“I’m sorry, Pandora. I won’t be there.”
“Are you fucking kidding me right now, Ethan? What the hell is so important that you can’t show up for this?” she hollered.
My patience had grown thin with her profession of love, but when she hollered at him, I snapped.
“Pandora, I have tried to be patient with you, but you do not demand my husband’s time. Just because my husband is being accommodating doesn’t mean that he’s about to jump through hoops for you. My grandmother died today, and my husband and I will be burying her Tuesday. You can either reschedule your appointment, or don’t, but my husband will not be there at two on next Tuesday.”
She was silent for so long that I had to look at the dashboard to confirm the call was still connected. She finally laughed and asked, “What’s wrong? Are you upset because my child’s father and I still love each other?”
“This is what we’re not about to do.”
Pandora laughed. “Ethan, why didn’t you tell me your side chick was listening?”
“Don’t try me, trick. You’re nothing more than a whore who tried to keep a man by having a baby. The oldest game in the world that never worked. Meanwhile, I’m wearing the ring and carrying his last name.”
“Either way, I’ll be the one to give him his first son or daughter. That’s not something you can ever compete with.”
Ethan punched the end call button, and my jaw clenched so tightly that my already hurting head throbbed.
I swiped at the tears falling down my face as I drove through the rain. It was becoming harder to see through the rain and my tears.
“Sev, I’m sorry, but I had it handled. You were too emotional, and you should have stayed out of it. It’s just an ultrasound. It wasn’t that big of a deal, no matter what she said.”
Nodding, I replied, “That’s fine. But if you go, I’ll be going too.”
He exhaled loudly through his nostrils and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“It doesn’t matter. I’m going.”
“Why, Sevyn?”
“How do you see my role in this child’s life moving forward, Ethan?”
“Baby, you know that you will be a vital part, but there are some things that will be just between Pandora and me. I’ll do everything to make you feel included, but some things I don’t even think you want to be a part of. For instance, I know that Pandora wouldn’t want you in the delivery room and neither would you want to be there. Come on, baby. Let’s not do this tonight. We’ve been through too much, and today has been a very difficult day. She don’t deserve your energy today or any day.”
“I’m already sick of her being an issue. It’s just starting, Ethan. Can you imagine how she’ll be when she has the baby and with your mother on her side?
“You have nothing to worry about.”
“That’s easy for you to say. You’re not the one who is being disrespected at every turn. You don’t have to worry if I’m the one out there tempted to cheat again or creep with my ex, Ethan.”
“I didn’t cheat, okay? We were broken up, Sevyn.”
“We were not broken up, Ethan. We were separated and supposed to be working on our marriage.”
“No, Sevyn. Your memory has become convenient. You had served me with divorce papers that day.”
“I may have served you, but I don’t think that she conveniently popped up in your life that day. I doubt that she would have just been that easy to reach. I’m not stupid, Ethan. You were already in contact with that girl before then. Run that game on someone else.”
“I’m not doing this with you tonight. You just lost your grandmother, and it’s an emotional time for you. Although the circumstance does warrant you being upset, I don’t think it’s a good idea to have this argument now.”
I swiped tears from my face while steering with one hand. Just as I pulled my hand away, I hit a puddle of water, and the car instantly hydroplaned.
“Oh shit!” I cried out as I attempted to steer in the direction of the skid.
“Baby, just calm down. You’ve got this. All you?—”
Ethan’s speech was cut off as someone stepped out into the road in my path. He reached over to grab the steering wheel, but I had already turned the steering wheel in the opposite direction. I lost control of the car, and the moment that I looked up, it was too late. A bright light blinded us as a loud noise reverberatedthrough the night, and something hard and forceful hit us on his side.
