Put A Ring On It (10 page)

Vangie had heard about women squirting, but thought it was a myth. “Squirted? I squirted?” she finally asked between ragged breaths.

“Yo, that was crazy,” Shawn said, breathing heavily as he increased the tempo of his stroke. A few moments later, he verbalized his explosion with a thunderous groan.

Overcome with an unexpected rush of emotions, Vangie wrapped her arms around Shawn, holding his quaking body as he flooded her with his passion.

It was a beautiful moment of connectedness. Two people who’d
been involved in years of conflict now clung to each other, allowing their natural capacity for love to overrule their disagreements of the past.

Shawn rolled off Vangie. Propped up on an elbow, he smiled at her. “That was awesome.” Leaning down, he kissed her fully on the lips.

After the kiss, Vangie gazed at him. “What are we doing, Shawn?”

“Finishing what we started six years ago.”

“But what if it doesn’t work out? I don’t want Yuri to suffer again—not for our mistakes.”

“We’re good, baby. I’m never going to neglect my son again. And I’m going spend the rest of my life making up for the way that I hurt you.”

N
ivea came out of the shower and could not believe her eyes. Eric was standing inside their bedroom, his face troubled. In his hand, he held the handle of an infant carrier with his infant son bundled up inside.

Nivea tightened the bath towel around her body, and gawked disbelievingly at the baby. “What the hell do you think you’re doing, Eric? I told you that I don’t want that slut’s baby inside my home.”

“This is
our
home, and he’s my son, too,” he reminded her with an edge to his voice. He set the infant carrier on top of the bed.

Nivea waved her finger in the direction of the infant carrier, “He has to go! Take that baby back to his mother, right now!”

“I can’t do that.”

“Oh, yes you can!”

Eric wore a grave expression. “Dyeesha’s not home. She bounced.”

“Where’d she go?” Nivea folded her arms, furious that Dyeesha had managed to stir up more trouble in her life.

“I don’t know where she’s at.” Eric blew out a gust of frustrated air and scratched his head. “Dyeesha’s got issues, man. I keep calling her cell, but she ain’t picking up.”

“That’s not my problem! You have to find her!” Nivea shouted.

Jolted by the volume of Nivea’s voice, the baby began to cry and squirmed inside the blankets that covered him.

“It’s all good, man. Daddy gotchu,” Eric cooed to his son.

Nivea grimaced. Having Eric’s child in her home put a sour taste in her mouth.

“Why you grilling my son?”

“I’m still traumatized over the fact that your son even exists.” She rubbed her forehead. “It’s really insensitive of you to bring your indiscretion to our home.”

“What did you expect me to do with him…leave him outside on the steps?”

“Sarcasm isn’t necessary.” Using remarkable restraint, Nivea refrained from picking up a candleholder and beating the crap out of Eric.

“Take him to your mom’s house,” she suggested in a voice as quiet and calm as she could manage under the circumstances. Then she got loud. “Shit, why should your mom or anyone else have to put up with that baby? Doesn’t he have a grandmother on his gutter side?”

“Man, cut out all that talk about his gutter side. All that name-calling ain’t even necessary. You’re being childish, Nivea.”

“Oh, really? If I’m childish, then you’re a nasty-ass, baby making, skanky, male ho!”

“Come on with that, Niv. You don’t even mean that trash you talking.”

“Hmph!” After a brief hesitation, she turned her back to Eric and sauntered inside the bathroom and closed the door. Unwilling to be caught butt naked if she and Eric got into a physical altercation, she removed the towel and put on a robe.

Nivea came out of the bathroom, wrapping the fluffy robe around her body.

“Are you going to take him to your mom’s house?”

“My mother ain’t like a regular mom-mom. She’s still young and full of life.”

“What about his other grandmother…the gutter one?”

Eric sighed at the snide comment. “Dyeesha’s mom ain’t right in the head.”

“I’m not surprised that she has a nutjob for a mother. Well, I’m not getting stuck with this baby. Not for one damn minute!”

“Ain’t nobody asking you to be stuck with my son. I’ll take care of Little Junior.”

“Little Junior? Is that what you call him?”

“That’s his nickname.”

“That’s so ghetto.”

“Man, I like his name.”

“Whatever.” Nivea stuck her hand on her hip. “Look, he’s got to go. Seriously, Eric, I can’t have that horrible woman’s child in my home.”

“He’s my child, too! Damn, Nivea, you act like this is my son’s fault.”

“I’m not blaming the baby. I’m blaming you! It’s your fault that I have to deal with the humiliating fact that you’ve fathered a child out of wedlock. I’m totally disgusted that you’re trying to make me suffer for the mistake that you made. I am not lifting one finger to help you take care of your bastard child!”

“Stop calling him that.”

“There wouldn’t be any Little Damn Junior if you hadn’t stuck your dick where it didn’t belong.”

“You’re never gonna let me live this down, are you?”

She glowered at Eric. “I’m not riding for you on this bullshit.” She shook her head emphatically.

“Come on, baby. Don’t be like that.”

“The minute I think that the situation is somewhat under control, you come at me with some new hood jinks.” Nivea frowned at the baby. “I’d be a fool to allow you to drag me deeper and deeper into hood ratchetness.”

“We can get through this together.”

“I can’t trust anything you say. I told you I didn’t want that baby around me and the very next day…here he is! This situation has gone from bad to worse. Do you really think I’m going to be changing your little bastard’s diapers?”

“My son ain’t no bastard, so watch your fuckin’ mouth,” he bellowed.

“I guess what they say is true: lie down with dogs, and you end up with fleas. Everybody tried to warn me against marrying you, but I wouldn’t listen. I gave you the benefit of the doubt. I’ve tried to upgrade you, but look at the thanks I get.” She sneered at the baby. “There’s no getting around it; I have to call off the wedding.”

“You back on that again?”

“I can’t do it, Eric. It’s clear that the only thing you’re bringing to the table is trouble and strife.” She took a deep breath. “Seriously. You need to gather up your possessions. It’s over. I need my space, so take your son back to the apartment and wait for his mother over there.”

“You’re putting me out?” Eric leaned to the side and stared at Nivea incredulously.

“Tell Dyeesha that I said congratulations. I’m withdrawing from the competition. She can have you.”

“I work every day. I’m not broke.”

“Your salary ain’t shit,” Nivea retorted.

“Why you wanna throw my salary up in my face?”

“Because I’m educated and sophisticated. I make six figures a year, and you had the nerve to cheat on me and make a baby with a trashy stripper.”

“Ex-stripper,” he corrected.

“Shut up!”

“We’re supposed to be a team, Nivea. We should be tryna straighten out this mess together.”

“I didn’t sign up for this.”

“After all the time I’ve put in with you—”

“You should have thought about that when you went out and made a baby. Don’t try to act like a victim because I’m the one who was cheated on, betrayed, and beat up!”

“I didn’t hit you. I’m the one that ended up with a head wound.”

“You brought that on yourself.”

“I was trying to be a stand-up guy. I was tryna take care of mine. But you know what…I’m getting sick of the way you keep going back and forth with this wedding. One minute it’s on, and a second later, you’re calling it off. So, fuck it then!”

“Yeah, and fuck you, too,” Nivea shot back. “You and that tramp have brought me more drama in the past few days than I’ve experienced in my entire life. If you think I’m going to be losing sleep while that little bastard is screaming and crying—”

“Yo, watch your mouth!” Eric stomped over to the closet and swung open the double doors. Nivea observed as he yanked clothes off hangers and slung them onto the bed. Pairs of jeans, shirts, and sweaters were building into a tall pile next to the sleeping baby.

I’m not going to be able to live it down if I call off this wedding. I’m going to hear “I told you so” a million times. I don’t know what to do. Eric is beneath contempt, but I can’t let myself end up a pitiful old maid while my sister marries a damn doctor.

Nivea cleared her throat. “Listen, I don’t want us to break up. But I can’t allow you to bring your son over here every time his negligent mother feels like running the streets.”

“Can’t you be a little more understanding? The way you acting, I’m scared to leave you alone with my son. Real talk.”

Nivea felt her face begin to twitch. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying, it might be a good idea for me and Lil’ Junior to go back to the apartment. I already experienced your violent side.
I couldn’t forgive myself if I didn’t protect my son.” Eric sauntered over to the closet, pulled out a huge duffle bag and tossed it on the floor next to the bed.

“Do you think I’m capable of child abuse?” Nivea touched her chest, indignant.

“Yeah.”

“That’s crazy.”

“What’s crazy is the way you keep calling an innocent baby out of his name.”

Nivea sighed. “Look, Eric, I said a lot of stuff that I didn’t mean. I was angry. Now put your things back in the closet.”

“I don’t know, Niv. You said some harsh stuff about Lil’ Junior.”

“I’m sorry. I was upset.”

“So, what we gon’ do about him?” He glanced down at the baby.

“Take him to your mom. It won’t kill her to watch her own grandson for a while.”

“He’s not my mom’s responsibility.”

He’s not my goddamn responsibility either!
Nivea stared off into space, trying to think of a solution. She looked up at Eric. “Where do you think Dyeesha is?”

“Who knows? She could be anywhere.”

“Do you have the number of any of her friends? We should call the police. Abandoning a child is a crime.”

“Not when the mother leaves him with his other parent. I’m not tryna start nothing with Dyeesha. I know she loves our son, but she has a wild streak.”

“You sound delusional, Eric. A loving mother does not run off and abandon her child.”

“She stormed out the crib after I told her that me and you were going through with our wedding. She cussed me out and said she’d be damn if I was going to saddle her down with a fatherless baby.”

“Did she take any clothes with her?”

“No.”

“If she didn’t pack anything, obviously, she’ll be back.” Nivea paused for a moment, and then added, “She wouldn’t really abandon her own baby, would she?” The last thing Nivea needed was to have to hide this baby from her family and friends for more than a few hours.

“Let’s give her a chance to calm down. I’m sure she’s going to come to her senses by tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow! That baby can’t stay here overnight.”

“Why not? I’ll change the diapers and make his bottles. You don’t have to get your pretty little hands dirty,” Eric said with a chuckle.

Nivea didn’t see the humor.

The baby started crying again. Softly at first, and then he turned up the volume.

“What’s all that fussing for?” Eric said lovingly, as he lifted his son out of the carrier.

Feeling trapped and helpless, Nivea walked out of the bedroom. In the kitchen, she reached for a bottle of vodka. Poured a shot, threw it back…straight with no chaser.

N
ivea did not lift a finger to help Eric with the baby, but she was exhausted from watching Eric warm formula, change diapers, and walk the floor with the baby that wouldn’t stop crying. To no avail, he’d called Dyeesha’s cell every half-hour. Each call went to voice mail.

By eleven that night, the little monster was finally knocked out. The child was wrapped in blankets and lying on Eric’s side of the bed. Eric sat next to him, gazing down with love and pride in his eyes.

“Why don’t you take him in the guestroom?” Nivea suggested.

Eric frowned. “Suppose he rolls off the bed?”

“I don’t feel like arguing with you; I’m tired.”

“Why you talking out the side of your neck?” he barked. “You know Lil’ Junior’s too young to sleep in a bed by hisself.”

Nivea couldn’t suppress her irritation. “It’s starting to feel real crowded in here, so take your goddamn son in the guestroom!”

“Why!”

She waved a finger through the air. “Having that baby sleeping in my bed is where I draw the line, Eric. If you don’t like it, you can join him.”

Mumbling in discontent, Eric rearranged the blankets, tightening them securely before gathering up his son, and stomped out of the bedroom.

Fuck you!
She snuggled under the down-filled comforter. She was relieved to have her bedroom to herself…grateful for the
privacy. But after struggling to find a comfortable position, she realized that she missed the warmth of Eric’s husky body lying next to her.

She tossed and turned some more, flung a pillow, and then sat up.
This is not fair. After everything I’ve done to accommodate Eric, I still wind up in bed by myself.
She questioned her sanity in allowing Eric to draw her into his drama-filled existence.

Being realistic, she’d be much better off without Eric. Letting him convince her to allow his baby to stay overnight was outrageous. It was absolutely degrading. She’d only gone along with the absurd request because she didn’t want to give Eric any excuse to run back to that lowdown stripper. She’d put in too much time with Eric to start looking for a new man. Finding one who was ready to get married would be next to impossible.

The single status sucked. It was like a stigma. Being a single female at twenty-eight was disgraceful. In her subconscious mind, Nivea felt like she had a disease that could only be cured if some-body—anybody—put a ring on it.