I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man

5

"Wait...you said she died?" Teresa asked me. Amiyah, and I were in Teresa's bedroom with her and we're talking. "Yeah and...fuck, I don't know why I went out in that cold." "You went out looking for Prince." I sighed. "Yeah...then he just showed up. It's been a crazy morning." I said. Amiyah was milk drunk from her feeding and laying in my arms half asleep. "I wonder why he's leaving. Did he tell you?" Teresa questioned. I shook my head. "Never got a chance. He did have a suitcase in the back. A couple of them actually." Teresa smirked. "So let me get this straight...you two had sex, then you woke up and decided it was over?" "No, Teresa. Well...kind of. I just...I thought I was pregnant with Eric's baby." Her eyes got wide. "Jesus. And you were going to leave Prince for that?"

Teresa stood up to go to her closet and I sighed. "I didn't know what to do. I didn't want him to think I was forcing him into being their dad. He knows about what Eric did to us." Teresa shook her head and pulled out a bunch of clothes. "I'm thinking of taking these to the homeless shelter downtown. Unless you want any." I shook my head and heard a soft knock at the door. Prince was standing there half asleep and smiling a little. "Well good morning sleepy head." I said to him. He smiled and I stood to walk over to him. "Are you hungry?" I asked. He shook his head. "Not yet. Teresa can I use your phone in the kitchen?" He asked her. "Yeah, you know you don't have to-" "Thank you." Prince left and I frowned. He was probably going to try and get another flight out of here.

I turned to Teresa. "Can you watch her?" I asked Teresa. "Yeah, I got her don't worry." She said as I handed Amiyah to her. I walked into the kitchen hearing Prince on the phone. He was leaning against the wall listening to the person he was talking to. "Look, I need to get to Los Angeles by tomorrow and I don't have time for layovers. I don't care how long the flight is, I have to be there." He seemed worried and stressed and I could almost see his heart beating against his rib cage. Prince rolled his eyes. "I already gave you my credit card information. My flight was delayed due to weather not because I cancelled it." I walked closer to him putting my hand on his chest and his hand rested on top of mine. "Prince Rogers Nelson....yes, that's my real name." I leaned in to kiss the side of his neck to calm him down and he seemed to relax. "Please. By three in the afternoon Los Angeles time.....thank you." He turned around to hang up the phone and sighed. "I think I got a flight for nine in the morning tomorrow. I might be able to make it." I slipped my arms around him. "Why don't we go take a shower?" I asked him. "No...I'm okay." He said. My heart sank, but I couldn't be disappointed with his answer. "Okay. After my shower I'm making you lunch...I hope you know that. You deserve it." "Thanks. Sounds good." He said monotoned as he went to sit in the living room.

I was confused. He was fondly stroking my hair and even kissed my cheek and now it was like he was talking to a stranger. Me...a stranger. I sighed and walked to the bathroom where I saw the pregnancy test on the bedside table. He must've seen it while he was back here asleep or he didn't even realize what it was. I took a long hot shower to relieve myself of the stress, to warm up, and to try my damndest to relax and get some me time before Amiyah woke up. Suddenly, I heard the door open and I heard heels against the tile floor. "Teresa, I'm-" "It's not Teresa." I heard Prince's voice and my heart jumped. "Please don't pee while I'm-" He opened the curtain and slipped inside in front of me completely naked. He even had his own rag to wash himself with.

"I checked on Amiyah before I came back here." He said. "Thank you." I said. Prince kept washing himself and I watched his chest get soapy. "You know...she loves that bear you gave her?" Prince stopped washing. "What? Oh, Amiyah. That's sweet." He said. I turned towards him right as he was rinsing off and I slipped my arms around his torso to lightly kiss on the side of his neck. "I'm sorry." I said against his shoulder. He turned around in my arms. "Don't be." The back of his hair was getting wet now. "You saved my daughter's life." Prince just seemed like he didn't just do the most heroic thing. "It's okay. I'm glad she's okay." He said.