Chapter Thirty

 

The doorbell jarred Melissa out of her trance. Trusting her instincts wasn’t easy. Most of the time they led her down the wrong path. Allowing Darius to squat in the condo until the baby arrived was probably not a good idea. But his relentless five days of straight argument was convincing.

Sharing the biggest event in her life with the man she had no business loving seemed about right. Why should her life get simpler now?

She padded to the door, took a deep breath, and opened it. More than anything, she wanted to fall against him and hold on, but her dignity held her back. His expression was unreadable. She wanted to believe he’d stepped out just for a moment for a cup of coffee, instead of abandoning her for four months.

“One box? Is that all you have?” She opened the door wider for him to enter.

“With the stuff I had sent earlier this week and my things arriving later today, this is all I need.” He sat the box in the corner of the living room.

“It’s your record player, isn’t it?” She came to stand next to him while he peeled back the flaps.

“Yep. I’ve read hearing music is good for unborn babies, so I thought I’d get our child used to it now.” He lifted the pristine recorder from the box and placed it on the shelf below the television.

“You’ve been doing some reading, huh?” There was a catch of resentment in her voice.

From his stooped position, he faced her. “Don’t look so surprised.”

She crossed the room and sat in the chair. “I am a little. I guess I never imagined you would get into this part of having a baby. I always thought you’d make a good father, but the nine-month wait doesn’t seem your style.” She placed her legs over the arm of the chair and swung her foot. She wasn’t angry with him but he no longer felt like her husband either. Could they co-parent this baby in harmony?

He connected the speakers and the power along with a few other wires, then pulled a James Brown album from the box.

“I thought you said soothing music. Don’t play oldies, she said.

He shook his head and pulled out an Earth, Wind, and Fire album.

“Oh boy, from one old tune to the next,” she groaned.

“These are classics. My parents listened to this music. I grew up on this stuff.”

He placed the vinyl on the turntable and dropped the needle in place. The sweet sound of the kalimba filled the room, reminding her of the first time they made love. Darius had insisted Can’t Hide Love needed to be their theme song.

“That song takes you back, doesn’t it?” He slid onto the couch.

If only she could visualize them just enjoying a Saturday evening like any other married couple. But the divorce papers were on the office table awaiting their signatures.

“So, now what, Darius?” She refused to be swallowed by a fantasy that didn’t exist.

“Have you had dinner yet?”

“No, I mean with us. Since you’re moving in, what’s going to happen?” She placed her feet on the floor.

His eyes darkened as he came to his feet. The relaxed poise of his shoulder disappeared as he walked across the room and turned off the music. “You work on your gallery and I work on my score.”

He disappeared down the hall into the small bedroom and closed the door.

Turbo looked at her with his head cocked to one side.

She gathered her hair on top of her head and leaned back in the chair. Mim had to be peering down at her from heaven shaking her head. This was one of the stupidest things she’d done in a long time. The apartment was too small for the two of them to exist together in it with all the emotions hissing and backfiring.

“If things are going to be ugly, I might as well get this over with too,” she said to the dog as she made her way to the cubby hole just off the living room that she used for an office. The manila envelope had been delivered yesterday. She didn’t need to open it to know that it contained her future.

She knocked on his bedroom door and waited for him to respond before going in.

He was seated with his back to the door at a writing table he’d purchased for the room.

“This arrived this morning.”

Without turning around, he asked, “What is it?”

Her knees wobbled, but she stiffened her back and stepped inside. “Our divorce papers. You’ll need to sign them.”

“Leave them on the bed and I’ll check them out later.” His back remained to her but the edge to his voice said he was still angry.

“Is this how it’s going to be between you and me? I can imagine the baby must feel this tension. Turbo won’t even come in this room.”

He turned to face her and placed his elbow on the top of the chair. “I’m trying here, Melissa. I never thought it was going to be a party, but I’m trying. I guess I didn’t think I’d be asked to sign divorce papers on my first night.”

“Did you think I’d changed my mind?”

His eyes stopped at her belly before returning his gaze to her face. Their eyes met for a moment.

“I don’t know what I expected.” He turned back to the desk. “I’ll look at them.”

“Well, I expect you to be nicer. So, if you can work on your attitude, I’d really appreciate it.” She slammed the door and stormed to the master bedroom across the hall. Before she could close the door, he was there.

“Nice? You’re asking me to sign divorce papers and I’m supposed to be nice? Maybe you’d like for me to order a cake and we can have a great big old celebration. How about that?”

“What’s the matter? Is your ego wounded because I served you before you had a chance to serve me?”

He lifted his index finger and pointed at her. “Don’t even go there with me. You started this show in motion. At least be woman enough to own it.”

She placed her hands on her hip and moved closer to his outstretched finger.

“Believe me, I’m woman enough.”