Baby Momma

by Tosha Damaya

  Each man said the line, but one stood out to her. The other's men's voices were too thick or flat, but as soon as number six spoke, she got the chills, and her mind went back to that night. In her heart she knew it was him. "It's number six."

  Demetrius didn't show any emotion. "Are you sure?"

  Sydney looked over at him. "Yes, I'm positive. Can I go?"

  Demetrius nodded his head, and Sydney left the room and met Zeke outside. She ran to him, and he wrapped his arms around her, providing comfort. “You okay?”

  “I just need to breathe and get out of here.” She thought that the experience would be a lot worse than what it was, but being in the jail gave her the creeps.

  Zeke could understand her feelings. "Okay, let me speak with Demetrius and we can leave."

  "You stay. I'll call Sierra to pick me up."

  He didn't want her waiting outside of the jail. "No, take my car and I'll call Ethan to get me when everything is done."

  "Okay."

  They briefly kissed before Sydney left. Demetrius came out a few minutes later. He smiled at Zeke. "She hit it right on the nail. Now we have to get Mr. Jackson to admit to it."

  ≈

  Zeke watched again as Demetrius sat down to interview Ricky Jackson.

  Demetrius smiled at Ricky. "It's over for you, Mr. Jackson. The victim gave a positive ID.”

  Ricky cursed. “I want a deal,” he stated. “I’m still not telling you anything until I get a deal.”

  “Mr. Jackson, there's no way you're getting out of jail time sir."

  "There's no proof that I robbed that store. I could have easily found that purse on the street corner."

  Demetrius shrugged his shoulders. "That could be true, but you were arrested for driving under the influence and also drug possession. I think we found a pound of marijuana in your car. That could send you to prison, sir.”

  His eyes got large. “I didn’t have any drugs in my car. You’re setting me up.”

  Demetrius smiled. “No sir, it was found in your car along with a scale. I think that adds intent to sale charges as well,” he said, bluffing. He would never frame a man for a crime he didn’t commit.

  Demetrius was walking out of the room when Ricky Jackson started to squeal like a pig. “Okay, I did it. I robbed that woman, but it wasn’t my idea.”

  “Whose idea was it?”

  “I want a deal.”

  Zeke had to fight the urge to break the mirror. He took a deep breath and continued to listen.

  “Tell me whose idea is it and then we’ll talk about a deal. Maybe take away a few charges.”

  Ricky shook his head. “I don’t know their names. I was out at the bar drinking when they approached me.”

  “Do you remember what they looked like?”

  Ricky whistled. “They were gorgeous. Probably the two prettiest women I’ve ever seen. They came up to me and asked if I would do them a favor. Told me that some woman stole their money. They asked me to get it back for them.”

  Demetrius shook his head at the man’s stupidity. “What did they promise you in return?”

  “I could keep half the money.”

  “So how did you give them their half?”

  “We met at a park. I wanted to ask them out for dinner, so I followed them back to work.”

  That little info intrigued Demetrius. “Where do they work?”

  “In a fancy building downtown. James Consulting. I tried to get inside, but the security guard wouldn’t let me in.”

  “If they only wanted money, why did you hurt the store owner?"

  "I don't remember hurting her, but I was also high on drugs that night. The only thing I remember is getting money and leaving."

  Demetrius paused to gather his thoughts. He wanted to make sure he didn't forget something. "Are you aware that the store you robbed recently burned down?"

  "I saw it on the news. I didn't have anything to do with it."

  For some odd reason, Demetrius believed the man. "Give me a moment, Mr. Jackson."

  He got up from the table and went to where Zeke was waiting. Demetrius found him pacing in the room. "Next step is going over to James Consulting and finding a connection between their employees and Sydney."

  Zeke stopped pacing and stared at Demetrius. "There isn't a need to do that. My ex-girlfriend works at James Consulting. Her father owns the company.

  Demetrius realized Zeke was right. Danielle James. "Shit. I wonder who the other woman is."

  "I don't know, but we need to figure it out, and I need to get in contact with Sydney.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Danielle was sitting at her desk, looking at photos on her phone. Over the weekend, she and Jonathan went on a quick trip to Dallas. During the day, they spent time sightseeing and at night, they went dancing and listened to music. It was a quick getaway where they could just focus on the two of them. A small part of her wanted to run away with Jonathan so that no one would be involved in their relationship. She wanted to run away so she could keep her secrets.

  Continuing to look at the photos, she focused on Jonathan's face and the smile that adorned it. He was a good man, and she felt terrible for using him. At first it started out as a game, but now she was beginning to like him. He didn’t deserve to be a part of the revenge plan she had for Sydney and Zeke.

  She’d personally hunted him down, when she learned from Alana that Sydney had a brother. The plan was to use him to drive a wedge between the families. When she "accidently" bumped into him at the hospital, she didn't expect him to be so handsome and charming. At that moment, she felt an instant connection and regretted not meeting him under better circumstances.

  "Nice pictures."

  Danielle flipped her phone over. She hadn't noticed Alana spying over her shoulder.

  "Shouldn't you be working?"

  Alana shrugged her shoulders. "It's lunch time. Let's gets something to eat. Aren't you eating for two?" she finished with a laugh.

  Danielle didn't think the cruel joke was funny. No.

  Alana knew that she wasn't pregnant. Jonathan thought she was, but it was all a lie. She should've never made it up, because he was happy that he was becoming a father. She needed to tell him the truth.

  "I'm meeting Jonathan for lunch."

  Alana looked disgusted. "Why? You're acting like you like him."

  "I do. I think I'm going to tell him everything today."

  Alana snorted. "And what do you expect to happen after he learns that you got his sister robbed and put in the hospital? Do you think he's still going to be with you? If so, then you must be stupid."

  Danielle looked at the woman that she met just a few months ago and realized that she’d made a mistake becoming friends with her.

  When Alana moved back to Austin, she started at James Consulting as an executive assistant. After Alana's first week, a bunch of employees took her out to dinner, and she joined. That night, Danielle learned that she and Alana had a lot in common, including both having sex with Zeke Coleman. While she had a full on relationship with Zeke, Alana explained that they only shared a night, but she thought it could be something more. She was upset when Zeke never called.

  After a few glasses of wine, Danielle informed Alana that Zeke was in love with his best friend, Sydney. Hearing the information put Alana over the edge. Danielle then learned that Alana was friends with Sydney, but it was apparent that Alana was jealous of Sydney and was more of an enemy. In their drunken stupor, they made plans to get revenge on Sydney and Zeke.

  It started out with Danielle calling Zeke's house while Sydney was there and acting like they had a date planned. It was then Alana's idea for them go to Sydney's favorite restaurant for the business meeting. That same day, Alana called Sydney's ex Davis and encouraged him to take Sydney out. It was just a coincidence that Sydney ended up calling him first. At the restaurant, everything fell into place. She was there with Zeke when Davis and Sydney arrived. Danielle could admit that it brought her pleasure
to see the chaos she and Alana caused.

  Danielle and Alana met again afterward, and Alana laughed when Danielle told her about the fight between Davis and Zeke. Danielle was done playing games, but Alana wanted to cause more havoc on Zeke and Sydney. She thought Alana was playing when she suggested having Sydney robbed. Danielle went along with it until she realized it was happening. When Ricky came to them with money, she was shocked. She didn’t think that drunk would go through with it.

  At this point, Danielle felt like everything was a mess, and she wanted to come clean. She couldn't walk around with all of this guilt weighing on her anymore.

  "I have to take this chance, Alana. I'm tired of holding it all in. If there is a chance that I could be with Jonathan, I want it based on honesty. I've lied so much I don't know what's true or false."

  Alana's eyes went wide. "What if he goes to the police?"

  "That's something that I have to risk."

  Alana was fuming. "Fine, go to lunch with you little boyfriend. I'll find another lunch partner," Alana said, storming out of the office.

  Danielle ignored her little outburst and grabbed her things to leave.

  ≈

  She met Jonathan for pizza. While she waited for him to arrive, she drowned her nerves in a glass of wine.

  "Danny, what are you doing?” Jonathan shouted, grabbing the glass out of her hands. "You can't drink while you're pregnant."

  Jonathan sat across from her and ordered her water to drink instead. When the waiter left, Danielle told Jonathan the truth. "I'm not pregnant."

  "Did you lose the baby?" he asked concerned. "Why didn't you call me?'

  Danielle took a deep breath. "I was never pregnant."

  He didn't believe her. "I saw the ultrasound picture."

  "The ultrasound I showed you belonged to a cousin of mine." Jonathan was a paramedic and often worked crazy hours, so she lied and told him that she had a doctor's appointment without him. So many lies.

  "What type of person would lie about a pregnancy? That shit doesn't make any sense, Danny? Did you do that so that I would propose to you?"

  "No, of course not."

  "Then, why?"

  "I did it to make Sydney and Zeke jealous. I wanted to hurt them."

  Jonathan felt stupid. He stood beside this woman against his family and she was feeding him lies the entire time. Since the dinner at his parents' house, he hadn't spoken to his sisters because he wanted to show Danielle support. "You made me look like an idiot; believe it or not, I love you. There was no need to pretend to be pregnant."

  "I know, Jon."

  "So you lied about not knowing that I was related to Sydney also?"

  She felt ashamed. "Yes."

  "Is there anything else I need to know, Danny?"

  She was hesitant but wanted to tell the truth. "There's so much I need to say to you."

  She let it all out from the beginning to the end. Jonathan sat and listened, but felt disgusted at the things that Danielle had done. He felt disappointment in himself for not knowing what a deceptive woman she was.

  "You're evil."

  "Jon-"

  "No, I gave you the chance to talk, now it's my turn. You're an evil bitch. I've never wanted to hurt a woman as much as I want to hurt you right now. If I were you, I would leave, because my hands are close to reaching across that table to strangle you."

  Tears started to fall down her face. "Jon-"

  "What would've happened if that man killed my sister? Then what? You're playing with people's lives, Danielle. Your lies not only affect me, but my entire family, and I've wasted so much of my time on you. Everything we've shared has been a lie."

  She shook her head. "It wasn't. I care about you, Jon. I came here to tell you the truth because I want a future with you."

  He laughed. "That shit isn't happening. I don't want anything to do with you. My suggestion is for you to turn yourself in. If you don't do it, I'm contacting the police department." Jonathan laughed again. He just couldn't believe this shit was happening. He got up from his seat.

  "I was ready to marry you. Thank God I didn't."

  ≈

  Danielle left the restaurant in tears. Alana was right, she was stupid for thinking that Jonathan was going to stay with her after revealing everything. She cleaned her face up in the car and went back to her office to finish working. It didn't matter that she was the boss' daughter. Her father still expected her to work under any circumstance.

  She was going through emails when there was a knock on her door. Expecting it to be one of the employees, she yelled for the person to come in.

  "What do you need?" she asked while still looking at the computer screen.

  "We need for you to come down to the police station, Ms. James."

  Danielle then looked at the people in her office. Standing there were two patrol deputies "Is there something wrong?"

  "Yes, you're under arrest for aiding and abetting the robbery of Sydney Adams."

  Danielle panicked when the officers came and lifted her from the chair. She’d never been arrested before. She started to sob when the handcuffs were tightened around her small wrists. She barely heard the detective as she was read her Miranda Rights.

  All of the employees stared as she was taken out of the building.

  "Someone call my father!" she yelled before being placed inside of the police car.

  ≈

  Zeke was present at the jail, but didn't allow Danielle to see him. Just like with Ricky, Zeke stood behind the mirror and listened as Demetrius interviewed Danielle. He didn't feel sorry for her and hoped that she served prison time. Her family had money, and she already had a lawyer, but there was no way that she could walk away from something like this without serving time. He could give two fucks for the tears she was shedding. She put not only Sydney's life in danger, but also his babies.

  “I’m Detective Rice, and I'm leading this investigation. Ms. James, you're being arrested for charges related to the robbery and physical attack on Sydney Adams. We know that you didn't do this alone; we also know that the other woman works with you. Who is she?"

  "You don't have to answer that question," Danielle's lawyer interrupted.

  "No, I want to." Danielle closed her eyes and gathered her thoughts. "I didn't mean for her to get hurt. It wasn't my idea. I honestly thought it was a joke.”

  "Whose idea was it?"

  "Alana Castro. She's infatuated with Zeke and dislikes Sydney and wants to hurt her. She's been jealous of Sydney for years."

  "Where is Alana Castro?"

  Danielle shrugged her shoulders. "I last saw her at work before lunch time. She wanted to talk, but I told her that I was planning on telling Sydney's brother the truth. She left angry after that."

  Hearing that information put Zeke on high alert. He pulled out his cell phone and tried to call Sydney. The phone continued to ring before going to voicemail. He’d been attempting to reach her for the last thirty minutes without success. He called the store as a last resort.

  "Sydney's store," Mr. Adams answered.

  "Mr. Adams is Sydney there?"

  "I'm sorry son, but she left earlier today. An old friend of hers came and took her out to lunch."

  "Who was it?"

  “Her old friend, Alana."

  Zeke's heart dropped to his feet. He hoped and prayed that Sydney was okay.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Zeke sat in the living room with his mother and Sydney's parents and watched the morning news. It was a surreal experience listening to the news report on Sydney's kidnapping. Hello, Austin. The top story involves a missing pregnant woman by the name of Sydney Adams. Ms. Adams was last seen having lunch with a friend of hers. That friend has been identified as Alana Castro. Austin Police Department believes Alana is involved in the kidnapping of Ms. Adams. All of the details have not been provided, but it appears that Alana Castro also participated in the robbery where Sydney Adams was held at gunpoint.

  Ms. Castro is
driving a white Mazda license plate number C87GH5. On the screen is a picture of both women. Sydney Adams is the African American woman on the right. If you have any information on their location, please contact the Austin Police Department. Alana's family is pleading for her to turn herself in, and Sydney's family is praying that she and the twins that she is carrying, will be okay.

  Zeke picked the remote up and turned the television off, unable to hear anymore. Two days had passed since Sydney went missing. Two days since his heart had slowly began breaking into pieces. He felt helpless and didn’t know what to do at this point. If it were up to him, he would be out walking the streets looking her, but his family forced him to stay home to rest. That wasn’t possible until Sydney, and their babies, were safe in his arms. Sleeping was the last thing on his mind.

  He and the rest of the family joined the search parties with the police department and local volunteers. Everyone was devastated by the situation. Sierra was taking it pretty rough and broke down into tears whenever someone mentioned Sydney. Zeke felt like it was his fault that Sydney was missing. Maybe if he had never slept with Alana, this wouldn’t have happened. After Sydney identified Ricky at the jail, he should’ve left with her instead of staying. He felt like he failed at protecting the woman he loved. But more than that, he failed at protecting their unborn children.

  Standing up from the couch, Zeke took a walk outside onto his back patio. As he stared into his backyard, he thought about all of the plans he’d made. He wanted to put a playground in the yard when the kids got older and even planned on building an in-ground pool so they could have somewhere to swim during the summer. He prayed those plans weren't out of his reach. The biggest plan he had was proposing to Sydney.

  Zeke considered himself a strong man, but the thought of something possibly happening to Sydney made him weak and tested his strength. Both families spent time with him in the daytime to provide comfort, but at night when he was alone, he broke down and cried like a baby. The only other time he shed a tear was when his father died. The thought of Sydney and his children not making it put a lump in his throat and the tears started to fall again. Not wanting anyone to see him in this weakened state, he wiped the tears away with his shirt.