Unexpected Love (11 page)

* * * *

“So when do you graduate, girl? I am so excited for you. Are you finally finished with all your classes?” El asked.

“Huh… Yeah, I am. I can’t believe it,” TC said while thinking there was a possibility she could be pregnant.

“Girl, what’s wrong? Come on. You can scream. Let it out! Dee and I will help you because we’re happy too. You drove us crazy with all these assignments and paper everywhere,” El insisted. El and Dee started screaming and running around the condo. TC started laughing when the neighbors started knocking on the walls, the floor, and coming from the hall for them to stop the noise.

“Give her some time. She’s been through a lot with school. She’s probably still in shock,” Dee said to El, laughing and out of breath.

TC went to her room, and her cell phone rang. “Hello. Oh, hi, Dr. Wells. Yes, this is Casey. What were the results? My blood work was fine, ok. Yes, I knew I was dehydrated. I tried to drink more water. Ok, so I need to drink at least sixty-four ounces a day. What? ... That can’t be, Dr. Wells.” Tears started rolling down TC’s face. “So based on my last menstrual I’m about ten weeks. This messes all my plans up, Dr. Wells. I can’t be pregnant! I don’t want to talk to no freakin’ counselor!”

TC threw her phone on the bed, buried her face in her pillow, and yelled with a high pitch.

El and Dee came running and banging on her door. El called out, “TC, what’s wrong? Are you screaming for joy or is something wrong? Why are you screaming?”

TC answered, “Go away. Leave me alone. I want to be alone!”

Dee was still trying to talk to TC, and then the door burst open. TC jumped up to find El standing in the doorway huffing. She should have known that crazy girl would have pitted the lock.

“Hell no, something is wrong,” El said after she’d caught her breath. “Did somebody hurt you, TC? Talk to us. This is supposed to be a happy time for you.”

TC snapped, “Well it’s not! Do I look happy?” She jumped to her feet and snatched her shirt off. “How do I look?”

Both Dee and El stared as if trying to think where she was going with her question. Dee was the first to speak up. “You look like you’ve been missing some meals, but you’ve always been thin.”

“Yeah, and you have a tiny little bulge in your belly, but you can knock that out with a couple of sit-ups,” El added.

Then, at the same time both Dee and El blurted out, “Oh my god, you’re pregnant!” They jumped on TC showering her hugs and kisses.

El began a barrage of questions. “So did you tell sexy yet? It is his baby, right? Aren’t you two back together? What are you waiting for, TC? The man loves you. He sends you flowers and tropical fruit baskets flown all the way from Rio. What man does that? And he gave you what you want. He gave you the space you requested.”

“A man that’s very much real and knows what he wants. He’s also very much in love with a special lady. He knows it and so do we. So stop crying, we’re all going to get through this. Because we are aunties now.” Dee answered excitedly!

“Yeah, well, I wasn’t sure if I was going to go back to him. And I wanted to travel the world before I decided what I want to do with my life. The answer to your question, El, is yes. Seth is the father. He doesn’t know yet. I need some time to get used to this situation for myself. He will see this as a reason why we should be together. What the f… I mean heck am I going to do with a baby? I don’t know how to take care of a baby.”

“That’s right, Mommy, watch your mouth in front of the baby,” Dee jokingly scolded.

TC chuckled as she wiped her tears. “Shut up! I love you guys. I don’t know what I would do without you. I am asking you to please keep this between us. Gave me a little time to think this through. Who would have thought as soon as I give up the cookie, I get pregnant.”

* * * *

El and Dee peeped into TC’s room the next morning. “Good morning, Mommy. How do we feel? Are we up for some breakfast?” El asked.

TC groaned. “You guys are not going to leave this alone, are you?”

“Nope,” El and Dee answered.

“And if I don’t want to keep the baby, you will be angry with me, won’t you?” TC asked.

“Yup,” El and Dee replied.

“Ok, then the mommy would like some breakfast,” TC said with a smile.

Dee came farther into her room. “So you should be about two or three months right?”

TC answered while still lying in her bed resting on her elbow. “Yeah. The doctor said based on my last menstrual I should be about ten weeks.”

“Awww …. I know you don’t want to hear this, but, TC, your baby was conceived in love. I saw how Seth looked at you, and I heard how his best friend, Junnie talked about Seth being in love with you. Junnie was so happy for Seth. Apparently, the natives in Rio are big on love.” Dee glanced at TC’s dresser. “Oh look, you still have that mail I told you about two months ago.” Dee reached up to get it.

TC shrugged. “Just leave it on the dresser. I’ll get it later. It’s probably a scholarship to grad school. I don’t know if I want to do that now that I’m having a baby. This changes everything. I can’t do any traveling with a baby.”

TC hesitated and then grabbed Dee’s hand. “Dee, can I really open up to you? I’m afraid. When I was in Rio, Seth and I were isolated from the world. You know what I mean. He kept saying I was on Fantasy Island. Boy, did it feel like it was. I thought I was in a dream, but now we’re here. Seth and I are different. What would people think seeing us together? Look at me, I’m mocha brown.”

“And I’m crunchy black, TC. What are you saying? I’m from Africa with short hair, but that didn’t stop Junnie from wanting to be with me. Junnie wants to continue seeing me. That means I will be going back to Rio soon. We talk still on the phone and through email all the time. TC, I told you this before. You always did over exaggerate everything. Stop overwhelming yourself. Take a deep breath and see the situation as it really is. We are in a different world now. Changes have already been taking place and still are happening everyday. At your school, that’s right, at the University of Tampa there are so many interracial relationships. You are not the first, girlfriend. Did he have a rod?”

“What?” TC didn’t think she heard right.

“You heard me. Did he know how to use it? Dumb question, of course he did. That’s why you have that little bambino in the oven. He looks, acts, moves, and feels like a man. That’s all you have to worry about.”

“Yeah, but look at him. I have locks, and he has curly, silky hair. He’s white, and I’m black.”

“TC, don’t make me slap you,” Dee scolded. “Are you even listening to me? Do you even hear yourself? In this day and time differences are in, and anyone with a problem is out. No one cares, and if they do they can go to hell. This is your life. When he’s stroking it good, are you thinking of this stuff?”

“Ok, Dee, I got it, I got it! And no. I can’t even speak let alone think.” TC grinned.

El walked in with breakfast. “Amen to that. He’s got the good stuff when he makes you speechless. All that massiveness, if I didn’t have that cardiologist I would go looking for Seth’s brother.”

“Well, I got the best friend, and the bed is real good. So, TC, go get your man. Tell him how you feel. I mean tell him you still love him, and share the news with him,” Dee insisted.

“I will, I will,” TC retorted.

When someone knocked at the door, El ran to grab it, TC followed behind her to be nosy. “Who is it?” El asked.

The voice on the other side of the door called, “Deliveries for Ms. Casey T. Shaw.”

TC entered the foyer. “Hurry, open the door. I’m sure it’s from Seth. He’s probably sending more gifts. I love that man. What was wrong with me? I was crazy for pushing him away.”

El imitated a pregnant woman. “I’m so emotional. I don’t know what to do.”

TC laughed while reaching and plucking El with her finger. “Ok, that’s alright. I’ll get you back.”

El opened the door, and TC gasped when delivery guys kept coming in with boxes of gifts. One of them paused, holding up a sheet of paper on a clipboard. “Ms. Shaw, please sign here on the dotted line.”

TC reached for it. “Are these gifts from a Seth Howard?”

“No, ma’am. The sender offers some explanation on this postcard, which is for you as well. Have a nice day, ladies.”

“If all these are not from Seth than who?” TC wondered.

El responded. “I don’t know, but it looks like Christmas came early. What does the post card say? I know one thing. Somebody else must love you too. There’s no space to walk in here.”

TC started reading the postcard. “Shh, listen.”

“Dear Casey,

Congratulations on your academic success. I’m glad to know you will be graduating with honors in a couple of days. I’m also pleased to know that you are an
A
student. I never doubted your abilities. I knew you would turn out to be an awesome woman. By now you should have received an envelope that I sent a couple of months ago. All the information you need to know, including your plane tickets, are in that envelope. All the arrangements and preparations are currently in place for your arrival. I hope you enjoy your gifts. They are from the family. You may also bring your sisters.

Best Regards,

Zera Yacob Amha Selassie,

Crown Prince of Ethiopia

Your Father”

TC started yelling and jumping up and down, while Dee and El tried to grab her to find out what was going on. “Oh my god, oh my god, my father found me. He’s alive! Dee, go get that envelope. We are all going to Ethiopia. My father is a Prince. No. No. My father is the Crown Prince of Ethiopia! He is sending for us. All these gifts are from him and my family,” TC shouted. El and Dee joined in with the shouting.

* * * *

TC was being called from every direction by classmates and friends at the graduating ceremony. “Girl, it is packed in here,” Dee commented. “Are you happy? This was a really nice ceremony, plus your favorite actor, Justin Chambers, spoke to your class. I told you, TC, things were going to get better for you.”

“Yeah, but I’m looking for the icing on the cake. I haven’t had a chance to go by his house. I thought he would be here. Some of his students graduated too. We have to go straight to the airport from here. What should I do? I want to see him so bad, and he still doesn’t know about the baby. Oh, Dee, I feel so sick and emotional,” TC exclaimed.

Dee signaled El to get the car as they all tried to get through the crowd.

Chapter Twelve

Déjà vu

“TC, did you clear it with your doctor to see if you could fly this long distance?” Dee asked.

“Yes, I did, Ms. Mother Hubbard. I also changed my doctor, and she cleared me. Baby and I are fine. I just don’t know about the daddy,” TC stated softly.

“Look, can you two be quiet so I can hear the captain make his announcements please. You know how I feel about flying,” El said.

An elderly lady sitting horizontally across from El grabbed her hand. “It’s ok, sweetie. I’ll hold your hand. You don’t have to be afraid.” El tried to withdraw her hand, but the elderly lady had a strong grip. “I’m good, grandma. You don’t have to.”

“I have you,” the elderly lady insisted.

El turned to Dee and TC. “Got damn this lady has grip. She just messed up my orgasm.”

Dee and TC burst into laughter. Dee continued. “That’s what she gets for being so frisky. Anyway, did you leave him a note, TC? Did you tell him how you feel? What about the baby?”

TC responded, “I couldn’t take the note to his house so I overnight mailed it to him. I also sent him an email, but I haven’t heard from him. I didn’t mention the baby because I think that’s something that should be heard in person.”

“Hurry up before the captain makes his announcements for cell phones to be turned off. Call him now, If you don’t get an answer then leave him a message,” Dee encouraged her.

TC listened to the phone and then clicked to the voice mail. “Hi, babe, it’s me. I’ve been trying to get in contact with you. I’m on a plane headed to Ethiopia. I have no time to talk. I want to see you when I return in one week. Please, Seth, I love you. Good-bye. Aw, Dee, it’s probably too late for us. We’ve been apart for almost three months. That’s a long time. What if he met someone else, and I’m carrying his babe?”

Dee replied, “Na, I don’t believe that. When you love somebody as much as he loves you, you can’t let go just like that. Besides he was still sending you gifts. So think of something else for now. How long did you say this flight was?”

TC answered, “It’s only 7,742.2 miles, and it takes sixteen hours and five minutes to get to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. However, this flight is going to be a two-day trip, so it will be something like nineteen to twenty hours give or take. Meaning we will have a layover and one stop. We’ll first fly to Miami and arrive at about eight at night. We have to stay there at a hotel and be back at the airport by four in the afternoon the next day. Then, from Miami we fly to Frankfurt. This will take a little over four hours. We will arrive just after seven in the morning. We then make our last stop so the plane can gas up. We leave close to noon and head to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. We will arrive there after nine at night. We are staying in a palace like royalty. Can you believe that? After all I’ve been through in my life. I am a real princess. Seth called me precious. He called me his queen.”