It is foolish to wish for beauty. Sensible people never either desire it for themselves
or care about it in others. If the mind be but well cultivated, and the heart well disposed, no one ever cares for the exterior. Anne Bronte
Envy stepped outside on her porch and immediately felt a strangeness within. She looked at “Mrs. Rawlings’s porch. Envy knocked on the elderly woman’s door with Fischer yelping beside her. It wasn’t like Mrs. Rawlings not to be peering through the curtains or outside in her garden. “Fischer, where is she?” The dog barked in return.
“The daily newspaper lay in front of Mrs. Rawlings’s door untouched, which heightened Envy’s concern. She pushed back her glasses, pulled out her cell phone and called Mrs. Rawlings’s home phone again. She could hear it ringing through Mrs. Rawlings’s door. When her voicemail came on, Envy started walking around the duplex to see if she could see anything through her neighbor’s windows. She should have been glad that Mrs. Rawlings had kept out of her business for a change. She was one nosy neighbor, but as much as she may have hated to admit it, she sometimes enjoyed the fact that there was someone who was concerned about her. It surely wasn’t her sister, who she’d only spoken to once since their mother’s death. She hadn’t heard anything from her father either, not that she expected to.
Mrs. Rawlings, on the other hand, was sometimes overbearing, always nosy, and acted like she was clairvoyant at times. Some attention was better than no attention at all. Envy and Fischer walked back around to the front of the duplex.
“Fischer, we’re going to have to call 911. I don’t like what’s going on, or should I say what’s not going on.” Fischer wagged his tail and barked, rubbing his paws against Mrs. Rawlings door. “Shush, Fischer.” Envy paused when she saw the knob slowly turn and heard the creaking sound of Mrs. Rawlings’s door open.
Looking white as a ghost and like she’d lost ten pounds of her already frail 100-pound frame, Envy gasped at the sight of Mrs. Rawlings. Fischer started barking again.
“Mrs. Rawlings, what’s wrong?” Without waiting on an invitation to enter the apartment, Envy forced herself in past Mrs. Rawlings. The putrid smell inside the house almost made Envy vomit.
Mrs. Rawlings always kept a clean house. As long as she’d known her elderly neighbor, there was never a time that Envy smelled anything like she did today. It was a smell of urine and feces. Totally out of character for the old woman. Envy held Mrs. Rawlings up by encircling her hand around her waist and using the other hand to brace her body. The smell was on Mrs. Rawlings too.
She helped the old lady to sit down on the sofa and Envy proceeded to call 911. Afterward, she hurriedly went into the bathroom. It was clean except for the toilet which hadn’t been flushed. Envy flushed the toilet and searched through the bathroom closet and found a wash pail, ran hot water in it and grabbed a bar of soap. She hurried back to where Mrs. Rawlins still lay. Next she went into her bedroom, and the smell of soiled sheets made Envy cover her nose and mouth. She searched through the drawers until she found a clean pair of underwear and a clean robe. She didn’t want Mrs. Rawlings to be embarrassed and humiliated when the ambulance arrived.
Envy moved with breakneck speed, and though she’d never done such a thing before, she held her breath and washed and cleaned Mrs. Rawlings until the smell was gone. She dressed her in clean underwear and a house dress, finishing just in time as she heard the sound of the ambulance siren and Fischer’s wild barking.
Envy ran and opened the door as quickly as she could to let Fischer in the house. The ambulance pulled into the driveway and Envy directed them to Mrs. Rawlings’s apartment. They immediately checked her vitals, asked Envy several questions about Mrs. Rawlings’s health and more.
“Appears as if she might have had a stroke,” one of the paramedics said. They called in the vital signs while they carried her into the ambulance. “What hospital, ma’am?” Envy remained quiet. The EMT repeated the question, this time more forcefully like he was telling her to hurry up.
“Uhh, Methodist Healthcare University Central,” Envy told them.
“You riding with her?” the same EMT asked.
“No, I’ll follow in my car. Just get her to the hospital. I’ll be right there. Is she going to be all right?”
“Ma’am, we need to get her to a hospital right away. She’s in bad shape. A doctor can tell you more once she’s been thoroughly examined.” He jumped inside the back of the ambulance with Mrs. Rawlings and another EMT who was placing oxygen over her mouth, and an IV in Mrs. Rawlings’s scaly arms. The heavy doors closed on the ambulance and it whisked off down the street.
Envy returned to Mrs. Rawlings’s house, pulled off the soiled sheets, and gathered all of the soiled items she could find. On first thought she was going to wash them, but then she changed her mind and placed them in a plastic trash bag. She found a can of Lysol and sprayed the entire house. She’d call Merry Maids to come over and give the house a thorough cleaning once she found out how Mrs. Rawlings was doing. Envy scrubbed her hands until they became wrinkled, and then used a Clorox wipe to disinfect the doorknob that Mrs. Rawlings had touched when she allowed her inside. She grabbed the keys off the key hook, locked the woman’s door, and then hurried to her apartment to change into a pair of jeans and a shirt.
“Fischer, I have to go see about Mrs. Rawlings. Be a good boy.” She patted his head and dashed out of the door and jumped into her car. By the time she made it to the hospital, Mrs. Rawlings was in the emergency room. They were running a battery of tests on her. She was barely conscious and unable to move when they allowed Envy into the room.
After almost five hours, the doctor came in and explained to Envy that they were going to admit Mrs. Rawlings into the hospital. “She’s suffered a stroke, and now she’s in a diabetic coma. Put the two together with the fact that she’s 84 years old, and that should tell you that this is pretty serious, ma’am,” he spoke with sorrow.
She twirled around, unsure of what to say or do. “But is she going to be all right?” Envy focused her attention back on the doctor.
“We’re doing all we can. She’s being admitted to CCU where she can be watched 24/7. How long has she been like this?” the doctor asked with raised eyebrows.
“I don’t know. I hadn’t seen her in a couple of days so I knocked on her door but she didn’t answer. I was getting ready to call 911 when she opened the door. That’s when I saw that something was wrong with her. She didn’t speak to me or say anything. She had soiled her clothes and bed. I managed to clean her up before the EMTs arrived. That’s all I can tell you.”
The doctor turned to leave. “We’ll call you when we get her settled into CCU. It shouldn’t be much longer. There are two more tests we need to run.”
“Thank you, Doctor.” Envy sat in the waiting room area for another hour before she heard them call her name. The receptionist directed her to the CCU waiting room and nurses’ station. “How is Mrs. Rawlings? She was just admitted to CCU.” The nurse scanned the patient list. “Are you related to her?”
“Yes,” Envy lied, “I’m her granddaughter. She has no other family other than me.” That much was true as far as Envy knew. Mrs. Rawlings had no living relatives who were able to see about her. If she did, they must be just as old or sickly as she was because no one ever came to visit her except church members.
Envy would call Mrs. Rawlings’s church tomorrow during office hours so they could place her on the sick and shut in list.
“Ma’am, if you want to go home, you can. You can leave your contact information and we’ll let you know if there’s any change in Mrs. Rawlings’s condition. Right now, we’re working to get her sugar level stabilized and testing to see the extent of her stroke. It’s not likely that you’ll be able to see her again until tomorrow morning.” The nurse was kind and her voice sounded compassionate.
“Thank you. I just want to make sure she’s going to be all right.” Envy tried to hold back her tears.
The nurse walked over to where Envy sat. She reached out and hugged Envy. “She’ll be fine. We’re going to take good care of her. I promise. I’ll be here all night. And there’s going to be someone monitoring her around the clock, okay?” She patted Envy on the shoulder.
“Okay, I appreciate your concern.”
“That’s what we’re here for. We’ll do all we can for her.”
Envy turned and slowly walked away. A flurry of thoughts from her past spilled over in her mind as she sped on the interstate and toward home. So much had happened in her life that she didn’t know where to start. Mistake after mistake she’d made. She pulled up in the driveway hurriedly, locked the car door, and ran up the walk and inside her apartment. Fischer jumped up and down, begging for attention, but this was one of those nights she didn’t want to be bothered by anyone.
“Go away, Fischer. I don’t feel like petting you right now. I need a break.” She huffed past him and he plopped down and whined as she went to her bedroom and slammed the door behind her.
She continued to survey her miserable life. She thought of her mother and the name she’d given her. It was her mother’s fought that so much bad luck had crossed her path. Her father couldn’t care less about her. He had a new family, kids, the whole shebang. Then there was Nikkei. The only sister she had, other than the new set of siblings her father had, but who was counting them? Nikkei was busy living her life with a great husband and two kids. The perfect all American dream. No financial worries or anything hard ever came across Nikkei’s path.
The small insurance policy their mother had was enough to give her a nice funeral, and the remaining money was split between the two of them. It turned out to be a little less than seven thousand dollars for each of them. But that was no money. Envy had more than that amount of money put away in her 401K, and she placed her mother’s inheritance in it too. Money wasn’t her problem, and money couldn’t solve her problem. Her problem was her life. The numerous men she’d bedded; some with names she remembered, and others who got up from her bed and disappeared like a wisp of wind. None of them could make her forget the hurt and anguish of her troubled life.
She wouldn’t admit it, but she didn’t miss her own mother. Her own dead mother, and she barely felt anything when she died. The only people who meant anything to her were Layla, Kacie, and Mrs. Rawlings. Leonard quickly came to the front of her mind. Why Leonard? He’s just another man on the list. No one special, other than a good lay. As for God, I’ve tried to keep the faith, Lord. But I don’t see how you could ever forgive me, when I can’t forgive myself. I’m a terrible, evil, person. I’m a whore and a slut, and more than that, I’m a murderer. You said those who are murderers, idolaters, adulterers, fornicators, and a whole list of other sins you named in the Bible, wouldn’t see heaven. Well, you and I both know that I fall into more than one of those categories. So I already have one foot cemented in hell.
Too distracted to do anything but mope, Envy went and lay on her sofa, crossed her legs and arms, and flicked on the television. Nothing piqued her interest. She pulled one of her novels off the table that she hadn’t finished reading. As much as she loved reading, even the novel couldn’t keep her mind from wandering. She tossed and turned on the sofa, but there was nothing that would rest her mind. Fischer lay down on the rug in front of her.
“Fischer, come on, boy. You wanna go on a walk?” Fischer jumped up and wagged his tail. Envy got up, went in the bedroom to get her cell phone from her purse, and then took Fischer out on a walk. The weather was perfect. She inhaled the scent of May flowers that the breeze sent her way. Lifting her head toward the sky, she surveyed the beauty of all God’s creation. “Lord, why did you make me? You said I’m fearfully and wonderfully made, but look at me. I don’t know what direction my life is going. I’m such a phony and a fake. I can’t carry this burden around my neck like a noose anymore. I can’t keep hiding and running from what I’ve done. I need a way of escape. God, I need you so badly. Will you please help me to—”
Envy looked at her Blackberry Dash. It was Kacie. “Dang, I don’t feel like talking to any one tonight,” she shouted out in the night. When she remembered the pains Kacie had, she thought she’d better answer to make sure she was fine. Dryly she answered the phone. “What is it, Kacie?”
“I’m at the hospital.” Kacie cried. “I’m in labor. Can you check…ahhh,” she screamed out in pain as a contraction wracked her body. The kids are at home alone.”
“Why didn’t the paramedics take the kids or call for CPS to come and get them? Why didn’t they call me?” Envy said frantically.
“Because...ahhhh…I…drove myself. I’ve got to go.”
“Hold up! Which hospital?”
“The Med…Labor and Delivery.” Kacie ended the call.
Envy immediately dialed Layla’s number and prayed that she was back at home from her date. When Layla didn’t answer, Envy hurriedly ended what was supposed to be a long, casual walk with Fischer. He’d taken care of his business and she was glad about it. She rushed to the apartment, put Fischer inside and got her keys and purse. On the way to the car, she called Layla again. No answer. She called again. No answer.
“Dang,” Envy ended the call. “Now what do I do?” She drove in the direction of Kacie’s house as she remembered that Kacie had been through this several times, so the most important thing now would be to go and be with the children. She would call Layla when she got to Kacie’s house again. Envy’s concern was that the baby was arriving almost a month early.
Kassandra barely pulled back the curtain, then opened the door when she saw that it was Aunt Envy.
“Hi, Kassandra. Are you kids okay?” Envy went through the room checking each one of them like they’d just been injured in an accident of some sort. She was nervous as all get out.
“We’re fine, Aunt Envy. Momma’s gone to the hospital to have the baby. She drove her car.”
Envy smiled.
“I want a sister,” Kendra said. “I don’t want another brother.”
“I do,” yelled Kenny. “Girls are too bossy.”
“Okay, that’s enough. We’re going to be thankful to God whether it’s a boy or a girl, all right?” remarked Envy. She got all the kids’ night clothes together and made sure they took their baths. Afterward, she let them have a snack and watch a movie. At nine o’clock, she had them in bed. Exhausted, Envy lay on the sofa and called the hospital to check on Mrs. Rawlings. The nurse she’d talk to at the hospital earlier answered.
“We’re keeping her comfortable, Miss Wilson, but she’s still in critical condition. “She’s still not out of the woods. Her age coupled with the fact that she more than likely suffered the stroke days before you discovered her in the apartment does not work in her favor. Her blood sugar is fluctuating, and she’s still in a diabetic coma. But rest assured, I have your number, and I promise to call you if there are any changes.”
“Thank you so much. You’re a godsend.” The phone rang as quickly as Envy ended the call. This time it was Kacie.
“How are you? How many centimeters are you?”
“I’m…I’m about eight and a half. They might have to do a C-section. I’ll know when the doctor gets in here. The nurse just went and called him. Looks like the baby wants to come out feet first.”
“Oh no, that’s not good,” Envy replied in a fit.
“I’ll be all right. Will you do me a favor and call Deacon to let him know I’m in labor.”
Envy couldn’t believe what she was hearing. After the way he’d been treating Kacie, she still wanted him to know that she was in labor.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Kacie. That’s only adding stress to your situation. Forget him. He hasn’t bothered to try to call you, come by to check on you or anything. All you need to be doing now is following the doctor’s orders and preparing to bring a healthy baby into this world. You can handle Deacon after all of this is over,” retorted Envy.
Kacie hollered. Envy didn’t know if it was because of a labor contraction or anger. “Look, I want you to call him. If you won’t, I’m going to call his house and tell his wife that she needs to get her husband out here to this hospital right away.”
This time it was Envy’s turn to get mad. “Look, I’m not going to do your dirty work. It’s stupid, and you’re only bringing trouble on yourself. So if you want to lay up there and call that man’s house, do it. I’m not going to be your send out on this one. So change the subject. Layla must be still on her date with Dennis because she didn’t answer her phone. I don’t know how many times I’ve tried to convince her to get a cell phone.”
Kacie ignored Envy’s remarks about Layla. “Are you going to call him, Envy? Please, do this one thing for me. And I swear, I won’t ask you to do anything else like this.”
“First of all, swearing is not necessary.” Envy sighed. “What’s the fool’s cell phone number?” she said furiously.
“Thank you; oh thank you so much. Aww!” Another contraction hit Kacie. After another one, she gave the cell phone number to Envy. “I’ll try to call you back if I can. But tell him where I am and that the baby is coming early. Tell him that I need him and that there’s no one at the hospital with me.”
“You are so pitiful,” Envy said and ended the call without saying good-bye. Envy dialed the number Kacie had given her. The phone rang. When Deacon answered, Envy said, “Hello? Deacon?”
“Yeah, this is Deacon. Who is this?” He didn’t sound welcoming at all.
“This is Envy. You know, Kacie’s friend. And please, don’t hang up. She wanted me to call to tell you that she’s in early labor. She drover herself to the hospital,” Envy said with prominence. “I’m here with the kids. I know how you feel about Kacie being pregnant, but if there is the slightest chance that this is your child, you should at least go check on her and the baby.”
“Look, I don’t care who you are to Kacie. I don’t appreciate you calling me trying to tell me what to do. She’s probably not having the baby early. It just proves that she was lying all the time, telling me she got pregnant by me when it’s some other unfortunate guy’s brat.” His voice sounded cold and emotionless.
“Look, I don’t like having to call you anymore than you care for talking to me. But this is not about you or me, and it’s not about Kacie. It’s about a baby that’s about to come into the world. Now like I said, if you have an ounce of compassion, you’ll at least go to check on her condition. As soon as I can find someone to watch these kids, I’ll come out there.”
Silence traveled through the phone. “Where is she?” he asked reluctantly.
Envy exhaled. “Regional Med Labor and Delivery. And thanks, Deacon. I mean that.”
“Whatever.” He hung up abruptly. Envy could care less that he hung up on her. He was the fool, the one who got caught cheating. He deserved whatever he got. She saw a blanket on the chair, picked it up, and curled up on Kacie’s den sofa.
Envy opened her eyes and quickly remembered where she was and why. She ran to the back to check on the children. Kassandra and Kali were in their room; Kali asleep and Kassandra reading a chapter book.
“It’s time to go to sleep, baby.” Envy walked to Kassandra’s bed. She spoke in a soothing voice, removed the book from Kassandra’s hands and tucked her in.
“Has Momma had the baby yet?” asked Kassandra.
“No, sweetie. Not yet. But she’s doing just fine. You get some sleep, okay?” Envy kissed the little girl on her forehead, then turned to pull the cover up to Kali’s neck before leaving the room to go check on the rest of the children. Everyone else was asleep. Keshena was in the bed with Kendra, not her own. She had one foot rested across Kendra’s tummy and looked like the picture of perfect peace as she slept sideways in the twin bed.
Headed back to the front of the house, Envy heard her cell phone ringing. She picked up her pace and grabbed it in time to hear Layla on the other end. “Layla, hey. You at home?”
“No, is anything wrong? I checked my messages. You called several times.”
It was well past midnight. Envy smiled. “I had called to see if I could bring Kacie’s kids over there while I went to check on her. She’s in labor, and I was going to go to the hospital to be with her,” explained Envy. “And can you believe that she drove herself to the hospital?”
“That girl has gall. Is she all right? There’s nothing wrong with the baby, is there?” Concern was evident in the tone of Layla’s voice.
“I don’t think so. She might have to have a C-section because the baby is trying to come out feet first. When will you be home?” Envy asked more out of curiosity than for Kacie and her kids’ sake.
Layla was quiet. She closed the silence by answering, “Tomorrow, early.”
“Umm, well you and Dennis have fun.” Envy giggled into the receiver. She was happy that Layla sounded happy. So far Dennis seemed like a decent guy. He was always asking Layla to do things with him. He’d been to Bible Study a couple of times with her and was at her house almost everyday having lunch with Layla during his lunch break. “Somebody deserves to have some fun,” Envy spoke out loud.
“Bye, girl. I’ll talk to you in the morning.” Layla chuckled, and then ended her call.
Early the next morning, Dennis dropped Layla off at her apartment and went to work. She went inside and took a shower, washing last night’s and this morning’s scent of love from her body, followed by dressing into a pair of capris and a quarter length pullover U-neck shirt. Dialing Envy, she listened to the ringtone until Envy picked up the phone. “Good morning.”
Sleepy from having tossed and turned most of the night, Envy responded in a rough voice with, “What time is it?”
“Six forty. You sound like you’re still asleep.”
“I was, but I don’t need to be.” Envy sat up hurriedly. “I hear the kids in the back. I need to get up and fix them something to eat, and then get them off to school. Shoot, they’re going to be late already. I’ll call you back.”
“Okay. Bye.”
“Kids, get ready for school,” Envy called out and rushed along the hallway to check on them. Much to her surprise, they were already dressed, including little Keshena. Dang, Kacie has them trained. “My, my, aren’t y’all a bunch of smart kids. You’re already up and dressed? That’s great. What time are you all supposed to leave for school,” she asked no one in particular.
“At 7:15,” answered Kendra.
“Oh my, that’s not going to leave much time for me to get your breakfast ready. Come on, I’ll take y’all to school this morning, and I’ll stop and get you some sausage and biscuits on the way to school.”
“We can eat at school if we get there by seven thirty,” Kendra told her.
“No, you’ll still be rushing. I don’t mind stopping by Mickey D’s. It’s on the way to your school anyway. Now, come on, let’s get ready to get out of here. I have to go home and let Fischer out to use the bathroom after I drop you guys off at school.”
On the way home after dropping off the children, Envy called Kacie’s room, but there was no answer. She arrived at home, fed and walked Fischer, then took a shower and dressed. She called the office and informed her assistant, Felicia, that she wouldn’t be in until later.
“Felicia, I don’t show that I have any urgent meetings or projects today,” Envy told her and continued to browse through her phone calendar.
“No, everything is pretty clear, so take your time. I’ll call you if anything comes up,” Felicia assured her.
“Sounds good to me. Have a good day. I’ll see you later.”
Envy changed into a casual two-piece chartreuse pantsuit and a pair of mules and out the door she went to visit Kacie. When she made it downtown, the hospital parking lot and side streets were packed. She drove around the block several times, for nearly twenty minutes before she gave up and parked in the hospital garage.
The walk to Labor and Delivery took just as long. Envy was almost out of breath when she stepped off the last elevator. “I’m looking for Kacie Mayweather’s room, please.”
The nurse checked the chart and pointed Envy to the corridor that led to Kacie’s room. She knocked and went inside the room. Kacie was lying in the bed asleep. A small portable crib was sitting beside her. Tip-toeing so as not to disturb them, Envy smiled when she peered into the crib; Kacie had given birth. There lay a creamy brown skinned baby dressed in blue with a sky blue covering on his head, sound asleep.
“Oh you’re so precious. Such a precious little thing,” she whispered and ever so lightly lifted his tiny cap and touched his head, which was covered with sprinkles of brown hair. She then replaced it back over his round moon pie shaped head.
Envy whirled around, startled when she heard the toilet in Kacie’s room flush. She faced Deacon head on.
“What are you doing here?” She placed one hand on her hip and placed her weight on the right side.
“Since when did I have to start answering to you? I have a wife,” Deacon snarled and brushed past her to glimpse at the sleeping baby. He didn’t appear to look at Kacie, not once.
“Since I called and told you to come out here to see about Kacie. I guess looking at this beautiful baby boy, you’re satisfied now that he’s yours.” Envy huffed and intertwined her arms.
“He is a handsome little fella. But only DNA will tell if he’s mine or not. Maybe miracles do happen. Maybe you don’t care to admit it, but I don’t have a problem reminding you that your friend over there has six children already and everyone of them has a different daddy. I don’t know if they took DNA or not, but I’m not like them. I’m having a DNA test because like I keep telling Kacie, I am sterile.” Deacon’s body stiffened and his jaw line twitched.
Envy flung out her arms. “You know what? It’s men like you that make me sick to my stomach,” she said louder than she intended.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Kacie asked when she opened her eyes, obviously awakened by the banter being exchanged between Deacon and Envy.
Envy went and stood next to Kacie’s bed, and gently rubbed her hair. “The baby is adorable, Kacie. He’s a big boy too.”
Kacie turned her head toward him. “He weighed nine pounds, seven ounces, and he’s twenty-three inches long.”
“Wow, no wonder he looks like he’s two or three months old already,” Envy remarked and chuckled while Deacon stood in silence near the sleeping infant.
Kacie shifted her eyes in Deacon’s direction. “You’re still here?” She sounded surprised.
“I was just about to leave.” Suddenly, the room became stuffy. “I’ll call you later. Remember what we talked about,” he said with attitude. He rolled his eyes at Envy and swiftly left the room.
Kacie made no effort to respond. Instead, she watched Deacon take one last look at their child and exited the room.
“I wish I could really tell you what I think of him.” Envy fumed.
“Don’t bother. I think I already know because I feel the same. He wants a DNA test right away. They’re going to do it while I’m in the hospital. He’s supposed to be back here in the morning for the test.” Kacie’s lips stuck out and her eyes began to shine like stars, only they were tears.
Envy rubbed Kacie’s arms in a comforting act. “Girl, don’t worry. Do what you have to do. All he’s going to do is pay child support and get visitation.”
“I know, but I don’t know if I can take it. I still love him. If I have to see him every time he comes to visit Kyland, I don’t know what I’ll do.”
“Kyland? Is that the baby’s name?”
“Yeah, Kyland Dyson Mayweather…until the DNA results comes back, and then he’ll take on Deacon’s last name, Riggs.
“I guess worse things can happen.” Kyland began to stir and stretch. His mouth opened and before he could be picked up, he started bellowing. “Boy, do you have a strong set of lungs on you. Let me hurry up and get you to your momma,” Envy said. She quickly went over to the sink and washed her hands, then returned to pick up the fussing baby. She held him and made cooing sounds before passing him to Kacie to breast feed. He shushed as soon as his mouth connected.
“I don’t know how in the world you can do that? Doesn’t it hurt?” Envy frowned in disgust.
Kacie laughed. “Does it hurt when a man does it?”
“Oooh, you’re wrong for that. You got me on that one.” They kept talking until a nurse came in and interrupted their chatter.
“Excuse me. I won’t be in here but a minute. Do you need anything, Ms. Mayweather?” the nurse asked.
“No, I’m fine.”
“I see the little one is fine too. Has he had a bowel movement today?”
“Yes, he had one early this morning,” replied Kacie.
“Good. And how about you? Have you been doing your coughing and breathing exercises?”
“Yes, but it hurts really bad.”
“I know, hon, but you have to do them. It’ll help the soreness in your belly.” The nurse proceeded with giving Kacie her vitals while Kyland continued suckling without so much as stopping to take a breath. The nurse turned to leave. “I’ll come back to check on you and the baby a little later. Until then, call if you need us.”
“I will. Thank you,” replied Kacie. “Envy, will you please pass me a pamper? He’s going to need to be changed when he finishes nursing.”
A slight tap on the door was heard, and in walked Layla. “Hi, girl. You’ve had the baby? Why didn’t any one call and tell me?” she asked and walked to the other side of Kacie’s bed.
“I didn’t know she’d had it either. Not until I came up here,” Envy stated.
Kacie explained, “I was going to call both of you, but like you saw when you got here, Envy, Deacon was here. Things happened so fast, and then I fell off to sleep. When I woke up, Envy was already here with Deacon.” Kacie looked directly at Layla and laughed. “I’m sure you can imagine that scene.”
“What was he doing here? Checking to see if the baby has his ears or his nose?’” Layla asked sarcastically.
“And that dog is getting a DNA test first thing in the morning,” Envy told her.
“Are you going to let me talk?” Kacie inquired.
Envy shrugged her shoulders. “Go ahead. The floor is yours.”
“It’s true; we are doing a DNA test in the morning. And like I told, Envy, I’m glad. That way he won’t be going around like I was just somebody he had a one night stand with. I wonder how he’s going to explain that to little Miss Wifey? I wish I could be a fly on the wall for that conversation.” Kacie laughed. “By the way, how did you get up here?”
“Dennis, who else?” Layla said, smiling.
“I’m scared of you, girl,” remarked Kacie and laughed.
“But getting back to Miss Wifey,” said Layla, “I think all three of us wish we could be flies on the wall.” Layla tilted her head slightly to the side and giggled. She looked at the baby sleeping soundly, still attached to his mother’s breast. “What’s this handsome boy’s name?”
“Kyland. Kyland Dyson Mayweather.
Kyland finally pulled away and Kacie burped him, then changed his diaper. He fell right back to sleep. She turned and placed him in his bassinette, and for the next minute or two, the three friends watched Kyland sleeping, his tiny chest and tummy rising and falling.
“Where were you last night, Miss MIA?” Kacie’s question and laugh were accompanied by a stare of amusement from Envy. “How did things go with you and Dennis?” urged Kacie.
“What?” Layla stretched forth her hands. “I don’t know what y’all are talking about.” Her voice rose with a measure of surprise at their forthrightness.
“Oh please, give us the low down. I know if you stayed out all night long, you just weren’t sleeping, and you said he brought you to the hospital,” Envy said and flapped a hand in her direction.
“I’m a Christian woman, and you know that; and so do you, Kacie,” Layla explained.
“Tell us something we don’t know already. Being a Christian doesn’t mean you’re perfect, not by a long shot. I think we all can testify to that. All we have to do is look at that little beautiful boy sleeping. Now, did y’all, or did y’all not?” Envy sounded insistent.
“Did.” Layla’s face turned three shades of crimson.
“Ohmigosh. How was it?” Kacie came right out and asked.
“No, that’s all I’m telling y’all. Everything else is between me and Dennis. Except the part when he told me that he was in love with me.” Layla jumped lightly on her tiptoes and placed her hands over her mouth.
“Layla,” Envy said first “that’s wonderful.” She moseyed to the side of the bed where Layla stood and hugged her tightly. “I’m so happy for you.”
“Thank you, Envy.” Layla was all smiles.
“Me too,” Kacie added. “It’s about time things start changing for us. When I get out of here, we’re going to celebrate. Give me a hug too,” she ordered Layla.
Layla walked toward her and gave Kacie a hug. “Thanks, Kacie.”
“I’m sorry to break up this celebration, but I need to leave. I have to stop by Methodist and check on Mrs. Rawlings. She’s in CCU. If I’m going to make it back to get your kids before they get out of school, then I need to be out of here,” explained Envy.
“Don’t worry about the kids.” Layla tuned her eyes toward Kacie. “Dennis is going to pick me up from here in an hour. He said he would drop me off at your house, Kacie, or he’ll take me to pick up the kids so they won’t have to stop by the daycare to pick up Keshena. I’ll hang out over your house tonight. Envy, that way you can take your time doing what you have to do. Are you going back to work?”
“No, because I planned on getting the kids. But are you sure about the kids? I don’t mind picking them up and watching them.”
“Wait, you two. I am the mother.” Kacie laughed while holding on to her tender belly. “What would I do without the two of you? Here you are, arguing over who’s going to care for my children. I love you guys so much.”
“We love you too, Kacie,” Layla replied.
“Layla, it’d be good if you could get the kids for me today. I’ll give you my extra key. Envy, you go see about your neighbor and go on to work”
“And Layla, you call me if your plans change,” added Envy.
“Okay, I’ll do that. So everything is settled about the kids, Kacie. No need for you to worry about anything,” Layla told her.
Envy eyed Kacie. “I’m outta here.” She kissed Kacie on the forehead, patted the baby on the back, and hugged Layla. “See y’all.”