First Love

by Tiya Rayne

  The day the story broke on Peyton, I was at my limit. The things they said about my daughter were outrageous. I don’t care what the situation is, no one should talk about a person’s child. No reputable news outlet would show a picture of Peyton, but it didn’t stop other outlets from posting pictures of her. They said that Peyton wasn’t Luke’s, and that she didn’t look mixed enough. Some people said that the only reason Luke was with me was because of the child. I’ve been keeping Peyton inside ever since the story about her came out. Langston was able to keep the paparazzi out of our yard. At least there is that. It’s truly been hell these last few weeks. My daughter was going crazy, missing her dad and being stuck inside. My mom finally convinced me today to let her take Peyton out.

  “Did you get it?” I ask my sister as she walks back into the house.

  She drops the drug store bag onto the counter in the kitchen.

  “Yep. I bought three. It’s always important to take more than one of these, so I’ve heard.”

  I nod my head at Maya and pick up the drug store bag with the pregnancy test inside. Yep, I’m pretty sure I’m pregnant. That first time Luke and I were together, he never opened the damn box of condoms. I remember them very clearly sitting on the bed unopened as he made love to me.

  “This is ridiculous. How am I going to have another baby if I can’t even go out to the store and pick up a damn test?”

  “Relax, Zora. It won’t be like this always.”

  “Yeah, that’s what we said three weeks ago. It doesn’t help that that psychotic bitch won’t stay off the damn TV.”

  “Cut her some slack, you did take her man. She’s just butt hurt. Eventually everyone will get tired of her crocodile tears and she’ll move on. Look on the bright side, at least this time if the test is positive, you don’t have to worry about anyone telling you to get an abortion. At this point mom and dad would probably snatch it from you and raise it themselves.”

  I chuckle at her joke. Maya and I have come a long way in these last few weeks. We’ve bonded over this scandal and planning her wedding.

  “Well go on and take the test. I need to know if you’re going to be fat at my wedding.” She gives me a smile. I nod again, ready to go pee on a stick when the TV catches my attention. It’s another bogus story about me.

  When they couldn’t get any of us to talk, reporters started interviewing the people around town. Of course they had a lot to say. I was troublesome. I’m homeless. I ran away because I was on drugs. I’ve always been a horrible person. I’ve had a spell on Luke since high school. The most shocking interview came from Luke’s father. I almost didn’t recognize the man. Some reporter had caught him getting into his truck.

  “Mr. Trent, what do you think of the accusations that Zora Henderson lured your son away from his fiancée?”

  Mr. Trent turned to look at the man. “Zora Henderson lured my son alright. She’s been luring that boy since he was in middle school. I’m just glad that she finally caught him. Everyone needs to leave those kids alone. Let them be happy for once.” With that he turned and climbed back into his new truck. That was three days after the story broke.

  It only took me eight minutes to sit back at the kitchen counter with two very positive pregnancy tests. There was no need for the third. Luke and I were having another baby. I was happy, yet scared. My life felt like high school all over again. This time the taunts were on a much bigger scale. There were a lot more death threats and they added a few more words to their name calling. I imagine if it comes out that I am pregnant, the media frenzy will start back up.

  My parents have been pleading with me to move back home for good, since we are unsure how long Luke will be remaining silent. I still wasn’t sure about moving back but I was terrified for when Peyton went back to school. No matter where she went back, it was going to be hard for her.

  Just then, the front door burst open. I can hear the sound of my daughter crying. I stand from the table, and the moment I do, Peyton runs into my arms. Her little body shaking with her tears.

  “What’s wrong? What happened?”

  I’m pretty sure the panic attack I’m about to have is not good for the baby.

  Chapter Twenty- Two

  T he sound of the weights clanking was soothing my irritated nerves. It’s been three weeks since I last saw my girls. This bullshit story was nowhere close to dying down. We were a week away from starting training camp and once it started it would limit the small amount of time I had to talk to them. Peyton FaceTime’s me every thirty minutes. Sometimes it’s to talk and sometimes she just wants to see my face and tell me she loves me. I don’t care where I am or what I am doing, the moment my baby girl calls I’ll stop everything to talk to her. I had so much time I needed to make up for with her. I missed her more and more each day. I’ve already started looking for a bigger place. I wanted something as big as the farmhouse back home. I couldn’t wait to move Zora and Peyton up here with me. My penthouse was not suitable to raise a family in. I wanted a house with a yard so Peyton could run around and play. I’ve had visions of my little family spending vacations in our farm house back home. Hell, I wanted enough room so that Zora and I could start expanding our family. I was serious about Zora being mine. I was done with condoms. I wanted her stomach full with my babies every chance I could get it. Until she told me enough was enough. And I was going to marry her. I had already picked out the ring. It would be on her finger now if it wasn’t for this bullshit.

  I grunt as I lift the heavy weights over my head one last time, then with the help of Marshawn, I drop it back in the metal bars over my head.

  “Damn, you must really got some pent up aggression. You just killed that shit.”

  I sit up on the bench, using a towel to wipe the sweat off my face.

  “Yeah, you could say that.”

  “You missing your girls?” Marshawn takes a seat in the nearest weight bench in front of me.

  “Like crazy. I’m ready for this crap to die down. I’m sick of everyone telling me to keep my head down and be quiet. Meanwhile Melissa has been on every damn network that will have her. I’m tired of being silent.” I admit.

  I know I’m the face of the Cougars franchise, and that comes with certain responsibility. I have endorsements that I have to be mindful of. When the story first broke, I lost a few deals. Scott was more pissed than I was. When the story broke that Zora wasn’t an actual prostitute, I was saved from losing a lot more deals. But I was still on rocky ground with a few of my major endorsements. Nike was back in deliberation and hadn’t returned any of Scott’s calls. I understood the importance of needing to keep my mouth shut, but it was still hard.

  “Yeah, Melissa turned out to be a psycho bitch.” Marshawn admits. “But you came out on top. Your baby mama fine as hell. I had no idea you were in to the sisters. I could have hooked you up a long time ago.”

  I laugh at his joke. “Call her my girlfriend, fiancée, or soon to be wife. Zora is a lot more than just my baby mama.” I correct lightly.

  Marshawn throws his hands up. “That black girl magic got you sprung.” He jokes. “Don’t worry, it happens to the best of us.” I crack up laughing. “Did my niece get her jersey?”

  I laugh harder. It seems that Marshawn is more excited than anyone about Peyton. He was at the house one time she called, and he got to talk to her. Ever since then, she has had him wrapped around her finger. He wasn’t the only one. My sister and nephews were dying to meet her. I had to talk my parents out of showing up at the Henderson’s house when I told them about her. They are thrilled. After I saw the interview on the news my dad did, I was so proud, I bought him a truck just like mine. He was thankful, told me he didn’t need anything from me and was just glad we were talking again. I’ve already decided that I was going to get them a house.

  My phone vibrates in my pocket. I pull it out and it’s Zora’s face that lights up the screen. I smile.

  “Uh oh, I know that has to be Baby girl, or her mama.” Mar
shawn jokes.

  I answer the phone. “Hey Darlin’.”

  “Luke.” Her voice cracks, putting me on high alert.

  I sit up straight in my seat. “What’s wrong? Is Peyton alright?” Marshawn watches me with concern in his eyes.

  “Luke, I can’t do this anymore. I can’t…”

  “Zora, calm down, baby. Talk to me. What’s going on?”

  “I’m pregnant.”

  Shit, I shouldn’t be smiling this much when she’s crying, but hearing her say those word has my chest swelling with pride.

  “Darlin’ that’s great news. I’m happy. This time we don’t have to worry about who doesn’t like it.”

  “Luke, I’m pregnant. You’re hundreds of miles away. We can’t even be seen together. I couldn’t even go to the store to buy the damn pregnancy test. We are a prisoner in my parents’ house. And today, a man came up to Peyton and called her a Nigger.”

  My hand almost crushed the phone I was holding it so tight. I couldn’t describe my rage. If I were anywhere near that man I would be in jail for murder right now.

  “Where is she?” My voice was deep from the anger I was trying to keep pent up inside me.

  “Sleep now. She was terrified and confused. Poor thing cried until she passed out. He told her that she was the nigger baby that would cost you your career. My father ran the man off, but the damage was done. When it was just the two of us, I could be strong. I would fight any bully for you, but now we have Peyton and another on the way. I can’t let our kids go through what we went through. They didn’t sign up for this.”

  “I know you’re angry, baby, I am too. But you are talking like you’re giving up on us. And I told you that’s not happening.”

  “Think about your kids, Luke.”

  I raise my voice. “I am thinking about my fucking kids.” Marshawn quirks an eyebrow at me in confusion. I run a hand through my sweat damp hair. I bring my voice back down when I speak again. “Zora, I am thinking about my kids. Which is why I say you’re not running again. We are it for each other. I won’t let you go. We are raising our kids together.”

  “I wouldn’t keep them away from you.”

  “It would be hard to do when we’re all living in the same house.”

  Zora sighs through the phone.

  “It will all blow over soon. Just be patient, Zora.”

  “That’s easy for you to say. You’re not the one that’s getting dragged through the mud. It’s not you that can’t leave the house without getting nasty words thrown in their face. I can’t go on social media without being called ugly, fat, black, monkey, whore, and every despicable demeaning word in the world. You aren’t the one receiving death threats or calming your daughter down as she cries in your arms because she thinks she’s why everyone is angry at her mother. You don’t get to tell me to be patient. It’s not you they hate, Luke.”

  She was right. I was wasn’t the one they were attacking. I was the one being silent while the people I loved more than anything in the world suffered.

  “You’re right. I’m sorry you are going through this without me. Give me time to…..”

  “I don’t have time, Luke. I’m going back to Chicago.”

  “Zora? Zora!” I call through the phone even though I knew she had already hung up.

  FUUCCKK! I shout as I throw my phone across the room. It shatters on impact.

  “What happened? What’s going on?” Marshawn asks.

  “I need a favor. Can you get your agent to book something for me?” I was done playing the silent game. I refused to lose Zora again.

  ************

  “Welcome back to Live with Jimmy and Lauren. I’m Jimmy Carter.”

  “And I’m Lauren Fisher.” The blonde haired bubbly anchor says.

  “And you are watching Live with Jimmy and Lauren!” They say in unison and the audience erupts cheers.

  “Today,” Jimmy continues once the crowd quiets down. “We have a last minute, very special guest. You all know heartthrob, and NFL quarterback Luke Trent from the Cougars and maybe those sexy Cologne ads.” Jimmy gives a sly wink.

  Screams and cheers from the audience.

  “But recently he’s been in the news after pictures were released of his affair with the waitress, Zora Henderson.”

  The crowd boo’s.

  “For the first time since the news broke, Luke is speaking out about it. And he’s here on our show to do it. Come on out, Luke.” Lauren calls me out and I walk out on to the stage.

  The audience are on their feet clapping and cheering. I shake hands with Jimmy and kiss Lauren on the cheek before taking a seat.

  “It’s good to have you, Luke.” Lauren says. “We’ve had your ex-fiancée on here just last week.”

  “Yeah, you and a few other people.”

  Lauren chuckles and so does the audience.

  “So Luke, you called our show because you wanted to get your side of the story out. Tell me, how will you telling your side change things? I mean, you don’t deny that you were seeing the waitress while you were still engaged to Melissa.”

  I swallow, I knew this wasn’t going to be easy, but I was doing this for my family.

  “No I don’t deny that.” As soon as the words leave my mouth the audience starts booing again.

  Jimmy gets the audience to quiet down.

  “So when did you meet the waitress and what made her so special?”

  That was the question I was waiting on. “I met Zora Henderson when I was six years old, and the moment she smiled at me, she became special.”

  I go on to tell the world mine and Zora’s story. I leave out some things, especially the really ugly attacks that Zora lived through. I tell them how I crushed on her all through school. How I never thought I could be with her. I then tell them about that car ride in the rain. Jimmy made fun of how nervous I was that day. I briefly tell them about the hate we experienced from our town and families. I then tell them about the break up, how she thought letting me go would allow me to have my dreams come true. I told them about my daughter, and how incredible she is. We spoke on the eight year separation and how I met her again in the grocery store. I admitted that the moment I saw her I knew that I still loved her and that we tried to be friends but couldn’t. I told them about how I called Melissa the night before the pictures came out and told her the truth. When I finished telling my story the entire audience was sniffling. Even Lauren was wiping at her eyes.

  “So why stay silent. Why not tell your truth from the beginning.” Jimmy asks the question I knew he would.

  “Bad advice.” I admit. “I listened to others instead of listening to my heart. I will never forgive myself for remaining silent this long. I made her feel like she was alone in all this. I allowed people the freedom to say what they wanted about my family.” I turned to the camera right beside me. “And to the coward that called my daughter that ugly name, next time you feel the need to approach my seven year old with your ignorant racist bull crap, make sure you do it when I’m around.” I made sure the threat was clear in my eyes.

  No one would ever hurt my daughter and get away with it.

  The audience cheers again.

  “Wow!” Jimmy says. “I had no idea there was this much to the story.”

  “You really love her.” Lauren says it as if she’s just now realizing it.

  “With all my heart. I’m telling her and everyone else, I’m going to marry that woman.”

  The crowd cheers and claps again. Jimmy quiets them down.

  “Wait, are you telling me we have a proposal on our show.”

  This time, the audience goes wild.

  “Yeah,” I admit. I turn back to that same camera. “I know you are watching this Zora. I have loved you since I was six years old. I let you go once, Darlin’ but I refuse to let you go again. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I don’t care if we get married in a church, outside, or at a court house, I just want you. Hell, I’ll even pay for Boys II Men if
you want them. I just need you to say yes.”

  The audience lets out a collective sigh.

  “You heard him, Zora. If you are watching this, call the show now and give Luke your answer. I think our audience and the millions of people watching would like to know your answer.”

  The audience goes crazy again.

  I pull my phone out of my pocket and wave it at the camera. “What will it be, Darlin’? This time, I refuse to let them win.”

  Another round of squeals and screams from the crowd, but my phone doesn’t ring.

  Jimmy and Lauren look nervously at each other. Another second pass and still only silence from my phone.

  “I don’t know, Luke. Your phone hasn’t rung yet.”

  “I’ll wait forever for this girl, Jimmy.”

  “Uhh, maybe we should go to break.” Lauren says nervously looking to the producer in front of me. Suddenly my phone lights up and the crowd goes crazy. I click the phone and put it on speaker.

  “This better be you,” I say smiling into the phone. “What took you so long?”

  Her voice comes out loud and clear through the speaker. “I had to make you sweat it out a bit.”

  The crowd laughs and so do I.

  “Give me and answer, Baby?”

  She chuckles through the phone and I’m on pins and needles to hear her reply.

  “Yes!”

  The crowd is on their feet cheering and clapping. Jimmy is patting my back and Lauren is wiping tears from her eyes.

  “I love you, Zora Nicole Henderson.”

  “I love you, too, Luke Ryan Trent. Now come get your family.”

  “I’m on my way.”

  Epilogue

  I run my hands down the side of my dress. The intricate details of the beading along the bodice is exquisite. My make-up is flawless and my hair is tamed in a neat side bun. The church is crowded today. My mother is running around like a busy bee making sure all the last minute details are perfect.