Lawlessly in Love 2

by Mercy B

  I didn’t leave. Not immediately. I wanted to give him a chance to return. I needed to do that for myself. When I returned home, there would be no questioning if I’d done everything I possibly could’ve in order to make this work. It was imperative that I cleared my own conscience.

  So I stayed.

  Day one, I fell in love with the beautiful home he’d been housed in. I tried the foods in the fridge and binged what Mexican shows that I hardly understood. I slept most of the day and tried keeping myself busy whenever I was awake.

  Day two was more of the same, except I ventured out into the hot sun and mingled with the people to find out any and everything I could about the country. Everyone was so nice, unlike the Americans. Though many of them didn’t speak English, they led me to people and places where it was spoke fluently.

  Day three, I managed to find my way to the marketplace and scoop some fresh avocados to make myself some guacamole that I managed to sneak into the movie to watch an old-school Mexican cowboy tale that was showing at a theater up the way. I truly enjoyed my time that day.

  Day four, there was misery, but there was also acceptance. Though I stayed for a day five and six, I’d realized Sosa wouldn’t return. He was gone, and I’d better be getting home.

  Despite his absence, I treated my time in Mexico City as if it were a long-overdue solo vacation because it had grown to feel that way. I’d even gone swimming in the large pool before my departure on the sixth day. It was my birthday, so I made it a point to enjoy every bit of it and not stress.

  By day seven, I was resting in my bed, completely exhausted from the time I’d spent away. I’d missed everything about my home, even the unfinished nursery that I couldn’t wait to get together. First, I needed my child to open those legs.

  Chapter 8

  Gauge

  I awakened to intense heat. The sun was being disrespectful again. After sleeping behind the folds of thick curtains that protected me from it’s rays, I’d gotten spoiled and forgotten what home really felt like. For five days, I stayed and waited for Sosa to return. It wasn’t until the sixth day that I knew he wouldn’t, and it was best if I took my ass home.

  My family had been worried sick about me. The lack of communication had them all thinking that something was wrong. However, I was sure to let Destiny know that I would be gone for a while. Even though I didn’t mention why, she knew. She was the reason the missing person report that my father had gone to file didn’t fall through. Red flags were the last things she needed raised, bringing attention back to Sosa’s case after she’d destroyed all that was left of it.

  My cell chimed, letting me know that I had an incoming call. I rolled over and answered it before it could ring out. Of course, it was my lovely friend who refused to let me oversleep for our appointment. She was so desperate to find out what I was having that she scheduled a second appointment this month and promised to shake me up a bit before I came so that we could see the baby’s sex.

  “Sauni.”

  “Get up. I have a good feeling about today. We will know before we leave the office. I bet.”

  She was so fucking irritating, and I loved it to death. She had the type of spirit to brighten the darkest room. I couldn’t stay down for long with her around, and that was the type of energy I needed around me at the time. I refused to sink into the dark hole that I found myself falling into. If I was going to stay above ground, then I’d need her at my side.

  “I’m up.”

  “Good. We have about an hour and a half. I was thinking we could grab a milkshake. I know that you said the baby is active after you drink a shake. Maybe this will help us in our pursuit.”

  “In your pursuit, you mean?”

  “Well, whatever. Just get ready. Oh, and I’m coming to get you this time. No need in taking two cars.”

  “Whatever you say, boss lady.” I shrugged, yawning as I finally exited the bed.

  Swiftly, I readied myself for the appointment and waited for Sauni’s arrival. With everything going on, I was praying her energy rubbed off on me because I was feeling every bit of the blues. When she arrived, she could sense my onset depression and promised to pray it away before I left her presence for the day. I was grateful for her generosity. Destiny met us at the doctor’s office, in which happened to be a pleasant visit.

  I walked out of the clinic happy to know that I was having a daughter. The name Sophia Rouge Morrison rang bells in my head the entire night, so I stuck with it. It was something to be reminded of her father by because I was considering him a part of my past now.

  I spread the new threads across the curtain rods before standing back and taking a good look at them—silver curtains that would keep that nasty sun from penetrating my skin with its rays. The Dallas heat was foolish, and I’d suffered from it for far too long. Even with my air conditioner on, the brightness of the sun remained an issue.

  “Perfect.” Rubbing my inflated belly, I smiled at my handiwork. It felt as if I’d run a marathon, but I’d only put up curtains to replace my sheer ones.

  “Okay, Gauge. Get a move on it.”

  It was nearing the twelve o’clock hour when I was scheduled to meet Mr. Goldstein at his office. I had made the appointment a week in advance and was thankful that his assistant was able to squeeze me in. His schedule was bananas, or so I’d been told.

  The loose-fitted biker shorts with the oversized shirt and tennis shoes was comfortable enough to handle my long list of tasks for the day. It was October, and the heat was continuing its reign over the city. I prayed that the fall actually showed up soon and not wait until winter to do so. It was wishful thinking, but I was praying I had some type of luck.

  I gathered the paper that I’d scattered over the floor and trashed it all in the kitchen garbage. Thankfully, my purse was on the counter, which saved me a trip back to my bedroom. I headed out of the door after grabbing the small lunch container that I’d been utilizing since my return. It was where I kept cool water and healthy snacks to avoid all of the junk I craved while out.

  Blowing up and turning into something other than myself was a huge fear of mine, so I’d been treading lightly. With the help of Sauni, I was trading my unhealthy eating habits for healthier ones. She was the most fit mother I’d known my entire life. It was motivational. Even though she was pregnant, she still visited the gym religiously.

  “Ms. Morrison,” Mr. Goldstein greeted me as I walked into his office.

  I’d been waiting for nearly an hour to be seen. The snacks had come in handy, being that I hadn’t had breakfast this morning. It was my second visit to his office, and I was still thoroughly impressed with it. He was on the top floor overlooking the city’s skyline with floor-to-ceiling windows. With him being here so often, I was certain he’d began taking the view for granted, but I would cherish it enough for us both.

  Instead of seating myself, I walked over toward the window and stared across. Dallas was a very beautiful city. It was so embracing and welcoming. There wasn’t anything cold or brash about the place I called home. It was simply an amazing place.

  “What can I do for you, Ms. Morrison?”

  Goldstein stood by his desk with his arms folded across his chest. I’d had a lot of time to think, and I was ready to remove Sosa from my life for good. He’d shown me his true colors, and I’d be a fool not to believe him. My life wasn’t a revolving door that he was allowed to walk in and out of as he pleased. Either he was in, or he was nonexistent. There wasn’t an in between.

  “I want to sell it all.” Turning, I gave Mr. Goldstein my undivided attention. “Everything that he left me with, I want it sold. The house, the cars, the property, the land, the complexes—I want them all gone.”

  “Now, Ms. Morrison, are you sure about that? Because I can’t have you changing your mind once everything is—”

  “I’ve never been so sure about anything in my life. I want everything sold and the profits attached to the funds that Mr. Law has left for us.”

/>   “Mr. Law is in possession of over $12 million.” Goldstein cleared his throat as I swallowed the glob of air that had surfaced in mine. I had no idea that Sosa was holding like that.

  “Good for him, but his pockets are not my concern.”

  “They should be.”

  “And why is that?”

  “Because he’s given you every dime of it.”

  I was silent, appalled. My brows furrowed and head fuzzed. There was no way that Mr. Goldstein was telling me that Sosa was giving me his entire bank. It hardly made any sense. How would he survive? How would he manage without any money?

  “He can’t. He will need money to survive.” I shook my head and tried to come to terms with what I’d just been told. Now, I definitely needed the seat that I’d refused to take beforehand.

  “Mr. Law is a very resourceful man. Trust me, he’s already on track to make a lot more than what he’s just given so freely.”

  “Just?”

  “Yes. This news came to me a few days ago.”

  Sosa had given him the greenlight during my time in Mexico. It made sense. He’d probably had much time to consider his options and thought that I’d be better off with the money. The truth was, I’d be much better off with him, but we didn’t always get what we wanted.

  I needed to think of something else and fast. Thoughts of inheriting a fortune had me stumbling over my thoughts and absent of words. Sosa was something out of this world. I didn’t understand him, though I’d tried my hardest. Rather than change his ways and become a father to our daughter and better companion, he’d much rather hand over his fortune as a sign of good faith. Things didn’t work that way. But there was no one to tell him otherwise.

  “I-I, uh, I have something for you.” I reached into my purse and grabbed the note that Sosa had written. “He wants nothing to do with our daughter, and I want to make sure that his rights are stripped away from him. I can’t afford him barging into our lives whenever he feels inclined. It’s not fair to me, and it won’t be fair to Soph.”

  I’d already given my daughter a pet name and ordered a heap of blankets and towels with it on them. She was going to be one spoiled and loved little princess, and I couldn’t wait. My hopes had risen and fears were dissipating. Now that I was certain where I stood with her father, I knew that I could make it through. This wasn’t a part of the beautiful picture I’d painted of us when I found out about her, but it was the perfect painting. Even if he wasn’t included.

  Mr. Goldstein took the note from my hand and began reading it out loud. He’d grabbed a pair of glasses from the desk before starting.

  “G.” He looked at me, assuming Sosa was referring to me. I nodded my head and assured him that he was correct. He was encouraged to continue. “You’re right. I’m not the man you fell in love with. I’m the monster ya pops warned you about. Love makes me unstable. I can’t control anything with it in my presence.” He paused and looked up to me. Goldstein nodded. “He has a point there.”

  Without a word, I shrugged, knowing how true it was.

  “I know I’ve hurt you, and your disappointment will live with me forever. That’s a tougher sentence than life behind bars. I ain’t cracked up to be the nigga you need or the father my kid deserves. I put a gun to his mother’s head and wanted to pull the trigger. Twice. That ain’t love, baby girl.”

  Goldstein snatched the glasses from his face and looked at me through his judgmental lens. Still, I stood tall with nothing to be ashamed of. He needed to see this. He needed to understand why Sosa and I couldn’t be and why he didn’t deserve to be in our child’s life or mine.

  “Are you alright?”

  “I’m fine.”

  “Jesus Christ. Law is out of his fucking mind,” Goldstein fussed, coming unglued.

  “It’s fine.” I sucked my teeth and nodded toward the note for him to continue. Although he hesitated, he continued reading.

  “That’s obsession. I apologize for the man I’m not. Get up with my lawyer when you get back. You two are set for life. Sos.” Goldstein sighed before speaking again as he shook the note in his hand. “I had every plan to try and convince you of the mistake you were about to make, but I won’t. I don’t handle family court, but I know someone who does. The only thing is, the other parent must be present in order to sign their rights over. Otherwise, it can’t be done. You’ll need him here, and he’s not coming.”

  That’s exactly what I was afraid of. “Then what am I supposed to do?”

  “I’m not sure. That’s not my thing. Family court can be very disappointing, and I hate upsets. Plus, its an entirely different ballgame over there. Messy. Ugly. Just downright avoidable. But I have a contact. Her name is Ana. She’s a badass. That’s why I married her. She will help you with this.”

  “I thought you were gay,” I admitted.

  “I’m glad you don’t get paid to think.” Goldstein shrugged as if he’d heard it a million times before. “Would you prefer my pants at my ankles and my wife sucking my cock for you to believe me?”

  “You white men and that word cock.” I shook my head, not offended at all by his rebuttal. I’d opened the door for it. “About the property and the cars.”

  “I’ll handle it.”

  “There’s a tunnel in the ho—”

  “Ms. Morrison, I’ll handle it,” he assured me, walking around to his desk and taking a seat. “Now, our biggest concern is getting this money to you.”

  “They have banks for these types of transactions.”

  “Oh, no they don’t. Twelve million in cash is not exactly something you can toss around without raising flags. The feds will be on your ass, and we don’t want that.”

  “So what do we do?”

  “We split it up in some offshore accounts so that it is untraceable and untouchable. I know a guy.”

  “You know a guy? Who? We can’t just trust anyone.”

  “He’s not anyone, and I don’t need to trust him as long as Mr. Law trusts him.” Goldstein shrugged.

  “Who?”

  “Julio Diaz.”

  The name rang bells. Julio had built the tunnel for Sosa. “Julio, Julio.”

  “No, just Julio.”

  I chuckled. “I’m saying. The Julio that I know?”

  “I assume.” He nodded.

  “Well, I’m going to get a move on it. I have an appointment to make. Let me know what I need to do and when I need to do it, and it is done.”

  “I sure will. And congratulations on the baby. She’s going to be amazing.”

  “I can hardly wait.”

  I stood from my seat and headed for the door with Mr. Goldstein on my heels. “You have a great day now. Call my wife when you get the chance.”

  “I sure will.”

  Now that business was squared away, I headed to the hair appointment that I had scheduled only three days ago. I wanted a change, something freeing and something daring. My life was about to change forever, and I wanted to feel the weight of my past lifted from my shoulders. Though my child’s father wouldn’t be here to celebrate her life and beyond, I had a loving support system that was with me no matter what.

  For them, it was imperative that I got my shit together and located that brave, young girl my father had grown me to be. My mom was now a constant factor in my life, my belly was growing, my best friend would be birthing two months after me, I’d inherited millions of dollars, I was getting rid of everything attached to Sosa, my stomach was growing, and my skin was glowing.

  There was nothing for me to be sad about. It was time for me to live my life, and not according to someone else’s. I had to live for me and for the little one having a party in my stomach as I walked into the salon that smelled like pressing irons and hair spray. The last time I’d smelled anything like this was my high school graduation when my father sent me to get my hair done with my grandmother. That was the best press and curl I’d ever gotten.

  “How can I help you?” the receptionist questioned.

/>   She was the prettiest little thing. I could tell she wasn’t a day over eighteen. Her hair was long and silky, surely extensions. Whoever her stylist was had talent, and I couldn’t wait to get my tresses graced by someone of the same caliber.

  “Yes, I have an appointment at two,” I informed her. “Your hair is beautiful.”

  “Thanks. Name, please.” She accepted the compliment with a smile. It wasn’t often enough that women received compliments from one another, but I found myself admiring so many of us.

  “Gauge. Gauge Morrison.”

  “Got you. Unique name,” she replied as she began writing on a chart. “You can have a seat in the lounge, and Tammy, your stylist, will come and get you when she’s ready. The client she serviced before you just walked out of the door.”

  “Thank you.”

  “No problem. The lounge is straight ahead. You should hear the music as you approach it.”

  I followed the whispers of music until they became louder. As I sailed through the salon, I was intrigued by its class. I’d never seen anything like it. Each stylist had their own room, which was commendable. I loved my privacy, no matter where I was. Each room was decorated with the same set of chairs and equipment, which gave it an overall uniform look.

  There were large mirrors, great for full body pictures, and a backdrop that was on the opposite side of a bay window that served natural lighting. I was certain I’d be snapping a picture over there before I left. This hair needed to be tamed first.

  The lounge was filled with women all waiting to be serviced. Unlike the shops I’d been to in the past, no one was sitting alone. There was a host walking around and making sure everyone was okay while encouraging them to mingle. It seemed like more of a networking opportunity than anything. I’d already made it up in my mind that I’d be revisiting.