by Lucinda John
Looking down at my watch, we’ve been sitting in the closet for two hours. I wanted to make sure everything was clear so I suggested that we stay in here for another thirty minutes. I tried to get up and check things out, but the burning sensation in my legs hit me causing me to double over in pain.
Crawling to Anna’s phone, I dialed Stacks’ number only to get the voicemail. I called him over and over and over again and was hit with the voicemail every time. If it wasn’t over before, it was now. All that shit I was thinking about us fixing things, flew out the window.
“Hello?” Lisa answered on the third ring.
“Somebody shot up my house,” I hysterically cried.
“OMG! Lala, are you okay? Are the babies okay? OMG, where is Anna? Is she okay? Where the fuck Stacks’ bitch ass at? I’m on my way!” she frantically said.
I could hear tussling as she got dressed. I overheard Ralph ask her where she was going and she told him what I said.
“Lala, you good?” he asked picking up the phone.
“I’m good,” I dryly responded.
“Was anyone hit?”
“Yes, I was shot in the leg.”
“Damn, I’m on my way,” was the last thing he said before the line went dead.
Before they could make it to our house, the police was already kicking down the door. I kind of expected them to be here since we did stay in an upscale neighborhood, I just ain’t think it would take them so damn long to get here.
“Anyone in here?” I heard someone call out.
“Up here,” Anna yelled.
The cops then rushed up the stairs following Anna’s voice. At this point, I was too weak to say anything. I was starting to lose so much blood that I began getting dizzy. My vision was blurred but I could see five cops and the paramedics all standing in my kid’s room.
“Has anyone been hit?”
“Yes, she’s been shot in the leg,” Anna replied. “What took you guys so long to come?”
“We were having a hard time getting through the gates. Plus we were told that the house was empty. It wasn’t until one of your neighbors told me that she saw a pregnant woman go inside that we decided to break down the gate to come in.”
“Can you hurry and take her to the hospital?” Anna said.
“Ma’am, how far along are you?” I heard the cop ask before my eyes rolled to the back of my head.
“Get the fuck out of here,” I faintly heard Lisa’s voice say.
“Man Ralph, get her out my face man,” Stacks said with irritation in his voice.
“Where the fuck was you when the house was getting shot up nigga?” Lisa snapped.
“Why the fuck is that your business?” he asked.
“Anything that has to do with my girl is my fucking business! I was here before you and I’ll be here after you! I can’t believe I was trying to convince her to give your selfish ass a chance. While you were out taking bitches on shopping sprees and shit, your family was getting shot at!” she huffed. “Don’t look shocked now; we saw your ass early at the Cheesecake factory with your hippo.”
“Man Ralph, get her out my face man.”
“Lisa chill, let’s go,” Ralph finally said.
“No. this bitch ass nigga ain’t right.”
“C’mon ma, let’s take a walk so you can calm down.”
I heard footsteps, so I assumed Lisa left with Ralph. Opening my eyes, I could see Stacks looking out the window. His back was towards me so he couldn’t see me staring him down. I so wanted to hate his ass, but love him at the same time.
“I’m sorry,” he said with his back still turned to me. “I fucked up.”
I didn’t know if he felt me staring at him or if he was just speaking his mind. I didn’t say anything; I just closed my eyes and kept listening.
“I had everything I needed in you. I don’t know why I fucked it up. I should have been there for y’all. Y’all needed me and I wasn’t there,” he sniffled.
Wait, was he crying? I asked myself.
“Did you fuck her?” I whispered, with my eyes still closed.
“No.”
“Do you love her?”
“Hell nah, I love you. Besides my daughters, you’re the only one holding my heart.”
“Please leave,” I said with tears streaming down my face.
“Lala…”
“No, please Stacks just go!” I said raising my voice.
He stood there for a few minutes. Walking over to me, he rubbed then kissed my belly before walking out of the hospital room. I wanted to scream out his name and tell him to come back, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
Chapter 17
Stacks
Lala has been in the hospital for three days and I haven’t had a lick of sleep since I found out our house was shot up. I was too busy ripping and running the streets trying to figure out who was bold enough to come for my wife while my kids were in the damn house. Motherfuckers weren’t talking so bodies kept dropping; it was murkin’ season. If I even thought you could have something to do with it you would have been dead. If it wasn’t for Carla being on bedrest, having the alibi of the stay-at-home nurse her father hired, I would have shot her head clean off her shoulders.
I did a walk-through of the new house I purchased for Lala. I knew how much work she put into our old house, but I couldn’t have her staying there anymore. Nodding my head in approval, I had to give the decorator her props for making the house look as similar to the old house that she possibly could.
I was about to leave and head out to the hospital until Carla’s name ran across my screen. I was going to ignore it but since she was on bedrest I decided to answer.
“Hello?” I answered.
“Stacks I’m in labor.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m at the hospital now,” she said sounding as if he was in so much pain.
“Which one?”
“Jackson Memorial Hospital.”
“Okay, I’m on my way.”
I gave the housekeeper orders to make sure everything was nice and clean and put in place. I also made sure that security was on point. I made it very clear that this house should be guarded at all times. They had my permission to kill anyone that even stared at the house for too long.
Jumping to my car, I headed over the hospital. My main reason for wanting to be there is because I wanted to see if I felt that bond that a father feels when he first holds his child. I also wanted to speak with the doctor that was going to be performing the DNA test. I didn’t want the doctor tainted with. Knowing Carla, she would try and do some slick shit.
When I walked in the room, Carla was cursing everybody out in Spanish. The nurses were trying to calm her down, letting her know that the stress wasn’t good for the baby. The sight was funny as hell. I chuckled, letting my presence be known.
“Qué te ríes de ti feo mono negro?” she said looking at me with pain written all in her eyes. (What are you laughing at you ugly black monkey?)
I didn’t respond I just took a seat in one of those chairs. Carla kept trying to hold a conversation with me and I kept ignoring her ass. I was only here for one reason, to see if that little boy in her was mine. I could have walked away and waited until he was born to come back. However, if in fact he was mine, no matter how much I couldn’t stand his mother I would feel selfish if I missed his birth.
Carla’s labor was going so slow that I ended up falling asleep. I was awakened by the sound of my ringing phone. University of Miami Hospital flashed across my screen and I immediately answered the phone.
“Stacks, I’m in labor,” was the first thing Lala said once I answered.
“How many centimeters dilated are you?” I asked rubbing my hand across my head.
“Eight. Omg, hurry, you’re going to miss it,” she cried out.
“I won’t baby, I promise,” I said hanging up the phone. Just my luck that I would have tw
o women in labor at the same time.
“Nurse, how many centimeters has she dilated?” I asked the nurse that came in and checked Carla.
“She’s still at three. Looks like this is going to be a long labor.”
“Okay, thank you,” I said getting up to leave.
“So you’re going to leave me to watch that bitch have that bastard?” Carla yelled.
“I’m going to let that slide because you’re in labor. To answer your question, yes I am going to watch my wife have our daughter. She is in active labor and your labor is progressing very slowly.”
“That’s it, my baby don’t mean shit to you?”
“Not until I prove he’s mine,” I said walking out of the room.
I ran to my car and floored it to the hospital that Lala was in. University of Miami was at least ten miles from where I was. Bobbing and weaving, switching lanes I ran a few lights until I finally made it there. I barley parked my car before I jumped up and ran straight to Labor and Delivery.
Just as I was walking in, the doctor was telling Lala to push.
“I’m not pushing the fucking baby out until her father gets here,” she snapped. “Lisa, call that nigga, I’m about to put three bullets in his fucking head!!”
“I’m right here bae,” I said grabbing her hand. “I’m here baby; push my princess out for me.”
“Okay Lala, on the count of ten, I want you to push down hard like you’re having a bowel movement,” the doctor coached.
“I know what the fuck I’m doing; I had twins in a damn car!” she snapped pushing.
A few pushes and curse words later, my baby girl entered the world. There was no need for a DNA test because she was all me; plus when I held her, my heart melted. My baby girl… I smiled down at her kissing her little cheeks. The nurse took her away to clean her up.
“You did good baby,” I said kissing Lala on the forehead.
“Thanks. Never again,” she sighed.
“What you mean never again?”
“I’m not having any more children. My future husband better already come with kids because I’m not having any.”
“What you mean your future husband?”
“Exactly what I said. I’m done with you Stacks, period. End of discussion. The only reason I called you here is so that you wouldn’t miss the birth of your daughter.”
I was about to say something but the nurse came back in with Amia. I sat off in the back as everyone visited and held her. I was feeling some type of way about what Lala said. I’ve been trying everything in my power to get her back but all she was doing was pushing me in the arms of another woman, Staci.
Walking to the gift shop to buy Amia a bear, I called Carla. She wasn’t answering the phone so I assumed she was sleeping. I sent her a text asking her how far dilated she was but I got no response. Stuffing my phone back in my pocket, I picked up a few items from the gift shop and paid for them.
When I made it back to the room, all the visitors were gone. Lala was sleeping peacefully with Amia in the bassinet next to her. I took a seat in my chair, pulled out my phone and texted Carla again. Amia started to cry and Lala woke up and reached for her.
“Get some rest, I got her,” I said grabbing the bottle then picking her up.
After feeding Amia, I burped her then laid her across my chest. I took a seat in the rocking chair and began rocking back and forth.
I began singing to her….
“You make it look like it’s magic
Cause I see nobody, nobody but you, you, you
I’m never confused
Hey, hey
I’m so used to being used
So I love when you call unexpected
Cause I hate when the moment’s expected
So I’ma care for you, you, you
I’ma care for you, you, you, you, yeah
Cause girl you’re perfect
You’re always worth it
And you deserve it
The way you work it
Cause girl you earned it
Girl you earned it”
I sung the lyrics to “The Weekend Earned It” with so much passion. After I finished up the song, Amia was fast asleep. Swaddling her in her blanket, I kissed her before placing her in the bassinet. Lala tried to close her eyes and fake sleep but I saw her eyes flutter.
“I love you,” I whispered in her ear before leaving and closing the door behind me.
I got in my car and headed back to the hospital Carla was in. The closer I got to her room, the louder I heard her cries. Something didn’t sound right about the way she was crying.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” the nurse said before walking out the room.
“What happened?” I asked pulling the nurse to the side.
“You’re the father right?”
“Yes.”
“The baby didn’t make it. The baby’s heartbeat started going down. Once we rushed her to get a cesarean, it was too late. The cord was wrapped two times around the baby neck.”
“Damn,” I replied with my head down. “I want a DNA test performed on the baby.”
“Are you sure?” she asked.
“Yes. If that was my son then he deserves a proper burial,” I truthfully said.
“Okay, I’ll let the doctor know.”
“Do not speak of this to anyone,” I said grabbing her arm.
“Okay.”
I waited ten minutes before making my way inside the room. Carla was lying in the bed balled up as her sobs filled the room. Knocking on the door, I walked in and cleared my throat.
“Are you okay?”
“It’s all your fucking fault.”
“My fault?”
“Yes your fault! You killed our son. I hate you Stacks.”
“I’m sorry,” I said hugging her while she cried. I felt guilty for what happened.
I held her until she cried herself to sleep. Laying her down, I covered her body with the blanket and left. Today was one long fucking day. I needed a blunt, a stiff drink, a shower and a fucking bed.
The next morning I went to the hospital to pick up Lala and the baby.
“Where are we going?” Lala asked from the back seat.
“I’m bringing you home.”
“We passed the exit for the house.”
“Oh, I had that shit burnt to the ground.”
“Why would you do some shit like that?”
“I hope you ain’t think I was going to let you stay in a house that someone shot up.”
“But still, I put so much work into that house.”
“I know and your new house is even bigger. You can hook up with my contractor and add as much shit as you want.”
“Mmm,” was all she said.
“Omg, let me see that baby,” Anna said reaching for the car seat. “Oh my Lanta, she is too cute!!”
The twins ran up to me and I picked them up giving them both a kiss.
“You see you’re new baby sister?” I asked lowering them so that they could take a good look at Amia.
Amire warmed up to Amia quick; on the other hand, my lil’ spoiled brat Amiracle wasn’t having it. She kicked the car seat startling Amia and causing her to cry. Putting her down, I picked up Amia, then that’s when Amiracle fell out on the floor and began having a temper tantrum.
“Amiracle, now you know better than that! You need to sit in the red chair?” Lala scolded her.
“My da-da,” she replied reaching for me.
Handing Lala the baby, I picked up Amiracle up and walked her to her room. We laid in her twin size bed as I read her a story. In no time she was knocked out with her thumb in her mouth. My phone began to ring and it was the hospital Carla was staying in.
“Hello?”
“Hello this is Dr. Smitten from Jackson Memorial Hospital. Is Anthony available.”
“This is he.”
“I have the results to the DNA test.�
�
“And?”
“I’m sorry to inform you, but you did not father the deceased child.”
“Okay, is there a way to have those results faxed to me?”
“Yes. What is the fax number?”
After reading off my fax number, I hung up the phone. I couldn’t believe that Carla would try and play me like that. The only reason I wasn’t on my way to put my foot up her ass is because she was mourning the loss of her son. On the plus side, I didn’t have to deal with her anymore.
“Guess what?” I said taking a seat next to Lala.
“Carla’s baby isn’t mine.”
“Okay?”
“So we can fix this right?”
“No Stacks, the damage is already done. I’m not trying to be with anyone right now. Let’s just focus on our kids,” she replied getting up and walking away.
“Just give her some time,” Anna said.
After dapping my son up, I gave Anna a kiss and headed home. I needed to see the results with my own two eyes. When I got home, I walked straight into my office and to the fax machine. Picking up the paper I read the results. There in black and white I read that there was no way I fathered Carla’s child.
My phone beeped and it was Carla sending me memorial information for the baby. I replied to her text with a picture message of the DNA results. Carla never replied back letting me know that she knew all along that there was a chance that little boy wasn’t mine. Rolling myself a fat blunt, I poured myself a shot of Patron and called Staci to let her know I was on my way over.
Chapter 18
Ralph
“You sure you don’t want me to come with you?” Lisa asked me as I was feeding the baby.
“Nah ma I’m good,” I said putting the bottle down to burp him. “Go handle your business.”
“I don’t want no shit from you and Kandi. Nina and I will be there real quick and that’s on God.”
“Bae chill, I ain’t even tryna fuck with that girl like that no more. I just need her to agree to this co-parenting shit. I can’t have two baby mamas from hell.”
“Ump, well if you decided to come see me I’ll be at the dance studio all day,” she said preparing to leave.
