Unconditionally Single (23 page)

W
e entered the office, approached the receptionist. Flatly, I said, “I’m Honey Thomas.”

“Yes, Ms. Thomas, I’ll let the doctor know you’re here. Have a seat,” she said, tapping on her keyboard.

I thumbed through the newspaper and read,
DECATUR WOMAN RAPED BY A MAN DRESSED LIKE A WOMAN.
The headline saddened me. Ken Draper immediately came to mind but the condition I’d left him in, the only way he could rape anyone would be with a dildo.

The doctor’s assistant opened a door. “Honey Thomas.”

“Yes,” I said, putting the paper on the end table. I had my own worries.

Valentino followed me, held my hand.

“Sir, you can wait out here,” the assistant said, blocking Valentino’s entry into the patients’ private area.

“It’s okay. I want him to come with me.” Whatever the results were, they weren’t going to change because Valentino was in the lobby. His hearing at the same time meant I wouldn’t have to repeat whatever the doctor said.

“Ms. Thomas, hello. How are you feeling?” the doctor said. “Please, have a seat.”

“I’m good,” I answered, sitting on the vinyl love seat with Valentino.

“And you are?” the doctor asked Valentino.

“Her friend with benefits, BFF, whateva,” Valentino said, bringing a smile to my face. I was relieved he hadn’t called the doctor a nigga.

“Okay, let’s get to it,” the doctor said, flipping through my chart. He looked up at me. Then smiled. “Congratulations, Honey.”

I smiled. “You mean I’m fine? I’m healthy? I was just stressed?

The doctor smiled back at me and nodded. “Yes, you are healthy. And you’re pregnant.”

No way. My smile shrunk. My face and neck tensed, body became numb. I pressed my lips flat together. Frowned. Tucked my hand between my thighs. Covered my mouth with my other hand. I felt the tears forming inside my eyes. Placed my elbow on my knee, my forehead in my hand. Rested my chin in my palm. Instantly I thought
abortion,
but did I really want to kill my baby? I couldn’t make that decision right now.

Valentino placed his arm around my shoulders, took my hand with his other arm. “Baby, it’s okay.”

“Easy for you to say, knowing it’s not yours,” I cried.

“It
is
mine. Honey, I promised you I wasn’t going anywhere, and I’m not. I want you to marry me.”

Eight months later…

I
woke up in Charlotte to the sound of young voices laughing. What had I gotten myself into?

Knock. Knock.

“Just a minute,” I said, tying my robe. “Come in.

“Ms. Bleu, we’re hungry,” the boys said in unison, sitting on the bed.

The time on the digital clock displayed 8:00
AM.
“Where’s your dad?”

“He went to the—” Santonio’s older son covered his brother’s mouth with his hand.

“Store. He went to the store,” the older son said, then spun his brother around, held his shoulders.

These two were so amazing. Happy kids, full of life. Zest. Joy. Love.

Facing me, the younger brother said, “We want to go out for breakfast. Please.”

Was I being set up to do something Santonio had told them not to? “What did your father say?”

“Dad doesn’t mind,” the younger one said.

“Okay. Give me twenty minutes to pull it together.”

“Can you pin your hair up? We like your hair pinned up,” the older brother said.

“Go,” I said, smiling.
Pin my hair up?

Children certainly added energy to a house. Santonio saved me that day I’d planned on killing Alphonso, provided me with a happier environment. Once a month I went to visit my mother. Last month Santonio and I took the boys to Los Angeles. We went to Universal Studios and Disneyland. My mother went with us.

I showered, slipped into my cerulean silk pants and a matching button-up blouse. Put on my three-inch aqua slip-ons, opened the bedroom door. “Boys, you guys ready?” I asked, walking toward the living room.

As I approached the dining room, I heard the boys yell, “Surprise!”

Blue and silver balloons covered the ceiling. A three-tier cake sat on the dining room table. “Okay, that cake is too small for your dad to pop out of. Where is he?”

“Happy birthday, beautiful.”

I turned around. Santonio was suited in a tuxedo. He handed me a bouquet of wild magnolias. My throat tightened. I swallowed hard as I hugged him. “I’m dreaming.”

The boys hugged us. The older son stepped back, cleared his throat. The younger positioned his father beside me. They faced us.

The younger one said, “It’s kinda like a dream but it’s real.”

Santonio hunched his shoulders. “I promise you I did not put them up to this.”

The older son said, “Dad, we like her.”

The younger son chimed in, “And, Dad, we haven’t seen you this happy since Mom died.”

“Sapphire, you’re really nice to us. We like the way you take time to listen to us.”

“We like the way you teach us life skills, and thanks for teaching us how to drive.”

Santonio’s eyes widened.

Speaking without parting my lips, I said, “That was supposed to be our little secret.” I smiled at Santonio. “I know they don’t have a license but they are teenagers and you trust them to ride with their friends. You never know what might happen, and their knowing how to drive could save their lives.”

His older son said, “Yeah, see, Dad? That’s one of the many reasons we think she’s so cool.”

The younger son moved his hands from behind his back. The older son opened a small box, then said, “Sorry, Dad. You were taking too long.”

In unison they said, “Sapphire, will you marry our dad?”

I couldn’t help but to laugh. The widest smile crossed my face.

Santonio’s lips pressed together as he tried not to laugh himself. “That’s my boys. Wow.” He shook his head. “I guess I’m the only one who hasn’t asked then…. Sapphire, will you marry us?” Santonio said, removing the ring from its box. Santonio’s thick fingers almost dropped the tiny single chipped diamond in a silver setting.

“If you say yes, I’ll get you another ring, beautiful,” Santonio said.

“I don’t want another ring. The ring is perfect and so are my guys. Yes, I will marry all of you,” I said. “Are we going to breakfast?” I asked.

“Can’t be gettin’ mad! What you mad? Can’t handle that!…” resonated from the bedroom. “Excuse me. That’s probably my mom.”

It definitely wasn’t my boss, because I’d turned in my badge after I was supposed to kill Alphonso. Every now and then I wondered if I’d done the right thing. I hoped it was my mother so I could share my joy.

I smiled, then answered, “Hey, Red Velvet.”

“Red Velvet was my stripper name. Velvet Waters is my stage name. I go by Velvet now. Happy birthday, Sapphire,” she said. Her voice was upbeat.

“Thanks, Velvet.” I wasn’t sure I wanted to tell her about my engagement quite yet. “How are things?”

“I called to invite you to my screening. You, plus one guest,” Velvet said.

“My day couldn’t possibly get any better. I’d love to come.” I gave her my mailing address.

“Charlotte?” she asked.

“I’ll explain later.” Ending the call, I inhaled deeply, left the bedroom, and walked into the arms of…my mother?

“Happy birthday, baby.” She wrapped her arms around me, rocked me, then said, “I love you, Sapphire. I’m so glad God gave us, gave
me
a second chance to be a real mother. I promise, this time I won’t mess it up.”

“M
ommy, Mommy, wake up. It’s your big day. It’s the screening we’ve been waiting for.” Ronnie tugged my covers, then climbed in my bed and lay on top of me.

I tickled his tummy really good. “You happy? You happy? You happy?”

“Yes! Stop it! Stop it!” he laughed, tickling me.

“You stop it,” I said, smothering his face with kisses.

“You two stop it,” my mom said, standing in the doorway.

“Grandma, come here,” Ronnie said, smiling.

My mother sat on the edge of the bed. “Ronnie sweetheart, go make your bed and straighten up your room for Grandma.”

“What about the maid?” he asked. “Isn’t she supposed to do that on special occasions?”

My mother gave Ronnie a stern look.

“Okay, I’m going,” he said.

“Velvet, sit beside me, baby,” my mom said.

“What is it? Everything okay?”

With my mom, I never knew if she was going to take me back to my childhood, if she was going to tell me what to do, or ask a ton of questions to hear what I was thinking.

“Velvet, this is your day. This is the day you’ll witness all your hard work and dedication in front of the camera on the big screen. Stay focused. I’m not going to be here forever, so I want you to keep Ronnie grounded, you hear me?”

I nodded. “Yes, Mama.”

“Don’t get so busy that you forget to be a mother to your son. Do you understand?”

I nodded again. “Yes, Mama.”

“Don’t just ‘yes mama’ me. Hear what I’m saying.”

I exhaled. This was
my
big day. Why was my mother so serious? “Ma, you okay?”

“I’m fine, baby, but seeing so many things happen like that plane landing in the Hudson, the planes in Denver and San Jose taking off, then returning shortly after takeoff all because of geese and seagulls being sucked into the engines. And that plane that snapped into three pieces on the runway. The world is changing, sweetheart. People are so busy living with cell phones, the Internet, GPS and tracking systems, and flying around the world. They don’t know where their home is anymore.”

I hugged my mother. “Ma, you are the best mother. I wouldn’t be here without you. And I wouldn’t be the woman that I am without your love and support. Thanks.”

“I want you to give thanks to the men who really matter.”

Men? Okay, now my mom is tripping.

“Before you shower, eat, make or answer a phone call, give thanks to the Lord. Then make sure you call Brennen. That man loves you and your son. He’s going to ask you to marry him. I can feel it. And when he does, your family will come before me.”

“Aw, no, Mom. That’s not so.”

Tears flowed from both of us. My mom was worried about us leaving her. Los Angeles wasn’t her home. She’d come here for me. And I was so excited, I hadn’t thought about her.

“Ma, I’m not sure Brennen will ask me to marry him. But if he does, you’re going to live with us. I will not leave you alone.”

Mama smiled. “When you stand on stage today, be in the moment, baby. Take in every second. I know you’ve invited Honey, Grant, and Sapphire and their guests, but do not let anything take you away from your time. This is your day, baby, and Mama is so proud of you. I love you.”

“I love you too, Ma.”

Mothers were the foundation. Before I thanked the Lord for my success, I’d thank Him for my mother. She’d taken, not good, but excellent, care of me. I was not going to abandon her. If Brennen should happen to ask me to marry him, he’d have to agree to my mother living with us or there’d be no us standing at the altar.

J
ada taught me a lot about menopause.

Once she started on bioidentical hormone therapy, our life together was amazing. Her mood didn’t swing due to a hormone imbalance. Her vaginal dryness was no more. And she initiated sex as much as me.

One year from the day that I had proposed to Jada we’d set our wedding date. With sixteen weeks left, our plans were finalized. The wedding was a million-dollar investment. Jada’s son Darius prepaid all expenses, saying, “I haven’t seen my mother this happy in a long time. My paying for the wedding and reception is my gift to my mother…and you. Do not fuck up.”

Fucking up was not part of my plans. I was only getting married once. I’d flown with Jada to Los Angeles. Preseason for basketball was underway. We’d enjoyed watching Darius play the night before at the Staples Center but my excitement tonight was attending Velvet’s screening.

“I really don’t want to go to the premiere with you,” Jada said as we shared a bottle of wine. “You know she’s going to be there. I’d rather not attend. Why don’t you go without me? I can have dinner with Darius, Fancy, and my grandson.”

“Why does Fancy travel everywhere with the baby and Darius?” I asked, hoping to soften Jada’s attitude.

“We’ve been together long enough. You already know the answer to that question,” Jada said. She left the bedroom, sat in a chair in the living room.

Fancy was wise for making sure Darius’s pussy was always available to him. If more women felt that way, they’d keep their men happy.

The one-bedroom suite was the same room we’d stayed in for the Grammys. The welcome fruit basket filled with oranges, apples, and bananas sat on the coffee table. I peeled a banana, bit a chunk, then said, “Baby, please. Do it for me. You’re my fiancée. She’s not. I love you. I don’t love Honey. It’s been eight and a half months since I’ve seen or heard from Honey. She’s moved on. We’ve moved on. I’m going to show my support for Red Velvet.”

Jada snapped. “Red Velvet? You’re going because of her, not Honey? You’re sure?”

“Velvet Waters, yes. Baby, please. I don’t want to go without you.”

What had happened to Jada? It wasn’t that serious. She was tripping off Honey when I’d had zero communication with Honey since…the last time we’d had unprotected sex. What if Honey was still angry? What if she confronted Jada and told her we had sex that night? I’d already told Jada what happened, but not the whole story, and I didn’t want her to hear it from Honey.

“It’s okay. I understand. I’ma go get dressed. I’ll go alone,” I said.

“You’re going without me?” she asked.

I bit my bottom lip, then said, “I’m going. You decide whether or not you want to go.”

I showered, shaved, put on my black tuxedo, splashed on cologne. Secretly, I did want to see Honey. I knew she’d be there. How would I react when I saw her? Who would be her date? Not having to worry about Jada studying my every move, I stepped out of the bathroom, admired myself in the full-length mirror. How would Honey react?

Jada was seated in the same chair dressed in her long orange gown with purple accents. Her hair was pulled back into a bun, and her lips were a dazzling peach. “I’m ready. You’re right. I should go.”

“Why’d you change your mind?” I asked.

“The question is, have you changed your mind?”

Women were so complicated. Jada had me questioning if marriage was right for us. I’d noticed we no longer completed one another’s sentences after I’d lied about not using protection with Honey. Was that my fault?

Jada stood, opened the door. “Let’s go.”

Awkward silence filled the limo en route to the theater. When we arrived, the driver opened the door. The first person I saw that I knew was Sapphire.

“Hey, Grant. How are you? This is my husband, Santonio Ferrari.”

Ferrari as in the family that owned the cars?
I wondered.
Probably not. Sapphire wouldn’t fit into that circle.

“Please to meet you,” he said, extending his hand.

Wow! Sapphire’s glow lit up the red carpet. What a difference that Santonio guy had made in her. Sapphire had lost a few pounds in the right places. Her waistline was streamlined. Her face more defined. Her DDD were bangin’ and on exhibit.

“Hi, I’m—”

“Jada Diamond Tanner, mother of Darius Jones and my fiancée,” I finished for her.

“Fiancée?” Sapphire commented. She looked at me, then Jada, and said, “Pleased to meet you,” and walked away with her husband.

After exchanging pleasantries, we walked the red carpet. The ushers escorted us to our front row seats. Perfect. Jada and I were seated on the aisle. Sapphire and her husband were seated in the row behind us.

I was excited and disappointed that Honey was not there.