Checkmate 2: Let the Games Begin (12 page)

“Answer it,” she said. He picked up his cell and pressed the send key to answer.

“Hello,” he answered staring in Mona’s eyes. There was silence on the other end. He’d been getting those calls on and off for the last week where someone would call, but wouldn’t say anything. Just as he was about to end the call…

“Rico,” the familiar sweet sounding voice on the other end responded. “I need to see you.” His eyes widened.

“Monica,” he spoke. “Where are you?”

“I’m in Orlando, Florida right now, but I have some business that I need to tend to in Augusta in a couple of weeks and I would like for us to talk. I know when I left there we were on bad terms, but as time has gone by I’ve realized that I was very selfish and handled my business in all the wrong ways.” She explained.

“Yeah, you’re right about that,” Rico retorted as Mona sat anxiously waiting to hear what Monica had had on her mind and why she waited up until now to call.

“I can admit that I was wrong, but that doesn’t change the fact that I’m having our son soon. I still have a little over two months to go and, at least, for his sake I want for us to be civilized and to get along with each other before he’s born.” Rico’s heart sped up, hearing the words, our son, but he didn’t want to seem too anxious to see her. Not only because of the way that she treated him the last time he spoke with her, but also because Mona was in the room watching his facial expressions like a hawk. He didn’t want to give her the wrong impression about choosing to be with him.

“So what are your plans of making that happen?” Rico, not realizing it, stood up as he paced back and forth with his head slightly down as he listened.

“I’m moving back there for a while, but only in hopes of you getting to know your son and me a little better. I’m not this bad person that you have perceived me to be, even though my actions may have showed you differently. I’m not asking for nothing more than that. I hope you give me a chance to show you who the real Monica Hunter really is.” She said.

“Okay, I’ll go along with that. I want nothing more than to be able to be a part of his life, but you must know that I’m having a blood test done just to make sure that he’s mine.” He said.

Mona dropped her head since the tears had formed in her eyes.
It’s a boy.
She thought.

“I was planning on that anyway. I know you have your doubts and I can’t blame you. I must seem like the worst person in the world to you right now.” She said.

“Yeah, you can say that.” He confirmed then looked back and noticed Mona had walked down the hallway. “Well, hit me up when you’re here and we’ll take it from there. I gotta go.” He said.

“Okay, Rico. Thanks for giving me a chance.” She responded.

“Yeah,” Rico responded and ended the call. He walked halfway down the hallway, meeting Mona coming out of the bathroom. She smiled at him slightly, seeing that he was reaching out to hug her.

“Don’t worry baby, Monica is not going to come between us.” He reassured her.

“It’s not Monica that I’m concerned about.” Mona tried to hold in the pain that she was feeling. Even though she knew that this day would eventually come, she wasn’t expecting it this soon. She sat down on the loveseat and Rico sat next to her. “So, what did she say?”

“Well, she said that she’s in Florida right now and that she’s coming to Augusta soon so that we can talk.” Rico looked in her eyes and could tell that she wanted the whole conversation laid out word for word.

“I know that wasn’t all she said.”
Not how you got up from the table,
she thought.

“No, it wasn’t,” He paused. “She said that she’s having a boy and that she’ll be moving here for a while so that the baby and I will have a chance to bond.” He scratched his head in thought. “Oh, she also said that she wanted me to get to know the real Monica Hunter.” He nervously said, continuing to scratch his head.

“What the hell does she mean by that?” Mona asked considering the fact that Monica was trying to be funny. “We all know who the real Monica Hunter is. She’s a conniving bitch who’ll do any and everything to get what she wants.” Mona’s face turned red as she got upset at the thought of Rico spending time with Monica and that baby. It still puzzled her how she used to like Monica because she seemed so sweet and genuine, but only to find out that she was truly a trifling bitch who’d slept with her brother and his best friend.

“Baby, don’t you think I know that. I haven’t forgotten who she is, but I was a part of this shit, too. She can’t take all the blame,” He acknowledged before he realized it.

“What did you say?” Mona stood and got up in Rico’s face. “Did you just say what I thought you said?” Rico looked up at her.

“Baby, I didn’t mean it in that way. I’m not taking up for her, but what I’m trying to say is that I was just as much responsible for this shit as she was.” He dropped his head low.

“Yeah, you were and I’m not excusing you for that, but the difference is that you came clean about it and has showed nothing but sincerity since this whole shit went down. Can we say the same thing about that bitch?” Mona’s voice raised a little. “Hell no, we can’t. Her sneaky ass had the nerve to call Candy’s phone a few months ago to gloat, thinking she was talking to Candy, but the bitch was talking to me.” Mona realized that during her tantrum, she’d said too much. She tried to play it off by walking off, but Rico grabbed her by the arm.

“Hold up. Where are you going?” He asked, watching her squirm a little to free herself. She tried to snatch away from him, but his grip was too strong. “When did Monica call Candy’s phone and you spoke with her?” he asked raising his eyebrow. Monica sat back down in silence. “Don’t get all quiet now. I’m waiting!” He demanded.

“Well, when Candy was in the hospital, after having MJ, Monica called her phone and I answered it.” She paused, seeing the curiosity in Rico’s face. “Well um, you know um.” She struggled to get it out. “Well, Monica called Candy’s phone and immediately began speaking to me thinking that I was Candy.” She said as she delayed her next choice of words.

“And, what did she say?” he patiently asked, already knowing something was up.

“She said that she’d been sleeping with Monty while Candy was in Atlanta and thought that she should know.” Rico stood there as he listened.

“I’m sure it’s more, so let me hear it.” He insisted.

Mona sighed. “She said that Monty was no good and that she’d figure that he had already told Candy that she was pregnant. I guess, thinking that he wouldn’t have wanted her to hear it from nobody else. But, that Monty wasn’t the daddy.” She sighed. “You were.”

Rico was shocked that Mona had known about this the whole time and didn’t say anything. He poured his heart out to her when she showed up to his mama’s house and still she didn’t say a word about anything. He knew he was the one in the wrong, but somehow it felt like Mona was wrong for not telling him this sooner.

“Damn, baby… Why didn’t you tell me this before now?” He sat down beside her with his head hung low. He began to think back. “You left me, because of that didn’t you?” She was speechless. “And I kept asking you what was really wrong with you and this is what it was. You were pregnant with my baby and you chose to do damn near the same thing that Monica’s trifling ass almost did.”

Mona stood back up. “Now, wait a minute.” She said.

“No, you wait a minute.” He stopped her before she could say anything else. “You left me hanging when I was at my lowest. You weren’t there for me. I went through therapy and all and you weren’t there, but you were carrying my seed. You wouldn’t even tell me at first, because you had doubts about keeping our baby since you had spoken to Monica. Am I wrong?” This time he raised his voice as he asked her again. “Am I wrong?”

“No, you’re not wrong. Yes, I was gonna have an abortion and not tell you, but I decided to keep our baby, because I realized that I loved the idea of being a mom and I realized how much I missed you and wanted us to be together.” Mona was fidgeting as she explained herself.

“Oh yeah… Is that right?” Rico commented, shaking his head. “Wow, I must have
‘sucka’
written all over my forehead. I had one broad who was willing to put a child that’s possibly mine on another man, who’s my best friend, just for the hell of it and another one who was willing to abort my child just because she was pissed at me, but didn’t have the heart to speak up and tell me what was on her mind. How could I be so stupid? When you told me you were almost four months pregnant I didn’t even question it or ask you why you didn’t tell me when you found out. I guess I was just so happy to see you and to hear that you were carrying my baby.” He rubbed in his head. “Damn, that’s fucked up!” Mona sat back down. She began to feel awful about not being upfront.

“Did you know how bad I felt when you left me? You couldn’t have possibly known what I was going through back then. I was trying to recover from being shot, not once, but twice and I was missing the hell outta the woman I was in love with. Damn, you turned your back on me when I needed you the most.” Rico’s voice trembled a little and his eyes turned glossy red when Mona looked up in his face. She knew he was hurt by her actions, as well. “Damnit Mo! I just need some time to clear my head. You can stay here if you wanna, but I’m ‘bout to go.” He said.

“No, I don’t want you to leave your house. I’ll leave,” she sadly said and stood up. “I know I was wrong, babe. But, I’m not that conniving person you may think that I am.”
Same thing Monica just said.
He thought. “I love you and I want us to be together. I wasn’t thinking straight after that phone call. You have got to understand that.” As she reached out to touch his face, he turned his head.

“If you’re gonna go then go.” He said in the coldest tone she’d ever heard coming from him. Tears fell from her eyes as she turned and walked out. Tears fell from his eyes too once she was gone because he’d never thought that she could hurt him like that. He felt sad and lonely. He sat on the sofa and buried his face in the palm of his hands. Mona sat in her car and was tempted to go back inside the house.

Mona thought about what had just happened. One minute they were happy and the next they were at each other’s throat all because of Monica. She couldn’t believe that this bitch was already coming between them. She wiped her tears and backed out of the driveway.
Am I really just as bad as Monica?
she thought. She shook her head disagreeing.
Naw, no one is that bad and Rico will see it soon enough.
     

Chapter Twelve

Rico was awakened by a phone alert indicating that he had a text message. He rolled over and looked at the picture of Mona on his nightstand when he grabbed his phone. Seeing her beautiful face always did something to him. He could hear her laughter in his mind and he missed her being around. It had been two days since the argument and he hadn’t talked with her since. She’d been leaving him messages, but he didn’t respond. He was still upset at the thought of her playing him like she did. It was bad coming from Monica, but hurt more coming from the woman he loved. He opened his inbox and read the text.

Hey Baby, I’m praying that u’ll forgive me. I miss u. I’m inviting u ova to Candy’s house this morning. It’s her birthday & Mama’s cooking breakfast. Please come. I would love 2 c u. Sexy Red 

Rico sat up and rubbed his eyes. He stretched out his arms and eased over to the side of his bed. “I never thought that I would be feeling this way about Mona.”
Damn, I miss her more now than before.
He thought as he got out of bed. He walked into his bathroom to wash up. He looked in the mirror and rubbed through his low cut curly hair. “I know I can get any woman I want. Why in the hell do I fall for the women who like to keep secrets and shit? Damn, I gotta be more careful.” He reached behind the shower curtain and turned on the shower. “I guess I’ll shower up, get dressed, and go over there to see her. Women…” He said shaking his head.

__________

Monty woke up and looked beside him at Candy. She was still asleep after rumbling with him all night. He made sure that he gave her an ass smacking, good pussy fucking that she’d never forget for her birthday. He had plans for her that afternoon and was excited about them spending time together. He snuck out of bed and put on his clothes. He walked in the kitchen and placed a phone call to his mama.

“Hey, where y’all at?” He asked when Catherine answered her phone.

“We pulling up in the driveway now, son. Just hold your horses.” Catherine replied.

“Alright, well I’m opening the door for you.” He hung up the phone and opened up the front door. He walked out to the driveway to get MJ who was asleep in Mona’s arms. Mona handed him over with a smile on her face.

“What’s up ugly?” She asked.

“Did you look in the mirror this morning?” He asked and playfully pushed her.

“Me and Mama had so much fun with him last night. He’s such a funny lil fellow, ya know.” Mona grinned.

“Yeah, I know. He’s just like his daddy.” Monty grinned looking over at Catherine. “Mama you got that bag?” He asked.

“Yes, son, it’s just one bag.” She responded.

“Okay, well y’all follow me into the kitchen. Try to be quiet big mouth, because the birthday girl is still asleep.” He winked at Mona who rolled her eyes at him. He led the way with Mona and Catherine following close behind him. When they entered the kitchen Catherine began to remove the items out of the grocery bag.

“Mama, I’m glad you came over this morning to cook breakfast for Candy on her birthday. She’s really gonna be excited and surprised by this. Thank you.” He kissed her on the cheek.

“You’re welcome, son. I had all intentions of doing this even before you asked. I know this is her first birthday without her parent’s being around and I would love to, if I can, help fill that void as much as possible.” Catherine said.

“Well, I thank you so much. That’s the reason why I asked you to do this. I want her to feel loved and know that we’re here for her no matter what.” Monty sat MJ in his swing, kissing him softly in the head. He began to wind it up just a little so MJ would rock back and forth very slowly.