CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Averi’s legbounced anxiously as she waited to be called to the back. Each and every time she went to the bathroom, there was no blood. Her breasts were extremely sore, and she was tired all the time, but that was it. She didn’t have a lot of pregnancy symptoms, but she assumed she was still pregnant because her body hadn’t expelled anything. It had been almost three weeks since she was shot.
“Averi Bryant.”
She stood and gave the waiting nurse a small smile. She didn’t watch the news, but her mother told her about the wedding massacre that left ten people dead. Averi googled the news article and saw that one of the deceased was the woman that Blak was supposed to marry. If she was dead, they weren’t married. If her baby survived, she’d be having his child. Averi was conflicted about reaching out to him, however. She was truly confused about whether she should let the situation go, or make Blak aware that she was still pregnant.
Averi got her vitals taken, gave a urine sample, and answered a few questions. In the room as she sat on the exam table waiting for the doctor, she wished Blak was there with her. She could blame him for a lot of things like getting her pregnanton purpose, but she couldn’t blame him for her being shot. She hated that Naomi died because of her father’s bullshit, and she wished he could have gotten his karma a different way. His arrest was all over the news as well. A ghetto soap opera for sure.
The doctor entered the room with a smile on her face. Averi loved seeing black doctors period, but black women doctors were even better. It was her second time seeing the older woman, and Averi fell in love with her bedside manner.
“Well hello, pretty lady. How have we been feeling?”
“Anxious,” Averi admitted. “I’m not sure if you saw it in my chart, but I was shot a few weeks ago. I lost quite a bit of blood, and the doctor at the ER said I could miscarry due to all the trauma my body went through. I haven’t been bleeding or cramping or anything, so I guess the baby is okay. I don’t really know.”
Doctor Williams gave an understanding nod. “I see. Well let’s get a look on the screen.”
Swallowing down a lump, Averi lay back and told herself that if the doctor gave her bad news, she’d take it in stride. Her entire pregnancy pretty much had been chaotic. If it wasn’t the right time for her to bring a child into the world, she’d try not to let it get her down. As Dr. Williams inserted the device into Averi’s vagina, she held her breath. The silence lasted longer than she was able to deprive herself of oxygen. Just as she exhaled, a whooshing sound filled the room that made her erupt into tears. Her baby still had a heartbeat. She had been doing a lot of resting, taking supplements, and eating healthier than she ever had. Averi prayed that if her child had survived the worst of what happened to her then she would remain pregnant.
When she left the doctor’s office, Averi was all smiles. The moment she thought about reaching out to Blak, the smile was wiped off her face. Why the hell was she nervous to contact the man that purposely got her pregnant? Averi decided againstcalling him. She was going to his house to see if he was there. Her heart drummed in her chest the entire way. Averi had no clue if she was expecting to see something that would piss her off or if she was simply nervous about seeing him. Whatever the case was, she hated the way her nervous system was going berserk. Blak had eaten her ass from front to back. He’d confessed that he was in love with her. His fiancée was dead, and the man that shot her was back in jail because he had a firearm on him at the wedding. The judge forfeited his bond, and he had to remain in jail until his court date. What could go wrong?
The unfamiliar gray car in Blak’s driveway didn’t deter her from getting out of the car. It was kind of early, but she was there at this time of day, so maybe he did have company. Or maybe someone spent the night…Averi rang the doorbell and waited patiently for him to open the door. When he did, she could tell that she had disturbed his sleep. He was squinting as if the sun’s rays hurt his eyes, and her nose scrunched at the aroma of alcohol wafting off his body.
“I’m sorry I popped up without calling first. If this is a bad time I can come back later, or you can come to my house.”
Blak wiped sleep from his eyes as he tried to collect his thoughts. He’d been crashing out all because he missed her and felt it was best that he steered clear of her. Even though he woke up still drunk from the night before, he knew enough to know that when he realized she was at his door, his heart skipped a beat, and he felt like a bitch. He didn’t like the hold she had over him. No one person should be able to ruin his day or make his day simply by her absence or her presence. It was insane.
He wanted to hug her and say fuck her all at the same time. Before he could articulate his thoughts, his guest made her way into the living room. “You coming back to bed?” she asked as she tried to peek around his body and see who he was talking to.
Mad that a woman whose name he couldn’t even remember had outed him in front of Averi, Blak kissed his teeth. “You not even going back to bed,” he tossed over his shoulder. “It’s time to go.”
“Nigga, fuck you,” she spat.
“Talk that talk while you walk that walk.”
A light, angry chuckle pushed from Averi’s throat. “Damn have they even buried your fiancée yet? You move on faster than Mexican music. I’ll talk to you later.”
“You know I didn’t give a fuck about her.”
“Apparently, you don’t give a fuck about anybody.”
“How the hell you of all people gon’ say something like that to me? I was ready to shoot it out with goons in the hospital for you, but I left with them, so I could make it back to you. And when I came back, you were gone.”
“Do you blame me?!” she shouted. “I got shot behind your shit. I could have died.”
“I get that. And that’s why maybe it’s best that we leave things like they are.” The moment the words left his mouth, it felt as if he’d been shot in the chest. The discomfort was physical. He regretted it. The way disappointment laced her orbs had him ready to take it all back.
“That’s probably the realest thing you ever said to me.” Averi’s tone was low and filled with hurt. “Have a good day, Justin.”
She turned and walked away and as bad as he wanted to, he didn’t stop her. Lately, Blak felt as if he’d been losing his mind. If that was what love did to a person, he didn’t want it. The moment he was able to get Averi out of his system, he’d never have to worry about love ever again. Niggas could have that shit. As he was closing the door, shorty from the night before brushed past him to make her exit. Blak stared after her as she stalked toward her car.
“The fuck is her name?” he was stumped. Even after she drove off, he was still standing there with fog brain. “You gotta get your shit together,” he muttered to himself. Shit was getting out of hand.
“I mean no disrespect, but you are gorgeous. Simply stunning,” a handsome man smiled at Symphony as she sipped champagne on the beach.
“Thank you so much.” Her smile was genuine. She was at peace. As much as she could be.
It was her third day in Dubai, and her mental was already in a much better state. It was her second day utilizing a beach club, and she had a tan already. It was barely noon, and she was tipsy and ready for a nap. Symphony had begun her day by eating a light breakfast and taking a stroll on the beach. By nine am the sun was blazing. Now that she’d gotten her daily dose of sun, she was ready to take it in and venture back out after the sun had set. She wasn’t sure what it was about black women, but the men in Dubai were loving her. Symphony had lost track of how many men had complimented her.
