Heartbreak And Past Mistakes

by Chenell Parker

  “Oh, I’m your boss when you want to take an extended lunch break,” Lyric laughed.

  “You’re my boss all the time, even when you piss me off,” Jared countered.

  He grabbed a magazine as Lyric complained about having to wait for so long. She was too damn impatient and they hadn’t even been in there for ten minutes yet. When the door chimed again, Lyric was about to say something about having to wait even longer, but her breath got caught in her throat.

  “Oh shit,” she hissed under her breath loud enough for Jared to hear.

  “What?” Jared asked as he looked over at her.

  “That’s Bronx,” she whispered as Jared looked around at the few men who were in there waiting with other women.

  “Who? Which one is Bronx?” he asked louder than he needed to.

  “I’m Bronx,” he said when he walked over and stood in front of them.

  “Don’t come in here with all that dumb shit. Jared is just my friend,” Lyric spoke up.

  “What’s up bruh?” Bronx nodded as he extended his fist towards Jared.

  “I’m good,” Jared said as he extended his fist and pounded the other man’s.

  “I got it from here, but thanks for bringing her. Oh, and your girl said don’t forget to bring her something to eat,” Bronx replied.

  “Bet. See you later Lyric,” Jared smirked as he got up and walked out of the office.

  “Picture me going to your job to bring you some lunch and find out that you had a doctor’s appointment,” Bronx said as he looked down at Lyric angrily.

  “And? What’s your point?” Lyric questioned flippantly.

  She flinched when Bronx leaned down close to her face and grabbed her cheeks. His peppermint scented breath tickled her nostrils as he spoke.

  “See, I fucked up when I let you meet Bronx first, but allow me to introduce you to Deuce. Whenever your spoiled, stubborn ass have a doctor’s appointment or anything else that has to do with my child that you’re carrying, I better be the first one to know about it. Are we clear?” Bronx asked as he squeezed her cheeks harder.

  Lyric couldn’t speak, so she only nodded her head to let him know that she understood what he was saying. As soon as he let her go, the double doors opened and one of the nurses walked out.

  “Lyric Carter,” she said as she looked around the room.

  “Come on,” Bronx said as he walked away to where the woman was standing.

  Lyric got up and followed him to the back and into an examination room. Once she disrobed, the doctor checked her out and asked her a few questions. He gave Lyric a prescription for some more prenatal vitamins and she was done soon after. She hadn’t said anything to Bronx the whole while they were there, but he asked about a few things that he wanted to know. When they gave Lyric a new appointment, he took it before grabbing her hand and walking out of the office.

  “Let me go!” Lyric snapped as she pulled away from him.

  She followed him to his truck and got inside when he opened the door. The smell of food hit Lyric as soon as she sat down. Bronx opened the back door and grabbed a plate of food off the seat that he handed to her. It was still warm and Lyric wasted no time digging in. She didn’t know where the food came from, but it was good as hell. She hadn’t had a home cooked meal like that in a while and she didn’t mind having a little more.

  “You’re welcome with your rude ass,” he said as he drove away.

  “Thank you,” Lyric said like she really didn’t want to.

  “You can go ahead and kill that attitude too. How you get mad behind some shit that you did?” he asked while shaking his head.

  “Where did you get this food from?” she asked him.

  “Why? You want some more?” he countered.

  “Do you have some more?” she inquired.

  “Yeah, my grandmother cooked that,” he replied as he drove in the opposite direction of her job.

  “Where are you going?” she asked as she looked around.

  “You just said that you wanted some more food. We’re about to go get it,” he noted.

  “No Bronx. I have to go back to work,” Lyric replied.

  “Your cousin said that you didn’t,” Bronx informed her.

  “She can’t make no decisions like that,” Lyric fussed as she grabbed her phone to call Nova.

  “Yeah cousin,” Nova said as she answered on the first ring.

  “Why did you tell Bronx that I didn’t have to come back to work?” Lyric questioned.

  “Because you don’t. Mr. Malone is gone for the day and, when I finish what I’m doing for him, he said that I could leave too. He was coming to tell you the same thing but I told him that you were at lunch,” Nova replied.

  “Oh, and I’m fucking you up when I see you. Don’t be telling nobody my whereabouts,” Lyric said.

  “I didn’t tell him where you were. I told him where his baby was. It ain’t my fault that you’re the one who’s carrying it. Be mad with yourself for that,” Nova laughed before she hung up the phone.

  “Talkative ass,” Lyric said while rolling her eyes.

  “Just evil,” Bronx mumbled.

  “I still need to go to the office. My car is there,” Lyric noted.

  “I know but we need to talk first,” Bronx replied.

  “We talked already. I’m good on that,” Lyric said.

  When she went to meet his family, she and Bronx sat in his truck and talked for a while. Lyric was honest with him about how she felt and he apologized for making her feel that way. He begged her to give him another chance, but she just couldn’t do it. The trust was broken and she didn’t know if they could get come back from that.

  “When did we talk? All I remember is you cursing me out and calling me a dog. I sat there and listened for over two hours while you told me how you felt. You didn’t even care about my feelings.”

  “Fuck your feelings! However you feel is your fault!” Lyric yelled.

  “And I take full responsibility for that. All I ask is that you forgive me,” Bronx pleaded.

  “Forgiving you is the easy part. Trusting you is going to be hard,” Lyric admitted.

  “You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one,” Bronx noted.

  “Who says that my next chapter of life will include you? We share a child and nothing more,” Lyric said.

  “I get it Lyric. You’re scared and you have every right to be. I cheated on my wife with you and, in your mind, I’ll do it to you too.”

  “Eventually, you will. I’ll probably do whatever your wife did to piss you off and it’ll be on to the next one,” Lyric replied.

  “I don’t know what you heard but allow me to tell my own story,” Bronx said when he pulled up to his grandmother’s house and parked.

  Lyric gave him her undivided attention as he ran everything down to her. He told her about his life in the streets and all about how his father was killed. Kierra was never one to tell anyone else’s business, so Lyric didn’t know that her cousin Zina’s marriage was in such bad shape. Lyric understood his situation a little better but that still didn’t make it right.

  “Why didn’t you just leave if things were so bad?” Lyric asked him.

  “I left several times and she always begged me to come back. She would do right for a while but old habits die hard. I got divorce papers drawn up long before I met you but I never filed them in court until recently. I really wanted her to change and I gave her several chances to get it right. Meeting you was like a breath of fresh air and I needed that.”

  “This is crazy. I went to your club with your wife a few months back. I would have never expected this outcome,” Lyric said.

  “I only kept that club in memory of my father. Every time I mention selling it, my mama damn near lose her mind,” Deuce laughed.

  “I guess this is your home for a while,” Lyric said as she looked towards his grandmother’s house.

  “Unless you let me come stay with you,” h
e smirked.

  “I’d rather set my house on fire and let the insurance pay for a new one,” Lyric replied.

  “Damn. You hate me that much,” Bronx wanted to know.

  “I don’t hate you at all,” Lyric admitted.

  “You’re trying to get over me, but I’ll never let that happen,” Bronx swore.

  “What makes you think that?” Lyric asked.

  “I’m not stupid Lyric. You be scared to be around me now. I bring you lunch and you send your cousin out to get it. I was at your mama’s house for hours and you didn’t come out of the room once. It’s okay though, baby. I’m patient and I’ll give you all the time you need. I have to earn your trust again but I don’t have a problem doing that. Getting over me will never happen though. If anything, I’m gonna make you remember why you fell in love with me,” Bronx said as he got out of the truck and walked around to open the door for her.

  “Lord help me,” Lyric mumbled.

  Bronx was chipping away at the ice that had formed around her heart and that wasn’t good. Being angry only lasted so long, but she couldn’t keep that up forever. Her parents seemed to have forgiven him and he was always at their house. Melody was helping him get his credit right so that he could buy him a home. Lyric had gone back to her own house and Bronx knew not to even try to go over there. For the sake of their unborn child, they decided to be cordial with each other. Anything other than that, Lyric honestly didn’t know.

  Chapter 30

  “I’ve been to several doctor’s appointments and you never once asked me how your child was doing,” Jena said as she argued with Spencer.

  “That’s because I don’t care. You wanted to keep it so that’s your baby,” Spencer replied.

  “Fuck you, Spencer! You can be prepared to dish out half of your paycheck for child support when the baby does get here,” Jena warned.

  “I’m signing over my rights, so I won’t be paying a dime,” Spencer smirked.

  “Signing over your rights doesn’t make you free from financial responsibility. Don’t try to play me for a fool. Javier keeps me up to date on the law,” Jena said with an evil smile.

  When Jena told Javier about how Spencer was doing her, he was all too happy to give her some legal advice. He even offered to call in a favor to one of his friends at family court if she needed to be represented. Lyric must have had some magical pussy because she had Javier gone. He wanted Spencer in the worst way and Jena was all too happy to benefit from his hate.

  “Get the fuck out of my office bitch. Fuck you and fuck Javier,” Spencer spat as he opened the door and shoved her out.

  “Put your hands on me again and I’ll have you arrested and press charges,” Jena threatened.

  “Bum ass bitch. That’s what happens when you’re jealous of your best friend and want everything that she has. Lyric is still winning and you’re still a bottom feeder,” Spencer said, hitting her where he knew it hurt.

  Jena tried to play tough, but her feelings were like paper. Saying the wrong thing ripped her to shreds and reduced her to tears. She hurriedly rushed out of Spencer’s office and into the bathroom before he could see her cry. As soon as she walked through the door, she wanted to turn right back around. Sabrina was standing there with one of her legs up on the sink and her lady parts exposed. She had some feminine wipes cleaning between her legs like she was in a private stall.

  “Really Sabrina? What if it was somebody else besides me who walked in here? That’s just gross.” Jena frowned as she hurriedly wiped the tears from her eyes.

  “It is the women’s bathroom. It ain’t like they never saw a pussy before. Tremaine’s nasty ass wanted to go another round this morning.”

  “He’s not the only nasty one. Why didn’t you take a shower when you were done?” Jena questioned.

  “Maybe because we were in the parking lot in my car,” Sabrina said with a devilish grin.

  “I’m sorry I even asked,” Jena replied.

  “How did it go yesterday with your doctor’s appointment and interview?” Sabrina questioned.

  Jena had been on two job interviews for state jobs, but no one had called her back yet. She took the entire day before off because she had a checkup with her doctor too.

  “Everything went okay. It’s a girl,” Jena replied unenthusiastically.

  “A girl! I’m so excited! What are you gonna name her?” Sabrina asked.

  “I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it yet.” Jena shrugged.

  “Why don’t you seem happy? Don’t think I missed those tears that you wiped when you first walked in. Let me guess. It’s Spencer, right?” Sabrina questioned.

  “Fuck Spencer!” Jena spat angrily.

  “I just don’t understand you, Jena. Ain’t no way in hell would I be having a baby for a nigga who don’t want me or the child. When he offered to pay for the abortion, that would have been my way out,” Sabrina said as she slipped on her underwear.

  “It’s a good thing that it’s me and not you then. I’ve had an abortion once before and I’m not doing it again. I’ve heard too many horror stories about women who can’t conceive after they’ve done that too many times,” Jena replied.

  “You need to show his ass better than you can tell him. Nigga parading that skinny bitch in here like she’s special. You need to let her know what’s up too. She think she got a prize with his dog ass and she just don’t know,” Sabrina ranted.

  “Fuck her too,” Jena spat.

  “You’re better than me, boo. Come on so we can get our day started,” Sabrina said once she washed her hands and sprayed herself with perfume.

  Jena followed her out of the bathroom and into their work area. Mr. Malone had a lot of meetings coming up and they had lots of copies and booklets to make. They couldn’t afford to make any mistakes, especially on Mr. Malone’s items. Once Jena saw everything that she had to do for the day, she got right to work and stayed busy up until lunch time rolled around. She cringed when she saw Spencer’s girlfriend walking down the hall towards his office. A few minutes later, he came out holding her hand. He looked at Jena and smirked as he grabbed her face and planted a big kiss on her lips. He was trying to get under her skin and it worked like a charm.

  “No the hell he didn’t. You’re better than me, honey,” Sabrina instigated.

  “Let her enjoy her fifteen minutes of fame. She won’t be around too much longer,” Jena said.

  “And you need to make sure of it,” Sabrina replied.

  “How can I do that?” Jena asked.

  “Come on, we can talk over lunch,” Sabrina replied.

  She and Jena grabbed their purses and headed to the café that was across the street from the office. Jena laughed through their entire hour lunch break. Sabrina was a fool and she sometimes had no filter. She did make a lot of good points though. Spencer was always having one up on her and, for once, Jena wanted to have the last laugh.

  When they got back to work, Jena resumed her earlier task and finished putting together the meeting booklets. Sabrina was hyped as she peeked down the hall every few minutes until she saw Spencer and his female companion exit the elevators.

  “Here they come,” Sabrina whispered as she waved Jena over.

  Jena grabbed something from her desk and walked over right as Spencer and his girlfriend were coming down the hall holding hands.

  “Here you go. The first picture of your daughter. Just in case you wanted to start a scrap book or something,” Jena smirked as she handed Spencer the ultrasound picture.

  He let the picture fall from his hand and hit the floor as if it were hot to the touch. His girlfriend let go of his other hand and turned to look at him.

  “What is she talking about Spencer?” the other woman asked in a low angry tone. She looked down at Jena’s stomach and Jena rubbed her small baby bump for added effect.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. Spencer didn’t tell you that he had a baby on the way,” Jena inquired.

  “Wow. No, he didn’t. Lo
se my number Spencer. Fucking bum,” the woman said, calling Spencer the same thing that he’d called Jena earlier that day.

  “I dare you,” Jena fumed when Spencer walked up on her like he was going to do something.

  “Stupid ass bitch,” he fumed as he walked away and chased after his woman.

  “Yes bitch. You did that,” Sabrina cheered as she walked over to Jena.

  She was tired of seeing her girl crying all the time because of something that Spencer had said or done. He needed a taste of his own medicine and Jena finally gave it to him.

  ***

  “The hell,” Lyric mumbled under her breath when she saw Spencer come running out of the office behind his girlfriend.

  Bronx’s grandmother had fixed her lunch again and she had just come from eating it. She didn’t know what was going on with Spencer and she really didn’t care. She was happy when she saw Mr. Malone’s car in his assigned spot. She needed to have a talk with him and she was hoping that he wasn’t busy.

  “Hey cousin,” Nova said when she saw Lyric.

  “Hey big mouth,” Lyric joked.

  “Yes and that’s what Jared likes the most,” Nova smirked.

  “Ugh,” Lyric said dramatically as she pretended to gag. She walked into Mr. Malone’s office and found him with his face buried in paperwork.

  “It must be time for me to take a break,” he said when he saw Lyric take a seat in front of his desk.

  “Yes, it is because we need to talk,” Lyric replied in a serious tone.

  “No Lyric, please. Don’t you dare try to sit here and tell me that you’re quitting,” he said as he removed his glasses and looked at her.

  “Hell no, I’m not quitting. I might need to be out for a little while when I have my baby though,” Lyric replied.

  “Baby? You’re pregnant?” he asked excitedly as he jumped up from his chair.

  “Yes, almost three months,” Lyric replied, laughing at his reaction.

  “Congratulations Lyric. I feel like I’m having a grandchild. I know your parents are through the roof with excitement,” Mr. Malone said as he came from around the desk and hugged her.

  “Yes, they’re very excited,” Lyric acknowledged.