Chapter 1
I woke up and saw Savion sitting in the chair next to me. That was when everything flooded back to my mind. I’d been in an accident.
Savion sat there looking exhausted. I wasn’t sure how long he’d been sitting next to my bed, but I was grateful to see him there. It let me know that he really cared about me. It wasn’t about the sixty days anymore. This man was here because he loved me.
I groaned as I shifted in the bed. Soon as he heard my voice, his eyes popped open.
“You’re awake.”
“My head is killing me.”
“I’ll get the nurse so that you can get some pain medicine,” he said and got up from the chair. I watched him leave the room and then come back with a nurse in tow.
“Hi. I’m Sheila. I’ll be your nurse for the day. The doctor said that the only thing we can give you is children’s Tylenol.”
“Do I look like a child to you?”
“No, ma’am, but you are carrying one.”
“The lies you tell. I’m on birth control.”
“Ma’am, you’re one hundred percent carrying a baby. They saw it on the scan when they checked you for internal bleeding.”
“This is a joke, right?” I looked from her to Savion. “This a joke?”
Savion brushed his hand across his waves.
“Doctor!” I screamed out.
“You don’t have to yell like that. I can go see if your doctor is still here.”
“Please do, because y’all lying.” The nurse left the room and shut the door behind her. “She’s lying, right?” I questioned Savion.
I wasn’t ready for kids, which was why I was on birth control in the first place.
“You’re not on birth control, Solei. You really ain’t notice that you didn’t have your string hanging anymore?”
I frowned. “How can I be off birth control? I never made an appointment to take it out. I’ve only been to the doctor once to—” That was when it dawned on me. Dr. Beck had to have taken the shit out at my appointment, but why would she do that? “Why would Dr. Beck take my IUD without my permission.”
“Because I told her to.”
“Are you out of your mind! You can’t just make decisions about my body without consulting me first!”
“You’re my wife, Solei, and now you’re carrying my heir. Do you not know how beautiful that is?”
“You’re fucking insane! Get out!”
“Solei . . .”
“Get out, Savion!”
He shoved his hands into his pocket and left the room. I couldn’t believe he really did something like that to me.
* * *
Later That Night
There was a knock at my door before it pushed in. Ma strolled in with a to-go plate in her hand. “How you feeling?” she asked as she shut the door behind her.
Betrayed. I felt fucking betrayed.
“I don’t know,” was the answer she got.
“That’s understandable. You were just in a car accident.”
And I was pregnant. Let’s not forget the pregnant part.
“Yeah.” I shifted in my bed, trying to decide if I was gon’ let her know just how bad I’d slipped up. When everyone was trying to warn me about Savion, I was trying to give him the benefit of the doubt. This was partly my fault, too, because I’d chosen the monster.
“I thought you might be hungry.” She set the plate down on the table next to the bed. I rubbed my stomach, knowing that I might need to feed this baby that I was tricked into having. “Do you really need all this security?” Ma asked as she took a seat in the chair.
“According to Savion.” I rolled my eyes.
Ma’s eyes shifted from mine.
“Ma, what are you not telling me?”
Her head quickly whipped back in my direction. “What makes you think that I’m not telling you something?”
“You’ve been acting super weird lately.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I’m sure you don’t.” At this point, I didn’t know what to believe or trust anymore. “I’m pregnant,” I blurted.
Her eyes grew wide as saucers. “By Savion?”
“Who else, Ma?”
Now it was like she was trying to play in my face.
“I have to go,” she said and got up from the chair.
“Ma?” I called out after her, but she didn’t respond.