“I see you’re still peeking,” he joked just as I stood up straight. I snorted as I backed up, giving him more access to me and my space.
“I guess it’s becoming a habit.” It wasn’t. Well, only when I knew he was the visitor coming down the hallway.
Once I shut the door, I led him to the living room where I could get my purse.
“First off, let me apologize. I wasn’t in the best place the last time we saw each other, so much that I forgot to even pay you for your services. I am not the type of run off on a tab,” I said, counting out a hundred dollars in cash and frowning, not remembering how three hundred had become one.
“No apologies needed, McKay. I’ve never been in this situation, especially given that I would be on the opposite side of things. But I completely understand being lied to and led on. Your reaction was natural.” I was now moving to get my phone so I could send my payment electronically. It was only natural because it was a fucked up situation.
“I might be completely overstepping and doing way too much by asking this, but how are you feeling? Have you contacted him since I’ve given you the information?” I snorted, considering who was asking and how most would’ve deemed his questions are inappropriate, especially since he was the hired P.I. I didn’t know at all. But my mouth was moving just as fast as he asked. Right now, Burkeley was the only person who knew my whole truth. I hadn’t even processed it enough to tell the girls yet.
“Honestly, not good.” I motioned my head toward the TV that had a still of Harlan and his wife kissing.
“I don’t know what I expected when I went down there, but I can tell you not the full force fuck me and my baby. But hey, what else can I do? At least he paid his first and last child support payment.” I chuckled humorlessly, thinking about the money once again. Alternative perspective had me grateful he’d at least done that. Then I got to thinking it had to be hush money and got mad all over again.
“Yo, excuse me for overstepping again, but fuck that nigga for real. If you ask me, you got away clean. Yeah, you got an unplanned baby out of it but think about how long his ass would’ve kept shit going had this not happened.” I didn’t ask, but his words had me now seeing that viewpoint too and nodding in agreement.
“True. I guess, I was just hoping that even if he didn’t stick around I would at least have a name for my family and my baby when they asked who their father is…was. But now I’m out here telling the world I don’t have one, which would be literallyimpossible unless I went to the sperm bank.” I chuckled as I shook my head.
“Why can’t you say that? I mean, it sounds like a good enough answer to me.”
“What single, twenty-four year old do you know who barely remembers to eat on a daily basis would voluntarily go get artificially inseminated? Not this one and my family knows that. I do things by the book. Find a good man, well attempt to, fall in love, marry the man, then make babies. Not lay down with a married man who threatened to harm you and the baby if you even utter his name or tell his wife.” I shut my mouth realizing I was talking too much right now. Burkeley was a stranger beyond his profession and name.
And for a complete stranger, I didn’t know all his facial expressions but the glare he now sported couldn’t be mistaken for nothing else.
Wait, is he mad?
“I’m sorry, that was too much information. But anyway, I still have to tell my family, and this wasn’t my vision of my pregnancy announcements to my parents. Now I get the chance to tell them, heymama and daddy, I’m pregnant but I don’t have a baby father.Or a man for that matter.” I scoffed. “And now I’m prolonging even telling them because of that one detail. Anywho, you didn’t come to hear about my problems. You said you had the invoice, how much do I owe you? I think I might have ordered too much Munchies and used cash, but I have a hundred dollars on hand and can send the rest electronically.”
“Oh yeah. Here it is.” He passed me the paper, making me chuckle as I looked at the amount.
“Burkeley, I have to ask, how are you maintaining a successful?—"
Burkeley cut me off.
“I’ll do it.”
I laughed nervously as I put my eyes on Burkeley’s who felt like he was staring a hole into my soul.
No lie, I was scared as hell right now.
Great, Mickey, this muthafucka is crazy. Hurry up and pay him so we can get rid of his ass.
“Do what?” I went to pass him the fifty dollars but he shook his head at my money.
“I’ll help you tell your parents. I’ll give you the vision of how you saw yourself telling your parents if plan A had worked out.” And now I was shaking my head while I snorted.
“What? No, but thank you. Here is your money, plus a tip.” I shoved it into his hand, which had him looking down and frowning. The fifty turned into a hundred real quick, hoping that would be enough to get him out of my door.
“I don’t want the money, McKay. I want to know why not. I mean—” He huffed before he continued. “I think this could work for both of us. I would give you a person to introduce to your folks, making this whole situation less difficult, or painful, for you.”
“No. And what would you get out of this? Money? I mean, I guess I co?—
“No. It’s not about the money. But there is something.” He paused, looking me over, making me gasp as my mind went wild with the possibilities of what he wanted from me.
“Oh hell no. I’m not giving you no ass, pussy, or toes! Whatever the hell you’re into.” He laughed now, deep as he smiled widely.
“What kind of man do you take me for, McKay? No. The holidays are coming up and I’m guessing you will be spending yours alone now too. Well, I’ll do this favor for you if you help me give my family me in a relationship for the holidays. After the new year we can part ways, even coming up with a staged breakup if that eases your mind a bit.”
