Chapter 16
Four weeks later
Since the day Eddison and Kiara had unprotected sex, she knew her life was transitioning. It had nowhere else to go but in a different and radical direction.
Kiara tried to be normal and act like all was well in her life, but it was hard to do.
That night Rashad came home late.
She met her husband at the door. He almost stumbled across his suitcase. A few more shirts and pants were tossed in there. It was now three fourths full.
“Oh, we’re doing this again?”
“We are doing this and will continue to do this as long as you stop communicating with me about things that are important.”
“What, Kiara?”
“Tonight was our son’s Cub Scouts meeting. You were supposed to take him. I called you. You failed to call me back.”
“Oh, snap. Totally forgot. Dammit.”
Rashad had been hanging out at Nicole’s. Even though the work at her house was complete, she invited him over to celebrate. She sent him a naked photo of herself and told him, “Use your key.” He was at her place within twenty minutes. They enjoyed a quickie and Rashad actually did forget his son’s meeting.
“And that’s why this steadily filled-up suitcase will serve as a reminder. Because as long as you keep hanging out with these hoes, you forget what you have at home.”
“Why I gotta be hanging out with a hoe?”
“That’s what I want to know.”
Kiara smacked Rashad across his face.
He scowled and walked away.
“I thought you were so big and bad,” she shouted. “But like a guilty person, all you can do is run away. You won’t even deny anything. At least tell me the same old lie that you always tell me.”
He twirled around. “I won’t argue with you. I was taking care of some business. A client held a party and I came through there for a minute and forgot about the Cub Scout meeting. I got the days mixed up. Where is Myles?”
“I’m about to go pick him up.”
“Where is he?”
“H-he’s with one of his friends.”
“Oh, okay. I can go with you to get him. I need to apologize to little man.”
“Nope, if you weren’t worried about him before, please don’t give a damn now.”
“Kiara, I don’t wanna hear that. Let’s go.”
She felt nervous. Myles was with Eddison. And there was no way she was taking Rashad with her. She had actually ended up driving Myles to the Scout activity. And since Eddison’s house was along the way, she picked up her son and stopped by there to see him after Myles’s meeting was over. She was angry that Rashad hadn’t shown up. And it felt good she had somewhere else to go besides her empty house. Once Eddison gave Myles popsicles and then showed him the awesome model train collection in the game room, no amount of begging could get the boy to leave. She decided to let her son hang out at Eddison’s. She trusted him enough to leave Myles at his place for a short while even though it was almost time for him to go to sleep. That gave her time to go home to confront Rashad.
During the drive home, she imagined what Rashad would do if he knew his son was hanging out with another man.
But right then Kiara knew Rashad was serious about going with her. She took a good look at him. His clothes were wrinkled. He looked different. Her mouth dropped open. He was wearing a green-and-white UAB Alumni t-shirt. She’d never seen it before. She knew he did not leave out the house with that strange-looking shirt.
“What in hell is that shirt you’re wearing, Rashad?”
He glanced at his clothes. His face turned red.
“Huh? Answer me!” Kiara screamed.
“Um, it’s a—”
“Rashad, you lie so fucking much. I know you probably got that shirt from some bitch you’re laying up with. You don’t even like UAB. That’s why I’m glad I—”
He snatched her by her wrists. “You’re so glad you what?” He looked frightened. “Kiara, what’s really going on with you? Have you done something bad to Myles?”
“Hurt my own child? Are you crazy?” she screamed.
“No, but you are!” He squeezed her wrists.
“Ouch. Let me go. You’re hurting me.”
“What were you about to say, Kiara? What are you glad about?”
She tried to knee him in the groin. He jumped back. He twisted her arm even more. She began crying and struggled to get away.
“Rashad, that fucking hurts. Why do you continue to hurt me? You think I’m supposed to be happy living like this?” She looked at his luggage sprawled on the floor as she shrieked in pain. “You’re physically assaulting me, yet you’re the one who’s done all the dirt; fucking my admin and probably half your damned clients.”
“For the last time, where is my son? What’d you do to him?”
“Jesus Christ, I-I haven’t done anything to Myles, you dumb fuck. And I know about UAB. It stands for University of Alabama. Where’d you get that shirt from?”
“Can’t I buy a stupid shirt?”
“You are such a liar!”
He let her go and stormed away. She heard their bedroom door slam and the locks turned.
“Liar, liar, liar,” she said. She was glad he fled to the room. It was her perfect chance to avoid his questions and pull herself together before she left to pick up Myles.
By the time she rang Eddison’s doorbell, she had calmed down. He opened the door and she mouthed, “Thanks, baby.”
He looked pleased to see her. She found Myles. He was watching the Lionel NASCAR trains zip around the tracks. He barely said hello to her.
“Hey, son. It’s getting late. We have to go.”
“You hear the choo choo sounds? Can you see the smoke coming out the train, Mommy? This is so much fun. Can I spend the night, please, Mommy?”
“Um, not tonight, Myles. Maybe some other time.”
“Eddy is my new best friend.”
She laughed out loud. Eddison did, too.
“Kiara, may I see you for a second?” She followed him into his kitchen. He knew Myles was preoccupied so he quickly swept the woman he adored into his arms.
“That little man is so smart, so engaged. He is amazing. We had a ball. And I fed him a turkey burger so he’s good for the night.”
“You are amazing. I feel so bad pulling you into all of this—”
“Shhh,” he said and kissed her lips. “I’m here. I want to be here.” He kissed her again. “If all goes well, you’re going to be my lady one day.”
He placed his hand on her flat belly and closed his eyes.
“Are you praying that I’m pregnant and that the baby will be yours?” she asked.
“It is mine.”
She turned from him and wrung her hands. This was getting to be too much to deal with. And she felt confused.
She faced him and said softly, “I-I-I don’t even know if I’m pregnant yet. Plus we wouldn’t know until DNA tells us.”
“But I can dream, can’t I?”
She didn’t want to dash his hopes. Ever since she had learned that her period was late, he and Adina were the only people she’d told. Kiara was in a daze. She knew that if she was pregnant, it would be because the Lord allowed it.
If Eddison turned out to be the father, Kiara would have to deal with that when the time came. She could envision Eddison being a good daddy. But the power of paternity wasn’t in her hands. It was in God’s hands. And that’s what Kiara was afraid of.
Regardless of what happened, as long as there was a chance that Rashad was the father of her baby, Kiara knew that she had to take control in ways she never imagined.