Chapter 22
Twenty-Two
A month had passed and I still hadn’t heard from Melonie. I was growing worried, though Bello tried to keep me comforted. The apartment that she’d found for me, I’d be getting the keys to today and I wanted nothing more than for her to be with me.
Melonie,
I know you probably still hate me right now but today is huge for me. It wouldn’t have been possible without you, but I’m finally getting the keys to the unit that you found for me. I’m meeting the owner at six to pick them up. It would mean the world to me if you were there with me. Maybe we could talk about it… about everything. I’m sorry and I love you.
B
I pressed the blue arrow to send the message before joining Bello in the bedroom to get dressed. He promised he had a surprise for me and I couldn’t wait to see exactly what it was. His surprises were always over the top, which made me actually consider what his gifts would be in the future.
“You look well,” Bello admired from afar.
“Because I am. The man across the room from me keeps me stuffed to the brim with that thing between his legs. How could I not be well?” I bragged, “Besides, I have a feeling that today is the day that my friend will finally talk to me.”
“Let’s not mention the fact that you’re getting your keys,” he reminded me.
“Oh, that, too,” I shrugged.
“What’s that for?” He noticed the lack of enthusiasm in my tone.
“Nothing. I mean… I’m happy to have a place to call home, but I can’t help but feel like this is home, too. Neither of us can honestly sleep without each other, so at this point, I feel like I just signed for a bill that I can’t actually afford.”
“It’s not your bill, baby. It’s mine. I told you I’d handle your monthly expenses and everything else you need. I want you to have a sense of independence, even if it’s from an apartment that you hardly frequent. If it makes you feel any better, we could spend equal amounts of time at both. A place in the hills and a spot in the city. We’d have the best of both worlds.”
“You’re right,” I agreed. “I didn’t think of it that way but that's perfect.”
“And, when you need your space, you’ll have somewhere to go without me worrying. If you want to stay here, then I’ll have somewhere to go without you worrying. It’ll all work itself out, love. I promise. You’ve been excited about getting the new place. I think it’s just your anxiety trying to get to you.”
With each passing day, Bello had grown to know me a little better. He understood my struggle with anxiety and knew just how much it affected me. He’d even taken the time to study the condition and found ways to help me keep it at bay. Yoga was one of them. Each Monday and Wednesday night, that’s where I spent my time.
“I won’t let it,” I affirmed, “Am I dressing up or wearing something chill?”
At this point of our relationship, I knew that it was safer to ask. Bello was full of surprises and I’d gotten caught slipping too many times. I can recall us going rock climbing in the hills and I was wearing heels. I was thoroughly embarrassed but should’ve known that he had me covered. Bello had brought along a pair of sneakers and leggings for me without my knowledge. After a quick change in the car, everything was fine.
“Dress however you want, today. It doesn’t matter. Do you.”
I nodded with a smile, knowing exactly what I intended to wear. I’d been doing a bit of online shopping and came across the prettiest dress while on Zara’s website. It had been delivered along with a lot of other stuff this past week.
My wardrobe was taking its shape and I was happy to finally be able to express myself through clothing that I loved. Money was no longer an issue in my life and I loved that for me because it had been for so long. Pinching pennies was now a thing of the past.
Every month, Bello promised to load my account with a substantial amount that would cover my every desire for the month. This month, it was ten thousand dollars. Last month, it was the same. It was more than enough to handle my needs, but I wasn’t complaining. I found myself saving much more than I was spending.
We were dressed and out of the house in no time. Hand-in-hand, we headed toward Bello’s Mercedes. I melted upon contact with the leather seats. It was November and the cold fronts had been rolling in like clockwork each week. Every day that we made plans to leave, Bello made sure that the concierge started and warmed the car for me.
Inside, I tried closing the shag coat even tighter as if it would keep me warmer. My lips quaked as tears rolled down my cheeks. Summers in Channing was beautiful, but Winter and Fall were brutal. They were cold and lonely in my case, though this year would be much different.
“Here.” Bello hated watching me suffer in the cold. He grabbed my hands and placed them at the brink of the vents and spread them slightly. He then rubbed the back of each to speed up the process and get heat injected through my skin as quickly as possible.
“Thank you, baby.” I appreciated the care he’d been giving me.
Bello reached over and grabbed my seatbelt, securing me in place before pulling off. It didn’t take long for me to figure out our destination. I’d been to the Frank’s residence enough to know every possible route to it in Channing. Out of all the places in the world, I wouldn’t have imagined our day starting off here. With everything going on between Melonie and I, I didn’t understand it, either.
“What are we doing here?” I turned in Bello’s direction and asked him as we pulled onto the street.
“I said I had a surprise for you. Would you rather wait or rather I ruin it answering your question?”
“Ruin it, honestly, because what are we doing here?”
Bello didn’t answer my question, choosing to keep his secret and leave me in the dark. When we pulled into the driveway, my heart swelled for Melonie. There was a brand new, cream Volkswagen Touareg with a red bow plastered on top. She was leaning against the front with a hoodie and a coat on. Her hood was snug on her head and her coat was buttoned to the very top. We pulled up beside her with me wondering exactly how she’d respond to my presence. But, when our eyes met and that smile started to form on her lips, I jumped out of Bello’s car, immediately.
“Babe!” Melonie screamed, running towards me and not stopping until our bodies crashed into one another.
“I’ve missed you so much, friend!” Tears trickled down my cheeks as I cried in her arms.
“Not as much as I missed you. I’m so sorry, Brisk. I’ve been so mean. I’ve been such a horrible friend to you.”
“No. I was a horrible friend to you!” I returned.
“You were a girl in love, not a horrible friend. It was me who was awful!” Melonie wiped the tears from my eyes as I did the same for her, “I just felt betrayed and not because you were with uncle Bello. It was because I’ve waited for the day that someone makes you happy. I wanted to share that moment with you.
“Talk about losing your... you know what and stay up late fantasizing about your future even if it didn’t work out with the guy. You stole that from me, Brisk, and it has taken so much for me to get over that. I’m still not, but I’d rather not miss out on any more memories or any new beginnings because of it. I just miss you and want you back in my life. This heartbreak is worse than anything I’ve ever experienced.”
“I’m sorry I kept things from you,” I reiterated.
“I’m sorry I made you feel like you had to because you don’t. My uncle is fine, so I don’t blame you, babe,” Melonie finished with a chuckle just as Bello stepped out of the car, “Now, let’s get into this new ride he’s gotten you so that we can go fill up this trunk with the money that he owes us both for our time apart!”
“Wait. I thought this was yours?”
“Na. It’s yours but he got me something nice, too. I settled for a new Beetle. It’s sick, too. It’s in the paint shop. I want it candy apple red, baby, with a new set of rims!”
“Of course,” I let out, knowing it was just like Melonie wanting the works.
Bello exited the car just as we finished checking out my new truck. Understandably, he’d given us a moment to ourselves. It was much needed and I was so happy that he hadn’t interfered. When she stepped out, he wasn’t empty-handed. He handed both Melonie and I separated stakes of one hundred dollar bills that were held together with rubber bands and plastic sealing to minimize the space they occupied.
“Cry babies!” He shook his head.
“Whatever!” Melonie tossed back. “We’re about to head to the shops in this new ride. I’d ask if there’s anything you want, but I don’t plan on bringing you anything back and I won’t let Brisk bring you anything either.”
“It’s cool. Brisk already gave me my gift this morning,” Bello teased, tilting his head as he made both Melonie and I cringe.
“UGH!”
“Bello!” I grew red in the face, “Melonie. Can we go inside really quick before we leave? I have something I need to show you.”
“That’s just nasty and yes. Come on. I need to grab a backpack, anyway. This won’t fit in my little purse.” She spoke of the money in her hand.
When we got inside, we headed straight for Melonie’s room. Once the door was closed and the coast was clear, the nerves kicked in. I wasn’t sure how to say what I needed to, so I just went for it.
“I haven’t had my period,” shot out of me before I could change my mind.
Melonie’s eyes bulged as a faint smile started at her lips, “Since when?”
“Since forever. I haven’t had a period since I lost my virginity. My last one was two or three weeks before that.”
“And, when did you lose your virginity,” she asked, killing me at the core.
She had no idea of any of this. Timeframes, timelines, nothing. The thought alone broke my heart for her. I almost didn’t want to answer the question, but I was done keeping secrets from her.
“The day after my birthday,” I admitted, gnawing at the inside of my jaw.
“Oh, babe. Come on.”
Melonie ushered me to the bathroom in her bedroom. She searched underneath the cabinet until she found a pregnancy test box. It was unopened with two tests inside. I chuckled, not even wanting to know why she had them, but having to ask.
“Why? Just why, Melonie?”
“Because, when you like fucking as much as I do - and obviously you - then you need to keep these on deck. I’m not having any kids, honey, so I have to make sure that I’m not slipping and I’m not tripping. A trip to the clinic starts right at home. Nothing is coming out of this vagina!”
“When did you decide that?” I couldn’t hold my laughter in. Melonie never surprised me.
“When I just started talking to this nigga with three of them. Them thangs are bad. Let’s just hope you have me a few so that I don’t have to.”
“Whatever, Melonie.”
“I’m for real. Here, babe. Just pee inside of this and we will stick the test in when you’re done.” She instructed.
I did as I was told. My bladder had been screaming to be emptied since we’d pulled up so getting a stream going wasn’t a problem. Melonie remained in place as I filled the cup. I didn’t ask her to leave because I didn’t want to be alone and I knew that she wouldn’t. She had seen everything that God had blessed me with and vice versa.
“Okay, hand it to me,” she insisted, waving my hand in her direction to hand her the cup.
“There’s a splatter of pee on the side, Melonie.”
“So, I literally put sweaty balls in my mouth before, B. This is lightweight.”
We both cackled at her dark humor as she removed the cap from the pregnancy test and stuck it inside.
“Now, we wait for three minutes,” Melonie stated as she looked at the time on her phone.
As we waited, I cleaned myself up and washed my hands. Melonie leaned against one side of the bathroom door as I leaned on the other, facing one another. I stretched my arms, welcoming her inside. Our coats were practically stopping us from embracing wholly, but the skin-to-skin contact that we were able to accomplish was needed - on my end and hers.
“I love you, friend.”
“I love you, too. And, I want you to know that I am so happy for you. My uncle is a damn good man. I couldn’t have chosen a better person for you myself. He’s going to take good care of you and this possible nugget that y’all just couldn’t wait to make!” She joked.
“Maybe it’s nothing and maybe I’m just stressing too much. I don’t feel pregnant,” I disclosed.
There was a brief silence before Melonie responded, “Well babe… you are!”
I looked up from her shoulder to see that she was holding the pregnancy test behind my back as she examined it. When we separated, she brought it to my face as she danced with her feet. Enthusiastically, she began to sing.
“Auntie Mel. Auntie Mel,” she paraded around the bathroom while I remained in place. Shocked.
“Or wait, is it cousin Mel?” Melonie stopped to ask.
“Pregnant?” I blinked several times, thinking the results would read differently.
“That’s what it says, honey. You’re knocked the fuck up and I love you!”
Her arms engulfed me as uncertainty washed over me. I was about to be someone’s mom and I didn’t know where to begin with all the reasons that could go wrong.
For starters, “I didn’t even have a mom, Mel. How will I know how to care for a child?”
“With your heart, Brisk. You’ll mother with your heart. It’s golden, so I know you’ll be good. No tears! I don’t want to see any tears,” she demanded, drying my eyes before the tears could fall.
“Can you…” I started but was cut off.
“Yes, I’ll go get Bello for you. Just don’t have an anxiety attack while I’m gone. I need you to breathe. You’ve got this. Y’all got this! You’re not alone. You have an entire family standing behind you.”
“Okay,” Nodding, I accepted everything she was giving me.
“Now, wait right here. I’ll be back.”
Melonie disappeared behind the door. The silence was suffering and I wanted nothing more than to see his face and hear his voice. However, my nerves kicked in the minute I heard his footsteps approaching and smelled his cologne. I shut the door to the bathroom and waited just beside it.
“Baby,” Bello felt my despair from the other side, “What’s the matter?”
I slid down the door until my butt reached the floor. The space between the door and hardwood allowed me to slide the test under it with ease. Bello’s hand grazed mine as he grabbed it from me. Silence followed his discovery. And, more silence followed.
A full minute would pass before I heard the rattling of paper. He’d slid something under the door himself. I scooted over and grabbed the note with his handwriting sprawled out on it.
Will you be my wife?
The end.