Chapter 33
“So it’s just you and me for the night. We can have a sleepover,” Delilah said.
Sheba hated that Delilah had overheard her conversation with David. “I’m fine by myself.”
“I wasn’t going to say anything, but I think you better decide what you’re going to do about the baby you’re carrying.”
Sheba felt exposed. “What baby? What are you talking about?”
Delilah stood up and placed her hand over Sheba’s stomach. “I can see a little pouch developing. You’re pregnant, dear. And if I do the math, Uriah’s not the daddy.”
Sheba let the floodgates open. Delilah wrapped her arms around her and let her cry on her shoulder.
“What am I going to do? I can’t have this baby unless Uriah’s the father,” Sheba said.
Delilah handed her a tissue from the box on the nearby table. “You’re not going to be able to pull it off, so you need to come clean with Uriah. Do it while you still have a chance. Don’t let him find out another way.”
“He’ll never forgive me. I need for him to think this baby’s his.”
“Sheba, how can you expect the Lord to bless you and this child if you keep living a life of dishonesty? Don’t be like me. Be better.”
Sheba pulled herself together. “I think you better go home.”
“Tsk, tsk. You’re treading on thin ice right now. This game you’re playing with David is going to blow up in your face. I’m only looking out for you ... for the baby.”
Sheba rolled her eyes. “Delilah, I’m warning you. You need to mind your own business.”
Delilah grabbed her purse. Before she left, she reached into her purse and handed Sheba some literature. “Looks like you’ll have to learn things the hard way. This is the kind of woman I want to be and the kind of woman I thought you were,” Delilah said.
Delilah left Sheba alone with her thoughts and the literature. Since she was far from sleepy, Sheba held on to the paper and read it as soon as she got back on the couch after seeing Delilah out. Tears streamed down Sheba’s face as she read a familiar passage from Proverbs 31. She was far from being a virtuous woman. She had allowed lust and a bout of temporary insanity to cause her to break her wedding vows.
She held her head down in shame. She was an adulterous woman. She wondered if she would ever be able to redeem herself in the eyes of God. She rubbed her belly as she thought about the sin she’d committed. The little one growing inside her belly was the reminder of her one-night lapse of judgment.
She closed her eyes and prayed. “Lord, please forgive me. I know that I haven’t been going to church like I should. That I haven’t been praying like I should. But I’m so sorry. If you could get me through this, I promise you, Lord, that I will do better. Please don’t let me lose my husband. Uriah’s a good man. He doesn’t deserve to get hurt. If he finds out about this, he’s going to leave me. I don’t know if I can live my life without him, Lord. Please, God. Please fix this situation.”
By the time Sheba stopped praying, her face was covered by tearstains. After praying, she curled up into a little ball and fell asleep on the couch. She remained there until the next morning, when she heard the front door open.
She yawned and stretched. “What happened to you?” she asked Uriah.
“Baby, I’ll explain later. First, I need to take a shower.” Uriah headed toward the master bedroom.
She didn’t notice David until he spoke. “How’s it going?”
“I’ve had better mornings,” Sheba replied coldly.
“Your man is going to need peace and quiet for a few hours. He has a slight hangover.”
If looks could kill, David would be dead. Sheba bore into him with her eyes. “I blame you, you know.”
“He’s a grown man. If he couldn’t hang, he should have stopped drinking.”
“He looks up to you and is always trying to impress you.”
“I’m a likable guy. I wish you liked me,” David said as he walked near her.
“Good. You’re still here,” Uriah said, startling them both.
David turned around to face him. “What’s wrong?” David asked.
“I got a call from the satellite office. I need to get back there as soon as possible.”
“Nooo,” Sheba wailed. “You haven’t been here a week yet. You told me you were going to be here for two weeks.” She ran up to Uriah.
He looked at her. “I know, baby, but duty calls. I’m responsible for the satellite office, and with things not going well, I need to get back there pronto. They thought they could handle everything without me, but something’s come up.”
Sheba turned to face David. “Can’t he handle the problem from here? Can you send somebody else?”
David looked at Sheba and then back at Uriah. “I’m afraid not, Sheba. He’s been handling this phase, and if something’s not going right, he’s the one I trust to fix it.”
“Fine. Then go.” Sheba pouted.
A moment later she stormed out of the room, went to their bedroom, and lay across their bed. Ten minutes later Uriah entered. He lay across the bed, too, and placed his arm around her.
“I’m sorry, baby. I wish I didn’t have to go.”
Sheba cried and cried while Uriah held her tighter and tighter. She cried because she was going to miss Uriah. She cried harder when she realized that there was no way in the world she would be able to pass off her child as Uriah’s unless they did it before he left. Sheba did her best to seduce Uriah, to entice him into having sex with her.
Uriah’s body wouldn’t cooperate. “Baby, it’s the stress. You know I want to, don’t you?”
“But I need to feel you inside of me,” Sheba said, pouting.
“I can’t make it do what it won’t do,” Uriah said as he got up and started packing some of his clothes.
While he packed, she watched. She refused to help him pack to leave her. The doorbell rang.
“That’s probably David’s driver. I’m not getting the door,” she announced.
“Come on, Sheba. Don’t be like this. Do you love me?” he asked.
“Yes, of course I do,” she responded.
“Then let me see that big, pretty smile of yours before I go.”
Sheba tried not to smile.
Uriah said, “Come on. Is it coming? There it goes.”
Sheba smiled. She stood up and gave Uriah a tight hug. “I’m going to miss you.”
“I’m going to miss you, too, baby.” Uriah bent down and kissed her.
Their tongues tangoed. The doorbell rang again.
“I better go answer that,” Uriah said.
Sheba didn’t want to let him go.
When he returned to the room, he said, “That’s the car service. Baby, these next few months will fly by. Just wait and watch.”
Sheba walked with him to the door. He hugged and kissed her once more. She stood in the doorway until the car drove away.
She rubbed her belly. “That’s who should have been your daddy.”