitch, he wouldn’t had cheated on you. Lying about a pregnancy just to keep him is desperate and just sad.”
She abruptly turned to me, with a mean grill on her face. “You think you know him, huh?” she humph, then took a seat and crossed her long legs. “The baby you are carring, is it my husband’s?”
“Ex-husband. And no, it’s not. I don’t know why you’re here, but you need to leave.” I open the door for her to go. She pulls out a manila folder and slid several pictures on my desk. “I think you will enjoy these photos. You see, my husband is a charmer, you’re not the only woman he’s been involved with.” She continued. I want to drag her ass out of my office, but my curiosity took the best of me. Who else was Franklin fucking? She was enjoying me look through the photos with a smirk on her face. In the photos Franklin is fucking two women in his new condo. The expressions he made in the photos were the same expressions he would make with me. “There’s more. He wants you for his own pleasure. Presidential elections are coming soon, and he needs you and your son for the look of winning. I think it’s crazy for him to run for president. I’m against it and because of that he’s looking for the next Michelle. FYI, I was pregnant with his child, but I miscarried. He drove me to the hospital when it happened. I am
not the one who is lying my dear, it’s him.”
I laugh. “Yea right. And the other day, was that his idea to tell my husband?”
She thought about it and coldly respond’s. “Nope, that was all me. A woman scorn is what I call it. In this folder is everything you need to take down my husband.”
“Ex-husband. Get use to saying that…ex-husband. Say it with me ex-husband! Got it! Now get out of my office.” My cell rung; it was Franklin. What a coincidence. I send it to voicemail. I’ll call him back later. Seconds later her cell phone rings, she answers. “Mrs. Wesley… Yes... I didn’t know that…. He did, did he?... I’ll be right there, thank you.” She hung up and took her manila folder and cuffed it under her arms. “I guess I don’t need your services after all. And Franklin is my husband until he signs those divorce papers.”
“What are you talking about you’re a crazy bitch he did sign them.”
“Keep believing that, we’ll meet again.” She leaves starring at my ass. “You need to do something about that. That is not an ass.” She dissed me. I know I look good; her insults don’t make or break me. Without the expensive clothes and jewelry this chick could pass for a cracked-out Wendy Williams. She’s just hating on yo’ girl. I waved her off and called my voicemail to see what Franklin wanted.
I convinced myself to stop by the hospital that morning. A police officer left message on my voicemail, that Franklin was asking for me. When I made it to his room the officer stoped me from entering. “Mam, I’m sorry but only relatives are allowed.”
“Diggins, she’s with me. This is Franklin’d niece.” Zion, his bodyguard comes to the rescue with a cup of coffee in his hand.
“Alright. Come on in.” The officer opens the door to his room. Franklin room is laid out, he is watching ACS News. He looked at me and then rolled his eyes as if I was the last person he wanted to see.
“Well hello to you too Franklin.” I rolled my eyes back at him. “You really need to tame Lola before I fuck her up! She’s crossing the line. She keeps saying how you two are still married and you were playing me. Is this true? Are you running for president too?”