Page 29 of Back in Blood

I needed to expedite my move because as nosey as my mother was, I wouldn’t be able to hide my pregnancy for long while living in the same house as her. My father fell back and didn’t bother me too much, but my mother was on it. Just the other day she told me I looked pale and to check my iron. When I got home, no one was there. I went inside my bedroom and started looking for places to rent. I needed to find something ASAP.

I put off contacting Capri for two days. I knew I needed to tell him because it was only fair that I knew how he felt about the situation. He was so drunk when the condom broke, he probably didn’t even remember it the next day. I wanted to kick my own ass for not buying a plan B pill. I didn’t want to tell him the news over the phone, so I asked him to meet me at my favorite smoothie place. We arrived at the same time, and he held the door open for me as I nervously walked past. Capri was dressed in a blue Polo sweatsuit and blue and white sneakers. The blue Polo toboggan he wore only added to his rugged sexiness. The cologne wafting off his body tickled my senses, and all I could think about was his tongue probing my mouth while he choked me. That nasty shit right there was the reason why I was sitting across from him feeling like I needed to throw up.

I was so antsy that I didn’t even realize I sat down without ordering until he asked me if I wanted something. I told him what to order for me grateful that I had a few more minutes to stall. When Capri came back to the table with my strawberrybanana smoothie, I gave him a small smile. “Thank you.” My stomach was gurgling something terrible. There was no easy way to say what I had to say, and I was trying to force myself to just spit it out.

“Something wrong?” Capri eyed me curiously before taking a sip of his smoothie.

“I’m pregnant.” The words tumbled out of my mouth like vomit. “That’s why I was bleeding. During pregnancy the vagina has extra blood vessels, and I guess all the sex just kind of made me bleed, but there’s nothing wrong.” I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. Capri’s gaze was intense, but I couldn’t read the expression on his face.

“And you’re saying its mine?”

I attempted to keep my tone even. His question was a valid one, but I was slightly offended. “Yes, I am. You’re the only person I had sex with. You remember the night you were really drunk and high, and we went two rounds? You don’t remember the condom breaking?”

Capri’s brows furrowed while he tried to recall. Finally, he pushed out a small chuckle. “Barely, but yeah, I remember. And you were pregnant before you went to the cabin with Sage?”

Again, maybe his questions were valid, but he was beginning to piss me off. I understood that we didn’t know each other well, but I didn’t like what he was insinuating. I kissed my teeth before speaking. “You know what, I told you to get your input. This was very unexpected, and you have a right to tell me how you feel, but I’m not doing this. Should I decide to keep the baby, I’ll contact you when it’s born for a paternity test. Have a nice day, Capri.”

I stood, and he frowned. “If you want my input sit down and talk to me like an adult.”

My eyes narrowed as we had a brief stare off. I sat down with a huff and crossed my arms over my breasts.

“I was with a woman for years that fucked my best friend and put the baby on me. I found out right before my daughter passed. The last moments I spent with my daughter, I was getting her mouth swabbed to see if she was mine. I had two people that supposedly loved me look me in the face for almost three years and lie to me. So, you’re damn right I have questions.”

“You can have questions,” I snapped. “I don’t object to a paternity test, but if I’m telling you that you’re the only person I had sex with, believe it or don’t, but you’re not going to grill me. I’m not your baby mama.”

“What do you mean if you decide to keep the baby?”

“Exactly what I said. If. This wasn’t planned. I don’t know if I’m ready for this and if I’m not going to have your help, I’m not sure I’m up for doing it alone. I have a demanding career, and I work a lot. We’re not together. I’d never expect you to take care of me while I was out of work. Financially, I’m trying to bounce back from my wedding that didn’t happen. It’s just a lot.”

Capri pushed out a deep breath. I could tell my news had thrown him for a loop, but shit it had done the same to me. “Just let me know whatever you decide.” He stood up and walked away leaving me sitting there dumbfounded.

I wasn’t sure how I was expecting him to react, but that wasn’t it. Was he upset? I didn’t make the condom break. He hadn’t demanded that I end the pregnancy, nor did he come right out and say he didn’t want the baby. But he damn sure didn’t reassure me either. He was leaving it entirely up to me. My head was beginning to hurt. I just wanted to sleep for a few hours, so I wouldn’t have to think, but I had a lash appointment. When I thought about who I had a lash appointment with, my headache intensified. Wendi was on vacation, and I had to book with Robin. Not only was I previously engaged to the man that took her child from her, but I was also pregnant by her ex.

The guilt was giving me a migraine. I needed to find a new lash tech immediately. On my way to the shop, I thought about how having an abortion would affect me mentally, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to go through it. I would just have to be very smart about the way I spent my portion of the money from the insurance on the house. Sintonio and I could have sold the house, but Capri setting it on fire didn’t leave us too bad off. Sintonio had called me a few times since he’d been in jail, but we didn’t have anything to talk about. A police officer had also reached out to me recently and was questioning me about the kidnapping. I just wanted to forget the past few months of my life. I kept my story short and simply told them I couldn’t remember many details.

When I arrived at the shop, I walked into Robin’s suite, and I heard her in the bathroom throwing up. I thought I had it bad, but life hadn’t been too kind to her either. It was sad that she had to work while battling cancer. I waited patiently and when she walked out of the bathroom, she gave me a weak smile.

“I’m sorry to keep you waiting.” Robin had a scarf tied around her head, and she looked as if she’d lost a few pounds.

“Please don’t apologize. Are you sure you’re up for doing my lashes? If you have to cancel, it’s okay.”

“Oh no, baby. Last time I got chemo, my copay was $600. I have to work. I’ll be okay.”

My heart couldn’t take it. Her extreme misfortune. The guilt that I felt. It was all too much. Swallowing hard, I gave her an empathetic smile and sat down in her chair.

“Last time I did your lashes, you were pregnant. You had the baby? Time flies.”

My heart sank further into my belly. I hated having to explain the worst thing that had ever happened to me. But I also knew that she could understand. “He was stillborn,” I stated in a low tone.

I was on my back looking up at Robin who was behind the chair standing over me. Her jaw slacked at the news. “I’m so sorry, Lisa. Oh my God. I’m sorry.”

I gave her a sad smile. “Thank you. Um,” did I say sorry for yours as well? She hadn’t told me personally about her child, and I didn’t want her to think that I knew from gossip. It was no secret, however. The accident had been on the news. “I’m sorry for yours as well.”

Sadness filled Robin’s eyes. I was happy when she instructed me to close mine, so she could get started. “Yeah, for a little bit I thought I was going to lose my mind,” she mumbled. “Me and her father weren’t seeing eye to eye, and I felt so alone. Even with my family and friends around, I wanted him, ya know? But he’s coming around. Hopefully, if I beat this cancer thing, we can get back together. Maybe even try for another baby.”

My stomach did an entire backflip. When Capri spoke to me about Robin sleeping with his best friend, the venom in his tone and the anger in his orbs revealed a deep hatred for her. Those emotions couldn’t be fabricated. I was no expert in matters of Capri, but him coming around was news to me. Either he was lying about his mistrust for her, or she was lying to me. Hearing her say they could possibly try for another child had my stomach churning because he already had another child on the way. How would she feel when she found out? And how would she feel knowing that it was me?

“I pray everything works out for you just the way you want it to. You deserve to be happy.” And I meant that. But being pregnant by someone that may end up with someone else was a hard pill to swallow. I had done things the ‘right’ way and gotten pregnant by a man I was in a relationship with and was planning to marry.

---