"Are you serious or is this all just a joke? Please tell me, Tamia Bloomfield, that you are joking?!" She yelped in utmost shock.
"No mommy I'm serious, that weekend when you and dad went away for your anniversary I booked a cruise... I did some crazy things, some I can't remember 'cause...-" Stopping mid-sentence Tamia eyed Lorraine skeptically.
"Yes? Because what?"
"I don't know I think I was too intoxicated to remember everything!" Tamia stated dreading her mother's response.
"Oh my god, I can't believe what I'm hearing, this can't be coming from the daughter I raised to be a decent young lady!" She yelped, shaking her head vigorously in disbelief.
She began pacing back and forth around the room while mumbling a few words to herself. Tamia felt a slight feeling of nervousness escaping from within. She dreaded the thought of what her mother might be pondering about.
Being in a situation like this was very much avoidable, Tamia knew she had no reason to do any of the things she did. Her remorseful demeanor was all she could count on, but sadly, that wasn't enough.
As she observed her mother's troubled expression, she felt as if her brain was in overdrive. Her mind flashed to her boyfriend Jariel.
She missed his scent, the way he always smelt of baby powder and roses. It was rather enthralling to Tamia because, in her view, he was rare and delicate instead of rough and manly. She remembered the first time she saw his face, which to her, wasn't that intriguing, but as soon as she heard the sweet words which escaped from his lips she became instantly weak. It was as if his words were the melody of her favorite song, a song she couldn't get enough of. He was heaven sent.
He knew exactly where to touch her, and what her reaction would be. She remembered the first time they made love, how patient and passionate he was. The reflection caused Tamia to absentmindedly lick her lips.
"How often do you do these things?" Lorraine voiced.
"Huh? Do what?" She asked absentmindedly.
"How long have you been wasting our money going on cruises when we aren't around?" She shouted angrily.
"Only a few times, like the times you went away for vacation."
"So," she continued. "The last time we went on our vacation and came back to find fifty thousand dollars unaccounted for on our credit card bill, it was you who spend it right?"
Tamia wished she could say no, but she was afraid of what the consequences might be if she lied yet again. So instead, she gave a slight nod.
"I knew it was you and even though I asked you — on numerous occasions you continued to deny it, telling me that it had to be a mistake on the path of the bank. I am so disappointed in you! You know what, you need to get the hell out of my house and find some place else to live. I can't afford to continue cleaning up your very expensive messes coupled with a child. When you learn how to be decent and responsible you are welcomed to return, but right now you're not welcomed here!!" She yelled then stormed out of my room.
Tamia was dumbfounded. Various unanswered questions began floating around in her mind. The harshness of her mother's tone could not be overlooked. Though the fact that she was upset didn't come as no surprise to, to say she was shocked at Lorraine's behavior would an understatement.
The questions of her promiscuity began meddling with her mind. What if she hasn't met Tyson — Jariel's best friend, would she still be pregnant today?
Tamia knew that in all fairness she couldn't pin all the blame on Tyson, but she couldn't help but wonder. This could be attributed to the fact that Tamia was rather faithful and in love with her boyfriend until she met Tyson.
Tyson was quite the charmer and even though he was Jariel's best friend, that didn't stop him from making various advances towards her. Though she tried her utmost best to ignore his inappropriate glares and sexual innuendos, Tamia was strangely drawn to him.
There was something rather fascinating about him, maybe it was his eyes, but she knew he was off limits. She couldn't afford to jeopardize the love and trust she had built with Jariel.
What if that day when he offered her a ride home she had refused, would she still be in this mess?
That evening when she entered Tyson's house, she knew she had crossed the line, but in all honesty, Tamia had no ulterior motives. All she wanted was to continue her journey home, but that hope was short-lived as soon as she saw him seated on his sofa, in tears over his unexpected breakup with his girlfriend. Tyson had stopped by his house to grab a sweater, leaving her in the car but after ten minutes she knew something was wrong so she decided to venture inside.
In an attempt to comfort him she decided to give him a hug, just then the rain began to pour. Needless to say, they made much use of the cold, trying effortlessly to keep each other warm.
What if she hadn't explained the entire fiasco to Jariel? Would they have maintained their happy relationship instead of what it became, a ship lacking intimacy and togetherness? But how could she have hidden such intimate details from the guy she claimed she loved?
She knew that it was the love, or lack thereof which led to her promiscuity, but if she was to blame anyone she knew that, that person had to be the girl in the mirror.
With force and anger, Tamia slammed the door and leaped into bed. These days crying hysterically seem to have become her best mate.
She cried for a variety of reasons, but most of all she felt terrible for the pain that she inflicted on everyone around her who cared for her. More specifically, Jariel who —ever since she found out she's pregnant, she has been avoiding. Even though he tried on numerous occasions to contact her she continued to avoid him.
She was overcome with regret for keeping her pregnancy from him, but she thought it was for the best, due to the fact that she had no idea who the father of her child really was. Which could be anyone from those guys she slept with on the cruise to Tyson or Jariel. The risk was too great so Tamia knew she had to keep it a secret.
She vividly recalled the weekend she went on the cruise. She was wined and dined by a variety of wealthy young males, all in their twenties. She felt like a queen in my own little kingdom.
Her fantasies were fulfilled, but that's all it was — a mere fantasy.
After the excitement subsided she was left with regrets and over fifty thousand dollars in credit card debts, which she resorted to lying to her parents about.
Opening her eyes she found herself in bed, but the surroundings were very unfamiliar. There was the deafening sound of some kind of machine beeping, there were five persons standing with their backs turned towards her. Three were dressed in full blue uniforms and two were dressed in white. Confusion ripped her expression as she struggled, in an attempt to catch a glimpse at their faces, but her vision suddenly became a blur.
Quickly closing her eyes, she decided to rest them for a few minutes in an attempt to regain a clearer vision.
Suddenly, she felt as if someone was standing directly above her, frantically opening her eyes she tried to examine the person.
Standing over her was a beautiful Caucasian woman whose badge read 'Nurse Victoria Reveria.'
"Where am I?" She asked but instead of answering, nurse Victoria totally ignored her. Stepping away from her bedside she joined the others— who assumably appeared to be doctors, that were speaking in a language Tamia did not understand.
"Excuse me why are you ignoring me?" She asked, but still they continued to ignore her.
Suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her stomach which caused me to squeal, as soon as her hand came in contact with it. With urgency she removed the bed sheet that was used to cover her body, carefully she began inspecting herself.
To her surprise, she had a huge — almost opened, poorly stitched wound across her stomach. It resembled that of a Cesarean Section. She was horrified. Her mind quickly flashed to her baby —who from the looks of things, must have already been delivered.
Nervously scanning the room, she looked for any signs of her baby, but all she saw was empty incubators.
"Where is my baby?" She shouted in terror. She tried to sit up in the bed, but it was almost impossible due to the much pain.
This time nurse Victoria faced her. With a deceiving smile, she stepped towards her bedside bearing a syringe.
"What are you going to do with that?" She asked, but still no response.
The other four persons— three doctors and a nurse, that were standing in the room rushed over to her bedside and grabbed a hold of her hands and feet.
"Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!" Cried Tamia as nurse Victoria tried to inject the needle into her neck while the others held her against the bed.
"Help!!!!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, but still they wouldn't let her go...
******
"Tamia are you ok, you were screaming?" The sound of a familiar voice belonging to a concerned male interrupted.
"They took away my baby, you need to stop them, please!" She cried in pain, with her eyes still closed.
"What baby are you talking about honey? You don't have any baby!" replied the voice - that she later found out belonged to her dad, Carlos— who was in absolute confusion.
With that she immediately opened her eyes, with heart pounding, she was forced to face reality. Staring blankly into the dark eyes of her father she was flushed, dumbfounded. Sadly, this wasn't one of the times she could think of an alibi on the spot due to the fact that her brain went suddenly obsolete.
"I'm sorry Daddy!" She cried causing him to be even more confused than he was before...
*********