by Cydney Rax
“Shut up! I don’t like how you’re talking to me.”
“I don’t like the fact that you fucked another nigga and now you’re pregnant. I guess we should go on the Maury show to find out who the real father is.”
“What the hell?” She couldn’t believe Rashad would spew such venom in front of their child. “That’s it. Forget this. Come on, Myles.” She yanked him again.
“Mama, I want to stay with my daddy. I want my daddy.” Myles inched closer to Rashad.
“I don’t care what you want. He doesn’t deserve you. We’re leaving. Come on.”
Raindrops poured from above as if the sky were crying. Kiara tried to hold her umbrella in one hand and drag away Myles with the other.
But the boy wrestled with her, pulling back from her, and tried to free himself.
“My arm. It hurts. It hurts. I don’t like this. Let me gooo.”
Kiara wouldn’t release Myles, but Rashad did.
He’d been taught that real men don’t cry. But right then, he was filled with uncontrollable rage and a lingering frustration that made his throat swell with pain. It wasn’t fair that since Kiara banned him from their house, he hadn’t played with his son, hadn’t looked him in his eyes, or helped him with his homework. He missed fixing Myles’s breakfast and shooting hoops with him in their backyard. Little things meant a lot. And Rashad resented the legal system that granted numerous women so much power when it came to a man, his money, and his children.
He stared at his wife, almost in disbelief that feelings of pure hatred were boiling up in him and making him flush with so much anger that he started sweating.
“Mommy, I want to be with my daddy. Let me go.”
“Stop all that yelling, Myles. I want you to come back home with me.”
Several cars slowly drove past them, which infuriated Rashad. “Look at this. You got people staring at you like you’re crazy.”
“The hell with them. I’m not crazy. I’m just doing what I have to do to protect my son.”
“He’s my son, too, Kiara. I don’t know why you seem to have forgotten that.” If his wife hadn’t been pregnant, there was no telling what Rashad would have done to her. He didn’t want to fight, but her unpredictable behavior drove him to respond in ways that he hated.
“All I know is, it’s damn near Christmas,” he continued in a choked voice. “I wanted to take Myles shopping this weekend. I-I-I have all kinds of plans for him, don’t you understand that?”
“I don’t give a damn about your stupid plans. You better learn how to speak to me like you have some sense. You can’t just say anything in front of a child.”
Rashad felt like his wife was a hypocrite. She clearly saw his sins but was blind to her own. But he counted to ten and calmly told her, “Kiara, I apologize if it seems like I was disrespecting you. But can we let go of this argument? Please. And let me give Myles the chance he deserves to hang out with his father . . . his real father.”
“Oh, hell no. I know you’re not trying to throw shade at Eddison, who’s been nothing but remarkable to us. Plus, that boy’s not stupid. He knows who his daddy is.”
“Mommy, you’re hurting me. Please let me gooo.”
Kiara then realized she had Myles in a death grip. She felt his fragile bones between her fingers. She heard the pain in his voice. She released him.
“Oh, God. I’m sorry, baby. I-I . . . Please forgive me.”
With tears in his eyes, Myles nodded and leaned against his father’s stomach.
“Kiara,” Rashad said in a gentle tone. “So you’re going to let him be with me till Sunday night?”
She hesitated and reached into her purse. “Fine. I’ll let him go since we’ve went through all this trouble in the first place. We can negotiate a fair time for his drop-off. But I want you to know that I bought him his own cell phone today. Whenever he’s away from me, he must keep it on him at all times. And we taught him how to use it. In case of an emergency.”
“You really don’t trust me, do you?”
“No, I do not. But that’s beside the point. I just want Myles to be okay. I just want him to be happy.” Kiara’s voice caught in her throat as she wiped tears from her eyes.
She kissed Myles’s little cheeks and allowed a brave smile to brighten her face. “Bye, baby. I love you.”
“Love you, too, Mommy. Come on, Daddy. My stomach is growling. Can’t you hear it?”
“That’s a damned shame. We’ll go eat right now, son.”
Kiara swiftly turned around to leave. The street was slippery and wet. In her rush to get away, her feet got tangled together. The wedge heels were narrow and clumsy. Her right ankle twisted and gave way underneath her. Her umbrella plunked to the ground. She slipped on a pothole and fell forward, but landed on her thigh. Her hand scraped the rugged, scraggly surface as she braced herself against injury.
“Ugh, ouch. Dammit.”
She lay on her side feeling totally embarrassed, wincing.
Rashad wanted to ask Kiara if she was all right, but he simply stared at her.
Rain water sprayed her hair and cheeks. Her hair became a matted mess.
“I can’t believe this. Rashad! Can you help me up? Are you just gonna stand there?”
He gaped at Kiara and wondered if she had just got what she deserved.
She’d made life so difficult for him recently. Rashad knew she was now seeing that man on her job, Eddison Osborne, and Nicole had told him that they’d had an affair.
Rashad could clearly see Kiara’s tiny baby bump. He wondered if the baby was his, even though she’d told him that it was.
“Rashad, did you hear me? I need your help.”
“Why should I?”
“Huh? I can’t believe you said that!”
“I don’t know whose baby you got inside of you.”
“Rashad, oh, my God. How can you go there?”
“Because you went there—with that other man!”
“Now is not the time. Help me up, please.”
He stared down at her belly. And so did Myles.
Kiara felt completely humiliated. She never wanted their son to see her like this.
“Rashad, show your son how to treat a woman!”
Rashad looked skeptical and remained unmoving.
“Myles, baby, please.”
Myles raced to his mother and immediately grabbed her outstretched hand. His tongue stuck out of his mouth as he struggled to help Kiara. Rashad suddenly rushed to the other side of her and held out his hand, too.
Wincing in pain, she got on her knees, and leaned on Rashad as he hoisted her to her feet.
“Thank you, baby.” She ignored Rashad. “You are my precious son. You must always remember to be a gentleman and help your mother. And always be good to a lady. Promise me.”
“I promise, Mommy.”
“Ha!” Rashad muttered.
“All right, okay. I can do this,” she said to herself. “I can make it to the car.”
“Bye-bye, Mommy. Don’t forget to pick me up on Sunday.”
“I can never forget anything that has to do with you.”
She watched Myles excitedly race around to the other side of the sedan as Rashad went and opened the passenger door for his son. Kiara waited until Myles was safely inside the car. She rubbed her hip and hobbled over to Rashad.
“You didn’t act concerned about our unborn baby for one second.”
“I don’t know whose baby that is.” He paused. “How many times did you fuck that dude?”
“How many times did you fuck both your baby mamas?”
“Oh, so you hooked up with him just to get revenge? Was his dick bigger than mine? I don’t care how big it was, no man could ever love you like me!”
“Oh, my God! Just be quiet with all that. I can’t believe I used to love your pathetic ass. And you best believe that part of my life is gone. I’m moving on, Rashad. And you acting like a dick and trying to shame me in front of Myles is unforgivable. You’ll never ge
t this pussy again.”
She turned away again, this time moving more slowly than the first time. Then she quietly limped away, hair soaking wet, but head held high.
After Kiara slid into the vehicle, she slammed her door, revved the engine, and waved her middle finger at Rashad as she drove past him.
Eason vs. Eason had officially started.
Chapter 2
A Man That Loves His Woman
Kiara drove away from Rashad reflecting on the dreadful path her life had taken. After being married for a little over ten years, breaking up with her husband was never part of the plan. Change terrified her, but she was up to the task.
After a pleasant half-hour drive, Kiara arrived in front of Eddison’s house. It was an immaculate two-story dwelling located in the Wilchester subdivision of Memorial West. Marked by towering oak trees and neatly manicured lawns, the neighborhood enjoyed a country feel in the big city. Kiara drove onto the horseshoe driveway and wasn’t surprised when the garage was already open.
Eddison met her inside the doorway. A beige towel hung around his neck. He was shirtless and wore a pair of mesh shorts. And his hair was longer; with his medium-length dreads, in Kiara’s eyes, he was as handsome as singer Eric Benet. As soon as she stepped out of her sedan, he reached for her purse and weekender duffel bag.
“What happened to your hair?”
“Long story,” she said. “I don’t even want to go into it.”
Kiara had stopped limping by then, knowing that she had exaggerated her physical pain in order to make Rashad feel guilty. Although her slipping and falling were genuine, she felt confident that her unborn child was safe within her protective womb. She was miffed that Rashad failed to express any sympathy for her, and his lack of concern encouraged her to forget about him and focus on her new life.
Like an airport attendant, Eddison carried her belongings inside the house. They proceeded to his first floor master bedroom. He placed the items on a chair and as Kiara sat down, he gently pulled her soaked shoes from her feet.
“Thank you, sweetheart,” she told him.
“Why are you wearing this type of shoes? They’re much too high for a pregnant woman. And your feet? Usually they’re very pretty. But now?”
“Oh, Eddison.” She tried to hide her feet. “Don’t look at my jacked-up toes.”
“I’m not looking.” He bent down to inspect them even further. “The paint is all chipped. And you look stressed as hell.” He rose up and began to caress her shoulders. “I have something in mind to make this situation better. I can’t have my baby looking any old kind of way.”
She was amused by the way he fussed over her and had to laugh in spite of herself.
“Eddison, I swear you’re like a dream come true. I sort of wish I would have met you first, considering everything that’s happened.”
“Hey, I wish the same.”
Ever since Kiara had kicked Rashad out of their house five weeks ago, she’d been spending more time with Eddison and she provided him updates on the status of her and Rashad’s relationship.
“But, Eddison,” she continued, “if I had met you first, then you wouldn’t have met Nina. Now you two had a great thing going. And I’m sure you don’t regret that. Being with her probably made you into the man you are now.”
Nina was Eddison’s late wife; she had died a few years ago. She was a golden-hearted woman who lost her life in the Middle East while she was on a tour of duty.
Eddison and Kiara met at work and had always been friends, but after Nina passed away, he saw Kiara through different eyes. He knew she was married and kept his distance. But last summer, when they had engaged in personal conversations and she’d tell him about Rashad, he recognized the cracks in the armor of her relationship. Eddison could no longer hide his true feelings. And he finally let her know how he felt about her.
“If I’d met you first,” Kiara said, “Myles wouldn’t exist. I can’t imagine life without him. So, no, I take that back. But I’m sure you get what I’m trying to say.”
“No one is a hundred percent in control of their future and how things turn out. We just have to do our best and deal with whatever fate brings us.”
“I agree,” she admitted. “I learned that the hard way.”
“I did, too.” Eddison stopped massaging Kiara’s shoulders. He removed his gym shorts and got dressed in a navy polo shirt and some tan shorts. “I’ve never told anyone this, but at first I was very angry at God for taking my wife from me. I wondered why He let me find her just to snatch her away a short while later.”
Kiara thought about her own situation. Letting go of a marital relationship was difficult, and she sympathized with Eddison.
“I know how you feel, Eddy, even though I’ve never been through your exact experience.”
“Yeah. So, at first I was hurt, confused, and angry, but as time passed, I looked around.” He heartily laughed. “And I saw all these women out here . . . lonely, smart, attractive ladies who’d never had a husband. And it occurred to me that I’d been blessed. At least I got to spend six years of my life with Nina.” He paused in thought. “It was brief but definitely worth it.”
Kiara nodded. “I believe that. And it’s good to hear you open up about it and come to terms with everything.”
“’Tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all,” he said dramatically.
“That’s a famous saying,” she remarked. “Who said that?”
“I’m saying that.”
Eddison stared deeply into Kiara’s eyes until she became deliciously lost inside of them. His loving ways swept her off her feet and made Kiara’s current situation easier to deal with.
Once she got dressed in more comfortable clothing, she allowed Eddison to take over. He asked her to put on some flip-flops. Then they boarded his Chrysler 3000 and Eddison drove to a nail salon located in an impressive part of Sugar Land. Kiara loved money and was used to the finer things in life, but she had to admit that Eddison was on a whole different level than Rashad.
They parked and walked into a beautifully decorated, high-ceilinged room with soothing lights, tan walls, and relaxing yoga-type music that played in the background. The entire place was brimming with women getting manicures, pedicures, and facials.
“When you first came over to the house,” Eddison said, “you seemed frazzled. I could tell you had a hard day. The original plan was for me to simply run you a nice hot bath. But, baby, you’re about to get pampered by real professionals.”
“You’re not so bad yourself.” She laughed. “And I love that you are full of surprises.”
Eddison marched over to the receptionist. “We want a Piña Colada pedicure. As soon as possible.”
“Yes, sir.” The receptionist immediately escorted them past the other customers to their chairs.
Kiara selected her nail color, a pretty teal green that was perfect for the holiday. Eddison sat beside her and decided to get a gentleman’s pedicure. They were offered a complimentary glass of white wine and reclined in their shiatsu massage chairs.
“Oh, my Jesus.” Kiara reacted to the massager that kicked in and helped release the tension from her shoulders and lower back. “I thought your massage was great, but, baby, this feels absolutely amazing.”
“It should. You’re sitting on a five-thousand-dollar chair.”
“Get the hell out of here!” She laughed.
“Seriously, Kiara. You are. . . .”
“You used to take your wife here or something?”
“Yeah. Nina always told me it was one of the greatest stress relievers she ever had. I hope you don’t mind.”
“I don’t mind at all, Eddy. I’m flattered. And I want to pinch myself.”
“Pinch on.” He grinned, happy to have made her happy.
The royal treatment felt incredible, especially after what she just went through. Kiara could have wept for joy. The more Eddison treated her with love and respect, the more she felt lik
e she could potentially fall in love. Yet she was scared; she never again wanted to endure the pain that Rashad gave her.
Kiara reached in her satchel and pulled out a copy of What to Expect When You’re Expecting, with the intention of reading while her toes got worked on.
Several women stared at the couple and noticed Eddison’s open affection.
The glances he gave Kiara made her feel protected, desired, and as precious as a soaring butterfly.
“A man that loves his woman will love his child,” a female customer told Kiara when she noticed the spine of the book she was holding.
“A man that loves his woman is worth keeping,” Kiara responded.
“And yes, I love this woman. I do love her.”
Kiara gasped. She wanted to slink in her chair and die. This was his first time publicly confessing his love for her.
“Mmm mm. Look at them,” the lady cooed. “Your baby will have a wonderful father.”
“Yes, he or she will,” Kiara replied.
“So you won’t know the gender till it’s born?”
“I won’t know a lot of things until it’s born.”
Eddison and Kiara heartily snickered.
At that point, she had no idea whether Rashad was the father or Eddison.
“Must be nice to be pampered in and out of a nail salon,” the manicurist said in a wistful tone as she assembled all the tools for Kiara’s pedicure.
“It’s heavenly,” Kiara answered. “He’s a wonderful man.”
“I wish my man was like him.”
“I found out that if one man doesn’t treat you right, you don’t have to put up with it. You gotta trust that you will come across another man, a good one, who will treat you the way you’re supposed to be treated.” Kiara said this to her manicurist but she was preaching to herself in an effort to encourage her own heart. The memory of Rashad’s recent behavior when she fell on the street was fresh in her mind. How could the man who once loved her do her that way? It hurt her heart to realize how bad things had gotten between them.
But Kiara grew sick of Rashad invading her mind. She decided to enjoy her pedicure and let Eddison do all the nice things he wanted to do for her. She picked her book back up, but as she read the chapter titled, “What You May Be Wondering About,” multiple thoughts hammered at her:
