Unfaithful Ties (38 page)

When she heard a knock on the other side of the door. “Mama what are you doing?” The twins asked.

She opened the door and they all looked at her like she was crazy. “I’m cutting off all my hair. I figure it’s going to come out anyway so I might as well do it now.”

“I’m going to cut mines too”
Trevon encouraged.

“Me too. We should have a hair cutting party
” Tremaine agreed.

“How about this, mom I’ll finish cutting yours.
Tremaine will cut mines. And you’ll cut Tremaine’s.”

“You guys don’t have to do that”

“But we want to mom” They both said.

“Are you boys sure?”

They both looked at one another “Yes. It’s just hair” They said together.

“Twins” Brandi giggled.

Within twenty minutes Trevon had trimmed all of Brandi’s hair off of her head. She rubbed her hand baldhead and asked, “So how do I look without hair?”

“Mama with or without hair you’ll always be the most beautiful woman in the world to me”
Tremaine assured her.

Those words brought tears to Brandi’s eyes. “You guys are my world. You know that? I love you both more than life”

“And we love you” They both said finishing each other’s sentence.

“There is that twin thing again” Brandi joked.

“I’m up next” Tremaine said.

“Well
alrighty then! Say goodbye to your Mohawk” She warned him.

chapter 28

Vanessa...NYC, New York

Vanessa hadn’t spoken to Jason since he’d told her that their marriage was over. Every now and then she’d call him but he’d never answer, and you can almost guess that he never returned any of her calls or messages. She hated the way things were between them but she didn’t blame him. If he’d done half of the things she’d done to him she’d avoid him too.

She’d just taken an in-home pregnancy test

“If it turns out that I’m pregnant I’m definitely going to keep my baby” She said aloud to herself as she paced back and forth from the window to her bed in her grand loft apartment. She loved her new place but she hated sleeping alone every night. If she could take back the things she’d done she’d take them back in a heartbeat. She couldn’t remember the affair but she was certain that her feelings for Deon didn’t hold a candle to her feelings for Jason.

She missed him and she cried herself to sleep every night, aching for him to forgive her.

She had no recollection of their married life together but somehow she still felt drawn to him. There was no way that her heart could have ever stopped loving him even during those times when she was unfaithful.

For the next five minutes she felt like she was sitting in a courtroom awaiting her verdict. Her life could be changed forever.

If indeed she
was pregnant, would she have to raise the baby without any help? What if Jason didn’t believe she was carrying his child? What if he thought she was trying to trap him? Would she be able to do it all on her own? Were just a few of the heart cracking questions flowing through Vanessa’s mind.

As she impatiently continued pacing back and forth the seconds seemed to be ticking slower
.

At last she saw two red lines appear on the stick. She no longer had a reason to ponder. She was pregnant. Now she didn’t know what to feel. One part of her was excited and another part of her felt sad. She couldn’t stand not being able to share this moment with Jason. The fact that it was
no one’s fault but her very own, carved her heart.

He probably no longer wants to be a father after all I’ve put him through, she thought.

Maybe I shouldn’t tell him?

What if he wants me to get an abortion?

He does deserve to know though!

I owe him
that much!

She dialed him.

It didn’t shock her that he didn’t answer. She knew one thing for sure, she wasn’t having an abortion. She was keeping the baby she was carrying even if she had to do it on her own. She was willing to do just that. This was her chance to do something right.

CHAPTER 29

Malik...Jacksonville Florida

Right before Christmas Malik was lying awake in bed when he heard “
Aaaaggghhhh” coming from down the hall. It was the sound of a bloodcurdling scream and it scared the living daylights out of him. He jumped up from the bed and dashed towards Mackenzie’s room.

“Mac” He yelled panicky when he didn’t see her lying in her bed.

“I’m in here dad” She yelled, from the bathroom.

He headed towards the direction he heard her voice coming from and stood right outside the door. He could hear Mackenzie sobbing.

“Angel Face what’s wrong?”

“I woke up because I thought I had to do the number two and it’s actually not the reason my stomach is cramping”

It was funny how he always knew that this day would come and now that it had arrived he was close to passing out.

“Is it what I think it is? Is it your period?” Gosh he hated asking that question.

“Yes” Mackenzie sniffed. “Holy crap this hurts so bad!”

Malik was panicking. He wasn’t a woman. He didn’t know what to do. “I read in a book one time that when a woman has cramps it’s usually her bowels trying to move. Maybe you try to shit”

“Did you not hear me dad? I’ve tried that, it isn’t helping.”

“Okay
....ahhh” He headed to the linen closet and pulled out a few towels and raced back to the bathroom. The way he was acting you’d think he was about to deliver a baby. “Sweetie ahhh… I think that you’re going to need towels and…ahhhh, aspirin. Shit I don’t know! Do you know what helps with cramps? Don’t you guys learn that in sexual education? He asked with both hands full of washcloths and towels.

“Sex-Ed was back in the day. They don’t teach that in school now and days. Did you forget that you’re old?
I’m not the smartest kid in the world Dad but I don’t need towels or aspirin. I need maxi pads and Midol”

“Do you have any pads? I really would hate to walk around with those in the store”

“This is my first period dad of course I don’t have any. If I did I wouldn’t be still sitting on the toilet. You’re going to have to go buy some from Wally world. It’ not like people are not going to know that they’re not for you”

“Okay you just stay right there I’ll be right back. Are you going to be okay?”

“I’ll be fine dad, just hurry” She snapped.

“First day on your period and you already have an attitude
” He said back. “God why couldn’t she have been a boy?” He mumbled.

****

Fifteen minutes later Malik was standing in the personal care products section in Walmart surrounded by tampons, sanitary pads, and pantyliners. Distinguishing what Brand of sanitary pads was the best choice was harder than he’d anticipated it to be. He was confused.

“Excuse me miss” He said to a woman that had just grabbed a box of personals from the shelf. “It’s my daughters first period and I don’t know what to get. Do you mind helping me out?”

“Sure” She smiled. “You definitely want to get her something with wings. Either Always, or Kotex. Can’t go wrong with either of those.”

“Thanks I really do appreciate it”

“No problem” She said and then walked away.

Malik headed to the line and in no time he’d checked out. As soon as the door greeter checked his receipt, that familiar face he dreaded seeing was standing right in front him.

“Well, well, well” Regina hissed. “If it isn’t my future baby daddy”

Her eyes were cutting him deep, and he wondered just how
psycho she was going to get this go round. “Regina I don’t know what you’re talking about or who you are pregnant by but it ain’t by me. I strapped up every time.”

“Well I guess things happen”

“Move out of my way” He said pushing her to the side. “Crazy bitch” He mumbled and headed for the parking area.

“What did you just call me?” She said loudly, trekking behind him.

Malik ignored her and continued walking.

“That’s what I thought
” She barked even louder this time.

They were now walking through the parking lot, Malik in front, Regina still trailing behind him. “You’re going to be a man and take care of your responsibility”

Malik stopped walking and turned to her. “I am a man” He roared. His tone made Regina back away from him. “I take care of my child. My only child. The child that you claim that your carrying isn’t mind because I used a contraceptive every time. Find you another man to trap”

Regina started clapping her hands together, making a scene and Malik headed towards his vehicle.

Regina followed closely behind him.

“Ladies and gentlemen I
present to you another black man that thinks he can get away without raising his child. He’s even claiming that I’m not carrying his baby. Isn’t that always what a man says when he’s a coward and doesn’t want to own up to his responsibility?”

Malik was embarrassed and pissed all at once.

“You stay away from me. You’re nothing but a damaged lunatic” He yanked opened his vehicle  door and climbed in.

Regina pounded on the window. “Me staying away from you
isn’t going to change the fact that I’m pregnant”

Just like the last time he’d seen her, within a split second her emotions changed.

“Why won’t you just love me? We can raise this baby together.”

Malik rolled down his window. “Move away from my car”

“Pleassseee Malik don’t treat me this way”

“Goodbye Regina”

“I love you and I want us to be a family”

Malik gazed at her and a smirk etched his face. He couldn’t believe that she actually thought that they could be together. He put the car in reverse and backed out of the parking space. 

“You may be laughing now but you’ll definitely cry later” Regina yelled. “In the end I’m going to be the one laughing.” She said, watching Malik’s taillights disappear
. “
You just wait and see”

****

Friday, December 21, 2012

“You people don’t understand. I feel like my life is in danger. This woman is terrorizing me.” Malik expressed. He was in his bedroom talking on the phone to the police captain.

“We can’t arrest her until we have proof that she’s been within one hundred feet of you. We can’t just take your word for it.”

“Sir I understand that. But this woman is crazy. She doesn’t give a damn about a goddamn restraining order. It’s not a coincidence that we keep running into each other. She’s stalking me.”

“It’s not that I don’t believe you but I gotta’ have more than your complaints to arrest someone”

“It’s not a complaint. It’s the truth. This woman breaks into my house, collides into my
Suv, loosens the lug nuts on my vehicle, stalks me when I’m out with my daughter, embarrasses me in public. I think that’s all the proof I need. If it were the other way around I’d be arrested by now.”

“It’s not enough. Now if you’ll excuse me I’ve
gotta’ go my lunch is getting cold.”

He hung up.

Malik walked back into the living room. Mackenzie was supposed to be decorating the Christmas tree. She wasn’t. Instead she’d turned the television to some music videos. A hip-hop song was on. The women in the video were basically naked, gyrating their hips. Malik grabbed the remote and turned off the television.

“Dad why did you do that?” Mackenzie whined.

“You’re supposed to be decorating the tree not watching stuff like that” Malik grabbed some ornaments out of a box.

“Dad does boys like girls that dress and act like that?”

“Men like women with standards and morals. So the answer to your question is no.” Malik started putting some ornaments on the tree.

“You seemed like you liked it when that woman came here dressed in that Halloween costume to me.” She said.

Malik almost choked. He walked over to the sofa and asked Mackenzie to join him. “Look I know that you are getting to the age that you’re going to start being interested in boys but boys can wait. The type of women you see dancing in music videos half naked isn’t the type of woman that a man is going to let meet his mother. A man is only going to use her for one thing. Don’t inspire to be like the women you see in music videos. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be a nurse...or a doctor. A schoolteacher. Those are the type of things that you should be worried about right now. Not boys. As you mature you’ll learn a lot. You’re too young to think about that right now. I know that you may think that I’m too strict on you. But I’m simply trying to protect you.”

The doorbell rang.

A man dressed in a UPS uniform was standing on the other side of the door.

“Good afternoon sir. Are you Malik Shaw?”

“Yes I am”

“Will you sign right here? I have a package for you.” He handed Malik the portable device. Malik signed and retrieved the package.

“What’s that dad?”

“It doesn’t say. It may be from your mother. Nah it’s not, it’s addressed to me.” Malik ripped the box open and it was filled with First-Time-Parent brochures and pictures. Malik rushed to his room.

The pictures were photos of him sexing a few different women. He was scared as hell.

Hope that you enjoy these

Merry Christmas!

Regina

Malik rushed back into the living room. Mackenzie was still decorating the tree. “Put your shoes on” He told her “We have to run off for a second.”

“But we didn’t finish our conversation”

“We can finish it in the car.” He said.

They headed straight to the police station. He had his proof.

On that day a warrant was placed for Regina’s arrest and for the most part it seemed as though she was done tormenting him. Days went by and he hadn’t heard a peep from her.  His life was tranquil again.

But on New Year’s Eve the voicemail’s started again.

New voicemail
: Malik this is Regina. I’ve tried to stay away from you. I Miss you. Please just talk to me.

New voicemail
: Malik if you don’t call me I’m going to kill myself.

New voicemail:
Malik I’ve spent Christmas without you, I Can’t spend the New Year without you.

New voicemail
: Please I just want you to love me!