What Ya Girl Won't Do (20 page)

For the next two weeks Eli tried to come up with ways to break the news to Kylee about the baby, but every time he came close, his nerves got in the way. He tried his best to avoid her, by coming home from work, showering, and going straight to bed. He knew eventually he would have to break down and tell her. He prayed he didn't lose her over one stupid mistake.

For the past two weeks Kylee had noticed a huge change in Eli. She didn't know what wrong with him. He would come home from work, take a shower, and go straight to bed as if he was trying to avoid her. She would catch him zoning in and out at times. She did everything she could do to cheer him up. He would be happy for the moment, then he would go right back to the way he was. Kylee started thinking maybe he was regretting leaving Tionna for her and wanted to go back home but just didn't know how to tell her. Whatever was bothering Eli, Kylee prayed he would just talk to her so they could get through it together and move on with their lives.

“Girl, I don't know what Eli's problem is,” Kylee said as she talked to I'reon about Eli's behavior.

“Maybe he's missin' his parents, who knows. You know niggas say we moody, but they the ones who be actin' like they be on they periods,” I'reon said, laughing.

“Or maybe he's missin' Tionna,” Kylee said.

“Girl, please, that nigga love you. He got to; you killed his child and he forgave you. He left his wife for you. So, girl, if that ain't love I don't know what is,” I'reon said, making Kylee think that Eli really did love her.

“That's true. I guess he does love me,” Kylee said, smiling.

“Girl, you his boo thang.” I'reon laughed.

“He really does make me happy. I just want him to know that whatever's on his mind I'm open to talk about it.”

“Well you gon' have to tell him that then,” I'reon suggested.

“I am, as soon as he gets off work.”

“You heard from Ja'Nay?” I'reon asked.

“Nope, I haven't talked to Ja'Nay in about two weeks. Every time I call her it goes straight to voicemail,” Kylee answered.

“I tried callin' her a couple of times too, but she didn't answer for me either. You think she's okay?”

“Hell yeah, she's a'iiiight; that bitch over there sucka strokin' over Quann,” Kylee said laughing.

“Damn, she actin' like they gave the nigga twenty years. Shit he'll be out in about fifteen months. That bitch betta get over it!” I'reon said, smacking her lips.

“I'm hip. Shit, 'cause if her ass was the one locked up, that nigga wouldn't be sittin' around all depressed over her ass,” Kylee said.

“He sure wouldn't be, but oh well, it's her life,” I'reon said, washing her hands of the situation.

“True, it is. Hopefully one day she wakes up and see that nigga ain't gon' change and he damn sure ain't gon' ever be shit,” Kylee said.

“So are you excited about goin' to school next month?” I'reon asked, changing the subject to something more positive.

“Girl, yes! I can't wait to get outta here,” Kylee said, excited.

“So what Eli gon' do while you're in school?”

“He's gon' get his businesses situated around here then eventually he'll be movin' out to Cali wit' me and start a business of some sort,” Kylee replied.

“That's wassup! I'm glad he's supportive of your decision and is willin' to follow his woman while you fulfill your dreams! Damn you got a good one!” I'reon said, happy for her girl.

“Yeah, God blessed me wit' a good one this time and I'm gon' do everything in my power to hold on to him, no matter what,” Kylee said sincerely.

“You betta, sis,” I'reon warned.

“I am, I promise.”

“Okay.”

“All right, let me get off here. I hear Eli's keys jingling,” Kylee said.

“All right, I love you, sis.”

“Love you too,” Kylee said, before hanging up. Kylee sat on the sofa and picked up a magazine, acting like she was reading it.

“Hey, baby,” Kylee looked at Eli and spoke when he walked into the living room.

“Sup, baby,” he replied, walking over and giving her a kiss on the lips before taking a seat on the sofa next to her.

Kylee noticed the blank stare on Eli's face. His actions were starting to take somewhat of a toll on her. She needed to get to the bottom of what was going on in his life.

“Look, Eli, I know somethin' has been botherin' you for a couple of weeks,” Kylee started. “I don't know what it is, but I do want you to know that I'm here for you if you need to talk.”

Eli looked over at Kylee with a glassy look in his eyes. If she didn't know any better, she would have sworn they were tears.

“And I don't like thinkin' like this, but I hope you're not really regrettin' leavin' Tionna for me,” she continued, just needing to know if that's what was bothering him.

Eli shook his head no. “Neva' that! Tionna is the last thing on my mind. I knew the first time I spent the night wit' you I made the right choice by leavin' her. I love you, Kylee.”

Kylee had a lump form in her throat. “It means so much to me to even know that I'm loved by you. You have been the missin' link in my chain and now that I have you, my life is complete and I will let nothin' and no one come in between that,” Kylee said, meaning every word.

“That's wassup!” Eli smiled; hearing that nothing could tear them apart gave Eli confidence to go ahead and tell her about the baby.

Kylee leaned over and gave Eli a kiss. “I'm about to go finish dinner,” she said, standing up, and began walking away.

“Kylee, I do need to talk,” Eli called out.

Kylee stopped and turned back around, glad Eli was finally ready to release whatever he'd had bottle up inside of him.

Eli had butterflies in his stomach.

“Okay, baby.” She smiled, walking back over and taking a seat next to him on the sofa. “Wassup?”

“Kylee, remember you said you would let nothin' come between us?” Eli asked.

Kylee slowly shook her head yes.

“Did you really mean that?”

“Yeah, I meant it,” she said, wondering where this conversation was heading.

Eli took a deep breath before speaking. “I might have a baby on the way,” he blurted out.

Kylee was at a loss. She sat and stared at Eli like he was a complete stranger as the news marinated. Without thought, Kylee hauled off and punched Eli in the face. He and Kylee both jumped up off the sofa at the same time.

“What the fuck is wrong wit' you! You done lost yo' fuckin' mind?” Eli asked angrily. He expected Kylee to be upset, but to put her hands on him was something he never expected. Kylee's punch didn't hurt; he was more shocked that she'd had enough nerve to hit him. He'd never been hit in the face before.

“Who you been fuckin', Eli?” Kylee snapped. “Let me guess, Tionna?”

“No,” he quickly answered.

“I shoulda known yo' bitch ass wasn't shit from the giddy-up,” Kylee screamed.

“Baby, I'm sorry,” Eli pleaded.

“I can't believe this shit,” Kylee said as tears rushed down her cheeks, ignoring Eli. Eli attempted to wipe her tears away, but she knocked his hand away. “Don't fuckin' touch me, nigga!” she hollered.

“Can you calm down so we can talk?” Eli asked.

“Who is she?” Kylee asked, wiping her own tears away, only to have more follow. “She had to have meant somethin' to you 'cause you fucked the bitch without protection, wow, and now yo' ass got a baby on the way.” Kylee shook her head while waiting for him to tell her that he was just playing.

“I said I might have one on the way and the bitch meant nothin' to me. I only fucked her once,” Eli said, hoping it would make the situation better, but it didn't.

“Who is she?” Kylee asked, needing to know.

“Promise me you won't get mad,” he said.

“You gotta' be fuckin' kiddin' me. Promise you I won't get mad? Nigga, I wouldn't give a fuck if you got Michelle Obama pregnant, nigga, I'm still gon' be mad regardless! ”Kylee snapped. “Nigga, you got a muthafuckin' baby on the way!”

“Might,” Eli corrected.

“Might my ass! Who the fuck is she?” Kylee said in a demanding tone.

“Ja'Nay,” he quickly answered, tired of holding it in.

“Ja'Nay who?” Kylee snapped.

Eli didn't answer.

“I know you ain't talkin' about my so-called best friend?” Kylee asked, hoping Eli knew another Ja'Nay.

Eli slowly shook his head yes.

Kylee instantly snapped. She charged Eli like a raging bull, swinging wildly. She knew she couldn't whoop him, but she sure was going to try. Eli blocked all of Kylee's hits. He'd never had a woman go off on him the way she was. He grabbed her arms and pinned them down to her side.

“Get the fuck off me, Eli,” she screamed as she tried to get loose.

“I will when you calm yo' ass down!”

“Please get off me,” she begged.

“If you let me tell you how it went down between me and Ja'Nay,” he said.

She vehemently shook her head no. “I don't wanna know. I don't care, y'all foul,” she cried as she continued to struggle to get loose; but there was no use, Eli was too strong.

“You do care, Kylee. Just let me explain. Will you at least allow me to do that?” he asked.

Kylee knew the only way Eli was going to let her go was if she listened to what he had to say, so she agreed to at least hear him out. “Talk,” she said out of breath.

Eli told Kylee how things led up to him sleeping with Ja'Nay after their argument about the abortion, all that he could remember. He told her that it was no longer than three or four minutes before he realized what was happening and made her leave. The more Kylee listened the angrier she got. How could the two people she trusted most betray her like they did?

“I swear to you, Kylee, I never meant for this shit to happen,” Eli said truthfully. It hurt Eli to his heart to see Kylee cry over him. Even though his words sounded sincere, she still wanted to spit in his face, but she knew better. He'd already let her get away with hitting him and calling him out his name, which were two things he had asked her to never do. “I refuse to let you go. I know you might be upset right now, and you have the right to be, but like you said, we can't let nothin' and no one come between what we built together.”

Kylee was hurt and outdone by what Eli had just revealed to her. She knew she still loved him, but didn't know how to really react to what he'd just said to her. Sleeping with her best friend was crossing all types of boundaries. How the hell would they be able to come back from that?

“Say somethin',” Eli said.

“Can you please let me go?” Kylee said calmly.

“You gon' chill wit' hittin' me?”

“Yeah, I'ma chill. I'm not gon' hit you no more, but tell ya bitch I'm maulin' her on sight,” Kylee said, and meant every word. “So her best bet is to stay the fuck away from me!”

“You haven't calmed down,” Eli said.

“I'm cool, I promise,” she said calmly.

Eli was skeptical at first, but he went ahead and let go of Kylee's arms. Kylee did what she promised: she calmed down. She then turned and walked away.

“Where you goin'?” Eli asked.

“I don't know. This is too much,” she said as she continued to cry. “I gotta get outta here and clear my head. When I get back I want you to be the fuck up outta my house!” Kylee grabbed her keys and headed out the door.

Shit had just gotten real. Eli stood in the middle of the living room feeling like shit. He loved Kylee with all his heart and there was no way he was leaving. He had lost and given up too much already; if he could forgive her, she was going to have to try to forgive him too. Knowing he had done the ultimate no-no, Eli started packing his belongings.

Kylee got in her car and tried calling Ja'Nay several times only to have her calls go straight to voicemail. Kylee was beyond heated as she started up her car and pulled off. She was on her way over to Ja'Nay's; there was no way she was about to let this ride. Pregnant or not, Kylee had planned on whoopin' Ja'Nay's ass for this one. She turned down Ja'Nay's street and stopped in front of the house. There wasn't a light on. Kylee sat in her car and waited for almost an hour to see if Ja'Nay would come home. Tired of waiting, Kylee pulled off and called I'reon.

“Naw, sis, tell me it ain't so?” I'reon said, shaking her head in disgust.

“I wish I could.” Kylee bawled. Every time she thought about Ja'Nay being pregnant by Eli it made her cry.

“How long you think they have been messin' around?” I'reon asked.

“I don't know. He said it only happened once,” Kylee said, wiping the snot and tears away from her face.

“Wow! Do you believe him?” I'reon asked.

“I don't know what to believe anymore,” Kylee said.

“Where you at?” I'reon asked, knowing Kylee she was at Ja'Nay's house.

“Just leavin' Ja'Nay's house,” Kylee answered.

“I knew it.” I'reon laughed. “Girl, stay the fuck away from that bitch. You know her scary ass ain't gon' fight you. She gon' fuck around and call the police on you.”

Kylee knew I'reon was right. Ja'Nay wouldn't be pregnant forever. She would eventually get the chance to dig off up in her ass!

“Where Eli's ass at?” I'reon frowned.

“I left that bitch at the house. I told him I wanted him gone when I got back!”

“You think he gon' leave?” I'reon questioned.

“He don't have no choice but to get the fuck outta mines! His name ain't on shit!” Kylee fumed.

“Well wit' him bein' gone, how you gon' pay your bills?”

“I'll manage, like always,” Kylee answered.

“Well you know if you ever need some money, I got you,” I'reon said.

“Thanks, sis,” Kylee said, grateful that she had at least one loyal friend.

“No need to thank me, that's what friends are for,” I'reon said.

“Well, look, I'm about to let you go on back to sleep. I forgot y'all five hours ahead of us.” Kylee laughed, thankful she had I'reon to help calm her down.

“All right, girl. And stay yo' ass away from Ja'Nay,” I'reon warned.

“I will.”

“Promise me!” I'reon demanded.

“I will, but only until after she has that baby; then I'ma put my foot off up in her ass!” Kylee said.

“That's wassup! All right, I love you.”

“Love you too,” Kylee said, hanging up and heading over to the one place she knew no matter what she'd always be welcome.

 

“Mom, you in here?” Kylee yelled, walking into her parents' house. Seeing their cars parked in the driveway, but getting no answer, Kylee walked down the hall and into her parents' room. “Mom, you in here?” Kylee asked again, pushing the bedroom door open. She saw her mom sitting on the bed, crying, with a black eye and busted lip.

“What the fuck happened to you?” Kylee screamed. Seeing her mother's face made her cry all over again. “Who did this to you?”

“Don't cry, I'm fine, Kylee,” her mother assured her, but Kylee wasn't buying it.

“Did Daddy do this to you?”

Her mother didn't respond.

“Answer me dammit! Did that muthafucka do this to you?” Kylee screamed as tears streamed down her face. Kylee was furious.

Kylee's mother was in a fragile state. “Kylee, don't talk about your father like that! All your life the only thing he tried to do was protect you,” her mother cried.

“Fuck that! How you gon' let that nigga put his hands on you? I've always despised you for lettin' that nigga dog you the way that he does! You've always taught me to dog a nigga before he ever gets the chance to dog me! So much for takin' your own advice!” Kylee screamed as tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Because I deserve it, that's why I let him treat me like shit!” her mother screamed as the tears flowed.

“Mom, what you sayin' don't make sense! No woman deserves to get beat,” Kylee frowned.

“I do, Kylee,” her mother said as guilt ate away at her. “Because he knows he's not your real father,” her mother blurted out.

Kylee froze while thinking she was hearing things. “What are you talkin' about, Mommy?”

“Look, Kylee you are not a little girl anymore and deserve to know the truth!” her mother stated sternly.

“The truth about what?” Kylee asked, confused.

“I had an affair years ago and your father found out about it. We were young and really didn't know what we wanted at the time. He was doin' his dirt, messin' around wit' Sylvia and other women.”

Kylee was outdone that her mother knew about her dad's ongoing affair with Sylvia. She was even more surprised that her mother was having an affair as well. “During one of the times we broke up, I ended up gettin' pregnant by the guy I was messin' around with.”

Kylee sat in silence as tears streamed down her face while her mother spoke. She was in complete awe.

“But your father and I decided to stay together and work on our marriage, because we thought we loved each other. He agreed to raise you as his own child, but over the years your father has never been able to get over the fact that you aren't biologically his. It has nothin' to do with you, because in his eyes, you are his child; he just can't forgive me.”

Kylee was at a loss for words. She could not believe what her mother was telling her.

“He wanted to tell you a long time ago, but I refused to let him. That's why he used to lash out at me all the time. He was feelin' guilty for lyin' to you and felt you had the right to know. He used to take his anger out on me because I didn't want him to tell you.”

Kylee wanted to ask questions but didn't know what to ask. Her mind was clouded with all kinds of thoughts. All these years the man she called and thought was her daddy wasn't. Kylee knew after that night her life would never be the same. She didn't know if it would make her better or bitter. Kylee built up enough nerve to ask her mother the one question she should have been expecting.

“Who is my real dad then?” Kylee finally asked.

Her mother looked at her as tears rolled down her face and said, “Tony.”

Before Kylee could respond, her father walked in the room and noticed the perplexed look on Kylee's face.

“I told her, Vince,” her mother said crying.

“Kylee, I'm sorry, I've been wantin' to tell you ever since you were a little girl,” her father explained frantically.

Kylee was mortified. She couldn't believe she'd been fuckin' her own father. Where they do that at?

“Who all knew?” Kylee cried, while thinking that's why she and I'reon resembled each other so much.

“Kylee, calm down, baby,” her father said.

“Who all knew that Tony was my real dad?” she screamed.

“Everybody except you and Tony,” her mother replied, wiping away her tears.

“Even I'reon?” Kylee asked, hoping the answer would be no.

“Even I'reon,” her father cried.

Kylee couldn't believe she'd been betrayed by everybody who had claimed to love her. In her eyes all her relationships were built on lies and deceit.

She looked at her mom and dad with pure disgust and said harshly, “I know I can try to forgive you guys for this one day, but I really can't imagine when. The only feelin's I have for you two right now is hate!”

The words stung the both of them deep.

“Don't talk to us like that, Kylee. We're your parents,” her father pleaded.

“You ain't none of my daddy,” she said before turning to walk away.

Her parents stood in the middle of their bedroom and for the first time in years they held each other and cried.

Kylee cried as she walked down the hall. She entered the living room, looked at the big ten-by-thirteen family portrait of her, her mom, and dad, and knocked it off the wall. She watched as the glass shattered all over the floor before walking out the door, vowing never to speak to Vince and her mother again.