Page 15

Chapter Thirteen

Mel

I didn’t even remember how I got to my mama’s house.

My hands were on the wheel, my stomach was tight, and my brain was moving faster than traffic.

One minute I was standing in the middle of the damn mall, ready to swing on that bitch.

Next thing I knew, I was parked out front of the house I grew up in, still trying to process how the hell that girl had the fuckin’ audacity.

After parking beside my mama’s car, I let myself in.

The smell of bleach and lemon hit me first. My mama always kept the place clean like it was her full-time job.

Voices floated from the living room, where Keenan and Jace were laughing over something on the game.

I didn’t speak. I headed straight for the kitchen.

Mama was by the stove, back turned, stirring something in a big-ass pot.

“You alright?” she asked when she noticed me.

“Nope,” I said, dropping my purse on the table.

She turned around. “What happened?”

I pulled out a chair and sat down hard. I told my mama everything that happened today at the mall and the bomb Shayna dropped on me. I let her know how Kilo had been acting and how it all made sense now. He was keeping shit from me, and the shit was eating him up. It should’ve done more than that.

Mama’s mouth dropped slightly. “You saying Kilo got a kid?”

“I don’t know what I’m saying,” I snapped. “All I know is I’m out here pregnant and some random chick from his past is dropping bombs on me in public. Meanwhile, he’s been walking around the house like he’s sleepwalking.”

“Mel.”

I looked at her.

“Did he cheat?”

“No,” I said without flinching. “I don’t believe that.”

Mama nodded slow. “So you’re mad because he’s keeping something from you.”

“I’m mad because I’m pregnant and he’s lying. Because I’ve been asking him for weeks what’s wrong, and he just shrugs or kisses me on the forehead like that’s supposed to fix shit. I don’t do secrets. And if there’s a child out there, I should’ve heard it from him. Not her.”

She pulled out the chair beside me and sat down, placing her hand on mine. “You’re right to be upset. But you need to calm down before you walk back into that house.”

“Mama—”

“I’m serious. You don’t know the full story yet. Don’t go off until you get all the facts.”

I looked down at my belly. “I don’t want to be the woman he lies to.”

“And you’re not,” she said firmly. “You’re the woman he’s scared to lose.”

I didn’t say anything.

“Men carry guilt different,” she continued. “Sometimes they shut down, thinking silence protects you. But you ain’t the type to be sheltered from the truth. You want to know. You need to know.”

“Exactly.”

“So go home. Ask him. Not screaming and swinging. Just ask, and then listen. You’ll know what’s real.”

Before I could respond, Keenan strolled in with a Capri Sun in his hand and Jace trailing behind him.

“Damn, sis. Who you fighting with now?” Keenan asked, smirking.

“Watch yo’ mouth and mind your business,” I said, giving him a look.

He chuckled. “That means it’s Kilo.”

Mama gave him a sharp look. “Boy, go on somewhere before I beat your grown ass.”

Keenan held up his hands. “Say less.”

He left, taking Jace with him.

Mama turned back to me. “You got this, Mel. I raised you better than to let a man run you in circles.”

I stood up and adjusted my purse on my shoulder. “He better be ready to talk.”

“Let him know you still love him. Even if you gotta cuss him out first.”

I cracked a small smile and kissed her cheek. “Love you, Ma.”

“Love you too, baby. Go handle your business.”

And with that, I left and headed home to face my issues head on. This time, I wasn’t walking into my house as the girl confused by silence. I was walking in as the woman who deserved the truth.

***

No sooner that I walked inside my house, I headed upstairs and took a long, hot shower, trying to scrub off the tension clinging to my skin.

I wasn’t sure what pissed me off more. Shayna pulling up bold like she had the right to speak to me, or the fact that Kilo had me out here looking stupid in public.

When I finally walked out of the bathroom and into the bedroom, he was sitting on the edge of the bed, arms resting on his thighs, head down like he was trying to collect himself.

He looked up as I walked past him to the dresser. “I called you,” he said.

“I know.”

“You ignored me.”

“I did.”

He stood. “Mel—”

“Don’t,” I snapped, voice sharper than I intended, but I didn’t take it back. “Don’t come in here acting like shit’s normal.”

“I’m not.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” I muttered, grabbing a tank top and some shorts. “You’ve been moving weird for weeks. Quiet. Off. Then I get ambushed at the damn mall by some girl you used to fuck with, and you wanna act like I’m just tripping?”

His jaw locked. “What happened?”

I turned to face him fully. “She walked up to me like she didn’t know exactly who the fuck I was. Tried to compliment my pregnancy. Then said her daughter and our baby were siblings.”

Kilo didn’t say a word. Just stood there.

“Nothing to say now, huh?” I asked, eyes narrowing.

“I didn’t know she was gone say some shit to you, Mel.”

“But you didn’t tell me either!” I snapped. “You just let me walk around looking stupid while she out here telling people we sharing baby daddies and shit!”

He stepped toward me, voice low but steady. “I didn’t know what to say.”

“You could’ve started with the truth.”

“I don’t even know if the kid’s mine yet.”

“You ain’t say nothing at all!” I was yelling now. “You’ve been quiet, avoiding me, acting like I’m the problem when you the one with secrets and shit!”

Kilo dragged his hands over his face. “I’m tryna handle it, Mel. I told her I want a DNA test.”

“And what about me?” My voice broke slightly, but I kept my chin up. “You trying to take care of everything but your fiancée. I’ve been right here, pregnant, stressed, and confused. And instead of talking to me, you shut me out.”

“I didn’t mean to,” he said, finally meeting my eyes.

“But you did.”

Silence stretched between us.

“You always said you’d never lie to me,” I said softly. “Not even by omission.”

“I know.”

“Well, you did. And it hurts.”

He looked like he wanted to say more, like words were burning in his throat, but nothing came out.

I stepped back. “I need some air.”

“Mel.”

“Nah. Don’t.”

He didn’t try to stop me. Just stood there watching as I left the room, heart thudding in my ears.

Downstairs, I sat on the couch, rubbing my belly as tears welled up in my eyes. I wasn’t crying for him. I was crying for myself. For the version of us I thought we were. For the family we were building that now felt like it had cracks in the foundation.

I didn’t know if the little girl was his.

But I knew one thing for sure… he should’ve told me first.