by Zi'ere
“What you gon do? You laid up in this bed, hooked up to all these machines, just as pregnant as you can be! Not to mention the condition of your heart. What can you do? Tell me what you gonna do about me pinching your nose?” Carlos had swag when he was being cocky.
His brothers all had poker faces that only softened for their women. Carlos was a larger than life man. He met no strangers ever. His seriousness was taken out in mastering new dishes or turning around a struggling restaurant into a triple profit for his family. Carlos was the most laid back of his siblings. It took a combination of more than a few things to get him upset. Amina wanted to smile because her man was too damn sexy when he was mad. For the first time in their relationship and marriage, Carlos was really mad at her.
Amina didn’t want to answer him. There was nothing she could say or do this time. She was wrong, she knew that. Her intentions were in the right place but her execution was all wrong.
“No, how about you tell me what you gonna do? You’re mad because I allowed myself to get pregnant again? I’m pregnant with three of your babies! This is what we wanted and I will do this. I’m your wife. Stop being mad because I wanted to give you everything I promised I would in our vows. Don’t try to act like you mad about that!” Amina kept her tone calm but she really wanted to challenge Carlos in that moment.
“You loved me enough to honor your promise to me? You took your vows that seriously?” Carlos sat on the side of the bed.
His eyes began to water.
“You risked your life to give me my dream?”
Amina smiled at him.
“How can a man be mad at a ride or die like you? I promise you babe, this is the ultimate. I will hire whoever I have to hire, you will not be lifting your own purse for the rest of your life not alone for the next six months!” Carlos continued to drop tears on his wife’s hand that held her IV.
“From here on out you are in control.” Amina knew that would appease him.
Carlos smiled and chuckled.
“Oh, so now I’m in control?” After you have done everything the way you wanted to, now I can take over? Take over now that I am not able to do anything but look at you?” Carlos was speaking from his heart and his pride.
“I will do whatever you say is best for the five of us from here on out.” Amina caressed his face.
“You better now leave me Amina! I wanted the babies but I wanted you in my life more than anything else first. My life would be nothing you here with me. If I have to make a decision to save you or the babies, I am going to choose you. You have every right to know that.” Carlos was unable to maintain eye contact.
Amina started to cry.
“Babe, just hold on right now. Stay strong for our family and if nothing else, stay strong for me. I need you to be stress free. And you better promise me from this day forward that you will never keep another secret from me!” His tears were frozen in time.
That is what he was pissed about.
“I promise baby. I love you and you know why I did what I had to do.” Amina breathed a sigh of belief.
24
After Carlos, Amina, and Dr. Frasier had a come to Jesus meeting about the true status of her health, everyone was finally on the same page. The two men read Amina her rights front to back and top to bottom. She was not enthusiastic about the way the men were handling her, but she was in no position to argue. It wasn’t like they wanted her opinion. Not that they paused long enough for her to give her input in the first place. Private registered nurses and private certified nursing assistants were scheduled and were aware of their schedule for the next six months. Amina would be on strict bed rest the entire time. She was beyond pissed, but then again there is nothing else she could do.
Amina needed to have the defibrillator set as soon as possible. She would be on the bare minimum dose of pain medication and anesthesia. She would have to deal with it. All of the medication would not be good for the babies only three months into her pregnancy. That was the only thing Amina agreed with regarding her new treatment plan. The surgery was scheduled for first thing the next morning. If everything went well, Amina would go home the next day. In one of the nicest suites in the hospital her husband slept on a rollaway bed beside her in the regular hospital bed. Neither of them slept a wink all night. They both tossed and turned.
After spending hours talking on and off, nurses in and out of the room, and Amina’s heart going banana’s all night; the two both turned on their sides to face each other. They finally drifted off to sleep staring into the faces they loved the most while daydreaming about the triplets they would have. At five am, the pastor that had officiated Amina and Carlos’s wedding was wrapping up prayer in her hospital room with every member of her family in the room holding hands. Even Laini and Zoey were there holding vigil beside her. Scared out of their minds, the small army of family and friends followed Amina’s bed as the transport team moved her into the surgery prep area, still whispering words of encouragement.
Her family would have to wait in the surgery waiting room for what was supposed to be an hour long procedure that somehow turned into a six hour ordeal. Amina was later told that Carlos had become a wreck of nerves, vomiting, cursing, and crying all at the same time. Just when he felt he could take no more, Dr. Frasier came in with an update. Amina was then in a recovery suite. The surgery had been a success but Amina had drifted over to the chronic heart failure end of her sickness. In the future Amina would need a heart transplant. There was nothing anyone could do about that fact. The cardiac team would work with her to put it off as long as possible, but at some point in her life Amina would be on the donor list. Amina would no longer be able to work let alone take care of triplets alone. With her history of syncope episodes, passing out at the drop of a dime Amina needed someone watching over her twenty- four, seven. Someone would have to be the bearer of bad news to Amina.
Amina remained knocked out for the remainder of the day. She woke up in the middle of the night to find her husband seated on the foot of the bed staring at her. Amina felt as if she had been hit by a bus. She had already agreed that she wouldn’t take any kind of extra pain medications as a sacrifice to keep her babies alive. There was no way she was going to punk out now. She wouldn’t show Carlos how scared she was or how much pain she was in. With her left arm in a sling and heavy bandage wrapping on her chest, she refused to complain. Unfortunately, there was nothing she could do to stop the tears from falling. Half of her feelings were in the success in the surgery and the other half of her tears were because of the physical pain she felt.
The Haywood circus act didn’t show up the next day at the hospital which only meant they were setting up shop at her house. Amina took every ounce of pain like a soldier just to be released from the hospital on time. The list of ‘don’t do’s’ was so long, she stopped listening. Now that everyone knew she was in chronic heart failure, she wouldn’t have to worry about any of the things on the list no way. If Carlos had told her they were moving into the Big House until the babies were born she would not have been surprised. She was no longer in control of her own life anymore and the only thing she could do was, deal with it.
Amina was wheeled to the front of the hospital where Louie waited for her in the air conditioned white pearl Escalade. Getting in the truck was the most painful move she had ever made in her life. Her left arm had been placed in a sling so that the incision site could not be stretched and potentially reopened. She would not be able to have full function of her left arm for the next two weeks. Amina tried to remain upbeat and positive in light of everything that had come crushing down on her so suddenly. She tried with all her might but she could not see the silver lining in the cloud that had been placed over her life. Coming around the bend of the street that held her elaborate home, Amina could spot the car lot look-a-like situation in front of her house. Every kind of luxury car was there, which meant everyone one she knew was inside her home, waiting for her.
She didn’t know why b
ut she felt irritated. It was bad enough she was dealing with pain on mediocre meds, she really wanted to be left alone in peace and quiet. Just like everything else, she didn’t call the shots anymore. She looked at Carlos in a look that might have had sympathy in it but he looked away. She got the message loud and clear, again. Carlos helped her inside of one of the double doors to the main entrance of their home. As soon as the door opened hearty smells hit her in the face. The inside of her home smelled like Thanksgiving morning. The smells immediately brought her spirits up. Having her best friends there this time in the midst of the Haywood storm was comforting for her as well. As soon as Amina got comfortable on a chaise in the sitting room, the doorbell rang. Everyone looked around to see who wasn’t accounted for. Every Haywood had house keys to the other’s homes. Ringing the doorbell meant a stranger was on the property. In his always ever present protective guard for his family, Greg Haywood was at the door before Carlos could catch up with him.
Amina strained her ears to figure out who the strange guest was.
“Well, I’ll be damned!” Emani dropped her freshly made cocktail mixture onto the marble floor at the sight of her mom.
“I know damn well that is not Bren at my door!” Amina sat up in the chair.
She was pushed back down into reclining position by Laini just as swiftly. If there ever was a time Amina should have been in her bedroom away from all of the going’s on in the house that day would have been the perfect time for seclusion. Amina watched Laini and Zoey exchange looks and form a shield around her chair.
“I know gotdamn well you didn’t walk your unfit ass up in here after you have been missing forever and didn’t even have the time or desire attend not one but both of your daughter’s weddings.” Emani was moving full speed ahead with every word she spat.
Whatever it was she was going through at the time and the combination of the perfect person for her to take it out on, added fuel to the already lit fire burning inside of Emani’s emotions.
25
“Bren, I am sure Emani and Amina are glad to see you. As I understand it, it’s been a while since you three have seen each other. But by my daughter’s response to your presence, this situation is only going to stress Amina out at a time that she doesn’t need it. And I’m sorry for the circumstances but no matter who you are, stressing her out right now is not going to happen. Not on my watch, end of discussion.” You would think Greg was standing in his own foyer out in the Arizona countryside barking orders regarding his beloved Anna. But he was not. He was speaking on behalf of his favorite daughter-in-law.
Evidently every word that he’d said was considered gospel truth to Carlos because he did not say a word. As far as Greg’s sons knew, there was no stranger bold enough to test their father after he had laid down the law.
“Gregory, I remember when you used to be so much nicer to me.” Bren invited herself into her estranged daughter’s marital home.
Her personal driver was behind her with her roll away Louis Vuitton luggage.
In reference to her father, the great Gregory Haywood who could do no wrong and was respected in the state that he only held affection for his wife, daughter, and now four new daughters- Steph sprang into action. Stephanie Haywood didn’t play the radio when it came to her parents or the honor of her brothers. A woman being flyy with her daddy was the best way to catch a beat down.
“Ms. Thing don’t come up in here trying to get fresh with my daddy. My mama is in the kitchen and I wouldn’t want you to end up leaving in a different manner than which you came in!” Steph was now nose to nose with Bren.
“Why in the hell do you have luggage? Where do you think you are going?” Carlos spoke up then.
“Why is there so much cussing going on in my house? Respect me, respect my home, and respect the elders that are present! If I get up none of you are going to like it!” Amina shouted from her seat.
Laini was on her right, Zoey on her left and both holding her by the shoulder to prevent her from attempting to get up off of the chaise.
“Everybody calm down. I have this situation under control. It would be my life long greatest pleasure to deal with this heifer single handedly!” Emani pulled Steph back by her forearm.
“You are still being disrespectful Emani! Everybody stop talking. I can’t handle all of this confusion! I won’t have this in my home! I don’t need this in my life right now!” Amina was now on her feet screaming from the other room but hearing every word that had been said in the doorway of her home.
“I know you heard what my father said but I am going to take it a step further. Even though you were not there, I made a vow to God and Amina that I would shield and protect her. If I have to shield her from her own mother and sister that is what I will do until I take my last breath.” Carlos completed the row of Haywood’s standing up for Amina.
“Carlos can you please come take me to my bedroom? And let me make the rest of you perfectly clear so there is no misunderstanding, if I don’t call you myself- do not darken my doorframe!” Amina slowly shuffled to the doorway from her formal sitting room.
She got a good look at her mom. Her facial expression couldn’t be determined by Amina because of all the Botox treatments she’d had. Had Amina passed her on the street she would not have recognized her. Yet, something else still bothered Amina in a totally different way. She was interested in how Emani was able to recognize Bren so easily because she wouldn’t have been able to pick her out of a lineup. Amina looked back and gave her best friends knowing looks. She was sure they knew she wasn’t talking about not wanting to see them. She placed her free hand over her heart as she looked at all of her sisters in the room. Anna, Gert, and Zi came flying out of the kitchen just as she was being hoisted into the air by her six foot three muscle clad husband. They all watched in silence as he carried her up the stairs to their master suite. She rested her head on Carlos’ chest so she would not have to make eye contact with anyone as she made a clean exit.
“Babe, tell me how you want me to handle this and that is what I will do.” Carlos whispered into her ear.
“I’m not going to leave you to clean up a mess that was made before your time. I just want to get in bed and I need my husband to hold me.” Amina whispered back as she tried to fight tears.
“Then that is what you shall have.” Carlos kissed her on the forehead. When they made it to the double doors that held eleven hundred square footage of privacy, Carlos kicked the door closed and locked it before he put his wife on the bed.
“Dr. Frasier said you can’t have a bath or shower today, do you want me to wash you up?” Carlos was on his knees taking Amina’s Ugg’s off her feet.
“No, I had a sponge bath earlier. I should be okay until tomorrow.” Amina was back on calm and peace in a matter of seconds.
“Do you want a night shirt or pajama set?”
“I will just take one of your t-shirts babe.”
“Ok. Sit right here and do not move a muscle.” Carlos hustled to retrieve one of his basketball jerseys for his wife.
“I don’t know who you think you’re fooling. I’m sure Mama Anna has a key to that door!”
“Oh, wow! That’s cold blooded! You tryna call me a mama’s boy on the sly!” Carlos re-entered the room from his closet with a full smile that matched the smile on Amina’s face.
Amina and Carlos exchanged chuckles and giggles.
“Even if he was a mama’s boy- which he is- you knew that when he proposed, when you said ‘I do’, and when you got pregnant with three grandbabies for me and Greg!” Mama Anna had shimmied the lock some kind of way and was now walking around to Amina’s side of the bed with a food tray.
“Lock that door back Carlos, that woman is still lurking around downstairs. Sweetie you know I’m not a gossiping woman but I would love to know how it was that you beautiful twin babies both got married and that woman downstairs who looks like she has it all together did not even think enough of you to come to the weddings. I mean,
ya’ll didn’t have courthouse weddings! Remember, we had folk flying in from all over the world that weekend! I mean, who would miss a Friday evening wedding? That screams grand!” Mama Anna was busy pulling down the covers for Amina.
She then went into Amina’s closet to find an oversized night t-shirt. She returned and pushed her son out of the way. Carlos fell back off his knees and onto his butt as he watched his mom go to work. Zi was next to pick the lock on their bedroom door. Between Anna and Zi, Amina was handled carefully to get her arm out of the sling and the shirt she had on. Amina winced in pain. She still had to get her arm in the other shirt. Good thing Amina was a model. She could get naked in front of total strangers in the backstage area at a fashion show. She was not above letting her mother-in-law see her body either. Zi was familiar with Amina’s body from head to toe. Amina got comfortable on her side of the bed. She was instructed to lie back. Mama Anna rubbed her belly in cocoa butter. Zi busied herself with putting Amina’s clothing away.
“I know you know how to take care of your skin baby. But, remember I had five babies from that caramel giant down there and I don’t have one stretch mark to show for it. This is the secret. This can be daddy and babies bonding time every night.” She winked at her son.
Someone tried to twist the knob. When it wouldn’t budge, that someone resulted to tapping on the door. Mama Anna jumped into position. Zi peeked from out of the closet.
“You- get over here and finish this. I got this door!” She was rubbing the remaining lotion into her own pretty small hands as she commanded her son into action.
