THE DOCTOR WROTE SOME NOTES down for the upcoming months on Inola's regime, then gave it to her. The doctor specialized in American Sign Language, so Inola always went to her. She was really friendly and was amazing through the pregnancy so far.
Okay honey, you're doing okay. Keep taking your pills, no stress, no drinking, or smoking. You know how this goes, you have two other kids already.
Yup, Inola nodded.
Okay, you can get dressed and leave after.
Inola waited for the woman to leave the room and then put her clothes back on. Once dressed she grabbed her purse and left. She walked down the block to get to the bus stop.
They had a car but Omari was using it because he was at work. He got off in half an hour, but that would take longer to wait on him when she could just catch the bus. So she continued down the block.
She had her phone out to check for the bus schedule when it buzzed in her hand. A text message popped up at the top. There was an unknown number, but it had a picture of a ring sitting on a marble top table. It was her engagement ring, she recognized it.
Unknown: This is French, I think this is your ring. You left it at my house.
Inola stopped walking and a bicycle swerved out from behind her. The man looked back, angry that he almost crashed into her. Still peddling, he flipped her off and kept going. Even though he was suppose to be riding on the street and not the sidewalk. Inola gave him the finger as well and went into a corner to stare at the number.
She wasn't sure if this really was French. It's been four months and he'd been missing in action. Now he was calling from some odd number. Why didn't he use his own phone? She was a little skeptical that this could be a setup. She chose to FaceTime the number so she could see the face.
The phone rang all of twice before the call was answered. When Inola saw his face she was shocked, it was him. He looked clean and neat, but his eyes seemed so tired. He looked like life had worn him out.
You left your ring at my house. He signed at her. No hi, no how are you. He was straight to the point.
Inola didn't know how to feel, they hadn't necessarily left on the best terms. So she could understand he was giving her back what she walked away from him with. She didn't know what to say, it was so weird. Honestly she hadn't even thought about it being at French's place. She couldn't remember when she lost it. She just remembered when she couldn't locate it, she was already in Omari's parents place. So she assumed she must've lost it in Omari's parents house.
Oh...thank you. She signed back, not being able to sign properly since she had to hold the phone with one hand.
You can come get it right now. He signed to her.
She honestly didn't want to, she didn't want to be there when French was there. Just to avoid the awkwardness of it all. She wanted to ask him to mail it to her instead.
I'm not at my house right now, I'll be home later. But I left your ring upstairs in the guest room you use to sleep in. It's right on the bed. When you're done you can lock my door and put the key back under the mat. He instructed.
As Inola looked behind him, it did seem like he wasn't at home. She could see the sun glaring in the background which kind of made him seem darker in the video. He was walking as well because the video was shaking. Inola figured that was the best move to make. It would take a while to get over to French's side, but not more than an hour. She knew she could be in and out.
Okay. She signed.
Abruptly, French hung up. Inola was taken aback, but there was nothing she could do. Fortunately for her, as soon as she walked up to the bus stop it rounded the corner, saving her some time. She got on and began the route to French's house.
When she got to the stop closest to French's house, she got off the bus and took a taxi the rest of the way. Following instructions, Inola found the spare key under the mat and unlocked the door. There was a flood of emotion in her, she crept in slowly, smiling as she looked around. The place looked so much bigger. Maybe now that they had left it seemed so much more spacious.
Inola pushed the door in and continued on her way up the stairs. She walked down the hall and to the old guest room and opened the door. Everything was neat and clean and the bed was made up nicely. She peered to search for the silver band since the spread on the bed was fluffy white. Just like he said it was sitting in the middle of the bed.
Inola put the ring on her finger and smiled. Turning, she walked out the room and pulled the door in behind her. She headed back for the staircase and paused. She looked down at the hall at the master bedroom and bit her bottom lip. She knew she should leave, but just a quick look around wouldn't hurt. She was leaving in one minute.
Entering French's bedroom, the large open space greeted her. A made up bed, not a spec of dust on the ground and quiet and desolate. She wondered how he could live in a house so big by himself.
Inola felt her phone buzz in her hand and jumped. She looked down to see text messages from Enrique.
Enrique: Ma, are you close?
He had a friend who he played video games with all the time, but he wasn't allowed out of the house unless her or Omari was home.
Inola: Yeah baby, I just went to French's house to pick up my ring. We left it here, lol. I'm on my way back right now.
Inola told her son because she didn't have anything to hide. What her and French had was long over and she had moved on with her life. Putting her phone away Inola walked over to the dresser, and picked up one of the lotions she saw. He had a lot of family sized Jergen lotion. He didn't like to be outside much, so when he bought things he bought them in bulk.
Inola went into the closet and pulled out a cotton shirt. She closed her eyes and smelled it, rubbing it against her face. French would always hold a special place in her heart. He had issues and he needed to work on himself, but they weren't meant for each other.
Inola then laid back on the bed and closed her eyes, remembering their night here. She got up and went back over to the draw, taking a small travel size bottle of lotion. She stuffed it in her purse, then continued to explore, running her fingers across things.
Inola moved about the room, touching and exploring things. Startled, she jumped when a hand touched her. She spun around and was met with French. Her eyes were bugged out of her head. She looked him up and down and her heart started to thump out of control. She felt like he could hear it.
That FaceTime video couldn't do him justice in person. His hair was freshly cut, the cologne on his skin enticing her. He didn't look that much different, just his eyes told a story of sadness. His energy seemed much lower, not as aggressive as they use to seem.
So many memories of the two of them passed through her in that moment. Trying to show him how good her life has been, Inola straightened her shoulders and held her head high. She knew she wasn't the most innocent either, but any sympathy she felt was loss when she found out he had been secretly watching and recording her.
What are you doing here? I thought you said you wouldn't be here right now. You got here pretty fast. Inola knew she sounded silly, it was his house and he could come when he wanted. But she felt like he had purposefully rushed from wherever he was to catch her before she left. She just got here.
I told you I'll be home later. I didn't say when later was. Our phone call was since 2:20, it's now 3:05. You were suppose to be in and out. But I see you snooping around my room. The room that doesn't hold your ring because I told you where it was. The ring you already put on your finger again. So why are you still here?
Inola just stared at him, she didn't have anything to say. He was right and she was wrong. Honestly she didn't know she was here so long. She just got carried away and the time slipped by her. French saw that he embarrassed her and that was the last of his intentions.
So how have you been?
Great.
How are the boys?
The one you put a gun to or the one that you told next time you'll let him drown in your backyard pool?
French clenched his jaws, he wasn't proud of his actions. He was in a dark space back then. His life had been going on a downward spiral and all these new people entering had triggered his anger and insecurities.
I'm sorry.
I bet.
French didn't expect to run into her. In reality it was only triggering his severe depression. It was only because of her, he hadn't killed himself yet. When she walked out of his life he went to a dark place. It was the thought of her one day returning to him, that kept him hanging by a string. But now seeing her here, knowing she was going to walk back out the door to another man. He didn't think after this he could stay on earth another day.
I've been miserable. French admitted, his eyes were starting to sting and irritate him. He didn't say why, but when they made eye contact they both knew. He wasn't trying to guilt trip her, he just wanted her to know.
I haven't, I've been quiet happy. Inola smiled.
No matter how many jabs she took at him, he would never disrespect her. He loved her too much to treat her anything less than. French cleared his throat and slowly nodded his head. He was blinking rapidly now, breathing in and out. He only wanted her gone because he couldn't stand to face her.
In fact I'm leaving right now to go back home to my children and fiancé. Who by the way makes me very happy and who I'm very in love with. He's the only man I love and have ever loved.
French's throat closed up faster than quicksand. His eyes looked deeper into her's with each word she spoke. Inola was surprised to see how red they had become. They glistened with tears and immediately she felt like a piece of shit. French slowly nodded his head, it was all he could keep doing.
A tear slid down his right eye, followed by another before his other eye started to produce the same. "Okay..." He whispered, that being the only thing he could say.
He turned from her and slowly walked away, sitting on his bed. He stared at the wall, chewing the inside of his cheek as he tried to stop himself from crying. It felt like someone had poisoned him and he was dying slowly. Her words crushed his heart to the core and he now knew he had nothing left to live for.
He placed his hands over his face and cried. French honestly thought she was gone. So he sat on the bed and let out all his emotions. Inola was shocked as she watched him. Her own eyes started to well with tears. She just broke this man. Uki left him and now so did Inola.
Everybody hated him and he ruined everything.
His heart was hurting so bad he gripped his chest, feeling like his heart split in two. Why did this have to be happening to him? It was torture. Inola watched with her two hands over her mouth, tears running down her own cheeks. French reached in his drawer and pulled out a Glock with a grip handle on it.
Frozen in fear, Inola watched. His hand trembled as he checked the chamber for bullets. There were two out of the five rounds. He positioned the chamber back into place and put the gun under his chin. The metal was cool, rattling as it shook in his hand. His whole life was flashing before his eyes. All the good and bad stuff he's ever done.
Anxiety was filling Inola's whole body. She felt shortness of breath and dizziness. She wanted to call out to him but her voice was stuck.
Do it, do it, do it. He told himself. He wanted to so bad. He wasn't scared, he was a killer that took the lives of many others. Taking his own life would be easy for him. He just had a phobia of shooting himself and not dying. He didn't want to be in a coma and be mistaken for being dead and get put in a box six feet underground.
Inola slowly walked toward him. Maybe because of fear or she didn't want to be loud and startle him and make the gun go off. She saw French's jaws clench hard and he stiffened up, putting his index finger over the trigger.
She lunged for the gun, pushing it out his hand. He looked at her but no form of shock was on his face. He was too broken to care about anything right now.
"Wa you doing?" She cried, trembling. "No do that."
"I just wanna die!" He admitted, crying hysterically.
Inola dropped to her knees and hugged him, the two of them crying on each other. Maybe she had been too harsh on him. It would be devastating had she walked out and not noticed the gun in his hand. Her last words would've been of her patronizing him before he took his life.
She held him tightly, wanting him to know without words he was worthy and he was somebody. She wanted him to know he had a right to live.
"Fench peas dough kill you cell, I wub you. There other people that wub you. God will angry with you." Inola cried.
I don't feel like living anymore. I can't do this shit. Uki is dead, you hate me, I don't talk to my mom. I've ruined so many other lives...I just don't see a purpose for me anymore. I'm just here taking up space. He signed. He really felt that he was too, what was he going to do? Be a hitman for the rest of his life? He had nothing.
You're not taking up space, you just need some help. You're not a bad man French, you've just done some bad things. Inola smiled, wiping his face. She felt so bad for him, he was a mess and maybe therapy would get him on the right track. You are a beautiful person deep down inside.
Another tear slid down his face making Inola wipe it away. It honestly felt good to hear. He knew he didn't have too many fans. He felt so alone. Her ring brushed against his face and it made him turn away from him. Inola turned his head back, making him look at her. He wanted her to say she loved him, just one more time. He just wanted to feel like someone cared about him.
Please do not do this, it will devastate me. Let me take your gun. She signed to him. She knew it made no sense, he had dozens of guns placed throughout his house. If he wanted to kill himself with another gun he would.
French ignored her and took her hands off his face. He clenched his jaws, running his thumb across her engagement ring. Inola tensed, staring at his face. There was no animosity or no sadness. He just looked defeated. Like there was nothing left to have emotion or feeling over. He twirled her ring around on her finger.
How happy are you? On a scale of one to ten.
Inola frowned. French why are you doing this? You'll just make yourself more sad.
It's okay, I want to know. Knowing you're happy makes me happy, I can feel something in me knowing you're happy wherever you are. Maybe it's a good thing it's not with me. I don't think anybody could be happy with me. I'm just naturally a loser I guess.
Inola's lips trembled, Don't say that! You're not a loser, don't talk about yourself like that.
French didn't say anything else, he just looked back down at her hands. He began playing with her ring again, but he knew she had to go. She had a life to live and he was glad he just got to see her one last time.
His eyes slipped between the opening of her fingers and caught sight of something poking out against her dress. His eyes narrowed a bit and he could see it was her stomach. It was round and big enough to be noticeable. He's seen skinny people with belly fat before, but Inola was very skinny. There was no way her stomach could be that big and be normal. It would have to be some type of health condition. So it could only be one other thing, he stopped moving his hands and looked at her.
You're pregnant? He questioned in sign language.
She got up but French got up too. He caught her arm before she could walk off and turned her back to him. He looked down and in fact saw her belly, round and growing. How had he not noticed that the minute he laid eyes on her? He was so far gone in his own head he didn't even realize. She wasn't that big yet, but it wasn't small either.
You're pregnant and you never called or texted me? Why would you do that? How many months are you? French asked.
This is exactly why Inola had been avoiding coming over here. She didn't want French to see she was pregnant. The drama this would spark was unfathomable.
"Hey, look at me." He whispered, speaking slowly so she could read his lips. He brushed his thumb across her cheek. "How many months are you?"
Inola was able to read his lips and put up four fingers.
"Is it my baby?"
She looked away and shrugged.
French turned her back toward him, So you were never going to call me and tell me about it? What if this is my baby, Inola? Is that fair to keep that from me?
I'm with Mari. I'm going to get married to him. So as my husband this would be our baby.
Being married to him doesn't mean it's his baby. It could be mine and not telling me about it because you're worried about your marriage is fucked up. You messed up when you laid down in my bed. I didn't force you to Inola. If it's mine I want to be there.
Inola was starting to think this man was crazy. He just wanted to kill himself four minutes ago and now he was back to normal when he found out she was pregnant.
French ignored her glaring at him. It wasn't intimidating at all, she had cute lips so it made her look sexy.
This is ninety five percent Omari's child. We had sex only once, I've been having sex with Omari constantly around that time.
Well that one time we had sex it was with no condom and I can't count the number of times I came in you. You stayed at my house for two months after that so I know you didn't use a plan b. It could've been that night you got pregnant. It only takes once.
Inola nodded and started looking around the floor like she lost something.
I'm not trying to ruin your life Inola. I just told you you being happy makes me happy. So if it's my child I'll leave you alone. I promise, because you do deserve to move on with your life. Go back home and in the next five months I'll be there to take a DNA test. I won't disturb you until then.
He cupped her face and kissed her forehead. He pulled away and the face she was giving him made his heart flutter. He bent down and kissed her cheek, then her nose. He pulled away and looked into her eyes. Inola felt her heart going crazy. She closed eyes and subconsciously stood on her tiptoes to meet his lips with her own.
******
Omari felt his phone buzzing in his pocket. With one hand on the steering wheel, he felt around his pocket for it. He quickly glanced down at the screen and saw Enrique's name. He put the phone to his ear while he drove, looking out for cops.
"Whassup, everything good?"
"Yeah, I'm just waiting for one of you guys to come home already so I can go play with my friend next door."
Omari was on his way home from work. Inola was home as well but only went to the doctor for a checkup. He was puzzled she wasn't back by now.
"Your mom's not home yet?"
"She said she was on her way but then she went to that guy's house. The French guy's place to get her ring. She said he found it and it's over there."
"Oh wow it was over there?" Omari said. It made sense though because they had pulled apart his parent's house looking for it and it was nowhere to be found.
"Yeah."
"Alright you gonna have to wait a little longer. I'm gonna go get your mom because she doesn't have a car. She took buses and trains to get there so I don't want her doing that on the way back. Give us half an hour, start getting dressed and stuff."
Enrique sighed in disappointment. "Okay."
They both hung up and Omari drove down to French's place. He remembered the way there. In the fancy area of Los Angeles. He drove with no music, just speeding to get there. He just came from work and was tired. He wanted to go to sleep as soon as he got through the door.
It took a little over twenty five minutes for Omari to pull up. He turned in the yard and crept up the marble driveway. He parked his car and got out to walk toward the door. His eyes landed on the Range Rover and it sent goosebumps up his spine. He knew he knew this damn car from somewhere and he was going to figure it out one day.
However he turned away from it not wanting to send himself crazy trying to remember. Just as Omari was about to knock on the door, he noticed it was open. Puzzled, he slowly pushed the door open and walked inside. The place was silent and he wondered if the person was nearby and knew they didn't close the door.
"Inola?" He called, softly. He didn't want to be too loud, he could be walking into the middle of a robbery. He pulled out his phone to call her because he didn't want to walk through the house. Inola always had her phone on vibrate so she could feel it. Just as he went to dial her number he heard a sound.
He froze and looked up at the staircase. He stood there for a moment when he heard it again. The sound was muffled and he couldn't really hear, but it was a person. He wanted to call her name again, but something in him was telling him to walk toward the stairs.
He started to move his feet slowly and walk up the stairs one at a time. Omari halted and felt his mouth go dry when he heard the sound again. He was now in the middle of the staircase, halfway up to the top. So he could hear more clearly now. It was the sound of a woman moaning.
It's not her, He told himself. It obviously would not be his fiancé. She probably left a while ago. Yet, he found himself still moving toward the sound.
Omari felt his heart hammering when he began to hear additional noises. The bed was creaking and he heard panting. He stopped when he saw the bedroom opened a bit. It was open enough for him to see inside but he would have to walk closer.
Before he could make that decision, the sound the woman made, made his bones freeze. It was a very particular sound. The sound a deaf person made because they weren't aware of tone. Sounds Inola made.
Omari wanted to turn and walk out but it was like his legs were forcing him. It's not her, it's not her, it's not her. He kept telling himself. He approached the door and held his breath as he looked inside the room.
Omari stood there watching his fiancé's ass clasping against another man. She was on all fours, French's pelvis smacking into her backside as she cried out. Her hands were gripping the sheets tightly, beads of sweat rolling down her back. He could hear the wetness of her pussy; French's dick covered in her cream. His woman's cream.
He watched her hand reaching back to push him away. She did that when it was too deep. Omari felt his throat going dry. French pushed her hand away and smacked her ass, continuing to deep stroke her. Omari felt his eyes brimming with tears when Inola began to shake on him. She barely finished cumming before they had switched positions and now she was on top.
French's dick was standing straight up at attention. Omari could tell he had a bigger dick then French, but it seemed like French fucked her better than he did. He could tell because only two minutes into riding Inola broke out into another orgasm. It usually took her five minutes to get one when she rode him.
She began riding him again, moaning. She was going up and coming down all the way to the balls. No condom. A tear slid from Omari's eyes as he watched French reach up and begin choking her while she rode him. He felt heartbreak in that moment. Not anger. He was ready to spend the rest of his life with this woman. He asked her to marry him before he almost lost his life.
He turned and walked off when he heard her coming up on her third orgasm. Omari felt like he could barely breathe as he walked down the stairs. He stumbled out the front door, leaving it open as he doubled over and began dry heaving. He was so sick as he climbed into his car. He backed out of the driveway, his eyes clouding with tears.
His eyes met the license plate of the Range Rover, again. His mind was so clouded however it was the last thing on his mind. Omari pulled off, driving back home.