Checkmate 3: Playtime's Over
Page 4
“Hey Babe. I hope you’re okay. I know you’re mad at me, but I wanted to check on you and the baby. I’m at the hospital now because my sister is having her baby and if you’re still here I’ll come where you’re at. Hit me back when you get this message. We definitely need to talk. I’m sorry about the way that things ended earlier.”
We need to talk, huh? She questioned herself and wiped her tears. Yeah, I can only imagine what that is going to be about. She wet her face with a splash of cold water and dried it with a napkin. She straightened her shirt up and walked out of the restroom only to turn and see Candy walking inside the lobby doors of the emergency room.
What the fuck is she doing here? Her thought process was thrown off. Oh I forgot her and Mona are best friends so she must be here to see the baby. Then again maybe she’s here to see Monty just as much as she wants to act like she’s seeing the baby.
Candy didn’t even see MiKayla, as she walked past her looking through her purse for her strawberry lip gloss. She got inside the elevator not once looking back. MiKayla’s heart sped up a little as the anger set back in; remembering how Candy disrespected her earlier at her house. She started out of the hospital finding herself wanting to rid of the whole situation and let it go, but then quickly turned and walked over to the nurse’s station.
“Excuse me… What room is Mona Banks in?” She asked.
**********
Monty was still holding Caylin with a smile on his face. “Mona she looks just like MJ did when he was a born.”
“I know. Mama says the same thing.” Mona responded.
“She is so tiny, man. She seems much smaller than my boy though.”
“Yeah, fat butt did weigh more than she did.” Mona commented making Rico and Monty laugh.
“Don’t be dogging my boy since you got your own baby now.”
“You know I love my nephew.” She laughed.
Candy stood at the door peeking in. Her heart sank as she stood there watching the man she love. He seemed so genuine and caring while holding Caylin, but right now his actions showed that he was far from that. She hated going in the room only because it would be hard to come face to face with the person who had just taken everything from her. Not only did he take away her dignity, but he made her look like such a fool in front of his bitch and she hated him for it. She hesitated, but then decided to walk in.
“Hey, hey, hey…” She said trying to look as if nothing bothered her. Monty didn’t know how to feel. Her presence in the room was bittersweet for him. He was happy to see her, but he knew that she wasn’t happy to see him. He could see that Candy was hurt because she didn’t even look his way.
“Hey Sis! Come here and give me a hug.” Mona said. Candy immediately walked over and hugged Mona. She wanted to just burst out crying on her shoulder but her pride wouldn’t let her. She hugged her tight as if she didn’t want to let her go.
“Are you okay,” Mona whispered.
“Yeah,” she said backing up a little. “I just hate I missed her being born. I shoulda been here.” She said.
“Yes, you shoulda been here, but I’m not tripping. You’re here now and that’s what matters. So meet your niece.” Mona said. Candy looked over at Monty who was still holding the baby. Her hands shook a little because all she wanted to do at that point was slap the hell out of him again, but this was not the time.
Monty walked around the bed and stood in front of Candy. The smell of her Ed Hardy Pink had him hypnotized. He inhaled, slowly trying to ingest every good memory that they had ever shared. “Here is pretty girl Caylin, baby.”
Baby, she thought. You’ve lost all your rights to call me baby. She smiled trying her best to play it off. Monty handed Caylin over to Candy and at that moment things seemed okay. Caylin’s cute little face ended the drama and the pain she felt for the time being. She smiled and held the baby close to her.
“She is adorable.” Candy said. “She reminds me so much of MJ.” She wanted to cry because MJ being born was one of the happiest moments in her life and this was surely taking her back to that time. She looked up at Monty then dropped her head back down as she stared in Caylin’s face. Monty was hurt because she was hurting and he couldn’t do anything to fix it.
“That’s what everyone keeps saying.” Mona said. “Well they are first cousins.”
“Yeah, they are cousins and they will be close growing up.” Monty said.
“I agree,” Candy said in a low tone. “It’s always nice to have someone that you can grow up with and trust to have your back.”
“Yeah just like all of us in this room.” Mona said.
“You’re right about that babe.” Rico said. “It’s a good thing that they’re only about six months apart.”
“They’ll probably take classes together and shit. I’m happy about that because MJ can be her protector.” Monty said.
“I’m sure she’ll always protect him too,” Candy responded. She smiled with thoughts of the little cousins playing with one another. She looked at Monty again and this time she didn’t feel so mad at him. “I passed your mama in the waiting room and she can’t wait to come back in here.” Candy said.
“I know. She is gonna get on me because I wasn’t supposed to be in here this long, but I was getting ready to go anyway.” Monty responded.
“No don’t go. I’ll get him.” Candy said.
“No you stay. I’m sure Mona wants you to stay.” He insisted. He knew that Candy needed someone to talk to and what better person than his sister. He knew that Mona wouldn’t take up for him but he couldn’t do nothing but respect her opinion because he was dead ass wrong for what had happened.
“Yes I most certainly want you to stay. My big head brother is going to take care of thick’ums.” They grinned because Mona always had a nickname for MJ.
“Okay I’ll stay.” Candy said as if she was swindled into doing something she didn’t want to do.
“Oh it’s like that heifa?” Mona asked making Candy laugh.
“Yeah, you see how she wanna act babe?” Rico added.
“Hush Rico,” Candy said continuing to laugh. “She knows I’d love to stay here with her and my gorgeous niece.” Monty grinned because he knew that Candy was always a dedicated person to Mona and to him. She would fight tooth and nail for the people she loved. She was supposed to always be his down-ass chick, but the only thing she was down with now was leaving him.
Candy stroked gently in Caylin’s head then looked over Monty. “I’ll stop by later to pick up MJ.” She said.
“I need to talk with you when you do come over.” Monty said.
“Okay fine,” she casually responded. Monty leaned down to kiss her, but the room door opened and MiKayla walked in.
“Hey, I’d just heard the voicemail message you sent me baby.” MiKayla smiled looking in Monty’s direction. “And so I asked the nurse where your sister’s room was at.” Everybody looked dumbfounded. The room was silenced by her presence. She acted as if she was the main chick and there never was another. Candy became immediately enraged.
Monty was completely quiet in utter distress having Candy witness this, but knew he’d better speak up, because at this point, the sooner the better. He cleared his throat. “MiKayla what are you doing?” He asked.
Ignoring him to the fullest she immediately spoke to everyone else. “Uh hey y’all,” she smiled. “Mona I know we don’t talk like that, but I’d like to tell you and Rico congrats on your baby.”
“Thanks,” Rico responded in a low tone. Mona didn’t say a word because she knew who MiKayla was and from the moment she stepped inside the room she was already figured out.
The air in the room had gotten so thick that Candy felt as if she was choking. It was killing her to not hand Mona the baby and whoop MiKayla’s ass again.
“Okaaay…” MiKayla said then directing her attention at Monty. “I’ll be leaving now, but baby stop by the house so I can tell you what the doctor said.” She turned and walked out.
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Monty looked over at Candy. “I’m sorry. I had no idea she was going to come in here like that.” Candy didn’t say a word to Monty. She was indeed speechless.
“Wow!” Rico whispered.
“Can somebody tell me what the hell is going on?” Mona asked.
Chapter3
MiKayla stepped inside her home taking in a deep breath trying to take it all in. She walked over to the refrigerator to get a bottle of water. She replayed the moment of her barging in on Monty and his family over and over in her mind.
Boy he’s gonna be pissed now. She thought then became bold again. Who gives a damn? I don’t. Her thoughts were running a thousand miles per hour going from one crazy scenario to another.
What in the hell was I thinking? I must’ve looked like a real fool to them. I know Monty was shocked as hell to see me. Hell, he might just leave my ass after that stunt if he hasn’t already. Tapping lightly on the table for a moment, she smiled.
It did feel good to see Candy sweat. I know she wanted to say something, but I treated her like she was the side chick and I was his main lady. “Walk in my shoes now bitch.” She huffed. I bet that shit didn’t feel good to her ass. I mean what the hell, she knows now anyway. Ain’t no need for Monty to try to hide it no more. Her thoughts went to the false pregnancy.
Damn, I just knew I was pregnant. I should’ve gone to the doctor first, before I ran my big mouth. I hate this shit because it’s gonna seem like I lied just to solidify my spot in his life and that’s not the case. Lord, I don’t know what I’m gonna do.
As she walked out of the kitchen she could hear the key turning in the lock on her front door. Damn, it’s him. She thought hurriedly walking into the living room and sitting down on the couch as if she was watching TV. Here we go.
Monty made his way in the living room where she was sitting. He didn’t want to approach her the wrong way so he calmly sat down.
She looked over at him. “Hey babe,” she said looking back at the TV.
“What’s up?” Monty asked unable to read her at all. She kept looking at the TV as if it was so interesting. He looked over at her. She was beautiful to him, but her actions had him confused. He knew in his heart that she wasn’t a bad chick and anything she was going through or doing was because of him. He did love her but Candy had his heart first and that fucked with him. He didn’t know what to think or say, but he had to start somewhere.
“What happened back at the hospital?”
“What are you talking about?” She asked still not turning her head from the TV.
“Don’t act dumb, Baby. You know exactly what I’m talking about.” He responded. “All you had to do was call me and I woulda came to you. You didn’t have to show up in my sister’s room like that.”
“Like what? Unannounced…” She said. “Just say it. Just tell me that I was wrong for doing that shit.”
“Well, you were.” He said. “You definitely didn’t have to do it like that especially after all the shit that happened earlier.” MiKayla didn’t respond. “Did that make you feel good or something?”
“Do you want the truth?”
“Yeah, just give it to me. I really wanna know what in the hell you were trying to prove or thinking.” He said.
“I don’t know what I was thinking. I wasn’t trying to prove nothing that hadn’t already come to light. All I know is that I’m tired of coming second to a family that you already have. I wanna be with you in public and hold your hand if I wanna without worrying about another bitch seeing us and telling your sweet little Candy. I can’t explain it, but I wanted to have the feeling of actually being your number one lady for a change.”
“Are you serious?”
“Hell yeah I’m serious. You pay my bills and you practically bought me this home because I don’t pay you anything for living here. So what’s the problem? You treat me like I’m your main chick but you don’t want me to act like your main chick in public. What’s up with that?”
“Baby, we’ve been through this before and I understand where you’re coming from, but you clearly knew about Candy and you know that she didn’t know about you. I just don’t understand why you did what you did today.”
“Why not?” She asked. “I bet you didn’t get on to her ass about coming to my house did you? But when K does something wrong you wanna point your finger at me. The cat is out of the bag as of this morning anyway. She knew that you weren’t over here handling anything concerning business.”
“Yeah, but babe you didn’t have to do that shit. It just wasn’t a good look.”
“As if it was a good look how she showed up to my crib.” MiKayla snapped.
“I never said that.” He commented.
“Just so you know, I knew it wasn’t a good look. I can’t say that it felt good, but it did feel satisfying to see that smug look on Candy’s face disappear.” She grinned about saying that, but Monty didn’t think it was that funny as he continued to listen.
“I get tired of coming around and being looked at like the whore who is sleeping with Candy’s man. You think I don’t see how your sister looks at me when I show up to the office. Hell, I’m nice to her and she doesn’t even speak! And please don’t get me to talking about Dee with her trifling ass. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have any problems with Rico or Maurice, but those are your home boys. That would be against the guy code to even hate or say something sideways about your side chick. I’m just tired of dealing with this and out of all times, this morning was not the morning for Candy to show up to my house.”
Monty couldn’t deny the fact that he knew she felt this way, but he was unaware of the way she would act once things had come to light.
“Why are you so out to get Candy though? She doesn’t even know you like that.”
“Come on, Baby. Who are you fooling? She knows me well enough to know that I messed around with you prior to now. So you can’t tell me that she don’t know me like that because if you did you’d be lying.” Monty thought about it and it was the truth. He knew that Candy hated her with a passion but she wouldn’t have ever done MiKayla like that.
“Babe, you went out of your way to hurt her. It was like you were throwing salt on a freshly cut wound.”
“Maybe I was throwing salt,” she said. “But in my defense Monty, you were the one who exposed her wound. So don’t sit here and act like I hurt Candy because you know just as well as I do that you’re the guilty one in that case.” He got quiet.
MiKayla’s mind was spinning. It was like she had so much to say and she was trying to wrap her mind around it before it came out in the wrong way.
“By the way, it’s funny how you come in here all worried and concerned about Candy, but haven’t even thought about asking me about the baby.”
“I meant too,” he said as MiKayla cut him off.
“Don’t worry about it. You say you love me and a part of me believes you, but in the end I’m always the one you hurt. You think its Candy who’s hurting, but what about me?”
“Baby, I know it’s not fair and I’m sorry about that, but bottom line is that Candy was here first and I’m not gonna turn my back on her.”
“But you can turn your back on me?” She asked holding back her tears.
“I don’t wanna turn my back on you either, but sometimes things happen whether we like it or not.”
“Yeah, like you not being happy about the baby we would have.” She said.
“I never said that I wasn’t happy.”
MiKayla cut him off. “You never acted like you were either. But don’t worry yourself no longer about that, because there is no baby.”
Monty looked in her face. He was confused as hell. “What happened? I mean did you lose the baby?”
“No, I didn’t lose the baby because I found out that I was never pregnant. The doctor said that it was my nerves or something and lots of stress playing tricks on me.”
“Are you serious?” He asked trying not to get too excited.
“I’m not thinking that.” He said but he was thinking that all this shit had happened for nothing. If MiKayla hadn’t said she was pregnant then Candy would probably forgive and take him back.
Damn, he thought.
“You don’t have to stay here and babysit me now. I can take care of myself.” She said.
“I know, but.”