by Mercedes G
Chapter 39
Debra
I know y’all probably thinking I’m so full of shit huh? Well I really don’t give a fuck! My eyes had been planted on JaMel since the first day Taysia introduced us. She always thought just because she went to college and I didn't, that she was better than me. Everybody in Cuthbert knew I was on drugs, but Taysia was the only one who constantly threw it up in my face every time that we ran into each other. I hated that shit. Even though I was an addict I was still beautiful. Hell, where the hell did Taysia think she get all that ass and hips from? I just had issues that needed to be resolved.
Poor Jamel. I had him eating out the palm of my hand ever since that day I saw him and that pregnant girl in Atlanta. He was giving me money to keep my mouth shut but I wanted more from him than money. I wanted some dick, and I eventually got it, my way.
Now here I am eight months pregnant with his child, and Taysia has the slightest idea what’s going on. That day he took me to Columbus to have an abortion, I went through the entire progress up until it was time for me to get up on that table and lay back. I politely told them I changed my mind and went and got a refund. I kept the money and told JaMel that I had gone through with it. I felt like I had hit the mega millions. Taysia and Jamel was riding around this bitch living lavish! I wanted some of that action too! I admit I was jealous of my own daughter.
I was going to take out child support on Jamel as soon as the baby got here. I would keep it a secret for as long as he wanted to, but he would have to start bringing me some of that good dick on the regular. Taysia was sitting up in the front like her shit don’t stink! She didn’t know that I had heard her conversation with Mega. I knew Mega because hell, he was the biggest drug dealer around. We never talked personally, but I was some of his workers’ number one customer. I ain’t gone lie, I felt uncomfortable as hell riding in the car with them to my doctor’s appointment. I guess we were all just going to have to get use to this shit.
Chapter 40
NaTaysia
After my doctor’s appointment, JaMelia and I rode back to Cuthbert with JaMel to drop my mom off at home. She was a sweet little baby and she was very pretty. However, looking at her was a constant reminder of what my husband had done to me. She was eight months now, and she didn’t look the same as she did when she was first born. She looked more like MeMe than she did JaMel. I was becoming a bit skeptical. For all I know, JaMel could’ve just been feeding the hell out the baby while MeMe was pregnant, which is why she came out looking like him. I don’t know, but I damn sure was going to find out. I had purchased a DNA paternity test kit from Walgreens for about $90. I’m sorry y’all, but I just had to do it. Shit, if it was your husband, wouldn’t you do it?
We were about to head back to Albany when JaMel stopped to get some gas. My only time to do what I needed to do was when he went inside of the store to pay. Once he finished pumping the gas he went inside of the store. I pulled out two collection swabs and swabbed the inside of both of her cheeks real good. She was laughing as I swabbed her. It must have been tickling. I had planned on getting a sample from JaMel tonight when he went to sleep. I had already asked him to stay the night with me. I really needed to get this done and JaMel was a deep sleeper, so I would be able to swab him without a problem. Once I sent it in, I would be able to view the results online within two days after it has been received. Time wasn’t going by fast enough.
We dropped JaMelia off at home with MeMe, and then stopped by my favorite restaurant Red Lobster and grabbed some to go plates to take home. JaMel was so happy that I was finally letting him stay over, not knowing that the only reason I let him stay was to swab his mouth. I hoped Mega wouldn’t pop up over here like he did last time because it ain’t no telling what may pop off.
We made our selves comfortable on my couch and put in Furious 7 DVD that we had purchased from the bootleg man in Cuthbert. When we put the DVD in I was surprised because it was playing like the real thing. Most bootleg DVDs you can hear and see everything that’s going on inside of the movie theater, but this one right here was showing clear as day. The movie was just getting good when I looked over at Jamel and he was out like a light. We were both sitting up on the couch but he had fallen asleep. He had made it real easy for me. He was laid back with his head back and his mouth was wide open, giving me easy access. I went to the back and grabbed the collection swabs. I took one collection swab and swabbed one of his cheeks. Then I took another one and swabbed the other cheek. I put it in the container next to the one I had with JaMelia’s DNA in it. I was going to send it off first thing tomorrow morning.
Chapter 41
NaTaysia
A few days had passed since I sent off the specimen for the paternity test. I wanted to know the results so bad that as soon as I woke up this morning, I brushed my teeth and went straight to my computer to check my email. I didn’t even fix myself any breakfast, because I was so eager to find out the results. I had been checking my email for the results every day since I had mailed it off. I was so anxious that my fingers were shaking on the keyboard as I logged into my email account. I had over a 100 unread messages but there was only one that I was focusing on. The subject read DNA Paternity Test Results. If I wasn’t pregnant I would’ve poured myself a shot before reading this email. My heart was pounding as if JaMelia was my daughter. I clicked on the message and when it opened up I began to read it thoroughly. My face was so damn close to the computer screen. I wanted to make sure that I read each and every word accurately. Once I made it down to the statement results, it felt like my heart begin to skip beats. Would I be wrong if I said that hoped that JaMelia was not Jamel’s baby? There was nothing personal with the baby, but MeMe had given him his first child and I was still trying to deal with that. I focused my attention back to the email in front of me. I read it to myself silently.
Statement of Results: Alleged Relationship is excluded.
“OH MY GOD!!!” I continued reading.
Based on the DNA analysis, the alleged Father, Jamel Taylor, is excluded as the biological father of the child, JaMelia Kelis Banks, because they do not share sufficient genetic markers.”
My mouth had damn near hit the floor. I was shocked, but at the same time an involuntary smile spread so wide across my face. I was really expecting JaMelia to be JaMel’s baby, but I had to double-check to make sure. Thank you Lord! I felt a sense of relief, like I had just KO’d Floyd Mayweather. Whew! Y’all just don’t know how stressful this road has been for me, watching my husband play father to another woman’s child. I had to find a way to tell Jamel. I was too embarrassed to tell him that I had swabbed his mouth while he was asleep. Hell, he may just be glad I did it, because now he would know the truth. I was happy as hell.
I dialed his number. His phone rung and I hung up before he could answer it. I was so busy being selfish that I didn’t realize how it would affect him emotionally. He loved JaMelia with all his heart, and she loved him just as much. He had her spoiled rotten, and she was always happy to see him. She called him Da Da and everything. Poor Baby. I wonder who the other person could be. Meme had everybody fooled, her lil young ass. There ain’t no telling who she had been fucking around with. All this shit Jamel and I had been going through because of this shit and it wasn’t even his baby. I ain’t gone lie; when JaMelia was first born she looked like Jamel’s twin. He must’ve been feeding the hell out of her because she was the spitting image of him. I can only imagine what Jamel has to say about this when he finds out. We were still having a hard time trying to cross that bridge; maybe now we could get ourselves together and finally move the fuck on, and possibly get back to the way we were before all of this. Who knows? Before I told Jamel, I needed to have another opinion about what I had done. I couldn’t wait to tell Kira about this shit. I went to the refrigerator to pour me a cup of Tropicana orange juice and came back to my computer desk and sat down. I called Kira. I didn’t give her time to answer the phone.
”Wake yo ass
up! I got some news for that ass!” I told her.
“I’m up,” she yawned.
“JaMelia’s not Mel’s baby.” I smiled when I said that.
“What? What you mean she’s not his?”
“I did an at-home DNA test. I swabbed his mouth while he was asleep and I swabbed JaMelia’s the other day when she was with us. She’s not his!”
“Oh my fucking God! Bitch you better stop lyin’’!” Kira was in disbelief.
“I swear to God!” I had put my right hand up as if she could see me, and then I read her the results as they were on the email.
“Woooooow, that’s fucked up! JaMel been taking care of her since she was born. He loves that little girl,” Kira said.
“I know right. You think I was wrong for doing this?” I asked her.
“Fuck no! That’s your damn husband! Hell, he should’ve been did this shit himself! MeMe was his side chick. She was probably slanging that pussy all over the city.”
“You think I should tell him?” I asked. I wanted to tell Jamel bad, don’t get me wrong. I just didn’t want to hurt his feelings.
“I would tell him if I was you. Whether he gets made about it or not, the man should know. This is some serious shit here,” she proclaimed.
“Yeah you right,” I told her.
I was contemplating heavily about calling Jamel to give him this troubling news. I know he would be devastated. I felt bad for him already. I needed to tell him though. Then I felt something.
Lord not right now, please! I looked in between my legs and it looked as if I had pissed on myself. I knew right then that my water had broke. Gladly I wasn’t experiencing any kind of pain, so I had time enough to clean myself up and drive myself to the hospital. I was supposed to be calling Jamel to tell him that JaMelia wasn’t his, but this baby had changed the whole routine. I called and told him that my water had broke and I was on my way to the hospital. That other shit could wait for now. Jamel was panicking on the phone. I guess he felt like since I had lost all of our other babies then I was on the verge of losing this one as well. I didn’t feel that way though, because I was nine months. I knew this baby had a chance of surviving. The doctor had weighed my baby at my last doctor’s visit and confirmed that my baby was already 6 pounds.
Chapter 42
NATAYSIA
I walked in the hospital perfectly fine. I signed myself in at the emergency department and they transferred me to a room on the labor and delivery floor. I had to take off all my clothes and put on the hospital gown. They were in the process of changing shifts, so the nurse that was assisting me now was about to get off. Before she left she made sure that I was settled in my room. She strapped the Doppler on my stomach so that we could monitor my baby’s heartbeat. He had a nice strong heartbeat too. She checked my checked my cervix and I had dilated some, but I wasn’t in active labor just yet. They had decided on keeping me anyway because I was high risk and my blood pressure was high, also. I had too much pressure in the bottom of my stomach. I was experiencing some cramps but they were bearable. I had a feeling I was going to have my first born today. Thirty minutes later Jamel came walking in with the Mickey Mouse baby bag that he had bought our baby, and it was filled with clothes. He must have known this baby was coming tonight.
“Hey sweetheart, you good?” he asked me as he sat everything down inside of the closet that I had in my room. I was just about to tell him that I was doing fine, until an unbearable pain ripped through my back and made its’ way all the way to my abdomen. The pain was really unexplainable but it was very excruciating.
“Aarrrrrgggh!! Jamel!!!!” I screamed. This pain was worse than when I got shot, I swear. I knew my contractions were soon to come because I lost my mucus plug when I went to use the restroom when I first got here. So I knew they were on their way. I now understood why MeMe was cutting the damn fool that day she went into labor.
“What Tay? What’s wrong?” Jamel was scared as hell; beads of sweat started forming on his face. I don’t know what the hell he was sweating for. Hell, I was the one in pain. I was lying on my side and I knew my ass was showing through my gown because I felt the cool breeze on it. I didn’t give a damn though. My focus was on that damn pain and what I needed to do or take to get rid of it.
“Go get my nurse!!” I told him. He ran out of the room and when he came back it was the nurse from when I had my miscarriage, Monica; the chick Mega was fucking.
“Mrs. Taylor, you okay?” she asked then looked at the monitor. I knew she remembered me but she kept it real professional. No shade at all.
“I just had a real bad contraction,” I told her.
“Yeah I see it. That was a pretty big one too,” she stated. “Let me check and see if you’ve dilated some more.” She let my bed back and propped my feet on the foot rests as if she was about to perform a pap smear. She grabbed a pair of latex gloves and put them on. She inserted her fingers deep inside of me for about five seconds.
“Yep! Mrs. Taylor, you are in active labor. You’re at four and a half centimeters. That was pretty fast. He’s trying to make his way up out of there huh?” she said. I was ready for him to come, too, if I was going to keep having those contractions.
“Aaaaahhhh, Lord Jesus!!! Can I get the epidural now?” Another contraction hit me and I refuse to go through all this pain like this. I was already asking for an epidural, and that was only my 2nd contraction. There was no way in hell I was going to do this natural.
“Let me inform Dr. Smurda that you are requesting an epidural. I’ll be right back.” When she left it seemed as if the contractions began to come back to back. It felt like they were striking every part of my body, showing no mercy on me. We women have to go through too much shit! Jamel was right there holding on to my hand the entire time.
“It’s okay baby, just breathe.” Jamel kissed my lips as I cried. That pain was just ridiculous. I salute the women who had more than one child because I refuse to go through this shit again. Ain’t no way in the hell. Jamel pulled out his phone and snapped a picture of me.
“Stop playing Jamel!!” I wanted to laugh but now was not the time.
“Nope! These right here are memories baby!” He started snapping pictures of me back to back. I know I looked a mess. I had my real hair pulled up in a ponytail. Carmen was supposed to be doing me some micro twists next week, but it looks like my appointment had been cancelled.
“Hey Mrs. Taylor. Looks like you dilated pretty fast,” Dr. Smurda said as he walked in. He put his hand under that automatic hand sanitizer machine and rubbed and lathered it on its hands.
“Hey Dr. Smurda.”
“So you’re asking for the epidural?”
“Yes I am.”
“Okay, well your blood pressure has come down a lot. Its looks like you’re making great, speedy progress. Are you sure you want to get the epidural?”
“I’m positive,” I told him.
“Okay. The anesthesiologist will be in here shortly to administer the medicine.” I was so glad when he told me that. Even though those contractions were beating my ass, I was excited that I was in active labor. I couldn’t wait to meet my little prince. JaMel and I were finally about to have our first child together. Nothing else mattered at this point. Elated was an understatement.
After receiving the epidural, I felt a whole lot better. JaMel was laid back in the recliner watching TV, and I was laid back in bed chewing on some ice. Kira was on her way, and I told her to bring my mom with her. My nurse, Monica was in and out checking my cervix. It had been almost two hours and I was at about seven centimeters. I felt my phone vibrating, and it was Mega. I didn’t answer. He called back again and I didn’t answer. Things were going wonderful right now. I would soon meet my little man. I was not about to go back and forth on the phone with Mega about whose baby this is. He definitely didn’t need to know that I was in labor. I was making progress but it seemed like it was taking forever. The epidural worked miracles as far as me feeling any pain, but
a few more hours and I knew it would eventually wear off. A text message came through. It was Mega again.
Mega: Where the fuck you at?
Should I text him back or not? Maybe I should tell him that I’m out of town somewhere. Nah, I ain’t texting him back. I’ll get in touch with him in a few days.
I knew that I was going to have to turn my phone off. I wanted to check Facebook first to update my status. “My prince is on his way!” Facebook was an addiction. I was in labor updating my Facebook status? What kind of shit is that? I laughed to myself and turned off my phone.
The nurse came in to check my cervix and this time I was fully dilated. Thank you Jesus! She went back out to get my doctor. My prince was about to make his grand entrance. Dr. Smurda came in the room followed by my nurse and another nurse. They begin prepping for delivery. I was about to start pushing. It felt kind of funny with the doctor in between my legs looking at my pussy with my husband standing right there. One of the nurses told Jamel to hold my leg up, while she held the other. Monica was assisting the doctor with his materials.
“Okay Mrs. Taylor, are you ready to start pushing?” I nodded my head. I was glad I hadn’t eaten anything because I had heard of some females shitting on the table while giving birth. That shit right there would have been too damn embarrassing.
“On the count of three I want you to start pushing for ten seconds, okay?” I nodded my head again. I was sweating already and I hadn’t even started yet. Everyone began to count together. One, two, three, push! The door to my hospital room flew open and it was the man himself; De’Carlos Banks known to the streets as Mega.
“So you can’t answer the phone Ms. Lady?” he said with a look on his face like he was ready to kill. If it wasn’t for bad luck a bitch wouldn’t have none…damn!!!!