CHAPTER 37

 

 

On the drive to Desmond’s place, Sherita pulled up Dante’s work number in her phone then dialed it.

“Dante Champion,” he answered.

“Hi, Dante. It’s Sherita.”

Dante glanced up at his brothers sitting across from his desk. Emily had already told him that Sherita was pregnant, but he’d been shocked when she called him this morning to tell him that Sherita was having twins. “Good morning, Sherita.”

Knowing his brother was talking to Sherita took Desmond’s attention away from his laptop, and now he was staring at Dante with fierce, inquisitive eyes.

“Hey, I just wanted to thank you for paying off my parent’s mortgage,” Sherita said. “I told you I didn’t want any repayment, but I really do appreciate this. You are too kind.”

Dante looked at Desmond when he said, “I’m afraid I can’t take credit for that, Sherita.”

“Well if you didn’t do it then—” She stopped talking when she realized the answer. Desmond had paid off her parent’s mortgage.

“Umm, Dante, I have to go.”

“Wait, Sherita.”

“Yes?”

“When are you heading back to Myrtle Beach?”

“Sometime today,” she said, not wanting to give him an exact timeframe.

“Okay. Be safe.”

“I will. Bye.”

“Bye, Sherita.”

Dante placed the phone back on the receiver and buried his face in his hands for a brief moment.

“What did she say?” Desmond said, feeling a dose of envy that Sherita called his brother instead of calling him.

“Have you spoken to her since last Friday?” Dante asked.

“No.”

Eyebrows raised, Dante asked, “You haven’t spoken to her in a week and a half?”

“No. I tried calling her a few times, but she didn’t answer. I thought it would be best if I gave her a little space.”

Dante scratched his jaw. “You’re making a mistake, Des.”

“How’s that?”

“Did you pay off her parent’s mortgage?”

“Yes, I did. Why?”

“That was the reason for her call. She was calling to thank me. She thought I’d done it, which means she doesn’t think you’re generous enough to do something like that. What does that tell you, Des?”

Desmond didn’t say a word.

“Let me show you something,” Dante said, removing a photo book from his briefcase. He handed it to Desmond and said, “Sherita made it from the pictures she took of Grace and Ezra at the park.”

“She did a good job with it, too,” Dimitrius said, staring at his laptop. “Melanie loved it.”

“You were with her that day, right, Des?” Dante asked.

“Of course.” Desmond kept flipping through the pages until he saw the picture of himself with Sherita while they were holding Ezra and Grace. There was a picture of the four of them together and then, there was the picture Desmond remembered vividly – of him touching his face to Sherita’s face. He didn’t realize she’d been smiling when he leaned in close to her. He assumed she’d be frowning since he was doing nothing other than trying to get under her skin, but she was smiling.

“At the time, I bet you didn’t know this picture would foreshadow your life, that is, if you choose to see it. If you take the time to see it.”

“What are you talking about, Dante?”

Dante stared at his brother for a few seconds. It was on the tip of his tongue to tell Desmond what he knew – that Sherita was pregnant with twins, but he wouldn’t. “You claim you love Sherita and that she’s yours. Well, I think it’s time for you to show her that. She told me she was leaving today…heading for Myrtle Beach, and if you do not talk to her before she leaves, it’ll probably, no, it will be the biggest mistake of your life.”

“Did she say where she was?” Desmond asked.

“No, but I assume she’s going by your place to get the rest of her items since she knows you’re here.”

Desmond got up quickly, walked to his office snatching his suit jacket from the back of his chair and his keys from the top drawer of his desk. Then he jumped in his jeep and sped home, thinking about what Dante had said…that the picture of himself, Sherita and his niece and nephew had foreshadowed his life. Then he thought about the pregnancy test box he found under Sherita’s bed, the Ginger Ale and crackers she’d left in his jeep. He remembered when Emily was pregnant, she lived off of Ginger Ale and crackers and when he had spoken to Sherita a few times while she was working at the beach, she told him she didn’t feel well. Now he knew why. Sherita was pregnant.