I didn’t acknowledge him saying my name.
“I feel like I haven’t seen you in a long ass time. A month to be exact.” I opened my jacket to expose my tiny pudge that was only getting bigger. Once his eyes fell to it, I caught his actual flinch as his face formed a pained expression that didn’t mean shit to me.
“Mickey, look?—"
I cut him off. Whatever he was about to let spill out was going to be nothing but bullshit.
“Your frequent business trips, the lack of furniture in your house beyond a bed and a couch. All that makes sense. What doesn’t is the fact that you disappeared beforeIcould properly tell you I was pregnant or what we would do about it. I get it though…not really, but I do.” I scoffed as I rolled my eyes at his somber expression. When he went to reach for me, I smacked his hand away.
“Nigga, don’t fucking touch me.” I said through gritted teeth, with so much malice behind my tone.
“I’m sorry, Mickey. I-I fucked up. I shouldn’t have pursued anything with you, but honestly, I wanted you. I didn’t thinkwe would mess around and make a baby. We can’t have a baby, Mickey. My wife will?—"
I closed my eyes, forgetting my surroundings and allowing my fucked up emotions to speak for me. I yelled, cutting him off yet again. Harlan was talking and saying nothing all at once and I didn’t want to hear it.
“Ugh, you even sound married! I don’t give a shit about your wife, Harlan. Especially when you didn’t give one when you were balls deep inside me making this baby.” I pointed to my baby. They mattered and he needed to understand that.
Harlan was talking but all I heard was blah, blah, blah, sounding like a cheap ass, broke ass record that had been overplayed and scratched up. It wasn’t until he said the words I knew would further change my life that I fully paid attention to anything he said.
“Mickey, if you choose to keep this baby, I won’t be involved.”
I cocked my head back, giving him a look of pure disgust.
“Choose? Harlan, the choice was made the day I found out I was pregnant. And what if I pull up at your house? I’m sure your wife would love to meet me. Oh and I’m sure my daddy would love to meet you,” I spat.
“If you know what’s best for you and that fucking baby, you won’t do shit but carry your ass home and not come back. If you or your people come around here, I promise you won’t live to utter my name again.” His once cheerful, calm, and pleading tone was gone. Harlan’s voice was cold and menacing as he got closer to me. I didn’t miss the malicious threat Harlan spat and now my feet had me backing up, creating more space between us, cradling my stomach in a protective manner.
No one would ever hurt my baby.
He smirked before he continued, “See, you get it already. I’ll be in touch with a payment that should keep you and that baby far away from me and my family. Goodbye, Mickey.” And likethat, he left me standing there, shaking with fear before I made it to my car, locking my doors, finally feeling safe enough to release my tears.
Harlan had just dismissed me and my unborn for life.
Now what are you going to do, Mickey?
I sniffled as the tears continued to fall.
“Well Viola, he came and went all in the same week. Now what?” I said as I put my GPS on to head home.
Viola told Mackie that he was coming, but unlike my pregnancy confirmation coming true, I didn’t have faith in this dream.
I staredat the TV as I watched the video of Harlan kissing his wife for the millionth time today. I was sick as fuck right now. It had been a week since my trip down to Austin Peaks and this had been my routine all day, every day. I was glad Johnni and Hollis were both distracted with work and didn’t notice my lack of attention to being present all week.
I sniffled a few times as I stuffed my mouth with another piece of caramel apple and hit the play button yet again.
The sound of the buzzer alerted me to look up to see who was at my door as if I had windows that gave me access to that part of my condo. Annoyed, I groaned while I checked my phone to see if I had any missed calls or texts and came up empty, meaning I had to get up and really see who was interrupting my busy plans.
I got up, making my way over to the intercom, hitting the talk button. I wasn’t letting just anyone up.
“Who is it?” I hit the button to listen while I waited for whoever to speak. When a husky voice came though, my browsbunched together in confusion before my whole face fell into my palm.
“Hey, McKay, it’s Burkeley, I apologize for just showing up like this. I’m downstairs. I finally have your invoice. I tried calling but it said the number had been changed or disconnected.”
“Shit,” I cursed lowly. I forgot that I had changed my number and only a select few had been given the new one. After Harlan’s large lump sum of money came through, I thought it would be best to cut all ties and history with him, starting with deleting his number then changing mine.
“Excuse me?” I heard Burkeley say, which had me shaking my head as if he could see me.
“Oh, I apologize, not you. Yes, please come up.” I hit the door button last, granting him access to the building. I hurried back to the living room to pick up a little bit of my mess from the food I had been eating. Then I rushed to rinse my mouth really fast before going back to the door and opening it just in time to see him walking down the hallway. I leaned out and watched him until he was close enough that I could smell his spicy, woody scent.
