by Sparkle
“Oh, I don't get a good morning,” Calvin said. He now stood right behind me.
“You were on the phone. I didn't want to interrupt.” I shifted the clothes on the rack until I found the outfit I wanted.
I turned around holding the hanger with a blouse and jeans on them and bumped right into Calvin. “Excuse me.”
“What's up with you?” Calvin asked.
“Nothing. I'm trying to get dressed so Sade and I can get out of here.”
“I'm not talking about today. I'm talking about with your whole attitude. You've been having a strange attitude with me all week.”
I wanted to avoid this type of conversation today. Today was about Sade and I didn't want to ruin it with a fight with Calvin. “Look, today's my baby's birthday and I really don't want to get into this with you. I've had a lot on my mind. A lot to deal with.”
“I'm your husband so why haven’t you talked to me about what's on your mind?”
I stopped in front of the bed. “Have you ever thought about you may be one of the things on my mind? I can't talk to you about you.”
“You should. If you have a problem with me, you need to be talking to me. Aren't you the one who’s always saying how important it is for couples to communicate? Well, Joyce, communicate with me. How am I supposed to fix the problem if I don't know what's on your mind?”
I turned and faced Calvin again. “I don't want to talk about it. Today's Sade's day and she's who I'm focusing on.”
“Oh, you’re just going to ignore your husband. I'm your husband twenty four seven, three hundred and sixty-five.”
To appease Calvin and keep down the tension, I took his hand in mine. “There's nothing for you to worry about. As long as you're doing right by me. Then all is good. Now, let me finish getting dressed.”
Calvin pulled me into an embrace. “I love you woman. You make me crazy sometimes, but I love you.”
“Yeah, yeah.” I shifted my body in his arms.
Calvin kissed me. “What all you need me to do for her party?”
I retrieved a long sheet of paper from my purse. “Make sure you get all of this and take it over to Maddie's. Please don't let Maddie do everything. Please stay and help. As soon as we get back from getting our hair and nails done, I'll be around there.”
Calvin frowned. “You sure spending a lot of money for just a birthday party. What about our bills?”
“A girl only turns sweet sixteen once and my baby or should I say our baby deserves to have a party on her special day,” I responded.
“I'm not saying she shouldn't have a party, but Joyce this is a lot of stuff. Where you getting all of this money to get it?” Calvin asked.
“Don't worry about it. You're not coming out of your pocket so why complain?” I folded my arms and stared at him.
“I told you I would help you pay for it.”
I held out her right hand and patted it with my left hand. “Where's it at?”
“I don't have any cash on me right now,” Calvin said.
My hands fell to my side. “That's exactly what I thought. Just do what I ask, okay? I got this.”
I left Calvin standing right there. He watched me walk away as I left to go to the bathroom to shower. I didn't care how Calvin felt today. Today, I'm putting my little girl first and there wasn't a thing Calvin could do about it.
~44~
SADE
This had been a wonderful birthday. My mom and I were alone, meaning no Calvin. My two BFFs, Crystal and Dena had called me earlier to wish me a happy birthday. My mom and I just got our nails polished. My mom was seated with her hands under the heating fan. My nails were completely dry so I was thumbing through a magazine waiting on her. I glanced at my hands. The long acrylic nails were painted in my favorite color of pink with sprinkles of diamonds in the polish.
I put the magazine down and glanced at myself in the mirror. The quick weave I got at the beauty shop earlier had me looking and feeling like a million bucks. The baby kicking changed my train of thought. At eight months pregnant, I felt like I was going to burst any moment.
“Let's go,” Joyce said, breaking me out of my thoughts.
My mom was really trying to make this day special for me, so I decided to forget about our problems and enjoy the day for what it was. It had been a very long time since we'd done something with just the two of us. It felt good.
“Mama, do you mind if I go out with Brandon tonight instead of staying at home?” I asked as she drove us home.
“No, baby. In fact, I encourage you to. You're sixteen and I know I'm going to have to let my baby go.” Her eyes watered.
“Mama, I'm not going anywhere. Just a date.”
“Since it's your birthday, you can stay out until one. Not five minutes after one, but one, you hear me.”
“Yes, ma'am.” I smiled. I sent Brandon a quick text message alerting him of my new curfew time.
Two hours later, I was in my room searching through my closet for something comfortable to wear. Although my mom had bought me some new maternity clothes, nothing seemed to fit right. I wanted to look fly although pregnant. “This sucks. It's my birthday and I can't find anything decent to wear.”
After trying on several outfits, I finally found an outfit that I liked. The black skirt with stretched elastic and an oversized purple satin-like blouse didn't make me look too pregnant. I dressed and then took time to put on some make-up. I put on my favorite pair of huge jingling earrings and several bangle bracelets. I sprayed on the only perfume that didn't make me queasy. With one last look in the mirror, I jokingly said, “Brandon, eat your heart out.”
My phone vibrated. It was a text from Brandon alerting me he was sitting in my living room. I opened my bedroom door just before my mom could knock. She said, “Brandon's here. Have fun. Happy Birthday again, baby girl.”
We hugged. The baby kicked me. My mom moved back. “Guess she didn't like that. She already vying for my attention,” my mom teased.
“It's my day so she'll have to understand,” I jokingly responded.
Brandon stood up holding a bouquet of flowers when he saw me enter the living room.
“Happy Birthday, Sade.” Brandon kissed me on the cheek. “These are for you.” He handed me the bouquet of multi-colored flowers.
I sniffed them. “Brandon thanks. These are beautiful.”
“I'll put these in some water. You two go on and I'll see y'all later.” My mom took the flowers and left the living room.
A few minutes later, Brandon and I were seated in his car. While he drove, “I asked, “Did it seem like my mom was rushing us or was it just me?”
“It was just you,” Brandon responded.
“Hey, I need to go by Crystal's and get the present she says she has for me.”
“We will, but first I need to stop and get some gas,” Brandon said. Brandon pulled up to a convenience store. “I'll be right back.”
While waiting on Brandon to go in the store and pump gas, I flipped from one radio station to another. I couldn't find anything on the air that I really wanted to listen to so I hit the CD button. Music from one of my favorite artists, Usher, started to play. I bopped my head.
Brandon got back in the car and handed me a brown paper bag. “What's this?” I asked.
“Open it up and see.”
I opened it up and saw several bags of lemon heads. One of my favorite candies. “Awe, how sweet? I've been trying to find these and every time I go to the corner store, they are always out.”
“I know. That’s why I wanted to stop here because I remembered them having some.”
I reached over and squeezed Brandon's hand. “You're so good to me.”
“I love you, Sade. I can't help but be good to you.”
I blinked my eyes. My heart fluttered. “Did you say what I think you just said?”
“What?” Brandon asked with a quizzical look on his face.
“You said, 'I love you.' Do you mean it? Do you really love me?”
I asked, holding my breath as I waited on Brandon to answer.
Brandon took my hand and placed it over his heart. “I love you, Sade. My heart beats to your rhythm.”
I melted right there in my seat. I couldn't help myself. Tears of joy streamed down my cheeks. “Brandon, I love you too. I've wanted to tell you that, but was unsure of how you felt about me,” I confessed.
“Never doubt my feelings for you. I've never felt like this for any other girl,” Brandon responded.
“Good because I never felt like this for any other guy either.”
Brandon glanced at his watch. “Where does your girl live? We'll stop by there and then its dinner.”
I rubbed my stomach. “The baby and I can't wait.”
Less than twenty minutes later, Brandon pulled up outside of Crystal's house. “This shouldn't take long,” I said.
Brandon turned off the engine and before I could get out of the car, Brandon was on the passenger side helping me exit the car.
“I'll walk up there with you.”
“You don't have to,” I said.
“I know, but I want to.”
We walked up to Crystal's house holding hands. I rang the doorbell and it didn't take long for Crystal to come to the door. She opened the door. “Hey girl, come on in. I got your present in the living room.”
We followed Crystal into the living room. Voices from everywhere yelled out, “Surprise.”
Startled, I fell back on Brandon. My mom and friends threw confetti in the air and blew horns while yelling surprise and happy birthday. I looked at Brandon and playfully hit him. “I can't believe you tricked me. You knew about this, didn't you?”
My mom walked up to me and squeezed my hand. “Of course. I wouldn't have been able to do it without him. Thanks Brandon.”
“Anything for Sade, Ms. Joyce,” Brandon responded.
I looked in Brandon's eyes and saw the love pouring out. I looked around the room and saw the smiles on my friends’ faces. No words could describe how I was feeling. I was truly happy. My happiness was threatened however when my eyes laid on Calvin standing in the corner outside of the realm of people. His eyes seemed to glow with pure evilness as his face filled with a sinister smile. He licked his lips and blew me a kiss.
I looked around to see if anyone else had noticed Calvin's action, but they must not have because they were all talking and laughing. When I looked back in the direction where Calvin had stood, he was no longer there.
“Happy Birthday, birthday girl,” Calvin said from beside me.
It caught me off guard. I lost my balance. If Brandon hadn't been standing near me, I would have slipped and fell.
“Are you okay?” Brandon asked.
I looked at Calvin and then back at Brandon. “I'm fine.”
I eased to the other side of Brandon away from Calvin. I would do my best to stay away from him most of the night.
~45~
JOYCE
I beamed with pride because Sade seemed to be having a good time. Calvin kept slipping out of the room talking to whoever kept calling him on his cell phone. I tried not to concentrate on Calvin, but it was hard when I felt my heart breaking. My gut feelings told me that Calvin was seeing another woman.
Maddie handed me a beer. “Glad to see things are better with you and Sade.”
“A wise woman told me I needed to make things right with my daughter while I still had a chance to.”
Maddie looked in the direction of where Maddie's husband and Calvin sat. “You know what else you need to do, right?”
“Let's not go there; especially not today,” I said. Maddie needed to worry about her own problems and stay out of Calvin and my relationship.
“I'll drop it for now. But I believe Sade. Sade has no reason to lie about it.”
Maddie left me alone with my thoughts. Sade's reason for lying is that she wanted Calvin out of the way. Sade seemed to be jealous of the time I spent with Calvin. Those were the only explanations I could give for the disdain Sade had for Calvin.
I went in Maddie's kitchen and lit the candles on the long birthday cake trimmed in pink with the words happy sweet sixteen Sade. Calvin walked in the kitchen. “Need some help?”
“Yes. Can you hold the door for me so I won't drop this?”
“I got it, baby,” Calvin said.
“No. I think it's best that I carry it in.”
Calvin didn't argue with me. He held the door open. Sade's friends and the adults in attendance sang happy birthday to Sade.
“Mama, thank you,” Sade said as I placed the cake on the table.
Sade then hugged me. “This has been the best birthday ever.”
Those words brought joy to my heart. I smiled from the inside out. “Anything for my baby,” I responded. “Now make a wish.”
Sade looked at Brandon and then at me. I noticed she didn't look in Calvin's direction and that was hard since he stood right next to me. Sade bent down, closed her eyes, and blew out the candles. We all clapped.
I handed Sade the knife. “It's your birthday, so you get to cut the first slice of cake.”
Sade cut off a huge chunk of cake and placed it on the saucer. “This icing is good,” Sade said, while licking the icing off her fork.
“You go sit down with Brandon. I'll cut the rest of the cake,” I said.
Three hours later, the party was over and I was helping Maddie clean up. “Thanks again Maddie for letting me have Sade's party here.”
“To see her smile the way she did tonight, I would happily do it again.”
“I haven't seen her this happy in a long time.” By now, I'm sweeping the floor.
“I hope she holds on to this day because I hate seeing her sad.” Maddie sounded concerned about Sade.
I was glad Maddie and I mended our friendship, but there was one secret I hadn't shared with anyone. Before I lost my nerves, I blurted out, “I lost my job.”
Maddie stopped wiping off the table. “So sorry to hear that. When did this happen?”
“Earlier this week. I just hadn't felt like talking about it.”
“Did they say why you were let go?” Maddie asked.
“Because of excessive absences.” I decided to be upfront and it felt good talking about it with someone.
“That's messed up,” she said.
“Tell me about it.”
“So when were you going to tell me,” Calvin said from the doorway.
I almost tripped over my own feet. I was shocked to hear Calvin's voice. I stuttered, “When I got a chance to.”
Maddie looked at me and then at Calvin. “Calvin, I don't want no mess here. This is a conversation you two should be having in private.”
“Oh, you best believe we'll be talking about this. I came in here to get some beer and overhear you lost your job. That's messed up. I'm your husband, but here you are confiding in her.”
Maddie's husband was now standing in the room. “Calvin, now man, you won't come in my house and disrespect my wife.”
“Sorry, Zeke. Didn't mean no disrespect,” Calvin responded.
Zeke placed his arm around Maddie's waist to show their unity. Calvin had embarrassed me. All I wanted to do was get away. I could barely look Maddie in the face. I said, “Well, Maddie thanks again. Zeke, thank you too. Calvin, come on, it's time we get going anyway.”
Calvin and I walked to the car in silence. I could tell how Calvin walked that he was still upset. I was more embarrassed at Calvin's actions than mad. I got in the car. I glanced up at Maddie's house as we pulled from behind the house. I saw Maddie peeking out of her living room window.
Calvin's loud voice rang throughout the car as he pulled off. “I'm your husband and I shouldn't have to find out you were fired by walking in on a conversation.”
“I was going to tell you,” I responded.
“When? When the lights get turned off or as we're being kicked out of our apartment because there's no money to pay the rent?”
“It wouldn't
have gone that far.”
“Now I got to go hustle to make sure the bills get paid. You losing your job is making it hard on us.”
The more and more Calvin talked, the higher my blood pressure got. “I got fired because of you,” I blurted out.
“Oh, don't be blaming me. I don't go up on your job and do God's knows what,” Calvin yelled.
“I missed too many days of work. So yes, Calvin, it was all because of you. Satisfied now.”
Calvin stopped the car at the stop sign. “So how long ago did this happen Joyce and you better not lie to me either.”
“Monday.”
“You've been off since Monday, but yet, you've been leaving the house everyday like you've been going to work. Are you cheating on me?”
“Calvin, of course not. I should be asking you that question.”
“Woman, how many times have I told you to watch your mouth?”
“You're not my daddy. I can talk to you anyway I damn well please.”
“The hell you can.” Calvin rose up his hand and slapped me in the face with the back of his hand.
My face stung from the assault, but I wasn't taking this fight sitting down. I started hitting Calvin back. Calvin stopped for a few seconds because he was shocked that I hit him back. He started cursing. “You've lost your mind now Joyce. Now I'm a really beat your ass.”
He swung at me. Cars were honking their horns behind us, but Calvin didn't care. If anyone was looking inside of the car, all they would see were hands flying back and forth.
“I told you not to hit me again,” I said as I fought back.
Calvin and I were hitting each other, getting licks in where we could. Calvin's leg must have slipped off the brakes because we slid right into the intersection and an oncoming car crashed into my side of the car. The impact caused the car to spin around. I screamed out in pain. I saw Calvin slumped over the steering wheel with blood trickling down his forehead right before I became unconscious.
~46~
SADE
When Crystal called me to let me know that my mom and Calvin had been in a serious car accident, I started freaking out. Brandon tried to calm me down, but failed. As soon as Brandon pulled the car up in front of the hospital, I hopped out and headed through the emergency room doors.