Chapter Five
Trallis McDaniel
I knew it before I even took the test, and even though I knew it, I still had the nerve to be surprised when the little stick on my bathroom sink confirmed it. All of that, “this is your pussy CO” and “NUT IN ME DADDY…”
Hand landed me in this position. The lines on the test were dark pink like I was very pregnant, not slightly, or barely.
I stared at the stick like it had personally betrayed me, but I had no one but myself to blame.
Me and Co had been fucking for a whole year.
It was supposed to be a fling, but one time turned into two, and two turned into ten.
I figured if I wanted to stay here, I could pay it up for another three years, if not, I would be on to my next destination.
“You would have been on to your next destination, but what if that man doesn’t want you to leave with his child?” I asked aloud as I placed my hand on top of my flat belly.
I had never been pregnant before.
I had always been safe, and made sure a nigga pulled out or wore a condom, but I had gotten sloppy with Cozart.
I let my feelings get in the way of logic.
The thought of carrying his baby made nervous flutters fill my stomach.
What would he say when I told him? Would he be angry?
Would he be happy? What if he was excited?
What if he wanted to be a family with me, and leave his wife and kids?
Could I be heartless enough to take a man from his family?
If my girl Alicia Keys could snatch Swizz Beats from his wife and make a new family with him, I could too. She didn’t ruin his happy home; it was already ruined.
“How do I tell him?” I asked myself aloud as I grabbed my phone and unlocked it.
We had shared room service in a hotel room a time or two, but he and I had never been to dinner.
He didn’t want to potentially be caught having dinner with another woman and he was married, so I didn’t think anything of it.
Maybe I could treat him to dinner and tell him that way.
I went over to Red Table and made reservations for NOBU, then suddenly the thought came to me.
If I planned dinner for us in another city, he would have no choice but to go because the chances of running into his wife or anyone who knew her would be slim.
Maybe I could convince him to come away with me for a night or two. I had watched Brick cover for her brother before; he could convince her to do it again.
“Yes, that’s perfect! Then we could go on a real date.
” I said aloud as I made the reservations, booked a room, and rented a car for us to take a drive to Miami for a couple of days.
The entire mini trip cost three thousand dollars, but it wasn’t coming out of my pocket, so I didn’t give a damn.
Jeffrey Lovell was paying for us to take this trip so I could tell my man I was carrying his baby.
The more I thought about it, the more excited I became.
“Thank you, Jeffrey,” I giggled as I locked the phone and rolled out of bed.
I didn’t know how far along I was, but I think I had only missed one period so I couldn’t be over four weeks.
I made a mental note to make an appointment with a OBGYN.
I smiled at the thought of Cozart coming with me to my appointment, sitting next to me, and looking at the screen as the doctor did an ultrasound on my belly.
I was sure me being pregnant was the push he needed to end shit with his wife and be with the woman he really wanted, me.
I went to my oversized closet and pulled out a green Lululemon set.
One of the things I loved about my job at the gym was the fact that I could wear cute athleisure wear every day of the week.
I pulled out my green and grey Bottega Orbit sneakers to match, placed everything on the bed, and went back into my master bathroom to shower.
After showering, exfoliating, and completing my skin care routine, I curled my hair and put it in a bomb updo.
I couldn’t wait to lay eyes on my baby and tell him that I planned a trip for us to go away together.
When I made it to the gym an hour later, the contractors were in full swing knocking down walls in the conference room, and they had even put up a cute little sign that announced a juice bar was coming soon.
I snickered to myself at my competitive boss who was really building a juice bar in the gym just because someone had moved in next door offering fresh juices.
I shook my head, and walked back to the front to clock in.
After typing my information into the system, I went over to the manifest and scrolled through the list of brICK & CO members.
I noticed a few members who had been consistent and fell off.
My log showed me the last time they checked into the gym and the last time they paid for their memberships.
I grabbed two people from this list and went over to our billing system.
After getting all of their information, I pulled out my iPad and went over to Wells Fargo to open a bank account in each of their names.
I then applied for five credit cards in each of their names.
“Hey girl, what you doing?” Shelly asked, startling me. I jumped slightly and turned to look over at her. When I had first arrived she wasn’t standing in the front so she may have been in the back or running a little late. I locked my screen, placed it face down then smiled sheepishly.
“Over here planning a trip for me and my boo,” I blushed and she laughed loudly.
“I know I’m doing it on company time, mind your business,” I smirked and she mimicked zipping her lips, locking them, and throwing the key over her shoulder.
A few hours later, Co walked into the gym with his bag slung over his shoulder looking fine as hell.
I swooned looking at him as my stomach did flips.
I rubbed my stomach to let the little bean know that he could calm down.
I pulled my phone from my bra and typed Cozart’s name.
Pulling up his contact, I smirked because it wasn’t saved under anything cute.
I had trained myself not to want him like that.
For a year of fun, it had been no feelings and no expectations.
There was no need for a cute contact name and photo.
Until now. I changed his contact name to an emoji with a baby bottle by it, a pregnant woman emoji and the double heart eyes emoji.
I pressed the call button, and he picked it up on the second ring.
“Yeah?” he answered calmly.
My throat suddenly felt tight, like my body was trying to stop me from speaking.
“I need to talk to you, it’s important,” I whispered into the phone while looking over my shoulder to make sure that Shelly wasn’t listening.
She was running her mouth with one of our other members and not paying me any attention.
There was a pause on Cozart’s side then a sigh.
“Trallis, we are at work. I can try to get a room for us later, but my wife may have something planned so I can’t make any promises,” he began before I cut him off.
“This can’t wait,” I repeated, firmer this time.
“Come to my office. I have a few minutes before my next meeting,” he said before ending the call in my face like I was annoying him.
I smiled, locked my computer, and walked over to Shelly, “I have to go to the back and handle something. I will be back,” I told her.
She nodded her head and waved me away as she continued to talk to one of our members about the new juice bar.
I walked away from the desk and through the rows of equipment.
The gym was loud as usual, weights clinking, machines whirring, and the loud smell of sweat and disinfectant.
His office door was slightly open, and I took a deep breath before pushing it open all the way.
“Well come on in,” he smirked. He was sitting behind the desk, phone in one hand, gym schedule in the other. He looked up at me, but his face didn’t change. He didn’t look happy to see me or disappointed that I was here. He just looked indifferent.
He said, “Talk to me,” like he didn’t want me to waste a second of breathing his air. It felt like he was saying “what do you want” without saying it. I stepped inside and closed the door behind me. My hands were shaking and I was nervous.
I put on a sexy smile before speaking, “I booked us a little two-day trip to Miami so we can get away together. I paid for everything and even rented us a car. I overheard Brick telling you that she would cover for you with your wife when we were together the other night, so I figured she could cover for you again,” I shrugged as I leaned against the door.
“You heard that?” he asked as his eyes went wide.
“Yes, she and I were in a meeting about the new juice bar when you called,” I retorted.
“What else did you hear?” he asked as his eyes shifted nervously.
“I heard her say that you were with some thick shit, but that was about all before she put me out,” I told him honestly.
He visibly relaxed, making me wonder what else they discussed when I left the room.
Did he tell his sister how he felt about me and he was nervous about me finding out?
I wished that he knew that he could tell me how he really felt because I felt the same way.
I decided to lay it on the line instead of trying to get him to go away with me.
We could still do the getaway to spend time with each other, but I didn’t want to hold this information from him any longer.
“I’m pregnant.” I said the words that I had been scared to say aloud. The room went so quiet, you could hear a mouse pissing on carpet. Cozart leaned back in his chair slowly, then exhaled through his nose.
“Are you sure?” he asked as he turned his head to the side quizzically.
“I took a test and it was positive,” I retorted while placing my hands on my hip.
“Those tests aren’t one hundred percent. How many did you take?” he questioned.