by Ancelli
Brandon walked through the hospital main entrance, looking for women’s health. He stopped by the map of the hospital departments and floors. The floor plan was confusing to say the least. Finally he located the labor and delivery floor and figured that the class had to be there. He hurried toward the elevator, and pushed the round button lighting it up.
“Hi,” a brunette said standing next to him, waiting too.
“Hey,” Brandon watched the numbers above the elevators descend. He didn’t have time for small talk.
“Are you married?” The woman bluntly asked.
Brandon twisted, looking at the woman. She smiled, exposing her pearly whites. Why not he thought. He extended his hand, “No. What’s your name?”
Her smile got bigger, “Vanessa, and you are?”
“Brandon,” a bell chimed, and the doors opened. They both stepped in, and the doors closed.
“Sorry for being so forward, but you are hot,” she said digging in her purse, pulling out a pen and paper.
Brandon chuckled. “I’ve never heard that before. I’m flattered.” The elevator stopped on the fourth floor. “My floor, have a nice day.”
“Hold on,” she rapidly wrote on the piece of paper and handed it to him. “Call me.”
He shook his head, and placed the piece of paper in his pocket. He wasn’t used to women being so forward. When he was on the dating scene many years ago, it was the men asking women for their numbers and dates. He had to admit he enjoyed the independent women who knew exactly what they wanted, especially when that something was him.
He wandered down the hall, searching for women’s health. Brandon wanted to be a part of anything he could involving the baby.
“Sir, can I help you?” A nurse took mercy on him.
“Yes, I’m looking for women’s health,” he read the signs on the wall, still confused.
“Are you here for an appointment or class?”
“A class.”
“Follow me,” the nurse walked the opposite direction he was headed. She pushed open a set of double doors, and then took a left and a right. She urged him through another door, and pointed down the hallway. “The second door on your left.”
“Thank you.” Yep he wouldn’t have found it on his own.
“You’re more than welcome,” she stepped back, going another route.
Brandon hoped Kanielle didn’t mind. He wondered if she had anyone with her, maybe her mom. Kanielle mentioned she didn’t have any friends. He proceeded to the door with the sign ‘Coach Natural Childbirth.’ He turned the knob, pushing it open.
He studied the blue and pink room, glancing over the baby pictures, educational posters, and graphic images of childbirth hung on the walls. Brandon began reading one of the posters detailing the step-by-step process of birth, finding it all intriguing.
He stepped in further, hearing a woman saying, “Squatting is the exercise that gives elasticity to your perineum, making you stretch without tearing, and avoid getting an episiotomy.”
There were seven couples in the room standing. The partners were in front of the pregnant ladies, helping them squat by holding their hands. He searched the room for Kanielle, but he didn’t see her. He was about to turn and walked out.
The instructor walked toward him, and then he saw Kanielle. Her hair was different; she no longer had braids in. Her hair was curly in an Afro puff, or at least that’s what Shawn called that style whenever Angela wore it.
She was in the front of the class by herself, following what the lady instructed. Kanielle slowly bent her knees, and then stood straight as she repeated the move. Brandon gazed at Kanielle, at everything she was going through, still putting her baby’s health first. She chuckled when the instructor said something to her, not at all bothered that she was by herself.
The instructor told the class to sit on the mats on the floor. The partners all helped the ladies sit on the ground. Kanielle observed the other couples and shied away to the side, waddling over to the wall.
“Sir, can I help you?” The instructor of the class stared at him, and that’s when Kanielle looked back.
Kanielle’s eyes widened.
“Sorry. I’m late,” Brandon crossed in between the couples, and walked up to her. “I’m with Kanielle.”
“What are you doing here?” She whispered.
He took her hand in his, and slowly helped her down on her mat. “I went to see you, and your brother said you were here,” Brandon clutched her palm. “You mentioned a class, but you didn’t tell me it had to do with the baby.” He released her hands, and patted her thighs.
“I didn’t know you would be interested,” she opened her legs in the butterfly position, “In this part too.” She chuckled staring at her vagina, and then back at him.
“I am.” Brandon gazed into her eyes, getting down on his knees. There was something intriguing about Kanielle, she was a breath of fresh air.
“Partners,” the instructor watched him. “Please sit behind mom with your legs on each side of her.”
Brandon did as told.
Kanielle twisted her waist, trying to look back at him, “You didn’t have to come because you feel sorry for me,” she stretched her arms. “I’ve been coming by myself for the last two months.”
“I don’t feel sorry for you,” Brandon moved forward, touching her hips. Kanielle bent over stretching, and he couldn’t help himself, he ogled the curve of her ass, damn.
“Moms lay your back on your partner’s chest,” the instructor said.
“You don’t have to do this,” Kanielle hesitated moving back.
He wrapped his hands around her waist, pulling her in closer. “You need to follow instructions,” he whispered in her ear. “I’m where I want to be.” Brandon rubbed her stomach, making her giggle. He smiled; she needed to laugh more often.
Kanielle finally allowed her body to relax. For the next hour they practiced relaxation, breathing, and meditation techniques. They watched a movie on childbirth. Brandon was fascinated with the whole process down to the part where the baby’s shoulder slipped out. “Ouch…” His eyes were glued to the screen, while Kanielle squinted and covered her eyes with her fingers.
He chuckled. “You won’t be able to cover your eyes when you’re in labor.”
“Yes I will,” she snickered. “I’ll be ready, that doesn’t mean that I want to see another woman going through it.”
“Are you sure you’re ready?” Brandon caressed her arms.
“I don’t think anyone is ready for labor,” Kanielle moved her neck to the side. “I have a knot.”
Brandon inched his fingers up her neck, feeling her silky, soft skin. He rubbed her neck before he gently cupped her chin with his left hand, and with his right hand he gently rotated her head. “How does that feel?” he whispered.
“Great,” Kanielle closed her eyes. He heard cracking sounds as he rotated to the left, and then in reverse. Brandon added a little more pressure to her neck. “Oh God this feels so good.”
“You feel good,” shit, that was supposed to be an inside thought. Brandon stopped what he was doing when Kanielle shifted in front of him. What was he thinking? “When’s your next class?” He rubbed her shoulders, the way the instructor said.
Kanielle moved back again and leaned her head on his chest. “This was my last class,” she yawned.
“Damn, I enjoyed coming.”
“Robert found these classes stupid, he said his mother didn’t take classes.”
Brandon shook his head. Her husband was an ass. You don’t ever compare your mother to your wife, especially in a negative way. “I find these classes educational.”
Kanielle took his hands in hers, and pressed down by her bellybutton. The baby stretched and kicked, and then she moved his hand down over her pelvic area. “That’s her head.”
He traced his fingers on her belly, feeling the baby’s tiny head. Kanielle giggled, “Ticklish?”
“Yes,” she chuckled louder as he cont
inued to tickle her. “Stop!”
The instructor glanced their way with her lips thinned, and he stopped.
Kanielle took his hands in hers, resting them on her belly. “Trouble maker.”
“I love getting in trouble with the right person.”
She turned her head to the side, and smirked. “Me too.”
Brandon learned a few things he didn’t know in the class. He’d seen live birth online, and he’d searched the Internet anytime he had a question. The instructor started finishing up the class, and handed out pamphlets. She came up to them, and when Kanielle didn’t take the papers from her, he noticed she was sleeping. Brandon chuckled, taking the pamphlets from the woman. He heard her soft snores. He moved a strand of her hair from her face, and gently pulled it. Kanielle’s hair was soft, and oily. He stared at her neck, his fingers roaming from her shoulders to her collarbone, and began massaging her. He switched from massaging to caressing her up to her ears. He felt her goose bumps under his fingers.
“Mmmm,” she moaned. “That feels so good.”
Kanielle’s moaning was doing something to him. Brandon began getting aroused. He was crossing the line, he had to end this now. “Kanielle,” his lips barely touched her sensitive skin under her earlobe. He was aching to kiss her sensitive skin.
Her eyes fluttered open. “Yes…”
Brandon needed to stop whatever he was feeling, before it was too late. “I have to get back to work.”
She eased away from him. Brandon stood, fixing himself. Kanielle extended her arms, he took her hands in his, and he gently pulled her up. “Thank you for being my coach.”
“Anytime.”
Chapter Ten
Kanielle was stretched out on her sofa, watching TV. It had been two weeks since she moved back into her house; it felt so empty. When Robert was away she didn’t recall feeling like this, maybe it’s because all she had to do was pick up the phone and hear his voice. The hurt was still fresh. Robert had the nerve to tell her he was contesting the divorce. Kanielle massaged her belly, wishing she could give her little girl what she didn’t have, a home with both parents. She also didn’t want Coral to go through what she did when her father walked out on her mother when he decided she wasn’t enough for him anymore. She’d witnessed the sorrow her mother went through because of her father’s actions.
It was Kanielle that uncovered her father’s deceit. Kanielle had an early dismissal day at school, and went straight home. Her father’s old red Cadillac was parked in the driveway, and she wondered what her dad was doing home so early. She remembered walking into the house, and hearing strange noises coming from her parents’ room. Kanielle approached their bedroom. Leaning against the door, she heard moaning, and the bed springs squeaking. She started giggling, thinking her mom and dad were playing hooky, and then she heard the words she would never forget… ‘Patty! Yes… yes… fuck me harder.’
Kanielle covered her mouth, backing away from the door. Patty was her mother’s friend. She called her Aunt Patty, and she was screwing her father. All of a sudden the door flew open and Patty ran out with no clothes on, with her dad chasing her, she guessed playing a game of cat and mouse. Kanielle covered her eyes with her hands, and yelled. They’d traumatized her, and when they realized she was there they both ran back in the room.
Her dad was the first to come back out, dressed. ‘Kanie, it’s not what you think.’ Patty came out of the room, straight to the front door, and left without once looking at Kanielle. Her dad begged Kanielle not to tell her mom, that it would hurt her. ‘It will never happen again.’ Her father told her over and over. He made Kanielle feel guilty, like it was her that had done something wrong for coming home early. He went on to explain, how her mother was already dealing with a lot with the new baby. Her father convinced her to keep quiet. After that Kanielle’s relationship with her dad changed, and her mother noticed. She’d caught them again, but this time it didn’t bother them as much, and she heard him tell Patty, ‘Don’t worry she won’t tell.’
Kanielle couldn’t hold it in anymore, she was doing poorly in school, and having nightmares. When her mother finally sat her down and asked what was wrong a month later, she told her. Her mother went ballistic, and waited until both her father and Patty were in the house. Her mother beat the crap out of Patty when she confessed they’d been sleeping together for two years. Then her father had the nerve to tell her mom he was thankful she finally found out. He didn’t have to live a lie anymore, because he didn’t love her anymore. He said some hurtful things to her mother and left. Christopher Jackson never looked back once he walked out that day, not even to visit his teenage daughter and infant son. Up to this day Kanielle believed if she’d kept her mouth shut her dad would still be around. However she couldn’t live with herself knowing what he was doing behind her mother’s back.
Her father was weak, and he had destroyed Kanielle ever being able to keep a friend, to truly trust anyone. After what she witnessed between him and her mother’s best friend, Kanielle kept to herself. Chris was right, she didn’t have any friends but Robert. She confided in him, telling him her story and he turned around and did the same thing she warned him not to do.
Without trust, they wouldn’t survive, and her trust in Robert was gone. She got rid of all the things that reminded her of the life she had with Robert, like their wedding photos, things they bought on vacations, everything. His mother called her, begging for her son, saying she was taking this too far. Kanielle signed the divorce papers a couple of days ago, and he should’ve received them by now. The lawyer said how quick she received the divorce, depended on him.
Her cell phone rang. She leaned forward, picking up her cell of the coffee table, and watched the screen.
“Hello.”
“Kanielle, are you sure this is what you want?” Roberts voice was soft.
“Yes.”
“I love you.”
“Okay,” her answers were short.
“Please re-think this, sweetheart. I made a mistake. I’m human, you’re not perfect.”
“No, I am not.” She picked up the remote control and flipped through the channels. “Are you signing the papers?”
“I will fight for you no matter if I sign these or not.” He sighed. “I see you want the house, and child support. I don’t have a problem with that, but what about visitation? You can’t keep me away from her.”
“I will never keep your child from you, Robert,” She put a pillow under her feet. “If you continue reading you will see where it states that you can have her every other weekend when she turns three months, until she’s one, and after that we can come to a mutual agreement on visitation or go to family court. Before she’s three months all you have to do is give me call and let me know you want to see her.”
“Every other weekend, that’s not fair!” Robert raised his voice. “My grandmother and family will want to spend more than a weekend with her.”
“Right now I could care less what your family wants, that’s one of the problems we had. You always put your family before me, everybody else came first.” He opened up the floodgates, and she was going to let him have it. “Our marriage was already failing the fucking moment you put your hands on me, but stupid me gave you two chances. You treated your mother like more of a wife than me. I was the one that cleaned your house, washed your clothes, cooked your dinner, but she was the one you always went to. And then you did the one thing I told you was unforgivable to me!” She took a moment to compose herself. “Where did we go wrong? When did you change, Robert? You used to be so caring and loving.”
“I’m sorry. I see it now, why didn’t you tell me this was how you felt?” Robert sounded sincere.
“Did you see it when you were fucking Sasha?” Her tone came out harsher than she intended. He didn’t have a comment. “I guess that’s a no. Sign the damn documents so both of us can move along with our lives.”
“Kanielle…”
“Robert if you don’t sig
n the divorce papers and you drag this on I will take you for what you value the most, your money.” Kanielle leaned on her elbow. “That’s all your family cares about, that’s why you had me sign that damn pre-nup, right? But there was a clause that we both agreed on. I would get half of everything if you committed adultery and we both know you did, and I have proof.” She lied she didn’t have proof, but he didn’t know that. “Think of what your parents would say if you had to hand over half of your inheritance because you fucked up. I don’t want your money, Robert, so please don’t make me do it. Let’s agree to be cordial with each other for the sake of our baby.”
“I’ll fucking sign the papers.” He hung up the phone.
Tears threatened to fall as she took a deep breath. “No more tears.” Kanielle was tempted to call Brandon, and decided against it. They hadn’t talked in over two days, she felt so lonely. She knew she could call her mother and she would listen, however she knew this subject was still painful for her mother.
Kanielle remembered how her mother would hold Chris not wanting to let him go, he was the spitting imagine of her father. Some women took it out on their kids when a child resembled their deadbeat dad, but not her mom. She loved him more, because he looked like him. Her mom would never admit to it, but Christopher Sr. was the love of her life, no matter how bad he treated her. If he had come back she probably would’ve taken him back. Her mother only divorced him because she found out he left the state, taking Patty and her four children with him. Kanielle often wondered if she and Chris had siblings. How could he leave them behind?
***
The second date went better than expected. Rebecca was an interesting woman, she’d shared her stories of all the countries she’d traveled to, and she actually worked at the bank they met at. When he picked her up from her home, he could tell she was nervous. She was quiet, playing with her hands. Once they reached the restaurant and began talking, she became more relaxed and comfortable. Rebecca laughed at his corny jokes, and then she talked his ear off. Once she started speaking, she didn’t stop, which he didn’t mind, that meant less talking on his part. Rebecca was a divorcée with two kids. She was sweet, but Brandon didn’t feel a connection like he did with Maggie.
