Page 16 of Heavy Lifting
Less than an hour later, I sat on the edge of the hospital bed wearing the paper-thin robe with my ass out as I stared at the wall. Part of me wanted the doctor to tell me I was pregnant. The other part of me wanted her to tell me I wasn’t. Part of me wanted to wake up and realize none of this had happened and it was all a bad dream. I thought back to the waiting room that I had been sitting in for twenty minutes that smelled like coffee and hand sanitizer. Pregnant women sat in tiny colorful chairs beside their husbands; boyfriends sat next to their girlfriends and looked at them lovingly. They held purses, rubbed backs while the women filled out paperwork, and were there to offer emotional support.
Then there was me, alone.
Cozart offered to pay for the procedure to be done as I couldn’t afford the four or five hundred it cost to end a life. His presence would have meant more than him offering to throw pennies at me. I couldn’t have his presence because he was married. He wore that title like a badge of honor but conveniently forgot when it was time to fuck me.
After my name was called, my blood pressure was taken, height and weight recorded, piss test, and blood was drawn I was escorted into this room and told to strip. I was sure that after the doctor found out I was pregnant she would want to do a pelvic exam. After sitting in the cold room for ten to fifteen minutes, the doctor walked in holding a tablet.
“Hi Ms. McDaniel, how are you?” The doctor asked me sweetly. I smiled as she sat down on her stool.
“I’m doing great. I took a pregnancy test, and it was positive and I haven’t seen my period. I have had a few symptoms a little nausea and some breast tenderness,” I shrugged.
“Well, you can’t trust those drug store pregnancy tests that’s for sure because you aren’t pregnant. I tested your urine sample and your blood, and everything was negative,” she told me as my chest tightened.
I blinked rapidly unsure if I was hearing her correctly, “Are you sure?” I asked the doctor in disbelief.
“You’re not pregnant Ms. McDaniel. That take home test was likely a false positive. It happens sometimes. Your hormone levels are completely normal.”
Cozart was right, I wasn’t pregnant. The relief came instantly and I took a deep breath. The doctor laughed, as I smiled triumphantly.
“I take it that was the result you were hoping for?” she asked.
I nodded my head quickly as I thanked GOD that I wasn’t carrying a bastard child and I wasn’t tied to Co forever. I wasn’t about to become somebody’s hidden secret or have to be a murderer and kill the child of the man I loved. As soon as the thought crossed my mind, anger followed. Co had shown me how shitty he would have treated me if I was really pregnant. The doctor continued talking about reasons my period could be late.
Stress. Hormones. Seasonal allergies. New Medication.
I had barely heard what she was saying because my mind was so transfixed on how terrible Co had been to me. By the time I got back to my car, my phone buzzed. I didn’t have to look at the name to know who it was.
FN DEAD BEAT:You go to the doctor yet?
Cozart Walker didn’t need to know that he was right. I had spent a year giving him access to my body, and he treated me like I was average the minute he thought our fun had realconsequences. He deserved to sweat for a while. I needed some time to figure out how I was going to make him pay for treating me like shit. I looked down at my perfectly flat stomach.
Me:No.
FN DEAD BEAT:When you going?
Me:I’ll let you know.
FN DEAD BEAT:You need to handle this.
I laughed humorously under my breath. “What’s wrong Co, want to make sure all your loose ends are tied up before you pursue your crush or you scared wifey will find out about your side baby?” I asked aloud.
I wasn’t pregnant but Cozart didn’t need to know that. For the first time in our entire relationship, I had something he wanted besides pussy. I had his peace of mind, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to give it back so soon.
Chapter Six
Brichelle “Brick” Walker
The universe had a sick sense of humor. After years of protecting my brother from his own stupidity karma decided that she was a bigger bitch than me and she was sick of his shit. Today karma stormed through the gym wearing green scrubs that showed off her fine body, high ponytail, and short French tips. The minute I laid eyes on Kaliyah Walker I knew that shit was about to get real.
My brother definitely had a type. He loved him a thick woman with a big booty. He and Kaliyah had been together for years and they were madly in love until my brother started doing dumb shit. I loved her for him, and I wished that she had gotten a chance to meet my mom, because I knew my mom would have loved her. Kaliyah stormed into Brick & Co at ten thirty on a Tuesday morning looking like she hadn’t slept in days.
The front door flew open so hard it was as if a storm had blown through. I was talking to one of the contractors about the juice bar when I spotted her and I walked away to try to reach her quickly to do damage control, but I wasn’t quick enough. That was all the warning I got.
Kaliyah walked straight toward the front desk. “Where is he?” she asked Shelly. Every head in the gym turned because people were nosey as hell and loved mess. Treadmills sloweddown, weights stopped clanking, and Trallis looked up from her computer.
“Kaliyah-” I called out from across the room as I walked briskly towards her.
“Don’t Kaliyah me. YOU GET HIM OUT OF EVERYTHING BUT HE AIN’T GETTING OUT OF THIS BRICK!” she yelled as she held up her phone in the air. Her eyes were red like she had been crying, she looked disoriented and exhausted.
