Never Again, No More 2

by Untamed

  “For starters, you’re anemic. We also found that your blood pressure was extremely elevated and believe that you have chronic hypertension, which could lead to preeclampsia. I want you to get on a non-salt diet and take iron pills. We’re going to provide you with some prenatal vitamins, but you really need to set up an appointment with your gynecologist,” Dr. Wallace advised.

  “Okay, well, can you not mention the pregnancy? I want to tell the guys myself,” I asked the doctor.

  He placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. “You do not have to worry about that. I nor any of the staff is authorized to release any information outside of the bare minimum that was released. I am bound by doctor-patient confidentiality. Telling anyone else is up to you, and that’s your choice. However, I will advise you that if it is going to be a detrimental situation for you, you should consider telling them in a public place or notifying the authorities first.”

  “I hear you.” No additional explanation was needed. I understood exactly what he meant.

  “I’ll send the gynecologist down in an hour or so. Would you like to see anyone?” he asked.

  “Please send in Pooch, Terrence, and my children.”

  “All right. If you need anything, just push the call button.”

  A few minutes later, I heard Terrence and Pooch arguing as they came through the door, and I rolled my eyes. Now was not the time for their bullshit.

  “You shouldn’t even be here,” Pooch grumbled.

  “But I am, and I ain’t going nowhere,” Terrence shot back as they pushed the door open.

  My kids ran to me. “Mommy!” they yelled, hugging me.

  I held them tightly. “I love you guys so much.”

  “Are you okay?” Terry asked meekly.

  “Yes, I am fine.”

  “Why are you in the hospital?” Brittany asked.

  I smiled at her. “Because I was sick, but I’m a whole lot better.”

  “What was wrong?” Terry asked.

  “Yeah, what the hell is wrong? That damn dumb-ass doctor wouldn’t tell us shit,” Pooch said. When I looked at him, I laughed to myself, because he had been treated for the ass whooping Terrence put on him. No wonder he had all of his crew here at the hospital.

  Terrence walked up and hugged me. “What did the doctor say?”

  “You know, I’ve had about enough of you that I am willing to stand in this bitch. Now get away from my woman!” Pooch yelled.

  “Please stop!” I yelled. My heart monitor began beeping rapidly, so I slowly calmed my ass down. “Please.” Terrence and Pooch were both shocked into silence at my outburst and the machine.

  Pooch sat beside me, lifting up the monitor. “Babe, what’s going on wit’ you?” he asked, genuinely concerned for the first time.

  “Um, Terry, Brit, wait outside the door for just a minute,” I said.

  Terrence directed them where to sit and closed the door. “I think you can leave too, bruh,” Pooch said snidely.

  “Pooch, don’t, please,” I said, grabbing his arm. “Let it go.”

  He shrugged it off. “A’ight. What’s up?”

  I looked at Pooch through sad eyes. “I’m pregnant.”

  He snatched his hand away from me and jumped up. “What? Hell no. Come on, man, I told you I didn’t want no more kids—”

  “I know that, but can you please calm down!” I exclaimed, and the monitor went off again. “Damn!” I took a deep breath while I rubbed my belly to calm my nerves.

  Pooch paced, looking from the monitor to me. “Fine.”

  I pointed to the machines. “It keeps going off because it’s monitoring my heart rate. I have anemia and chronic hypertension, which could lead to preeclampsia. I have to watch my iron levels and what I eat, and I have to watch my blood pressure.”

  “What the hell is anemia and pre-chlamydia?” Pooch asked, mispronouncing the illness. Only he would associate it with a damn STD. Dumb ass.

  “It’s called ‘pre-e-clamp-see-ah,’” I said, stretching the syllables. “Not chlamydia. That’s a damn STD.”

  “However the fuck you pronounce it! What the hell is it?” Pooch asked, looking all ignorant and shit.

  Disgusted, Terrence explained. “When you suffer from anemia, it just means that your iron is low. Preeclampsia is an illness due to the pregnancy. She probably got it from all those salty five-star meals and stress,” he said snidely to Pooch. “Just do what the doctor says, because it can be harmful to you and the baby.”

  Thankfully, Terrence explained it, because I didn’t have the energy to entertain Pooch’s antics. It was refreshing to have a man by my side who simply understood and took the time to learn something other than the streets. Simply put, Terrence was just knowledgeable like that. If he had gone to college, he’d have been hell to deal with.

  “Well, thank you, Doogie damn muthafuckin’ Howser, M.D.,” Pooch snarled at Terrence.

  Terrence sniffed and pointed at Pooch. “This fucking cat, I swear.”

  Pooch shot a heated glance in Terrence’s direction, then sat down beside me. “Look, Trinity, we already talked about this. I really don’t want any more kids,” Pooch fussed. “You know that Princess was a mis—”

  I put my hand up to shut his mouth. “You know what? I’m tired as fuck, Pooch, and I really don’t feel like dealing with this right now. Can we please discuss this at home when I feel better?”

  Pooch rubbed his head. “A’ight. We can discuss this later.”

  “How far along are you?” Terrence asked.

  Looking at him with pleading eyes, I softly replied, “Six weeks.”

  Instantly, Terrence’s whole demeanor changed. Instead of being laidback and pissed off, he looked worried and anxious. “Umm, really?” he asked.

  He was really asking me if the baby was his. I confirmed it for him. “Yeah, really.”

  Completely oblivious to the unspoken conversation between me and Terrence, Pooch bit his lip and looked back at Terrence with an attitude. “Look, bruh, I know you concerned, but Trinity needs her rest. Can you take the kids and keep them for a few days? I’m gonna stay with her,” Pooch said as a temporary truce between them.

  Agreeing with Pooch, I mouthed, “Please,” to him.

  “Okay.” Terrence nodded. “Trinity, I’m gonna holla at you later, fo’ sho.”

  “Yeah, tell the kids I love them,” I said as he walked to the door.

  “Will do,” he said and walked out.

  Pooch looked at me. “Only because you in here is the reason that nigga still breathing,” Pooch said, seething with a look of pure hatred.

  I palmed his face, although I really didn’t want to touch this woman-beating bastard. But I’d do anything to protect Terrence. Anything. “Pooch, if you love me, I mean truly love me, let it go,” I told him.

  Pooch huffed, and then shook his head as if he was in deep contemplation. Finally, he exhaled, and I knew I’d just squashed this shit between Terrence and him at least one more time.

  “Get that nigga to play his fuckin’ position then, and I ain’t fuckin’ playin’. ’Cause I ain’t gon’ take too much more of him acting like he yo’ man. For real. He the kids’ daddy and shit, but I will toe tag that nigga. And even though I owe that bitch an ass whooping about my face, I’ll let that shit ride this once because of you and what you going through. But I’m telling you he better fall the fuck back.”

  “I will talk to him. I promise,” I said, rubbing my stomach, happy for Terrence’s reprieve.

  Pooch smiled at me. “You look happy.”

  I decided to be honest, at least halfway. I was more than excited to be carrying this baby. I was overjoyed. I loved children, and this was my seed. I told Pooch how I felt for real. “I am. I’m happy about my pregnancy. I know what you said about not wanting any more kids but—”

  In a move that shocked me, Pooch rubbed my stomach too. His action stopped me from talking in midsentence. He rubbed his hand across my belly and looked at me with the kindest
expression I’d ever seen on his face. It reminded me of the Pooch who asked me to check the yes or no box on his piece of scrap paper when we played on the playground. It was that kinda innocent and sweet expression.

  He took a deep breath and exhaled. “Let me ask you something, Trinity,” he said as he continued to rub my belly. “Do you think this baby could, I dunno, you know, maybe make us closer? Make us like how we use to be?”

  “Huh?” I asked, stunned.

  Pooch turned my face so that I was looking directly into his eyes. For the first time, he looked so sorrowful. His eyes reflected a genuineness that I hadn’t seen since we were kids, and in that moment, he wasn’t Pooch the street king. He was Vernon, the timid guy I’d met and loved as a great friend all those years ago when we used to be nothing more than close friends in the hood tiptoeing around the schoolyard. He kissed my lips and caressed my cheek in his hand.

  “I know you been unhappy wit’ me, Trinity. I do. I’m a rough-ass nigga wit’ some high-ass standards. But I love you so much, and I just get so fuckin’ crazy because I don’t want to lose you. I’m sorry I put my hands on you, but I can’t stand the thought of you being wit’ or catching feelings for another nigga. Not even if he came before me,” he said and paused to let me marinate on the fact that he was referring to Terrence. Then he continued. “If you want the baby, we can keep it. I’ll try to do better. I swear I will as long as you just love me like you used to,” Pooch confessed.

  Daaamn. I never thought I’d see the fucking day. Maybe Terrence’s ass whooping knocked some sense into this fool for real. Honestly, I thought he sensed that deep down, I truly loved Terrence, and more importantly, he knew that Terrence truly loved me. And more than anything, he knew that Terrence was the kind of man I wanted in my life. He may have acted crazy and wasn’t all that book smart, but Pooch wasn’t dumb by any stretch of the imagination, especially not when it came to reading people.

  Unfortunately, he was fighting for something that was long lost. The moment he put his hands on me was the moment Pooch destroyed anything we’d ever had, still had, and would ever have. He’d crossed a line with me, and never again, no more would I love Pooch. On top of that, I knew what he didn’t—this wasn’t his baby. But now was not the time to be stupid. So I lied.

  “Yeah, that would be great.” I smiled at him.

  Smiling, he kissed me passionately. “Good. I guess we having a baby, babe,” he said excitedly. “Shit, maybe I’ll have me a boy—Pooch Jr.”

  He laughed, and I forced a smile.

  “I’m hungry as hell. I guess I better send them niggas on their way and get some food. You want something?” he asked, handing me my purse.

  “Nah.” I shook my head, reaching inside and grabbing my cell phone as he stood up, stretched, and walked to the door.

  “A’ight. Get some rest then,” he said as he walked out the door. “Keep your cell phone close.”

  Pooch couldn’t have been gone five minutes when my cell phone rang. You already know who it was. Terrence. To paraphrase Ricky Ricardo, Lucy had some ’splaining to do. I already knew how this conversation was about to start.

  “Hello?” I answered.

  “You ain’t getting rid of my seed,” Terrence said point blank while I simultaneously mouthed the words. As I said, I knew what he was about to say. I just knew Terrence like that.

  With a deep sigh, I confirmed, “No, I’m not, so please take the bass out of your voice.”

  His deep breath let me know how relieved he was to hear those words come from my mouth. “I’m sorry, baby, but this shit is so fucking frustrating. We gotta make some hard decisions and moves, you know that, right?”

  “I know.”

  He paused, realizing that I wasn’t in the mood to deal with this. “I’m sorry. You’re tired and shit. I’ma let you rest. Me and the kids will check on you.”

  “A’ight, and thank you.”

  “You don’t have to thank me about the kids. These are my children—” he was saying.

  “Not for that, but for understanding and keeping the peace. You always do what’s right, even when it kills you, and for that, I thank you.”

  “I’m a real man. Real men do that.”

  “So I’ve noticed,” I said and yawned.

  “You and my baby need y’all’s rest. Be easy, li’l mama.”

  “I love you,” I said to him.

  He chuckled lightly. “That’s good to know. I was kinda wondering, but I love you too, li’l mama. Now get some rest.”

  I blushed. “Dreads, you ain’t never got to wonder about that again,” I said sweetly to him. “A’ight, I’m going to rest now. Good night.”

  As I was ending my conversation, my line beeped. “Hello?” I answered.

  “I’m at Sonic. You sure you don’t want no ice cream or pickles and shit? I know y’all pregnant women be craving shit like that.”

  “No, Pooch. I’m good. I’m resting,” I said with a slight attitude.

  “Okay, a’ight, damn,” he huffed, blowing away his irritation. “I’ll be there in about twenty minutes, babe. Get your rest,” he told me and hung up.

  I deleted Terrence’s phone call, pushed my cell phone under my pillow, and lay down. Life was weird. Just three days ago, Pooch had virtually beaten my ass into submission and sent me into depression, and now with the news of my pregnancy, I suddenly held all the cards. Terrence was ready to marry me and be a family, and Pooch was even taking shit off of me and accepting my pregnancy in the hopes that we could get our relationship back on track. I rubbed my belly and closed my eyes.

  “Mama’s gonna get it right for all of us this time, little one,” I said softly.

  Now the only problem was how.

  Chapter Six

  Charice

  Our vacation/engagement getaway had been nothing short of perfect. However, once we got back to the States, reality set in. We had to come out with our relationship. We called Lincoln’s parents first. They were overly excited, as I figured they would be, but they vowed to keep the information low-key until everyone was aware. I wanted to tell LaMeka too, but I couldn’t get in contact with her, and I had every intention of finding out why. At any rate, I told my other two girls, Lucinda and Trinity. While Lucinda only congratulated me and got off the phone, Trinity let me have it.

  “What do you mean, Ryan doesn’t know yet?” she asked as soon as Lucinda hung up. “You mean he doesn’t know about you getting married, right? Please tell me you don’t mean that he doesn’t know about your relationship.”

  “I’ll take the second answer for two hundred, Alex,” I said in my Jeopardy! voice. “Listen—”

  “Oh hell no, cuz,” Trinity hollered into the phone. “Are you crazy? Do you realize what is going to go down when Ryan finds out?”

  “I realize that, but lest I remind you that you have no room on your moral barometer to talk about me, Miss Suwanee,” I said sarcastically. “Just please keep it to yourself.”

  “A’ight. You’ve got a point. I’m just concerned.”

  “I know. I’ll be all right,” I told her, but I wasn’t even sure if I was telling the truth, not just because of Ryan, but because of my parents as well.

  As it turned out, I had every reason to be concerned. You should have seen how my parents took the news when we showed up on their doorstep. Lincoln flew down, and I called a dinner with my parents while Ryan’s mom had the triplets so that we could discuss our relationship and break our big news. My parents’ reaction was not the one I expected. Let’s just say that my vacation had to be the calm before the storm.

  “Hey, baby! You’re back from your . . . trip.” My mom answered the door excitedly until she saw Lincoln standing beside me.

  “Hey, Mama!” I said excitedly while hugging her. “Can we come in? Good grief, you’re in the way.”

  She stared back and forth at us. “Umm, yeah, sure come in.”

  My dad walked into the foyer. “Hey, baby. Lincoln Harper? Damn,” he
yelled in shock. “What the hell are you doing here? I mean, it’s a pleasure to meet you, but I’m just confused,” he said, looking at my mom.

  “Don’t look at me. I have no idea,” she said. Her hands were lifted in the air as if she wanted no part of the current situation.

  “Maybe I should’ve said something, huh?” I whispered to Lincoln.

  He nodded and mumbled, “It would’ve helped.”

  “Are you going to tell us what the hell is going on here?” my mom asked with her hands on her hips.

  “Mom, Dad, can we all sit in the family room?”

  My dad nodded. “Sure.”

  We entered the house and followed my parents into the family room. It felt as if we were walking the green mile it was so quiet as we moved from room to room. Lincoln and I settled on the large sofa as my mom and dad settled on the love seat. There was no small talk as my parents sat. They simply stared at both of us in wonderment and a bit of confusion.

  Lincoln spoke first once we settled in the family room. “First off, let me just say that it’s an honor to meet you both. I wish the circumstances were better.”

  “Circumstances? What circumstances?” my mom asked, looking at me tensely.

  “Mom, remember when I told you that I had someone in my life, but I asked you not to pry and not to talk about it?”

  “Yes, I remember,” my mom said, still slightly clueless. Suddenly, a look of realization, then anger, passed between my parents.

  “Well,” I said, taking Lincoln’s hand before they could implode, “Lincoln and I have been dating since December. We thought it was best to keep our relationship a secret until we were ready to tell everyone. You know, given the circumstances,” I explained.

  “How in the hell did this happen?” my dad asked. “Please fill me in, because I’m lost.”

  “You ain’t the only one,” my mom agreed.

  “Mom, Dad—” I began with exasperation.

  Lincoln patted my knee, causing me to take pause. “Please let me explain.” He sat forward and looked directly at my parents. “Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, you must be shocked. Believe me, my parents were too. It’s no question that Ryan is my teammate and one of my best friends. I know that will be a hard row to ho when that time comes. However, Charice and I met when she first brought the triplets down to stay with Ryan. There was an instant attraction and chemistry even then, but of course, due to the situation, we didn’t pursue it.