I said nothing.
“I’d be surprised if he even takes one look at the child y’all made.”
“Wemade,” I corrected him.
His eyes held something distant and cold. “We?”
Reluctantly, I nodded.
“That’s a lie!” he blasted.
“It isn’t!” I exclaimed. Shit! I wasn’t thrilled to be having this man’s child. “My due date is in less than two weeks. If I try to petition him for child support, he will find out that this baby does not belong to him. I’d rather bow out gracefully and leave that man alone.”
“It’s not that fuckin’ simple, Genika!”
“Why the hell not—”
Before I could finish my statement, he had me in the air. I came down hard, cracking my arm against the hardwood floor beneath me.
“Ahh!” I cried out in pain and shielded my stomach.
“Dumb bitch! This was never the fuckin’ plan!”
With tears rolling down my face, I attempted to stand to my feet. He pushed me hard, and my feet weren’t quick enough to keep me from falling. Laying in the middle of the floor, I cried and fought like hell to catch my breath. He disappeared for a minute, leaving me there writhing in pain. Then, there he was again. Dazed, I went in and out of consciousness as I felt something dripping onto my face. He opened my mouth and as I fruitlessly tried moving my arms, I couldn’t.
COCO
“Manyinthehealthcarecommunity are mourning the loss of the beloved Dr. Genika Grace. Grace was found unresponsive in her home by her father this morning. Medical officials were able to successfully deliver Dr. Grace’s baby boy. Unfortunately, Dr. Grace did not regain consciousness. Authorities haven’t released a cause of death, but her family has issued a statement. They say this all seems to be a terrible tragedy. According to Mr. Grace, Genika appears to have stumbled down her stairs. Many are saddened and horrified by the loss of such a beautiful and vibrant member of Niceville Shores’s community.”
Something inside of me truly felt bad for Genika. No matter what she did to me throughout the time I’d known her, never getting to meet her son was a travesty. I thought back to the last time we crossed paths. That was weeks ago. Hearing the excitement in Genika’s voice to finally meet her baby broughtout the mother inside me. The boys meant everything to me and so did the baby I carried.
Standing from the bed, I solemnly ascended the stairs to prepare myself a bath. Adir wouldn’t be home until later, and I needed to do something to keep my mind off Genika’s untimely death. A warm bath and sleep was what I needed.
While the water ran, I stood at the sink to brush my teeth and handle my face routine. Lastly, I secured my hair inside of a bonnet before stripping and climbing into the piping hot water. I giggled at my baby wiggling inside my belly. In just three short months, I would be delivering him or her. Closing my eyes, I rested my head against the porcelain tub and gently rubbed my belly.
What seemed like hours later, something jarred me awake. The water was cold around me, causing me to wince. Gently, I climbed from the tub and grabbed a towel. Hurrying from the bathroom, I rushed down the stairs to get to my phone. Hopefully, Adir hadn’t been blowing me up.
Swiping the phone off the bed, I found a single message from him.
Hubby:Call me when you get out of the tub.
I should’ve known, I thought with a chuckle. Tossing the phone back on the bed, I went back up the stairs to get something to wear to bed. After moisturizing my body, I settled for a light pink loungewear set and pink socks. Sighing, I headed back down the stairs.
Once I was comfortable, I video called my man.
“Baby,” he answered.
“Hey, baby.” I was certain that Adir felt some type of way about Genika’s passing. Looking at his face right now, I searched for anything that told me he was upset. “How are you feeling?” I asked him.
“Are you good?” he questioned instead.
I nodded. “I am.”
“Then, I’m good.”
Softly, I smiled. “I won’t be upset if you feel a way.”
His grin was mischievous. “If I felt a way, you’d be the first to know. Did I fuck with Genika heavy for a time? Yes, I did. It was never about love. The only woman I’ve ever loved is staring at me like she wants me to come home early.”
