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“I know you’re upset, and I acknowledge all that you did for me back then…

Like I said, you were a good man. You had a bad temper at times, and could be a little paranoid and jealous if men looked at me, but that’s my only complaint.

” Go on and fold that complaint up tight and jam it up your ass.

It should fit just fine from all the dicks that have been in it.

“You never hit me, or did me wrong. Your grandfather manipulated me, he sure did. Regardless of all that, the facts are the same. I’m sorry, but this document is correct.

It’s a binding contract. I’m entitled to what the clause in there says: In such cases, the plaintiff may argue for forfeiture of the land to compensate for damages, unpaid obligations, or breach of the divorce settlement.

” She reached low, picked up the crumpled contract, and took yet another step back.

“You never paid alimony, but I knew you didn’t make much money back then, so I let it go. ”

“I did pay alimony—it was being deposited into the wrong account, which was a clerical error, so they reimbursed me the total instead of just a portion of it by mistake. Soon thereafter, you got remarried, so that’s the only reason why you couldn’t contest it.

More importantly, you and I weren’t even together when I bought this land and built this house.

We’d been done and over with for years! First the lies about back taxes, now this! This is insane.”

“Maybe,” she shrugged, “but now things are different. I can’t work because of my back, and—”

“Your back? From layin’ on it too much due to getting dicked down, huh? Why don’t you beg that brother or mama of yours for some cash?”

She rolled her eyes and continued. “My family is just as poor as I am, so they can’t help me.

I need some financial assistance, and this would solve all of my problems. I don’t want you to forfeit your land, Kage.

Believe me, I don’t.” She appeared woeful and regretful, but he wasn’t buying it.

“I just want a portion of what it’s worth, accordin’ to the law. ”

“Well, you ain’t worth a red fuckin’ cent, and that’s accordin’ to law, too .” He chuckled mirthlessly. “I tell you what, Bonnie Blue, if audacity was a person, its name would be Lorna The Unmitigated Gall, the third! What kinda woman are you?! From this second forward, you can speak to my lawyer.”

“I’m in a terrible position here, Kage!”

“Well, darlin’, I refuse to lose or get screwed, so I suggest that you make sure you get in your favorite position: face down, ass up, that’s the way you like to fuck.

” He slammed the door in her face, locked it, and marched back into the kitchen, his fists balled up tight. Poet stood at the sink, staring at him.

“So that’s Lorna? The ex-wife. My Lord…” She shook her head.

“Yup. I’m sure you heard the entire conversation. IT’S ALWAYS SOMETHIN’! GOT DAMN IT!”

He slammed his body down at the kitchen table, hot all over. She walked behind him, placed her hand on his shoulder and massaged it. Reaching up, he touched her hand, stroking her fingers. They were quiet for a long while.

“Kage…”

“Yeah.” He huffed as he closed his eyes.

“I’ve actually already been mullin’ over your land issue with your grandfather since the moment you told me. I spoke to my accountant, too. She’s lookin’ into it. Anyway, he’s done a lot to try to get this property from you, and not just sending your ex-wife just now.”

“He’s got the right connections, the power and the pull, Poet.

The city has been chompin’ at the bit to get this land from me anyway.

I’ve gotten calls, letters, threats, visits.

The whole nine. Roman, my cousin who I told you also does my taxes, even had another look for me, and told me they were full of shit.

He showed me the receipts. I’ve got to call an attorney today, but it’ll be a task finding one to go against Grandpa.

Roman recommended his lawyer to me, but that guy is a criminal attorney. This is an estate issue.”

“Well then, let me tell you about my idea. See, we had a—” She made a strange lurching noise. He turned around and saw her turn green practically before his eyes, then watched as she raced down the hall to the bathroom. He got up, chasing after her.

“Baby! Are you alright?”

She slammed the bathroom door, then he heard her puking. He sighed, and waited outside of the restroom as she finished.

“…I’m okay. It was the medicine I took. Sometimes cough medicine makes me gag and throw up.” She sounded so pitiful. Soon, he heard the sink come on. “Go on back to the kitchen, baby. I think I should probably leave though. I don’t want you to catch whatever this is.”

“You ain’t going nowhere. I’m not scared.” He smiled as he pressed his hand against the closed door. He heard her soft laugh. “You want some ginger ale or Gatorade?”

“Either sounds good.”

He made his way back up the hall to pour her a drink, then paused. Every alarm bell in his body was ringing. Pulling out his phone, he replayed a voicemail from his mother. One she’d left a few weeks prior.

“Hey, Kage, it’s your mama. I wanted to remind you that today is your daddy’s birthday.

I did a reading, as I do on all of his birthdays, and I uh, I need to tell you something.

I know that you don’t really believe in this stuff, I get that, but I feel this strongly, and need to tell you about it all the same.

First of all, your father is always with you.

I want you to start paying attention to the signs.

I asked him to let you know in a way that you could understand.

Secondly… honey,” the woman paused, sounding like she was about to cry, “nine times out of ten, I am always right about this, Kage…

“On top of that… on top of that, your grandmother had a dream about fish. She had it this mornin’, actually.

Called and told me. Look at the timing? Same day as your daddy’s birthday.

That means only one thing. I’m overjoyed.

I mean, you’re my only son, my only kid, but I don’t want to get my hopes up, but they kinda are.

” She laughed nervously. “You’ve got a spark of prophesy, too, you just won’t admit it.

So, uh, let me ask you—has your girlfriend been sick or anything lately?

Do me a favor. Ask her when her last period was.

I know you might get mad about me sayin’ stuff like this, and she might be weirded out by it if she knew your mama was asking, so don’t tell her it was me.

But the cards are tellin’ me something, and I can’t ignore it… ”

At the time, he’d thought his mother was out of her damned mind.

Mama had made many predictions over his life, and sometimes they were wrong, or not quite the way she saw them.

He called and told her that Poet hadn’t been sick or late when she first left the voicemail.

She accepted that and moved on. He’d pretty much forgotten what she’d said until right at that moment. Oh, shit…

Soon after, Poet came up the hall, her complexion back to normal. She offered a weak smile as she patted her hair back into place.

“Where’s my drink, baby?”

“Are you late? When was your last period?”

She cocked her head to the side and leaned against one of the kitchen chairs, looking rather confused.

“Kage, I can’t believe you are thinkin’ of sex at a time like this! You know I’m sick with a terrible cold!”

“I’m not tryna get laid, Poet. I promise. Just answer the questions. Are you late, and when was your last period?”

“No,” she shook her head, “I’m not late. I haven’t missed a cycle, either. I was just on last month, remember? Why’d you ask me that?”

“Just curious…” He took a deep breath, nodded, then walked over to the refrigerator and took out a bottle of ginger ale. After pouring it into a glass, he handed it to her. She started taking small sips.

“Are ya feeling better?” he asked as he leaned against the counter, crossing his ankles and arms.

“Yeah, that was terrible.” She sat down in the chair, nursing the drink. “So, as I was saying about the land. See—”

“Possum, I want you to take a pregnancy test.”

“What? Why? I just told you that I’m not late. I’m on birth control now, and—”

“Yeah, but there was a few times we didn’t use any condoms when you first got on it, as backup, Poet.

” He pursed his lips. “And you were warned by your doctor that you could still get pregnant if we didn’t use other protection for the first month or two.

I didn’t put on a rubber every time. You know that. ”

They stared at one another for a long while.

She took another sip of her drink, looked out the kitchen window, then nodded.

“Okay then. If it’ll make you happy, I’ll pick up a pregnancy test tomorrow, but I’m tellin’ you, it’ll be negative.

Now, come on over here and sit down. I want to finish telling you about my idea… ”