by Coffee
Eli noticed it. “What’s wrong, Yah?”
She turned her vibrating phone in his direction so he could see Gerran calling.
“He’s been calling me over these last couple of days but I haven’t been answering because all he do is make me cry.” She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “And yea I know I’ve hurt him too, but I refuse to allow him to make me pay for my actions with my tears any longer.”
“I been sayin’ fuck him, ya heard me. Every stunt he been pullin’ has been a hoe’s move.”
“Right.” She finally agreed without feeling the need to defend him.
“Speakin’ of that thuggah, you ever got around to putting my name on Peaches’ birth certificate in place of his like I asked? I don’t want my baby rockin’ his last name. She’s a Dupree.”
“Yea, I inquired but you will have to take a DNA test in order to have it changed. They said my marriage to Gerran and him signing for her makes her his child legally regardless to the result from the hospital, but once we get a testing done with you two, we can change it.”
“I’m cool with that. We can handle that tomorrow, right?”
“That’s fine with me.” Samiyah made a mental note to call the Diagnostic Center.
“A’ight, well let me bounce, ya dig. I’ma go scoop Blu and we gon’ get everything we need for Milo and grab some lunch or somethin’. You gon’ be good by yourself?”
“Yes indeed! I am goin’ straight to sleep when you leave. So thank you for taking her but are you sure you can handle a week?”
“That’s my round, my boogie down. I got this.”
“Well, her bag is on the sofa. She has enough milk to last her two days in the freezer and fridge and I’ll have more with me when we meet up for our appointment.”
“Straight.” Elias went inside, gathered everything and loaded it in the truck, grabbing Peaches lastly.
After he buckled the baby into her car seat, Samiyah gave her kisses and then turned to Eli. “You’re the greatest dad any little girl can have.”
Elias looked at Peaches stuff her foot into her mouth and said while gazing at her still. “I know I said in the beginning I never wanted kids, ya heard me, but I can’t imagine my life without her. She make me want things I never saw myself having.”
She smiled at that. “Well, don’t let me keep you. Call me if you need me.”
Elias hugged her and kissed her on top of her head. “Same here, but like I said, daddy got this!”
***
G’Corey had been itching to talk to Minnie, but he knew he couldn’t just knock on her door to do it. So, he waited and waited some more for a crack to identify itself in her daily routine. And finally, after several weeks, it happened.
Minnie went to Planet Fitness to do her forty-five minute workout, as she would every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday except this time there was no one watching her moves.
He waited a while to see if the black Camaro that usually tailed her was going to pull up but after it didn’t twenty minutes later, he headed inside of the gym.
“Welcome to Planet Fitness. What’s your member ID number?” the young man greeted.
G’Corey slid the guy some cash. “One-zero-zero.”
Although it was against company policy, the guy slapped him a dap and let him through with no hesitation.
Minnie was on the treadmill toward the back of the gym with her earbuds in her ears listening to her workout mix when a call came through interrupting her playlist. She looked at the Caller ID, it was Yuriah.
“Hey, baby,” she huffed into the phone.
“What’s up, love? Where you at?”
“Planet Fitness.”
“Why didn’t you wake me up before you left?”
“Because you barely sleep, so I figured you must have been really tired if you were napping and I didn’t want to disturb you.”
Damn! He never felt comfortable with her being alone but he wouldn’t let her know that. “How long will you be?”
“Half an hour or so. Why? Do you need anything?”
“Nah, just you, ya heard me.”
That man made her feel desired. “I need you, too. I’ll call you when I’m on my way.” Minnie hung up the phone and her music resumed.
Get up/Don’t sit there/Get up/If you wanna get there/Clocks won’t stop and time won’t wait/ Get up…
Minnie was singing along with Mary Mary when she was startled from the tap on her shoulder. She removed her buds and looked to her right.
“Sorry to disturb you, ma’am, but is this your towel on the floor?” He picked it up and held it up for her to see.
She looked at it. “Yes it is. I didn’t notice it fell. Thank you.”
“No problem.” He walked off.
Minnie went to refocus on her walk but noticed an image to her left that almost made her heart leap out of her chest. She wanted to pretend she didn’t see him but the buckle in her knees and the tension coursing through her body made it obvious she’d seen something unexpected.
Even with a hoodie over his head, she knew it was him.
“Keep walking.” G’Corey told her from the treadmill on the side of her.
Minnie slowed her speed down to a crawl as her legs were having a terrible time holding her up.
She didn’t want to show her fear or her anger so she tried to be casual. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m here to workout, just like you. I been wanting to see you again so it funny to have bumped into you here.” He chuckled.
She gave an uncomfortable laugh as she looked at him from the corners of her eyes. Then she counted the number of people around her that could potentially help her if he tried kidnapping her.
“You’re looking good but then again you always have.”
Minnie looked so uncomfortable. It could be seen through the worry in her eyes. She was petrified of the man she once felt so safe with. She had to go, so she stopped her machine.
“Thanks for the compliment. It was ni—nice seeing you, but my workout is done.”
She attempted to get off of the machine but G’Corey grabbed her by her wrist. “Keep walking. I’m trying to talk to you,” he spoke firmly, looking around before he let it go.
Minnie did as he instructed, resuming the conveyor belt and walking. “What do you want?”
“What do I want? You sounded so formal like you don’t know me no more. Are you scared, baby?” He got off of his machine and stood right up on hers, fixing her shirt and rubbing a trace along her moist arm.
“Yes,” she started whimpering. “You shot at me.”
“Baby, baby, I would never try to hurt you. I don’t even know what got into me that day but you know I couldn’t harm my black butterfly. When have I ever laid a finger on you other than to make love to your body?”
She shook her head and flinched when he clutched her hand. “Never.”
“Minnie, baby. Look at me. I love you and all I want is to show you how much. Please give me a chance to introduce you to the new me and allow me to give you the same ole lovin’ you used to crave. Can you give me one date?”
Minnie was too afraid to tell him hell no so she said, “Yes.”
G’Corey was surprised at how easy the answer came but he was too excited to question the validity of it.
“Let’s meet up at Houston’s. You still like that place, right?”
She nodded her head yes.
“A’ight. Tomorrow for noon and bring our lil’ one.” G’Corey hadn’t seen her with a child on any of the occasions he’d been watching her, so he played attention to how she answered.
Minnie thought to just agree to the terms just to get him to leave but then she said, “There is no baby, G’Corey. I had a miscarriage early in my pregnancy.”
“No! No!” G’Corey gritted anger. He knew something had to have happened but he clung to hope that maybe her mother was caring for their baby while she regrouped or something. He placed his hand on her stomach and mour
ned his loss and she cringed at his touch. He looked up at her with tears running down his face. “You lost my seed?”
She shook her head yes and in that moment, she oddly felt sad for him. Minnie caught a glimpse of his tenderness and a small piece of her ached but the fact remained it was only a flash of him she saw because in her mind, he was a monster.
“Look, G’Corey. I—I really need to be going. My family is expecting me in a few minutes.” She let it be known that people would worry about her in the event he thought to do something.
G’Corey snapped out of his remorseful state and looked at her with a slightly hardened face. “Are you trying to get from ‘round me?”
“No.” She shook her head no. “Not at all. I just really have to be going.”
He looked at her oddly for a second, which made her heart pound harder, then he softened his look. G’Corey pulled her off of the treadmill and into his arms, placing his face in the crook of neck, kissing her gently.
“I love you, yea. And all I want to do is apologize for everything I did wrong and make it right, ya heard me.”
She bobbed her head. “Okay.”
He bent down and kissed her lips once, twice and then the final time he eased his tongue into her mouth. G’Corey knew the rhythm of kiss wasn’t the same but he didn’t worry about that. Just the feel of them reenergized his purpose to have her again.
He pulled away and then pecked her lips, gazing at her lovingly. She wanted to literally throw up but she kept her upsetness down.
“Houston’s. You and me. Twelve sharp, ya heard me.”
Minnie repeated after him. “Twelve sharp.”
G’Corey smiled vibrantly as he headed out. This was the happiest he’d been in over a year.
Samiyah’s words came to Minnie’s mind, clear as day.
“…you don’t know where his head is and I already lost Acacia. I can’t lose you, too, too, too, too, too…”
Tears pushed from the corners of her eyes as the words echoed loudly in her head. It became obvious what she needed to do next.
Chapter 28
Two weeks later…
“I’ve been thinking. Things have been going really good between us, you agree?” Elias stood in front of Blu.
“Most definitely.” She smiled.
He grabbed her left hand and rubbed it gently. “I think it’s time that we take our relationship to the next level. Hold up, let me get down here for a second.” Elias got on one knee.
Oh, my God! Blu began fanning herself. This was so unexpected but she was ready. She never practiced how she would accept a man’s proposal but how hard was it to say yes?
Elias dropped his head and lifted it back up when he picked up an earring off of the floor that he had lost. “Got it.”
Blu snatched her hand back. “Negro, I thought you—oh, never mind.”
“You thought what?” Then he looked at himself and then her and burst out laughing.
“I swear you play too much.” She was annoyed at how played she felt being wrong.
Elias laughed tears out of his eyes. He swiped them away and blew out a breath. “You tryna get locked down?” He laughed some more.
“Whatever. Well, if you weren’t about to ask me to marry your ass, what the hell you think it’s time for?”
“For you to have a drawer or two for your clothes.”
She balled her mouth to hide her smile. “I swear I can’t stand you.” She play punched him but he blocked it and softly slapped her upside the head. “Ooh, that’s your ass.” She took off running behind him.
He ran out of his bedroom and into the dining room, circling it a few times to keep from getting hit. “Come on, nah, Blu. You play too much.”
“Let me get my lick back and we’ll be Even Stevens.”
“Damn! It mean that much to you?”
“Yes.”
“Come get you, then.” He stood still so she could pop him once. But the moment she got close enough to smack him, he tripled tapped her and ran out of the front door.
She chased him but stopped at the porch. “You done messed up now because the only way you can get back inside is if I get me. So you might as well come face the music.”
“A’ight. Damn, I swear you childish.” He clowned as he walked back inside to a barrage of hits that turned into a make-out session once he pinned her on the sofa.
After a few minutes of messing around, Blu reminded Eli that he had to pick up Peaches so they could go to Audubon Zoo. He kissed her again and then got up.
“Good lookin’ out. Make sure you put on that shirt I bought you so we can be a matching trio.”
Elias had on a T-shirt that read: I’m hers. He bought a T-shirt for Peaches that read: I’m his. And one for Blu that read: I’m the side chick.
“I’m not wearing that shit. You can forget it, buddy boy.” She laughed at how silly he was, but she loved it.”
“Have it your way, then.” He grabbed his keys off of the coffee table.
“Bae, which drawers should I clear out?”
“The top two on the left” He unlocked the door and opened it. “Oh and one more thing.”
“Yea, baby.”
“Take this.” He tapped her on the face and flew out of the house, getting inside of his truck before Blu had the chance catch up to him.
She stood at his window and placed her fist from eye to the other and then pointed at him. She mouthed, See you at three o’clock. They both laughed as he pulled off.
He really loved that girl.
Twenty minutes later…
Samiyah opened the door when she heard Elias knocking.
“What’s up, Yah?” He greeted her and reached for Peaches out of her arms. “Why isn’t she dressed?”
“Because there has been a change of plans.”
“What’s wrong? She got the loose bowels again. Did you feed her those prunes? You know that goes straight through her.”
“No, I didn’t. Come in the living room and have a seat. I wanna show you something.”
Eli looked at her peculiarly but followed behind her, silently.
“Da da da da da…”
“I hear you talkin’, lil’ girl, but let’s see what mama talkin’ ‘bout.” He gave Samiyah the I’m waiting look.
Samiyah contemplated how to begin but she determined it was best if she didn’t say anything at all. She simply handed him the letter she received in the mail.
“What’s this?” He reached out for it.
“Just read it, please.”
His eyes scanned the document, then he looked over at Samiyah and then back to the paper, this time reading each word slowly.
The alleged father is excluded as the biological father of the tested child. Based on testing results obtained from analyses of the DNA, the probability of paternity is…
Elias felt his breath leave his body as he dropped his head down. Peaches grabbed him and tried sucking on the side of his face as she would anytime he got too close to her mouth.
“Elias?” Samiyah called out to him but he didn’t respond. “Elias, please answer me.”
He couldn’t. He was choking on his words.
She walked over to him with tears streaming down her face, touching him gently on the shoulder. “I’m so sorry, E. I swear I’ve never been sorrier in my life. Please talk to me.”
Never raising his head, he faintly asked, “Who’s her daddy, then?”
She didn’t hear him. “Say it again.”
He lifted his head and tears soaked his entire face. His big, beautiful, brown eyes were heavy with despondency. “Who’s. Her. Daddy?”
In the six years she’d been knowing Elias, she never once saw him cry. And to know she was the reason for it, broke her heart.
It was just five months ago when Gerran asked her the same question. Her head hung low and she closed her eyes. When she envisioned her daughter’s face, she saw the image of her father’s clearly. They had the exact same eyes.
�
��Cedric.”
***
Blu sat on the edge of Eli’s bed, stupefied. Every time she finally got comfortable in her relationship, something dealing with Samiyah would happen to make her uncomfortable all over again.
She had to call Kanari so she could vent her frustrations. As she waited for her to pick up, she scanned his personal mail line for line.
“Hello.” The drag of her voice told Blu she just finished smoking.
“Kanari, why I ran across some shit that just blew the hell out of me?”
“What your seek and find ass found now?” Kanari chuckled at her.
“This ain’t even funny, for real. I was cleaning out some drawers like he asked me to do and I saw a bunch of his bank statements. Now, I’ll admit I shouldn’t have looked at them but I did and I found boo-coo charges for Samiyah on them.”
“How do you know they’re for her?”
“Listen to this. Mom & Me—$260.93, Massage Envy—$156.50, The Infinity dealership—$654.19. Double payments to Entergy and Sewerage and Water Board every month…”
“Stop! Is this the kind of relationship you want?” Kanari heard enough.
“No. He just…”
“Let me hold the mirror to your face, sis. He has been friends with that girl longer than he knew of your existence and you’re acting like that relationship is supposed to disappear because you’re sleeping with him. Well, it doesn’t work like that and you’re smart enough to know it. So, you can’t keep spazzing out on him for being true to himself when he keeps lookin’ out for her. All you can do now is be true to yourself. Is it a deal or no deal?”
“You’re right. I can’t handle his friend doubling as his baby’s moms. He’s doing way too much. I will never be number one in his life since that slot is already filled. I have to let go.”
Tears slid down her face as gloom enveloped her. She really loved Eli and wanted to be with him but it appeared that being with him meant being in a threesome with him and Samiyah.
“So, when are you going to do it?”
“Talk with him when he gets home and let him know there can’t be an us.” Blu broke out crying. It was clear she didn’t want to end things with him but she was either going to break it off today or postpone the inevitable from happening on another.