50/Renee
I got up on Monday and called the clinic. I was shaking so hard I didn’t know what to do. I gave her my name and number and waited for the nurse to return to the phone.
“Ms. Moore?”
“Yes?” I croaked.
“You’ll need to come in and retake the test.”
“What? Why?” I could barely get the words out.
“Something was wrong with the specimen we took. You’ll have to come back in.”
What the fuck?
I’d been agonizing for the last five days just so this bitch could tell me I had to go through this bullshit again?
“When would you like to come back in?”
I suddenly became sick with another thought.
What if the test had come back and, instead of telling me the results were positive, this was their way of double-checking before breaking the bad news?
Oh. My. God.
I dropped the phone and barely made it to the bathroom before I started throwing up.
I heard someone at the door and tried to ignore it, but whoever was out on the porch was insistent because they kept right on ringing my damn doorbell.
I moved to the window and spotted Danielle.
I was happy to see her. Anything to take my mind off this shit.
“What’s wrong with you?” she asked only seconds after stepping inside my house.
“I’m about to lose my mind,” I said, then collapsed to my knees and started bawling. I just couldn’t hold it in any longer.
Danielle rushed to my side.
“Nae-Nae, what’s wrong with you?”
“John… has… HIV!” I cried hysterically.
“What? When did you ...”
Her voice trailed off and I knew I’d caught her off guard.
“Jesus! That DL shit done caught up with him.”
My chest was starting to hurt.
“He said... he didn’t get it from Shemar.”
“Then who…
Her voice trailed off again, and I knew it had registered. The most likely suspect—me.
I reached for a tissue and wiped my nose, then forced myself to calm down and take a deep breath.
“Me. Maybe. I don’t know. I went down last week and took the test, but something happened with it, so now I’ve got to go back and take it again.”
“Oh, Nae-Nae, why didn’t you tell me? I would’ve gone down there with you.” She stroked my back.
I gave a defeated shrug.
“I was too embarrassed to say anything. I just wanted the ordeal done and over with. Now I’ve got to go back down to the clinic tomorrow.”
“Fine. Then I’m going with you and taking the test too. Hell, it’s been over a year since I’ve been tested. Might as well get it over with.”
I pulled my legs up to my chest.
“Danny, this is so unreal. I never thought something like this could happen to me.”
“None of us do. We put our lives at risk every single time we lay down with a man. It’s a damn shame. I just never really thought about it until now.”
I shook my head.
“I’ve been a ho for years, so this has got to be God’s way of getting back at me for my wicked ways.”
“He wouldn’t do that,” she stated firmly. “Everything is going to be fine. Just wait and see.”
“I hope so.”
“Quit worrying. What we need is a girls’ night to take your mind off things. How about a slumber party?”
I gave her a weak smile. “That sounds like fun. We haven’t done that in months.”
“Then a slumber party it is.”
She moved to the phone to call the girls.
I got rid of my kids for the evening. I pushed back all the furniture in the living room and got the blender ready for margaritas.
I put my sister’s picture on the table.
Lisa was the glue that always held us together. So, if we were having a get-together, her presence and wisdom were definitely needed.
I wished she were here because one thing my big sister always knew how to do was cheer me up.
Damn, now I’m crying again.
I brushed away the tears and moved into the kitchen to find the popcorn.
The doorbell rang and they filed in one after another with hugs and words of encouragement. Danielle had definitely made sure they all knew what I was up against.
Kayla gave me a big hug. “Renee, I’m going down there with you tomorrow and taking that test.”
“Me too,” Nadine chimed in.
“We’re all going to take that test. There’s no reason you need to go through this alone.”
Danielle poured ice into the blender and frowned.
“Let me get my hands on John’s ass and I’ll kill him myself for putting you through this bullshit.”
I shook my head. “If I got it, then he got it from me.”
“Well, we’re not going to worry about that right now, are we?”
Nadine took my hand and smiled. “I’ve got some good news.”
I sighed with relief. “Thank God, because we can sure use it.”
“Jordan’s having twins.”
We all screamed with excitement.
Kayla clapped her hands. “That is wonderful! I can’t wait to hold them. I know they’re going to be beautiful.”
I looked over at Danielle and smirked.
“Of course they are. Their daddy is one fine mothafucka.”
Danielle rolled her eyes.
“That crazy bastard. I hope you don’t plan to let him be a part of the babies’ lives. Hell, he doesn’t take care of the son he already has.”
Nadine removed the glasses from the top shelf and shook her head. “No way. That was part of the contract agreement.”
“Good,” Danielle said with a sigh of relief.
I poured in the tequila and added the mix. “Is he still stalking you?”
“Girl, yeah. I went and got a restraining order, but I still see him popping up all the time. That’s one I’ll never be able to get rid of.”
“You can if you really want to.”
“That’s the problem. I think about Calvin all the time, yet I miss Chance. I don’t understand it.”
I do.
She’s stuck on stupid.
“Can’t nobody tell you when enough is enough. You have to decide that on your own. I just hope it’s before he pops you upside your head.” I turned toward her. “Are you still receiving those notes?”
“Yep. I got one last week.”
Kayla gave us a puzzled look. “What notes?”
Danielle briefly told them about the notes she’d been receiving.
Kayla turned to me. “Are you still getting the phone calls?”
I shook my head. “I haven’t received one in almost a week now.”
“Maybe whoever it was got the hint.”
“I sure hope so.” But I wasn’t about to get my hopes up.
Danielle turned on the blender.
I got the straws from the pantry and put them in the glasses.
As soon as she filled them with margarita mix, we carried our drinks into the family room and flopped down on our sleeping bags.
“Well, we’ve got a month before Kayla’s wedding, and Portia’s due any day now. Here’s to new families.”
Danielle raised her glass, and we all clinked ours together.
“Speaking of families, how are you and Portia getting along?” Nadine asked between sips.
“Fine, actually. I think we’re going to be able to get past all that and start over.”
Kayla smiled. “I’m glad to hear that.”
“So am I, because I can’t wait to hold that little baby,” I said.
Danielle beamed with pride. “Neither can I. It’s funny. I was so upset when I first found out she was pregnant, but now I’m so excited I don’t know what to do.”
“That’s the way it works sometimes. Quinton and Kenny’s daughter are still together, so I guess I don’t have any choice but to learn to accept her ass.”
“We can’t pick the girls our sons choose,” Nadine said from experience. Her son was dating a girl who had recently been arrested for shoplifting.
I scowled at the thought. “Yeah, I know. But that doesn’t mean we have to like it.”
“No, but if you want any kind of relationship with him, then you’re going to have to get over it. One day she might have kids, and I know you want a relationship with your grandbabies.”
I had to smile at that.
“I think I’ll be a wonderful grandmother.”
“Just remember that Kenny and Reese will be the grandparents too,” Danielle teased.
I tossed a throw pillow at her. “Thanks a lot.”
We all started laughing, and for the rest of the night I forgot all about my problems.
For now.