Chapter 5
“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this mess,” I said to Hannah as I put the dress on that she and Torryn picked out for me. I couldn’t decide on what to wear, and I almost backed out until the two of them showed up at my house.
“Your mommy is tripping,” Hannah said as she tickled Paris’s stomach. She volunteered to watch her for the night since it was her idea for me to even go on the date.
“I’m not tripping. I just don’t understand why you couldn’t tell me anything about this man except his name. I don’t even know where he works.”
“If I told you, you would have looked him up, and it would have defeated the purpose. Just relax and enjoy yourself. Little Miss France will be fine.”
Hannah and Torryn always joked and called Paris France instead of her name.
My baby would just giggle and go on about her business.
She loved her aunties and sometimes acted like she liked them more than me.
I couldn’t decide, so I made them both her godmothers.
Just like my parents, they helped out when they could, but they had lives of their own.
“So, I could have seen what he looked like by now? I’ve been racking my mind, trying to figure it out, but you didn’t give me anything to work with. Not even a damn skin color. How will I even know it’s him when he comes?”
“London, you know Hannah’s not going to hook you up with a gremlin. She has good taste. Look at Dean,” Torryn said as she giggled.
There was a running joke between the three of us about how fine Hannah’s husband was.
Hannah squinted at Torryn before she laughed. “That he is, and he ain’t going anywhere.”
“We know,” Torryn and I said at the same time.
“Anyway. I told him to wear a black shirt and to have a single lily. I also told him what color you would have on.”
“Oh, that’s why you insisted on me wearing this red dress.” The dress she picked out stopped in the thigh area. The front was low cut, so my breasts were on full display. The sleeves were short, but I would bring a jacket with me because it got cool at night.
I’d pumped already and would again when I got home. I utilized the nursing pads I had because I didn’t need my breasts leaking onto my new dress and scare my date.
“You look good. The breasts are sitting pretty, and the bob is bobbing. That man will probably drool when he sees you.”
“Hannah, I don’t need him drooling. He ain’t getting into my panties tonight or ever. I’m not even messing with no alcohol.”
“Girl, have at least one drink. You can pump and dump. It’s plenty of milk for France in the fridge. Have fun, London. Don’t be a prude,” Torryn encouraged.
The two of them were bad influences at times.
Hannah might have been married, but she never hesitated to encourage ho behavior, as long as we were safe and all parties involved consented to whatever.
The three of us worked hard over the years, and we did deserve to have fun.
I was a mother now, so I couldn’t have too much fun.
I wasn’t trying to have another baby by another stranger.
If, or when, I had another baby, I wanted to be married or at least close to it.
I didn’t want to just be someone’s baby mama.
“I think you should head out. I know you like to be early as hell to every damn thing,” Hannah reminded me.
“You’re right. I’d rather get there before he does. Are you sure y’all will be okay?” I looked down at Paris as she played with Hannah’s bracelets. I hoped she would have said she wouldn’t be okay so I could stay home.
“Bye, London. We will lock up. Keep us posted, and I’ll text you before little momma goes to bed.”
I didn’t expect Hannah to keep her overnight, but she assured me it was fine. Her husband had gone out of town for work, so she wanted the company.
After I grabbed my clutch and phone, I loved on Paris for a moment before I said goodbye to them.
My stomach was in knots as I walked out of the house to my SUV in the driveway.
Hannah and Torryn would probably hang out at my house for a little bit.
They both had keys and could stay if they wanted to, but I knew they wouldn’t.
Paris had stuff at both of their houses, so I didn’t worry about packing for her.
I swear everyone spoiled that little girl.
Too bad her dad wouldn’t get the chance.
I pushed my ghost baby daddy out of my head and headed to my destination.
Hannah told me that I would meet the guy at the Bishop Sunrise Hotel, where we would have dinner in the hotel’s restaurant.
It was public enough for me, and the food was so good.
They had the best view of the sunset, but the sunrise was even better.
The hotel sat near the water, and before I had Paris, I would spend a couple of nights there every other month or so, just to decompress and escape from the world.
When I arrived, I pulled up to the valet. The little cutie opened my door for me, and I handed him my keys.
“Thank you, baby.”
He blushed, then got in the car and pulled off.
Once inside the restaurant, I told the hostess my name, and she led me to a table near the window. I smiled because Hannah knew I would want to sit there. She was the one that made the reservation. The only thing I had to do was to show up.
“Thanks, love.” I sat down and ordered a glass of water.
She assured me someone would bring it over shortly and let me know she’d bring my other party back when they arrived.
Jazz music played at a low volume. The restaurant gave off a nice, chill vibe.
The tables had black tablecloths with candles on top.
Since it was still light outside, they weren’t lit.
The color scheme was black and gold, giving it a regal look.
The hotel was black-owned and named after the Bishop family.
It had been in their family for years. The middle son, Koda, ran the hotel and the restaurant.
I’d never formally met him, but I’d seen him around before.
The waitress had delivered my water and asked if I wanted anything else, but I told her I would wait for my date.
I sipped my water and got lost in my thoughts as I watched the water. My stomach flipped with each passing minute. I had second thoughts about arriving so much earlier than my date.
“London.” I heard my name being called, and when I turned around, I almost shit on myself.
“Shit,” he said when he looked at me. He pulled the chair out and sat down as he stared at me.
“Genesis, or should I say Gary?” I asked in disbelief. He looked even better than he did that night. His beard had grown in, and the way his black shirt and suit jacket looked on his chocolate skin made my pussy thump. The silver stud in one of his ears gleamed under the restaurant’s lightning.
He passed me the lily, and I took it from him and laid it on the table.
I couldn’t believe it. Out of all the men Hannah could have hooked me up with, she sets me up with my child’s father. She had no clue it was him since she wasn’t there that night, and I didn’t have his real name apparently.
“I can say the same thing, Lisa.” He smirked.
“Touché. Wow. I never would have guessed it would be you.”
He unbuttoned his suit jacket and leaned forward. “I wouldn’t have either.” He leaned a little closer. “I have to say, I haven’t gotten the taste of your pussy off my tongue since that night. I thought we had a good time, so I was surprised when I woke up to find you skipped out on me.”
“Well, let me say this, Genesis. I did have a good time that night, a damn good one at that. But that wasn’t me. I didn’t do one-night stands, and I honestly didn’t know how to face you the next morning.”
I hadn’t lied. I didn’t know about one-night stand etiquette. For all I knew, he might have tried to kick me out of his room.
“Well, London, I would have loved to exchange information with you. But since that didn’t happen, maybe we could start over. I’m Genesis, and I must say you left a lasting impression on me.”
“You left more than that on me,” I whispered.
“You said something?”
I took a sip of my water and contemplated if I wanted to rip the Band-Aid off or not. Paris wasn’t a secret, and he had every right to know. What he chose to do afterward was up to him.
Before I could utter another word, the waitress came over and took our orders, then told us she’d be back when our food was ready.
“So, London, tell me a little bit about yourself, because Hannah was real tight lipped about everything except your name.” He picked up his cup of water and took a sip.
“I have a baby, and she’s yours.”
Genesis choked on his water as his eyes widened.
I fiddled with the linen napkin on the table while I waited for him to get himself under control. He’d finally stopped choking but just sat there and stared. I didn’t know if I should say something or not, so I didn’t.
“You wanna run that by me again?”
I inhaled then exhaled. With my head held high and my shoulders back, I gave him full eye contact. He glanced down at my breasts, then back at me. As I looked at him, I saw traces of Paris in him, especially in the eyes.
“I know we don’t know each other, but I wouldn’t lie about anything, especially this.
That night, I know we used condoms, but that last time we didn’t, and I ended up pregnant.
We share an eight-month-old little girl named Paris.
I’m not telling you to be involved if you aren’t interested, but I thought you should know.
“I didn’t know anything about you to try and tell you sooner.
It’s obvious we both used fake names that night.
If you want to be involved, you are more than welcome.
If you don’t, you don’t have to be. We can part ways, and we never have to see each other again.
I would never try to take you for child support or force anything on you.
I chose to have her, so I’m fully responsible. ”
“Are you done?” he asked, cutting off my rambling.
“Sorry. Yes.”