"Hey! What’s going on?" she asked. "You haven’t returned any of my calls. I can’t reach you at work and your cell’s turned off. What gives?" Suddenly, Persha’s hand went up to her chest, her eyes widened in surprise, and a smile quickly spread across her face. She saw the Zale’s bag on the seat next to Clarke and her eyes began to water.
Following her gaze to the bag in the seat next to him, Clarke quickly pushed it onto the floor.
"Oh, don’t even trip. That’s for my moms," he said.
Persha tried to mask her pain. She quickly looked away. Her heart rate returned to normal and she tried to remember what she was thinking before she saw the small bag, which no doubt contained jewelry.
She fought back tears and tried again to speak. "Ah, I was just wondering why you never call back anymore," she said, thinking about why Clarke had lied. He told her long ago that his mother died of cancer. Didn’t he remember that? She didn’t even want to entertain the idea of who that gift might have really been for.
Clarke sighed, shook his head, and shrugged his shoulders. "You don’t get it do you?" he said in an exhausted tone.
Persha shrugged. "Get what, Clarke? What? Now you don’t want to talk to me? You don’t want to have anything to do with me or something? What is it I’m supposed to be getting?"
"Look, I need to work some things through, that’s all."
"Yeah, but what happened to us? You don’t live with Kelsa anymore, so what’s up?"
"Nothing, I’m just trying to figure out a few things. That’s all."
"Yeah, but while you’re figuring things out, what about me? What about us?" She let out a breath but he didn’t say anything.
"I’m just going through a hard time right now; this mess with Kelsa. And I’m just having problems, that’s all."
"Yeah, but you said we’d be together soon and now that you’re not with her, what’s the problem?"
Clarke rubbed his bald head and sighed again. He looked forward instead of up at her.
"It’s not that easy, Persha. That’s all."
"What’s not that easy? I don’t understand. What are you talking about?"
"Shit! You ruined my marriage. Now I’m probably gonna be sued for everything I own; my house, my car, money! Everything!" He slammed his palms against the steering wheel.
Persha stepped back. "What are you saying, Clarke?"
"Damn, isn’t it clear to you? I don’t have time for this right now. I need to get myself and my shit together or Kelsa’s gonna take me to the cleaners. Is that what you want?" He finally looked up at her.
"Well, no. But I thought…"
"Yeah, I know what you thought. But what I’m telling you is, not right now. We need to cool it. She probably got somebody watching my ass this very minute."
Persha looked around the gas station parking lot. It didn’t seem like anyone was paying attention to them.
"So what do you want me to do?" she asked in defeat. "I never hear from you anymore. You never call or page. You won’t even take my calls. And your cell, the number is no longer in service. What am I supposed to do?"
Clarke sighed and eased back in his seat.
"Look, Kelsa’s really tripping hard. I had to call the cops just to get some of my clothes and stuff. You saw that officer. I have a restraining order against her," Clarke lied. "Ain’t no telling what she might try next. She’s pretty desperate. That’s why that cop was there. I couldn’t talk to you in front of him."
"Oh, well, I didn’t know what was going on."
"See, that’s what I’m trying to tell you. There’s a lot of shit you don’t even know about. You need to let me handle this and trust me."
"But Clarke, there’s something I really need to talk to you about."
"I’m sure there is, but what I’m saying is I can’t do this right now. I have some other stops I need to take. I need to hook up with my attorney and try to get this shit cleared up."
Persha suddenly got excited. She couldn’t believe her ears. "Attorney? You have an attorney?"
"Yeah, Shorty. A brotha gotta protect his interest. This is about to be an all out war and I can’t just go in unprotected. Kelsa’s really tripping, that’s what I’m tryin to tell you."
"Damn, I had no idea."
"I’m sure you didn’t. You probably thought I was sitting up chilling somewhere. But a brotha is actually gearing up for a fight. And it’s gonna get ugly too. See I was trying to avoid all of this in the beginning. She knew her days were numbered, but now I see I gotta act the fool because that’s apparently all some women understand."
"Well, how can I help? What do you need me to do? I want to help you get through this."
"I just really need you to be understanding. This is not going to be easy on a brotha and I don’t need another person tearing me down right now."
"Oh, I would never do anything like that, Clarke, you know that. I care about you too much. I just want this to be an easy transition for us. I’m willing to wait until this mess is cleared up because I know that we will eventually be together."
"Well, actually, right now I’m not sure what I want to do. I know I don’t ever want to go through this sorta mess again."
"Oh, I can just imagine. Well, I know you don’t want to sit here too long, but I wanted to tell you that I finally got a place. It’s nothing big and fancy. It’s only month to month and it’s right off the beltway."
He didn’t seem impressed with anything she was saying. Clarke actually appeared a bit restless, looking out his rearview and side mirrors.
Persha wanted his undivided attention. She’d thought about telling him right then and there that she was pregnant, but wanted the moment to be special. She didn’t think a gas station parking lot was a good place to break the news, especially after what they’d been discussing.
"Well, a brotha gotta hit the road. I’m already late for my meeting with my attorney. I can’t keep him waiting."
Persha smiled at the thought of finally getting her man all to herself. She reached for him, but he moved beyond her reach.
"What’s wrong, Clarke? I just need to touch you again. It’s been so long."
"Persha, didn’t I just tell you Kelsa probably got folks watching me? You think it’s a good idea for us to be out here acting all affectionate and shit? That’s not smart."
She pulled her hand back like a scolded child and looked around the gas station again.
"You’re probably right. But when can we see each other. I want you to check out the new place. I really need to see you. You know, in private, behind closed doors." She smirked.
Stone-faced and serious, he looked up at her and said, "It’s almost like you haven’t heard a word I said to you. That, or you just don’t care. If Kelsa ruins me, like I think she’s trying to, there’s nothing for you to have. It’s all but over between us, Persha."
Persha couldn’t help herself. She stood and struggled to fight the tears that were again threatening to escape her eyes. Her hand went up to her stomach. She couldn’t help herself.
"Over?" She gulped, shaking her head in denial. "It can’t be."
Clarke’s eyes darted between her stomach and her head. His face flinched in shock. Before she could do anything he reached for the handle and said, "watch out." She inched back with tears rolling down her cheeks.
He jumped out of the car and grabbed her by the shoulders. He looked around one last time then leaned into her, so close, she could feel his warm breath on her forehead.
"I know your ass ain’t trying to act like you pregnant or nothing like that right?" he whispered through clinched teeth.
With trembling lips, Persha’s eyes fixed on his cold stare. Unsure of what to say, she started shaking.
"Don’t give me that scared little girl shit. Answer my question, Persha! You’re not pregnant are you?" They were nearly leaning against her car.
"Uh, you’re hurting me, Clarke."
"Ma’am, is everything okay over there?" a man asked.
The strange voice came as much needed relief.
Persha looked to the right without moving her head. It was a mechanic who had asked the question.
"Ma’am, are you okay?" he repeated. "You need us to call the police?"
Clarke let go of her shoulders, stepped back, and turned to the mechanic.
"Aw, come on, man!" Clarke said. "It ain’t nothing like that. No need to call the man. Can’t a brotha have a little disagreement with his woman anymore?"
"Ma’am, are you okay?" the mechanic asked, completely ignoring Clarke’s explanation.
Free from Clarke’s grip, Persha turned to the mechanic and forced herself to smile. "Yeah, I’m fine." She shook her head up and down. "I’m okay. Thanks for asking."
After looking at her for a few minutes, the mechanic finally turned around and walked back into the garage.
Perhsa sighed. Clarke started smoothing out his clothes. Leaning against his car, he looked at her for a long time without speaking.
"I wasn’t trying to upset you," Persha explained. "I just want you to know how much I need you. After all I’ve gone through with the insurance company, you were there for me. I’m about to get the money from my 401k so I can put something down on another condo. I just want to do for you what you did for me."
He tilted his head and fold his arms across his chest. "So you got a place huh?"
"Yeah," she said, sniffling.
"Well, maybe I could come by and check it out." His eyes were closely inspecting her body. And suddenly, under his close scrutiny, she began to feel very uncomfortable.
Persha started thinking it might be best if she told him now. She didn’t need him coming around, staying at her new place and then seeing her belly swell up with no warning.
"Ah, Clarke, there’s something I do have to tell you." She swallowed hard and looked in the direction of the mechanic, but he was no longer in her view. Clarke slowly shook his head up and down, concentrating his gaze on her every move.
Persha shifted her weight from one leg to the other, she took a deep breath and slowly said, "Ah, well, um-actually I’m um… I’m pregnant, Clarke."
It was sudden. One minute she was standing, the next she was on the ground and her face was stinging. When she looked up, the mechanic and another man were running toward her as the tires on Clarke’s car screeched out of the gas station’s parking lot.
"Ma’am, are you okay?" one man screamed, hoisting her up by one elbow while the other man took her other arm.
"You want us to call the police?" the other asked.
"Oh, no, I’m fine, I really am. He’s just…I don’t know. I need to sit down. I don’t want to hurt my baby."
"Plus you pregnant? I can’t believe a brotha would go out like that! Why he flash on you like that?" the other man asked, with his gold-capped tooth shinning.
Persha shook her head. She had no idea why she was talking to these men. She couldn’t believe Clarke had done that to her. Only weeks ago he was protesting his love for her. Or was that love for her wet tight pussy? She couldn’t remember now.
Pregnant and more alone than she’d ever felt in her life, Persha walked into her small apartment and checked her answering machine. Deep down inside she was hoping to hear from Clarke. She wanted to hear a tearful apology, his pitiful voice, begging for forgiveness.
Two weeks after Persha’s very painful encounter with Clarke, she had faced the fact that she was going to be a single mother. How the hell was she going to tell her mother? The lectures, the scriptures, the times her mother had her pray to keep her legs closed until she was married. Now this?
Persha’s belly was taking shape and when she walked into the office one morning, Brenda’s eyes were on her stomach. As Persha sat behind her desk she wondered where things had gone wrong. She and Clarke should’ve been embarking on the new chapter of their lives together. Instead, she was alone; pregnant and alone. She was pregnant by a married man who slapped her in a gas station parking lot when she admitted what would soon be hard to hide or deny.
"You put on some weight?" Brenda said. Her way of getting information came as no surprise to Persha.
Persha sighed, dropped the folder she was working on, and looked toward Brenda. Before she could answer, her attention focused outside the office door.
"Oh, what are they doing here?" Persha said as she jumped up from her seat and walked to the door to let Cricket and Kori in.
They exchanged hugs and kisses.
"Heeey! What a surprise!" Persha said. "What are you two doing here? Who’s with your aunt?" she asked Cricket.
"Oh, I’ve hired another nurse to come in and help out," Cricket replied. "We’re getting closer to the end and it’s becoming too much."
"You guys remember Brenda, right?"
Kori and Cricket smiled and greeted Brenda.
Standing in the small office Kori looked at Persha. "We’ve missed you. You don’t call anybody anymore, and goodness knows we haven’t seen you. What’s the matter are our girlfriend get-togethers not good enough for you anymore or what?"
"Nah, that’s not it," Persha said, looking down at the floor.
"Well, Kori figured if you didn’t want to come to us, we’d come to you," Cricket said. "You want to go grab an early bite?"
"Not really. My appetite has all but disappeared every since-," Persha said before stopping herself.
"What’s going on, Persha?" Cricket asked, noticing the intense look in her eyes as if she had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar.
As if someone released the floodgates, Persha started crying. And once the tears started rolling, it was nearly impossible to stop them.
Persha fell into Cricket’s arms, and Brenda quickly produced a wad of tissue, as if breaking down and crying was a normal act around the office.
"It’s gonna be okay, baby," Cricket said. "It’s gonna be just fine." She patted Persha’s back a few times.
Kori fell to a nearby chair anticipating some kind of bad news because she knew these were not tears of joy.
"I’m pregnant, and Clarke wants nothing to do with me or the baby. I haven’t seen him in nearly a month, ever since I told him about the baby," Persha confessed.
"That bastard!" Cricket spat. "He’s a no-good snake."
"Oh, baby, I knew it!" Brenda cheered. "Chile, women done raised kids alone for hundreds of years. Don’t waste your tears on him. If he don’t want no parts of you or your child let him be!"