Chapter 12

 

 

Tyson was busy in the kitchen cooking a Friday-night dinner for the family. Gabrielle’s father, Henry, and her sisters, Carmen and Destiny were in town, having just arrived a few hours ago. Rena and John, came over from Padma’s so they could get acquainted with Gabrielle’s family and share dinner together. Heshan also came by and was in the kitchen playing cards with Henry and John.

The ladies were in the master bedroom, helping Gabrielle decide what to wear to the baby shower.

“You need to wear a dress that shows your belly really, really well,” Carmen suggested.

“I don’t know, Carmen. I don’t want to look too huge,” Gabrielle said, sitting at the foot of the bed.

“Nobody is going to be thinking about that, sweetheart,” Rena said. “I think your sister is right. People want to see the belly and take pictures with you. So let’s find something that accentuates that gorgeous belly of yours.”

Gabrielle smiled.

“Here,” Tamera said, walking from Gabrielle’s closet. “A black pair of leggings and a tunic should do the trick.”

“No, I’m thinking something a little more on the dressy side, yet comfortable,” Gabrielle said.

“So you want to wear a dress?” Destiny asked, browsing through Gabrielle’s wardrobe.

“Umm...not quite sure.”

“Well, we’ll figure out something,” Rena said, “Even if we have to go buy an outfit.”

“Shoot. All these clothes, we should find something in here,” Tamera said.

Gabrielle giggled. “Yeah. I’m sure we’ll find something.”

 

* * *

 

“What you cooking up, son?” John asked Tyson.

“I’m making chicken marsala, asparagus, mashed potatoes and homemade macaroni and cheese. Gabrielle has been craving macaroni and cheese so...”

“I couldn’t ask for a better man for my baby girl,” Henry said, proudly. “You raised a good one, John.”

“Thanks, Henry. I appreciate that. And while we’re handing out compliments, I might as well let you know that your daughter has been nothing but a blessing to Tyson.”

Tyson smiled as he drained macaroni elbow noodles.

“Thanks,” Henry said. “That means a lot.”

John took a sip of water. “Boy, I remember when Tyson first told me he wanted to be a chef. I was speechless.”

Tyson grinned. “You’re starting on that again, Dad?”

Henry chuckled.

Heshan stared blankly at the table. Stoic.

John continued, “I mean, he was just coming out of the Marines, doing manly work, you know.”

Tyson laughed. “Oh, being a chef isn’t manly? Is that what you’re implying, Dad?” He turned around and watched Henry and John laughing along with him and when he did, he noticed a weird look on Heshan’s face. Tyson had noticed before that he’d been especially quiet, unusual for him. Heshan was usually vocal and lively, but he hadn’t said much of anything to anyone since he arrived almost two hours ago.

“Nah, that’s not what I was saying, son. I was trying to emphasize how huge of a career shift that was for you. I actually didn’t think you were serious. Now, my boy has restaurants all over the country.”

“I know you’re a proud father,” Henry said.

“Oh, I’m very proud. And now, he’s finally having a son of his own...a son that he’ll be proud of as well.”

Tyson smiled again.

Heshan rubbed his chin.

Tyson took a break from cooking and sat at the table with the fellas.

“I’ve never told anyone this, because I was embarrassed by it,” Tyson said, “But years ago, I went to the doctor to get a sperm count.”

“A sperm count?” John and Henry said at the same time, with the same inflection and look of shock their faces.

“Well, I was getting a physical and I decided to get a count.”

“Why?” his father asked.

“Because the woman I was with at the time...well, we wanted to start a family and it wasn’t happening. So I got tested and the doctor told me flat-out that the chances of me impregnating a woman were slim to none.”

Heshan frowned, then leaned back in his chair.

“I felt like a failure,” Tyson continued. “The doctor recommended all types of things for me to do to get my count back up. They wanted me to get injections, told me I needed to increase my protein intake, get enough hours of sleep...they had all kinds of suggestions for me. But I didn’t do any of it. I told myself if it was meant to be, it would be, and now...” he choked up. “Now, I have a son on the way.”

John pat his son on the shoulder. “Proud of you, Tyson.”

“I just hope he grows up cooking like you,” Henry said.

“I second that,” Heshan chimed in.

Tyson stood up and said, “Let me get back to this food. I know my baby is ready to eat.”

“I’ma step outside for a minute,” Heshan said, and stood up from the table.

“Everything cool, Heshan?” Tyson asked.

“Yeah, man,” Heshan responded. Then he walked away from them and through the living room, he exited out of the front door where his car was parked.

Having finished cooking the chicken marsala, asparagus and mashed potatoes, Tyson turned the heat down on the macaroni and cheese casseroles in the oven and decided to take out the trash before dinner was served. He tied the bag in a knot and headed out the door where he tossed it in a big trash bin, brushed his hands against each other and turned to go back in the house when he heard Heshan on the phone. He couldn’t make out any words, however because the hissing sound lingering off of the small waves muffled Heshan’s conversation.

Curious, he took a few steps closer, peered around the corner and saw Heshan leaned up against his car. He could hear him better now. He wanted to go over, talk to him and find out why he’d not been his usual self, but Heshan was arguing with someone. Deciding to wait until later, Tyson shrugged it off and turned to head back inside when he heard Heshan say, “So when are you going to tell Tyson what’s going on?”

Tyson frowned, stopped in his tracks and turned around to listen to what else Heshan had to say. First off, he wanted to know who Heshan was talking to. And what was it that somebody needed to tell him? What exactly was going on?

“What are you talking about, Heshan?” Padma asked, feigning ignorance. She hoped he wasn’t talking about the Chicago incident because that couldn’t get out. Not now. Colin had asked her to keep it quiet until after the baby shower.

“Mother, you know what I’m talking about...Dilvan and Gabrielle. I overheard you talking about what happened—”

Tyson’s frown deepened with just the mention of hearing Dilvan’s and Gabrielle’s name in the same sentence. Now he knew Heshan was talking Padma. But what supposedly happened between Dilvan and Gabrielle? Too bad he couldn’t hear what Padma was saying.

“Well, there’s nothing to tell at the moment,” Padma told him. “I don’t know what really happened, son, and I haven’t had a chance to talk to Dilvan as of yet.”

“You don’t need to talk to him. If Lalita said Gabrielle and Dilvan slept together, what more needs to be said. She has no reason to make something like this up and—”

What an unexpected punch to the gut...

Tyson couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He even had to catch his balance after nearly being knocked off his feet by Heshan’s words. Was this for real? It couldn’t be. There’s no way he heard Heshan correctly. No way.

“No...no. Wait,” Padma said. “See, this is how rumors and lies get out. That’s not what Lalita said, Heshan.”

“It is. I heard her.”

“Well, you didn’t hear the whole story. Please, stay out of this and let me handle it, son.”

Heshan sighed. “You’re asking me to stay out of it?”

“Yes. I am.”

“Mother, Tyson is my best friend. How can I turn a deaf ear to what I heard? He’s the happiest I’ve ever seen him and there’s a chance that the baby may not even be his and you want to keep that a secret. This isn’t right and somebody needs to tell him.”

Boom, boom. Boom, boom. Boom...boom. Boom__________

Tyson’s heart slowed down, stopped and he had no idea how it started beating again. When he heard Heshan say that the baby may not be his, he died in that moment. Died. Perished. Ceased to exist. His throat tightened. His lips quivered. Beads of sweat formed in his forehead. Blood rushed to his brain. Anger infiltrated his heart, and while he could feel this change within himself, he also knew that he couldn’t make a scene while their families were in town. That was the worst. To pretend like everything was fine in front of everyone else knowing what he knew now would be torture. How would he be able to keep it together? How could he look Gabrielle in the eyes and smile? How could he have a wonderful evening with the family when all he wanted to do was strangle the life out of Dilvan Alexander? How?

It took everything he had in him, but he did it – he walked back to the kitchen, washed his hands and removed the macaroni and cheese casseroles from the oven and said, “Dinner is ready, father. You want to go and get the women?”

His father stood and said, “Okay.”

 

* * *

 

Over dinner, Tyson was exceptionally quiet. Even when being directly engaged in conversation on a topic, he didn’t say much of anything. How could he? He’d just found out that there was a possibility that his son wasn’t really his. That his wife slept with her ex. The thought alone was hard to take and while he realized this was secondhand information, he couldn’t completely dismiss it, especially if Heshan was that upset about it.

Gabrielle noticed how quiet Tyson had been. She leaned over and whispered in his ear, “Are you okay?”

Tyson gave her an accusatory look and didn’t say a word.

“Tyson,” she said softly. “Are you alright?”

“Why wouldn’t I be, Gabrielle?” he snarled.

Gabrielle frowned. Something was wrong. He wasn’t being himself. Happy, fun-loving Tyson was gone. This Tyson was quiet, bothered and the look he gave her was enough to make her shiver. The chill in his eyes shot directly to her bones.

To break their gazes and to get away from her, he stood up and said, “Can I take anyone’s plate?”

“I’m done,” Carmen said.

“Me too, son,” his mom added.

Tyson took their plates to the sink then took a deep breath, standing there with his hands propped up on the counter. His back to everyone. He’d managed to hold it together over dinner, but now, he was about to lose it.

Gabrielle stood up from the table and walked over to him. She reached for his hand and he looked at her as if she had no right to do so.

“Tyson, what’s wrong?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean you’re not being yourself. What gives?”

“Everything is perfect, Gabrielle. We’re having a baby, right?”

“Yes,” she answered.

“Yeah, keep telling yourself that. Maybe you’ll believe it.”

Gabrielle gasped and placed a hand on her stomach. “Tyson, what—” she began, but before she could question him, he walked away from her.

Gabrielle closed her eyes tight, trying to understand Tyson’s sudden change in mood. And what did he mean by saying, keep telling yourself that?

“Son, we’re going to head back to Padma’s,” Rena said.

“Okay,” Tyson acknowledged. “Let me walk you out.”

Once outside, under a dark sky, his mother said, “It’s a little breezy tonight.”

“Yeah, it is.”

“Dinner was absolutely amazing, Tyson.”

“Glad you enjoyed it, Mother.”

His father sat in the driver seat of the car while Tyson talked to his mother.

“Son, I couldn’t help but notice that you weren’t yourself tonight. What’s bothering you, Tyson?”

Tyson flashed a phony smile and said, “Mother, I’m fine. Go ahead and get to bed so you can be ready for tomorrow.”

“Okay.” She wrapped her arms around her son and said, “I love you, son, and I’m proud of you.”

Tyson inhaled deeply and released the breath slowly. It was becoming increasingly difficult to keep calm. “I love you too, Mother.”

Like a gentleman, he opened the car door for his mother, then closed it behind her, watching them drive off. When he headed back to the house, he saw Heshan walking towards him, on his way to his car.

“Tyson, I gotta run, man,” he said. “See you tomorrow, though.”

Tyson frowned when Heshan kept walking on by him. With a clenched jaw, he slid his hands in his pockets, turned around and looked at him. “Heshan...”

Heshan stopped in his tracks and turned around. “Yeah, what’s up?”

“Were you even going to tell me?”

Heshan frowned. “Tell you what?”

“That your brother slept with my wife,” Tyson said evenly.

Heshan dropped his head. How had Tyson found out? “Look, man, I don’t know what happened between them, okay. I only know what I heard.”

“And what did you hear, exactly?”

“Tyson, come on, man. I don’t want to be involved in this. I don’t know what happened and I think it’s best if I just stayed out of it.”

Tyson took a few steps closer to him. “What did you hear, Heshan?”

Heshan sighed and shook his head. “Man—”

“It’s like that, Heshan?” Tyson asked with raised brows. “That’s how you’re going to play me?”

Heshan placed his hands behind his head and threaded his fingers. Gosh, he didn’t want to do this. Not now. Not ever. But Tyson was not only his cousin, but his friend and he couldn’t leave him hanging. “Alright, but I’m not sure what happened, okay. I need to make that clear to you. I just overheard Lalita telling my mother that Gabrielle and Dilvan may have been together when they were in Chicago...she said the baby might not be yours. There. I said it. It’s probably not true because I can’t see Gabrielle doing that...”

“And what about your psychopathic brother? Can you see him doing that?”

“Tyson, look...you know Dilvan has issues.”

“It’s cool...no need to explain,” Tyson said calmly. Eerily. “I’m going to handle everything.”

“Tyson...”

“It’s cool, Heshan. Oh, and thanks for having my back by the way,” he said, sarcastically. “You sure know how to be a real friend, don’t you?” He then walked away, heading back for the house.

Henry, Carmen and Destiny were upstairs in a guest bedroom. Tamera had retreated to the other guest bedroom where she had been staying.

Gabrielle was sitting on the bed in the master bedroom, holding her stomach, feeling the Braxton-Hicks contractions squeeze and release. Squeeze and release. Her doctor had told her that the contractions were fine. Said they were giving the baby a gentle hug, then releasing, basically, preparing the body for the real contractions that were soon to come. She rubbed her belly more, took long breaths in and out, then saw Tyson walk in the room.

“Tyson, can you sit down with me for a minute?”

“No,” he said, not even looking at her. “I’m going to get some fresh air. I need time to think.”

“About what, Tyson?”

He hadn’t responded. He took his running shoes from the closet.

“Tyson, why are you—”

“I’m out,” he said, slamming the door behind him.

Tears crawled from Gabrielle’s eyes, down her face. Something was wrong with her husband. He’d been fine all day and then, tonight, he changed. At dinner, she noticed he was quiet, not himself. Why was he distant and reticent? Was he nervous about the baby shower? About the baby? Was he having second thoughts about being a father? How could he be having second thoughts when all he could talk about was how excited he was to have a son? He wanted this baby more than anything.

Gabrielle dabbed her eyes, took her cell phone and called him. She listened to the rings, but when voicemail picked up, she set the phone back on the nightstand and dried her eyes, hoping that he would call her back.

 

* * *

 

Tyson hadn’t even left the house yet. He was sitting in his jeep when Gabrielle’s call came through. He was too angry to answer. Too angry to talk to her. Evil thoughts ran through his head. Through his blood. Could Gabrielle really do something like this to him? Did she really cheat on him, especially knowing the turmoil that his ex, Desiree, had put him through?

And then there was Dilvan. Tyson could only see red when Dilvan crossed his mind. All he wanted to do was run back in the house, grab his gun and pay Dilvan a visit. But they had family in town and now was not the time to cause a bunch of chaos. And what he heard from Heshan was a partial story (one that hurt, but still, partial) and what if Gabrielle’s baby was his and not Dilvan’s? What good would he accomplish by putting a bullet in Dilvan’s skull? Then again, Dilvan deserved a bullet in his skull, but if he killed the man, how would he see his son grow up from behind bars? Then again, what if it wasn’t his son?

Too confused to do anything else, Tyson drove to a bar. He drank vodka, hoping that it would ease the pain he felt in his heart, but it only distorted his thinking. Only made him want to go to Dilvan’s place and obliterate him. Drinking hard liquor didn’t make him a stumbling drunk. It made him mean, dangerously mean, and that’s why he avoided drinking in excess. Tonight, though, he didn’t care. He’d drink all he wanted. He’d lost everything he loved. Was his woman really his woman? Was his baby really his baby? If a man had to question those things, then maybe he wasn’t with the right woman, right?