by Zi'ere
Inside my body I was doing a touch down dance in the end zone on Super Bowl Sunday.
“Darrell, nooo! Please don’t do this to me! I’m sorry! Ok, we can go to counseling…I could fix all that I have done. I promise I will make it all right again, please don’t leave me and the babies!”
“Who said I was leaving my babies?”
My eyes shot to Zoey. Now would be a perfect time for her to butt into the conversation.
“You’re not taking my kids from me period! That is what is not going to happen!”
Stephanie erupted in laughter!
“Zoey, your turn up at bat! Gut punch that ass!” Stephanie winked at Zoey.
Damn! I forgot that Darrell and Stephanie were best friends. There was no way he was having an affair with Zoey and he didn’t tell his best friend. I looked at Liam.
“Get ready big daddy, this is where it gets ugly.” I whispered in his ear.
“Darrell, Emani’s babies are not your biological children.” Zoey was calm with her words. In my opinion, she was a little too calm for my taste.
“YOU BITCH! SHUT YOUR FUCKIN MOUTH!” Emani lunged at Zoey but Darrell pulled her back.
“You had best watch your mouth because I promise Zoey has back up on the scene tonight! I thought we had already taught you bout running your mouth stupid!” I tried to stand while I was talking but Liam wouldn’t allow it.
It didn’t matter because I could still reach her to bust her in the head with a bowl.
Zoey never made a move but screwed on a twisted smile.
“Don’t jump at her like that! She is pregnant! Have you lost your mind?” Darrell grabbed Emani’s arms.
Emani sat down in her chair silently. She then buried her face in the linen napkin.
Zoey finished her speech.
“Emani’s babies belong to Mekhi. Emani was so ready to lock you down she was getting impatient with you getting her pregnant Darrell. She latched on to Mekhi to hurt me but to also get the sperm she needed to get pregnant as soon as possible. After the fight at Amina’s house she was desperate, she didn’t mean to expose so much about Mekhi like she did. I feel like she knew you were distancing yourself from her then and she couldn’t let that happen. So she was desperate that she got the bodily fluids from an HIV & full blown AIDS patient to get pregnant for the second time. Her babies are infected just like she is.”
The more Zoey talked the harder Emani sobbed. She refused to show her face.
“I found out about Mekhi’s status and was all set to take care of the situation when she orchestrated with Mekhi to kill me in that car accident. Mekhi cut off my airways before the paramedics made it to me. They wanted to cripple Laini and take over her empire. Mekhi wanted his men’s line but I would never enter into business deals with him. With me dead, Laini was surely to fall off the map from a broken heart. She thought she would have free reign of the empire to put back all the money she has been stealing from you and the Agency.”
29
Everyone in the room was knocked back to the back of their chairs, speechless I assumed. Liam’s leg was shaking. He was pissed to say the least. You could hear the tears and sniffles of everyone shedding tears over Emani’s actions. Darrell had been expecting to deliver a mighty blow to his wife. He had no idea he was going to receive one back.
“Darrell, these twin boys playing in my belly right now belong to you. I am pregnant with your biological children.”
Emani’s head shot up.
“Wait a gotdamn minute now! Run that shit by me again!”
“Emani watch your mouth at my table!” She needed to remember where she was.
I would strangle her if she got out of pocket with my sister even after she tried to kill her first.
“That’s right, my babies are true Haywood’s. You have knock-offs. Tell her what you told me Darrell.”
“Zoey and I have been involved with each other socially, sexually, physically, and emotionally for some time now. I am in love with Zoey Jefferies. Now that I know that, I can honestly say that I was never in love with you. Now, just in the last few months I know what being in love feels like for real. I am willing to bet my life that those are indeed my babies she is carrying.”
“That’s why you have been turning me down? Cause my whore of a best friend was riding you?” Emani was starting to see red again.
“Nawl, I have been turning you down because I am in love with her mind and spirit. Oh and the other reason is because you are infected with in incurable disease. I did the test on you myself.”
All things considered everyone took the news pretty good.
“Darrell, we need to talk things out. There are a lot of things you don’t know. How am I supposed to handle all of this on my own?” I was surprised Emani was letting so many witnesses see her beg.
I had never seen that side of her before.
“Emani nobody messed your life up but Emani. Trust me, I know everything about you. I know you are broke. I know you tried to transfer money out of my checking and savings accounts. I know you are in debt. I know you have stolen every penny you could from the Agency without Laini finding out. I know you haven’t put in a solid day’s work in almost a year. Is that everything?”
“No! Darrell, that’s not all. Just please give me a chance to explain!”
“I tried to do that already but you wanted to lie! Ain’t nobody got time for that so I’m done with you!”
“That’s what I’m saying! Shut her ass completely down!” Stephanie was doing the cabbage patch in her chair.
“You can bet my life that you have not seen the last of me Zoey Jefferies! I’m not making a threat but accidents do happen!” Emani was on her feet and moving towards Zoey. The table was almost turned over by the many bodies that tried to get in between the two.
“Please put a finger tip on me! I am going to show what big and bad is all about!” Zoey really thought she wanted to try and fight!
“How you gonna bet your life on something and you are walking around with AIDS?” Stephanie was showing out on her post.
I wanted to laugh so bad! But that would have been improper and unladylike. Emani was a damn fool. Instead of a pay per view fight, it had turned into a comedy show.
“Darrell get her unclean behind out of here and make sure she takes her papers with her!” Mama Anna commanded from the head of the table.
“Oh, no ma’am! I’m going to need her John Hancock on that set of papers right now whiles she is betting on her life! Somebody give her a pen! Terrell you’re the attorney, I know you got a pen she can use right quick!”
Stephanie was on her feet with the divorce degree in her hand.
“Now she can go!”
Emani had big crocodile tears as she signed away her life.
“Darrell, take her away from here!” Mama Anna was too done.
“She drove herself here, Mama. The locks to my home are being changed as we speak. Her belongings are already boxed up and ready to go. She would have known that if she had come home from work today. I’m not doing anything else with her period. I’m glad I followed my first mind and allowed her babies to be kept at the sitter’s house tonight. She doesn’t need me to kick rocks out of here!”
Darrell was standing firm footed beside his new baby mama.
Liam took his words as the approval he needed to show Zoey to her car. She refused his hand at first and tried to linger but the professionally pushed her to the front door. Just like I knew he would, he called the security guards at the gate. Emani had less than five minutes to leave out before the police would be called.
30
Liam and I allowed the Haywood’s and Zoey the opportunity to get acquainted on the premise of the twin boys she had in her belly. God had answered my prayers and spared my beautiful home any damage. The only thing that troubled me was the threat Emani issued before she left. She had already tried to kill Zoey once before. Now she had even more cause to do it again. If Zoey had to have the same secu
rity as President Obama, that is what she would have. Me and my sexy man stood in front of the microwave in the kitchen wrapped up in each other’s arms. We were waiting for our food to be reheated. Koi’s dinner was awesome. I received compliments even from Carlos. I was just as proud as I would have been if I prepared the meal myself. I took the time to introduce the two. Koi being the stellar student that she was instantly knew who Carlos Haywood was in the culinary field.
“I’m so thankful that I had you beside me. I don’t think I would have gotten through it all if they had brought out the worst in each other like they did at Amina’s house.” I kissed my man on the part of his chest that was exposed from his shirt being half way unbuttoned.
“No problem babe. Where else would I be other than at my woman’s side. I’m just glad everything went as peaceful as it did. You had me expecting a UFC fight in here.” He kissed me on the top of my head.
“You should have seen Amina’s house that night. I’m telling you babe, they showed out that night! I don’t know if Mama Anna had already read them their rights before they got here or what? That has to be what happened because everybody was on their best behavior. You know they are a very vocal bunch, I can’t explain why everybody wasn’t being vocal tonight!”
“Well that is over now. Damn though, I can’t believe we will have little Haywood’s in our house!”
“I know right! All that work I did and I feel like it was for nothing. Darrell is going to want to be with his babies. You saw the way he got to her so fast.”
“I don’t know what kinda juice these Jefferies girls got! Having that man tell his wife he is in love with his pregnant mistress in front of his entire family!”
“That was some Jerry Springer shit!”
“I’m talking about dude said, ‘I am in love with Zoey Jefferies. Now that I’m in love with her I know that I was never in love with you!’ That’s a pimp move right there! Ya’ll turning dudes out on the first night, I’m scared!”
“I know right! I’m saying he recited her whole name like he wanted Emani to get it right exactly who he was talking about! No mistakes boo-boo it’s Zoey!”
We were starting to get loud and forgot about our guests.
“Shhhh, let’s go upstairs.” Chuckling and giggling we stacked our dinner trays with our left overs and drinks.
Then we hustled up to our master suite. Sitting on the floor playing and talking I began to get nauseous. I barely made it to the toilet before my dinner came up in reverse. Instead of holding my hair or offering me a cool wet towel, my man was beside me cheering.
“That’s that nine month shit right there!”
“Li” I couldn’t say a word because everything was on its way back up.
“Don’t try to fight it, just let it happen.”
I shot the bird at his handsome ass.
Just like I figured he would, he took it in stride. That didn’t stop him from showboating as he continued to dance beside me.
“You might as well go ahead and give me a urine sample Mrs. Barton. This test doesn’t take long. I should be able to diagnosis your symptoms in the next five minutes. Once the urine sample has been provided please have a seat in front of that bed out there and I will be with you shortly.”
I was still dry heaving while he was trying to play doctor with me.
With Liam there was never a dull moment. Nothing was too serious that he couldn’t bring a smile or laugh out of it. I recognized in that moment how much he had changed my life. Every woman spreading her legs has had a pregnancy scare at one time or another. For me, this wasn’t a scare. It felt more like a ‘that would be beautiful’ moment. If the test was negative I didn’t know how I was going to feel about the possibility being gone from our thoughts. Was I really ready for a baby? If I was going to be disappointed that the test came back negative, that had to mean that I was ready to be a parent with Liam. After I stopped hurling, he handed me a wet face cloth. I wiped around my mouth as he flushed the toilet. He set about disinfecting and cleaning the area while I brushed my teeth. My stomach was doing somersaults.
When the toilet seat was dry, I sat down and peed on the stick.
“Since when do you just so happen to have a pregnancy test on hand?”
“I bought it when I was getting Zoey’s medicine from the pharmacy. To me you look different. I was going to take you by mom’s tomorrow so she can look at you.”
“If I look different it is only because you make sure I eat good three times a day. All of my clothes are getting snug.”
“Ain’t nothing wrong with your clothes. I have been molding that bootie that’s all. Plus when you are happy you gain weight.”
Liam replaced the cap on the wet end of the stick. He sat the test right side up on the counter top on top of a paper towel. I tried to peak at the results window as I washed my hands again.
“I’m sorry ma’am but I can’t run any tests in my lab with nonprofessional staff present.” He ushered me out of the bathroom.
31
I sat down on the chaise in the sitting room just outside of the bathroom. My emotions were all over the place. A baby. Was I really hoping for a positive pregnancy test? Liam and I were just starting out. Were we ready for that type of commitment? I thought Emani and Darrell’s marriage was built Ford tough and they were now in the town of Splits Ville. If I didn’t have tips on my nails, I would have bitten them down to the meat. I looked at my watch, time was standing still. What would our child look like? We both had mild complexions. What if I had multiples? Lord, I don’t want to be that blessed! Just give them to me one at a time Lord please!
All of a sudden I heard my name being screamed from downstairs. I couldn’t get down the stairs fast enough. My Bug stood in a puddle of water looking confused.
“Did she pee on herself or did she just break water on my floor?” Zoey was doing too much in one day for me.
John’s wife, Samantha spoke up. “That would be water, the newest Haywood’s are on their way!”
We were surrounded by cheers and hand claps.
“Can somebody do something? I don’t want to have my babies here!” Zoey was pissed at their lack of focus. “Laini I don’t even have my bag packed yet.”
“You go ahead and I am right behind you with your stuff. I already pre-registered you so you don’t need anything else right now. Don’t do anything feeling or looking like a push until I get there and I mean it Zoey!”
In response to my words, my baby sister moaned in pain. Keys began to jingle and soon all of the commotion was outside in the driveway. I sprinted to Zoey’s room to get all of the things I had already set aside. All I needed to do was take the tags off her newly monogrammed bag and place the clothing inside. I had sat aside three different outfits for my nephew’s first photo shoot. I was so excited and ready for the experience I forgot about my own situation. With my man behind the wheel, we raced to catch up to the huge party that was excited about the arrival of children they had just found out existed. The Haywood’s were a strange group but you couldn’t help but see love and support no matter what. Zoey needed that. I was so happy for her.
32
After six hours of hearing their mother experience the worst pain in the history of her life, my nephews Darrell Jr. and Darren popped onto the scene. For a proud auntie, there was nothing more perfect than their fat wrinkled bodies. I was totally in love with them. But I was over the Haywood’s already. The number of them in the hospital room meant my bonding time with my nephews was cut. As a first time auntie, I was not liking that part of the game at all. Zoey saw the look of frustration on my face as soon as I got in rotation to hold one twin someone was reaching for a turn. If they thought I was going to allow their behavior to continue once mommy and babies came home, they were sadly mistaken. I watched my drugged up sister fall asleep with a smile on her face. Labor had been unkind to her and no doubt she was exhausted. Since the twins were being doted upon, I went to my heart piece.
I ru
bbed her head to get her to open her eyes. When she recognized me, she smiled again.
“You did a wonderful job mama. Those are some beautiful sons you have on your hands. I’m so proud of you. Thank you for making me an Auntie.” I spoke into her ear and kissed her cheek.
I set out to fix her covers about her to make sure she was warm and comfortable. I quickly recognized there was no need for me to hover. I could do that anytime I wanted at my house. I was exhausted and I had a migraine. Liam was concerned and ready to get me back to the house.
“Darrell can I speak to you in private for a second?” I whispered to my nephew’s dad.
“Dad, can you step outside for a second.” These people were thick as thieves, never separated, and never divided.
If you came for one, you had best be ready to come for all. The Haywood’s were bout that life for real. Liam and I met with Darrel and his dad in the hallway.
“I am getting ready to head back to the house. I don’t feel too good right now myself. I just wanted to touch bases with you regarding security for the boys and my sister. I have seen too much from Emani and this opportunity is the best time for her to get ignorant. My fiancé has a security company so if you haven’t already lined something else, we can definitely get that straight before we leave.” There was no way I was going to leave my sister open for an evil plan.
