Page 12 of Rhodes to Love

Going to my room, I started packing shit I needed while I waited on the rest of my things to get to Cheek. My house had been empty for five months, and I couldn’t wait to be back there. One day, if I was so blessed, Karima and I would share a home, and none of this shit would be in vain.

CHAPTER3

KARIMA

It had been a little over a week, and I had finally built up the nerve, more like the peace, I needed to call Rhodes. The last thing I wanted to do was keep his baby a secret from him. While he knew it was a possibility, he didn’t know for sure. As I sat outside in the parking lot of the diner, I placed the call. I had no intent of being on the phone long. Although I understood why he did what he did, it didn’t excuse it. I was about to give him my all that day, and what I discovered behind my bed killed it all. The heartbreak that ensued felt like it had ruined me.

“KD? Shit!” He sounded like he was about to cry. The emotion in his voice softened me a bit, but not enough for me not to stand my ground. The wall was back up. “Damn, baby. I missed you so fucking much. You good?”

“Hi, Rhodes. I called to discuss a plan for coparenting.”

Before I could continue, he asked, “Karima, you’re pregnant?”

“Yeah. I’m about sixteen weeks now… about four months. My due date is May twenty-eighth. I’m back in Nome, so my doctor is in Beaumont. On my next visit, I’ll find out whether we will have a boy or girl.”

He remained quiet. So I said, “We have to discuss how we will handle travel and visits.”

“When is your next appointment?”

I slightly rolled my eyes. “Rhodes, I’m not your concern. I can FaceTime you during the ultrasound. However, the appointment is in two weeks.”

Again, he remained quiet.

“Since you seem to be preoccupied, I’ll let you go.”

“KD, please don’t hang up. I’m not preoccupied. I’m just… I don’t know. I wish things were different. I fucked up, but please don’t tell me this fucked up our destiny too.”

“What?” I asked.

I knew exactly what he was saying. He was wanting to know if this fuck up ruined our future. I needed a moment to gather my composure, though, because I could feel the tears welling up. My sensitivity was reserved for my family now. Rhodes was no longer deserving.

“You’re saying I can’t come back from this, baby? I can’t ever make it up to you?”

I huffed loudly. “Can you bring us back in time?”

“No,” he said softly.

“You have your answer. I’ll call you for my next appointment.”

I ended the call and wanted to crumble. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and let it out through my mouth slowly. My feelings were on my sleeve big time. However, I told King I would meet him at the diner for lunch. I wore a tighter shirt today, so I knew I would get plenty of attention from my family.

After talking to my immediate family at my parents’ house, I didn’t make my announcement at the barn that evening. Unless any of them told anyone, no one else knew. So, I guess they would get informed in just a minute. Resting my hand on my growing belly, I said, “These people are rowdy, baby. Don’t worry though. I will always protect you, and so will they. They will love you simply because you’re a Henderson.”

I grabbed my purse and got out of the car and headed to the door. When I walked inside, Aunt Chrissy was at the counter. She smiled big and when her eyes dipped to my belly, her eyebrows lifted, and her mouth fell open. She ran from around the counter and came straight to me, pulling me in her arms.

“Oh my God! Karima! You’re pregnant!”

I chuckled slightly. “Yes, ma’am. I’m sixteen weeks.”

She frowned, looking like Uncle Storm for a moment. “And why didn’t I know before now?”

“No one knew, Aunt Chrissy,” I said, lowering my head. “I just told my family last week. I was just… I had a lapse in judgment, and this was the result. I feel like such a fool. So I was embarrassed to tell anyone.”

She looked like she wanted to cry as she hugged me again. “None of us are perfect, so you didn’t have a thing to be embarrassed about, Karima. We love you.”

“I love you too. Don’t have me crying in here.”

She rubbed my cheek, then asked, “You want your usual?”

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