Married Men (41 page)
Authors: Carl Weber
As I sat in a daze, Ma put down the frying pan and came to rub my shoulders. It was like she sensed something was wrong and put aside the little dispute we were having.
“Everything all right, baby?”
“No, Ma. Rose’s water broke. She’s gonna have the baby,” I whispered.
“Oh, lawd have mercy. Come on, boy. We gotta get that girl to the hospital.”
It was 1:33 A.M. when the doctor walked into the waiting room and told me that Rose and I had just became the parents of a six-pound, three-ounce baby boy. Rose and I had already decided to name him Jonathan, after her father. Jonathan was a handsome healthy boy with all ten fingers and toes, along with no apparent complications from the premature birth. Actually, the doctor looked at me kinda funny when he walked out of the delivery room and I asked him about any serious complications my son might have. He told me that with modem medicine it’s not typical for a baby born three weeks early to have many problems. I was confused when he said three weeks instead of three months, but I figured I’d clear that up later. At the moment, all I wanted was to go see my son. I was still a little steamed that I wasn’t able to be in the room during the delivery.
After all the Lamaze classes I’d taken and child birthing books I read in preparation for this glorious day, I hadn’t even been there to see my son enter this world. After I told her about Rose’s water breaking, Ma had insisted on coming to the hospital with us. When we arrived, she also insisted that she be in the delivery room with Rose. The hospital had a policy of only one family member in the room for the birth. Oh, I tried to argue with Ma for what good it would get me, but she just threatened to knock me up side my head with her pocket book. Rose, who appeared to be in a tremendous amount of pain and probably didn’t wanna hear us bickering, grabbed my arm and told me she didn’t care who was in the room. All she wanted was for somebody to find her a doctor and an epidural. One look at her face and I decided that arguing with Ma wasn’t worth it. So I reluctantly watched my wife and mother head into the delivery room without me to deliver my first child. Now that he was born and he was healthy, though, nothing else mattered.
33
Jay
Benny’s bar in Hollis, Queens, was smaller but a lot more crowded than the Roadhouse Bar would have been on a Tuesday night. I asked Kyle to meet me there for drinks. He didn’t know it, but I needed a favor. A big favor. We’d normally meet at the Roadhouse Bar, but after his breakup with Val, he really wasn’t feeling the Roadhouse anymore. I can’t say I blame him. From what I heard, Val was trippin’. I spotted Kyle in a booth, talking on his cell. He hung up with a frown on his face just as I sat down.
“What up, dawg?” I reached out and picked up one of his buffalo wings and took a bite.
“Life sucks, that’s what’s up.” He slid his cell phone into its holster.
“By the look on your face, I guess it does. What the hell’s wrong with you anyway?” I finished off the wing in the next bite and ordered a Heineken from a passing waitress.
“That was Lisa on the phone. She still won’t believe that Val’s not pregnant. Can you believe that shit?”
“Hell, yeah, I can believe it. I ain’t never seen her as pissed off as she was the other night. Man, I thought she used to hate me, but I’m her best friend compared to you.”
“Fuck it.” Kyle slapped the table. “If she don’t wanna believe the truth, then the hell with her. Ain’t shit I can do about it. She don’t have to worry about me no more, ’cause I ain’t callin’ her ass again.”
I know Kyle was serious, but I laughed. I couldn’t help myself.
“What the hell you laughing at?”
“You.” I continued to laugh. “Didn’t you tell me twice yesterday that you weren’t gonna call her anymore?”
“Yeah, but I had to get something straight with her before we go to court.”
“Something straight like what?” I gave him a sideways look. “Isn’t that the lawyer’s job?”
“Well, um ...” He looked at me like I was annoying him. “Why you interrogating me?”
“ ’Cause you’re full o’ shit, that’s why.” His face went blank. “How many times you call her today?” He didn’t answer me, so I asked again. “How many times you call her today, Kyle?”
“I don’t know. Two, maybe three times.”
I stared at him and frowned, waiting for the true number.
“Okay, six times. But you don’t understand. Lisa doesn’t wanna get divorced. It’s just that she thinks I disrespected her by getting Val pregnant.”
“Yeah, that proves it.”
“Proves what?”
“We’re getting old, my man.”
“Why you say that?”
“ ’Cause you sweatin’ Lisa like a virgin looking for his first piece o’ ass. And me, I’m in love with a nineteen-year-old college student. What the hell’s wrong with us? We never woulda done some sorry-ass shit like this back in the day.” I smiled as I thought of the good old days. Life was a hell of a lot simpler back then. Fuck ’em and leave ’em. That’s what we did best.
“Yeah, speaking of that college student, whatever happened to her?” Kyle picked up a wing.
“She’s pregnant,” I said nonchalantly, taking my beer from the waitress.
“What?” he shouted, spitting out the wing. His eyes were wide with surprise. “Pregnant by who?”
“I fucked up, man. I got her pregnant. But I’m gonna be there to take care of her and the kid.”
Kyle sighed. “You really love this chick, don’t you?”
“Yep, but I told you that five months ago.”
“Yeah, but I didn’t believe you ’til now. But if you’re willing to let your teenage mistress have a baby, you’re either stupid or in love.”
“Both,” I told him with a smile. “Look, man, the reason I needed to see you is that I need a favor.”
“What’s up? What d’you need?”
“I need to borrow three grand until I can sell my bike.”
“Three grand? For what?” Kyle sat back and folded his arms.
“Ask me no questions, I’ll tell you no lies.” I looked at him, making sure we made eye contact. “I need the money, Kyle, and I’m asking for it on the strength of our friendship. Trust me, you don’t wanna know what I need it for, but I swear I’m not gonna do anything illegal with it. I’m just in a jam.
“You sure that baby she’s carrying is yours?”
“I need the money, Kyle,” I pleaded in my most sincere voice.
He stared at me for a few seconds, smoothing his mustache like he was deep in thought. The suspense was killing me.
“Okay,” he finally nodded, reaching into his suit jacket for his checkbook. “You can have the three grand on the strength of our friendship, but you’re right, I don’t wanna know what you’re up to. And if Kenya asks, you did not get this money from me. I got enough women on my ass as it is right now. I really don’t need
your
wife to join the club.” He placed his checkbook on the table and wrote out a check. He handed it to me and I looked at it with a grateful smile. Kyle’s cell phone started ringing before I could thank him.
your
wife to join the club.” He placed his checkbook on the table and wrote out a check. He handed it to me and I looked at it with a grateful smile. Kyle’s cell phone started ringing before I could thank him.
“Hello? Hello?” Kyle checked the Caller ID then spoke again. “Hello ... Hello? Dammit.” He flipped the phone closed.
“Who was that?”
“I don’t know. Somebody keeps calling me at home but they never say a damn thing. Now they’re calling on my cell. I swear this shit is starting to piss me off.”
“You checked your Caller ID, didn’t you?”
“Hell, yeah. The number keeps coming up restricted.”
“Well, anyway, thanks for the loan. I’ll get it back to you as soon as I sell the bike.” I hated the thought of selling my bike, but Tracy had to come first.
“Just be glad that Wil found a cheap apartment in my building or I wouldn’t be able to loan you shit. I just loaned him three grand.” Kyle shook his head.
“You loaned Wil money to get an apartment?”
“Yeah, I loaned him money. I had to. Have you seen him lately? The brother had to’ve lost twenty pounds in the last month. He looks like shit.”
“What happened to him?” I felt bad that I hadn’t seen Wil in so long.
“Diane’s what happened to him. Wil thought that if he paid the bills and handled his business like he was still living there that she was gonna come around after a while. Well, guess what? She didn’t. She’s got him paying out the ass so much he came to me looking for a part-time job.”
“Get the fuck outta here. Wil asked you for a part-time job?” I have to admit I was shocked. Wil was one of those brothers with a lot of pride.
“Yep. You know that fool signed an agreement to give her damn near eighty percent of his salary? And had the nerve to blame it on me.”
“Blame it on you? Why?”
“Because Diane showed him my separation agreement. Somehow she convinced him that he would have to pay out as much as me. She just forgot to mention that I make ten times what Wil does.”
“Damn! Eighty percent of his salary?” I made a face. “She wants his ass broke.”
“That’s what I been trying to tell him.”
“Well, he needs to talk to her then.”
“He did. She said if he breaks their agreement, he can’t see his kids and she’s gonna take his ass to court.”
“Fuck it! Let her take him to court. Shit, I bet the judge reduces what he’s gotta pay out and gives him visitation anyway.”
“I told him that shit. Matter of fact, I told him I’d get my lawyer to represent him.”
“Well, that’s good. What he say?”
“He said ain’t no white man gonna tell him how to take care of his family.”
“I heard that, but that’s not changing the fact that he’s broke. Man, if Wil would let me do my thing, I could fix all this shit. Gimme a couple a days and he and Diane will be back together.” Kyle didn’t answer me because his phone went off again. It’s probably a good thing, though. What I had planned was no joke and would never work without Wil’s permission. I had to give it some more thought before I discussed it with anyone else.
“Hello?” He looked at the Caller ID again. “Dammit! I know this is you, Val. I can see the Roadhouse’s number on my Caller ID. Stop playing fucking games.” He hung up. “This shit is ridiculous. Look, Jay. I’m gonna head on home. I’ll catch you later.”
“Aw’ight, man, but be careful. You might wanna stay away from Val. Rumor has it she’s hanging out with that crazy-ass Terrance again.”
“Don’t worry. I ain’t fucking with that big motherfucker.”
“Hey, Kyle, thanks again.” I waved the check at him and he nodded as he stood to leave.
34
Allen
It was a little after 6 P.M. when I walked up the steps to our apartment. I’d left work a little early so that I could get home and play with my son Jonathan. Let me tell you, he was only three weeks old, but that little boy was my life. I had so many plans for him. I just couldn’t wait till he was old enough to play catch in the backyard or shoot hoops in the park. Not to mention what it was going to be like to take him to his first Knicks or Yankees game, or see his smile when I take him to Disney World. Yes sir, I was one of those fathers who planned on reliving my childhood through my son, and I couldn’t wait. I honestly could not wait.
I placed my key in the door and I could hear Jonathan crying before I opened it. I’d be lying if I said it was the first time I’d come home to that. I just couldn’t understand why the hell it was so hard for Rose to pick him up and give him the attention he needed. I’d always thought being maternal was built into a woman, but Rose had proven that theory wrong. The way she treated our son was more like he was her pet than her child. All she wanted to do was show him off to everyone. The minute there was no one around to impress, you’d think she’d never given birth to him. It’s a damn shame, but any affection or nurturing he got came from me and Ma.
When I opened the door, I could hardly believe my eyes or ears. Rose was sitting on the living room sofa watching Ricki Lake and eating a box of chocolates like she didn’t have a care in the world. She was fully made up and dressed like she was getting ready to go out on the town. I don’t even think she realized that I walked in the door or that her son was crying at the top of his lungs, she was so preoccupied with her television show. And that pissed me off.
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