CHAPTER 36

 

 

Against Emily’s wishes, Sherita spent the night at a hotel. She’d taken a taxi to Desmond’s house late, around 2:00 a.m. or so, then she drove to the hotel where she stayed for the night, and five additional nights, crying her eyes out while avoiding phone calls from everyone. No one knew where she was. As far as they knew, she’d gone back to South Carolina.

Checking out of her hotel, she took the overnight bag and tossed it in the backseat, looking at the few items that remained there. She inhaled a breath. She remembered vividly, two weekends ago, how she had been packing up her things and when Desmond came home and saw her packing, he’d stopped her, scooped her up in his arms and took her upstairs to his bedroom where they made love. Well, she wanted to believe they were making love, but now she knew better. In hindsight, she should not have gotten involved with him. She knew he didn’t want children. He was a bachelor. He drove a motorcycle. He took pride in getting any woman he wanted. His house wasn’t even fit for a child. Only for him.

Sherita shook her head, then pulled out of the hotel parking lot. Today, she would remain focused on accomplishing three things. One, visiting the doctor to have her first ultrasound. Two, talking to her parents about their infatuation with Thane. Three, she needed to get over to Desmond’s house to pick up her things, and since it was Monday, she was sure he’d be at work. She could get in and quickly get out without any interruptions.

 

* * *

 

She didn’t want to go to the doctor alone. She was ready for the 3-D ultrasound, ready to see her baby and hear its tiny heartbeat, but she needed some support. She needed a friend with her. It would’ve been nice if she had Desmond there, but why would he come when he didn’t want children. So she called Emily. She explained why she had been avoiding her phone calls and how she had stayed in Asheville for the week trying to determine her next move.

Calling Emily to go to the doctor with her had proven to be a good decision, especially when the doctor told her he heard two heartbeats. Sherita was so shocked, she felt like fainting. The ultrasound confirmed there was not one, but two babies – fraternal twins. After the shock of it all, the women were so overjoyed, it brought them to tears.

 

* * *

 

At her parent’s house now, she rang the doorbell. She decided she wouldn’t tell them about the babies just yet. She was there for something totally unrelated.

Her mother opened the door and said, “Sherita, where on earth have you been? Come on in this house. Do you know how worried I was? I couldn’t call you on the phone? What happened to your phone? And when did you move?”

“I changed my number. I told you I was changing it.”

“Why didn’t you give me your new number?”

Frustrated, Sherita shook her head. “Where’s Dad?”

“He ran out, Sherita. Are you going to tell me what’s going on? Where are you living now?”

“I’m moving to Myrtle Beach.”

“Why on earth would you do a thing like that?”

“I’m moving for work, Mom. Dad hasn’t found steady work yet and your mortgage won’t pay itself, now will it?” Sherita handed her mother an envelope that contained three-thousand dollars. “Tell Dad this is the payment for the next two months.”

She watched her mother frown.

“For the mortgage?” Sherita said, testily.

“Sherita, the mortgage is paid off.”

“It is?”

“Yeah. It is.”

“How’s that possible? You still owed fifteen grand on it.”

“Not anymore. A Mr. Champion came by with a check for the balance and told us he was doing it as a favor to you.”

“Mr. Champion?” Sherita asked. This had Dante’s name written all over it.

“Yes. Now, I don’t know why in the world the man would come pay off the mortgage, but I do know I saw a wedding band on his hand and—” Her mother lost her words when she glanced at Sherita’s hand and saw the huge rock there, sparkling underneath the lights. “Sherita, what is that on your finger?”

Sherita glanced at the ring. How did she forget to take it off? Was it because the man she loved told her to never take it off? Even if that was the case, after she came to the realization she didn’t want to be with him anymore, why was she still wearing the man’s ring?

“It’s nothing, Mom. Listen…I’m going to give you my number, but I do not want you to give it to Thane, okay. Thane and I are not a couple, and we will never be a couple. I don’t love him, and I would appreciate it if you and Dad would stop telling him what’s going on in my life.”

“All right, dear. You’ve made your point loud and clear.”

“Well please make it loud and clear to Dad.” Sherita took an old receipt from her purse then scribbled her cell phone number on the back. She handed it to her mother. “I have to go.”

“Where are you going? We need to discuss this move.”

“We’ll discuss it later. I’m going to get the rest of my things so I can go. I’ll call you later.”