Reina
I looked over my outfit one more time in the mirror then I placed my hands on my stomach; I couldn't believe I was having another baby. I'm 23, going to have 2 kids, no man, no current job; everything was looking terrific, note my blunt sarcasm.
My phone buzzed so I ran over to my end table and picked it up before even looking at the caller ID. "Hello?"
"Happy birthday beautiful." I smiled, I missed his voice so much.
"Rafael, oh my God, I miss you so much!"
"Oh forreal? That's why you haven't been answering my calls?" He joked.
"I know, I'm sorry, I've been caught up with a lot of shit.".
"It's iight, at least I'm hearing your voice now. How's everything though? How's babygirl?"
"Good. Everything's fine, we're all good. Gabby misses you a lot, I do too."
"I miss y'all too. But there's only like three more months left so that's good."
"I know..." I sighed, I might as well get this shit over with. "I have to tell you something."
"Wassuh?"
"I'm kind of scared to tell you... I don't know how you'll react."
"Just tell me ma."
"Fine." I took a deep breath then let it go, "I'm pregnant."
"You're what?"
"Pregnant. One to two months pregnant."
"Are you forreal?"
"Yes Rafael, I'm not kidding." I was starting to get worried.
"This ain't just some trick so I'd have to come back right?"
"No, I'm serious. I have a little sonogram and everything."
"Damn, this is crazy. My baby's carrying my baby. I gotta come back now... I'm gunna catch the next flight out Reina. I'm not gunna let you do this alone." He sounded excited and I couldn't help but smile. "Rafael wait."
"What you having twins or something?"
"No... It's just that it might not be yours."
"Whatchu mean?"
"About a month ago, Damien and I kinda—"
He completed my statement, "—fucked."
I sighed, "Yeah and we used a condom and everything but I guess it broke which is why I don't know if I'm pregnant by you or him."
It was silent on the line for a moment before he heavily sighed and then spoke. "I don't wanna hear no more Reina."
"Rafael please don't be upset with me."
"How am I not supposed to be upset if before I left you told me there was no other nigga out there for you and barely four weeks later, you go and fuck with your ex?"
"But I thought you said if it happened, let it happen."
"I know what I said but if you're claiming your in love with me but then go and fuck a nigga who single-handedly ruined your life, how do you think that makes me feel when I've been over here only thinking about you?"
"Rafi, I've been thinking about you all the time too. I'm so sorry I did what I did, it was a mistake."
He sadistically chuckled, "I bet. Is this why you've been ducking my calls? Because you didn't wanna tell me this?"
"I just didn't wanna lose you."
"Well you did."
"Rafael no please, I fucking love you, I don't wanna be without you."
"You should've thought about that before you fucked ol' dude."
"I was drunk... I wasn't thinking correctly."
"I know but it don't even matter at this point. I hope you're happy and everything. I know Damien is, he got his family back and shit. I wish you the best of luck and everything."
"Rafi please don't do this to me... This could still be your baby."
"But it prolly isn't." And with that, he ended the phone call and our chance to be together again. My phone dropped out of my hand and onto the floor. I clutched my heart and just let the tears flow, this couldn't be real life. I just don't understand how my sweet, understanding Rafi turn into that. I know I made a mistake but it wasn't intentional, I wasn't trying to hurt anyone, but of course, I ended up being hurt the most.
If I could just go back in time, I would but then again, where would I go? Before I met Damien? No, because then Gabby wouldn't be here. Before I met Rafael? No, because he's the best thing that's happened to me in a while. Before I fucked around with Damien? Yeah probably. These past few months have just been ridiculous, I've never felt more threatened, scared or stressed out at a single moment in time. I know life isn't easy but I would just like a break, I'm trying as hard as I can but everything just keeps slipping from my hold.
I bent down, grabbed my phone and tried calling Rafi a few more times but he didn't pick up, I expected that though.
There was a knock on the door so I quickly wiped my tears and said, "Come in." Damien entered my room with a big box in his hands and a sincere look on his face. "Happy birthday Reina."
"Thank you Damien."
"I got you this." He placed the present on my bed and I looked at it. "You want me to open it now?" He nodded so I untied the large bow and started stripping the box its paper. I picked up the first item I saw and smiled, it was a pair of Hello Kitty footie pajamas. "How did you know I wanted these?"
"I asked around and I know Gabby's selfish self would want it too so I got y'all a matching pair."
"Thanks D." He nodded. I kept pulling shit out the box and was surprised by the variety. He got me Kit-Kats, a pineapple, chocolate, twizzlers, cocoa butter, fuzzy socks and a bunch of other stuff along with a Nook. "This is really nice of you Damien... really random but still, thank you."
He chuckled, "It ain't no problem. Open the last box."
I shook my head okay, and picked it up. I took off the lid and tears instantly welling up in my eyes. "Damn." It was just a simple onesie for a newborn that said, "Mama's baby." I looked at Damien and he sighed. "I got you all this stuff because I asked around and I heard this is the shit that you crave when you're pregnant and I got you the onesie because I just wanted to let you know that I'm gunna be here for you this time, whether the baby is mine or not. Rafael is all the way in Japan and you're gunna need somebody so I'm going to help you whenever you need something."
I looked at him and instantly started sobbing again. "I didn't mean for this to happen."
He put his arms around me and held me tight. "I didn't either, I'm sorry Rei."
"Don't be... It's just that now Rafael doesn't want anything to do with me and if the baby is his, I don't know what to do. I don't wanna go through this shit again."
"You ain't gotta worry about that. He's just feeling some type of way right now. He's hurt and all that shit, just give him some time, you know he's got common sense."
I agreed, nodding my head then said, "I think we should talk Damien."
"About what?"
"Everything. I'm just tired you know, of all that's happened recently and I'm just tired of being mad, tired of avoiding you, tired of everything. We need a really fresh start, I need to know how you're feeling, what you're thinking."
"You want me to start? He asked and I said yes. "Aight well, I'm feeling surprised, first of all because I could possibly be having another child, thats crazy and the fact that it's with you is actually funny as hell because this is the exact same situation that got us into everything that happened in our lives for the last four years." He paused to wipe some of my tears then continued, "I think that you're scared because your dude isn't here for you and he's not speaking to you right now so the only other person to turn to is me and you're scared that this is gunna play out like last time but I promise it's not. I know for a fact that I still have strong feelings for you because in my mind, it only feels like a few months we haven't been together when in reality, it's been more than four. I know you don't feel as strongly about me but I think something is still there. I really wanna try being with you again but your heart is in a different place so it'd be cool if we were friends again because either way I'd miss your ass. That cool with you?"
"Yeah." I agreed, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Cool then let's forget about all that bullshit and pretend like I just woke up and nothing ever happened, iight?" He lied down on my bed and I looked at him, "What are you doing?"
"Starting over. Now go outside and come back in and pretend I just woke up."
I shook my head laughing, "I'm not doing this."
"Please Reina." He pouted and widened his big puppy dog eyes and I couldn't say no. I trudged outside of my room and reentered. I watched as Damien pretneded like he was laying down in a hospital bed. "Damien..." I said.
He looked to the side and smiled when his eyes laid on me. He kicked his feet over the side of the bed and stood up, beginning to walk towards me. "That you Reina?"
I laughed at his silliness, "Yeah it's me."
"Damn, you look good forreal. You're glowing or some shit."
"It's because I'm pregnant... four to eight weeks."
"Damn, well whoever got you knocked up is a lucky ass dude."
"Thanks. I'll tell him that."
"How's our baby?"
"She's good, she's four now but acts like she's twenty-one. She looks just like you."
"She must be a stunna then." He joked and I rolled my eyes, "Wow."
He smirked. "You really look beautiful Reina."
"Thank you. You look pretty good for being in a coma for four years. How was that by the way?"
"Lonely."
I looked at him for a moment and said, "I really missed you Damien. You were my first love and every time I look at our daughter, I think of you. I know everything has been so crazy but I won't ever be able to forget everything we had."
He knew I wasn't playing around anymore. "I'm sorry I missed out on everything. If I could go back in time, I really would."
"I believe you."
He licked his bottom lip then moved closer to me. Damien grabbed my hands as his eyes zeroed in on mine. "Can I just... one more time?"
I nodded so he bent down and pressed his lips to mine. Instinctively I placed my hands on each side of his face and I felt his arms wrap around me. I didn't know what the hell was going through my head at this point but I didn't even care that much. As much as it was hard to admit, I still had strong feelings for Damien and even though I was in love with Rafael, I guess it was just better for us to cut all ties.
At that point, I decided that being a single mother wasn't going to be that bad. I've done it once and I could definitely do it again. And even if this baby turns out to be Damien's, that doesn't mean we're going to get back together again, we'd just have to see where life takes us.
I finally pulled away to see a goofish grin on his face. "Happy birthday Reina."
I chuckled, "Thanks." Right at that moment, Gabby busted into my room and ran to me. "Mommy! Happy Birthday!"
I picked her up and kissed her cheeks. "Thank you babygirl. You get me a present?"
She shook her head, no. "I didn't know you wanted one."
I fake-pouted. "Of course I do. Don't you want presents on your birthday?"
"I'm so sorry mommy! What do you want? I'll ask daddy to get it for you right now."
I laughed, "I just want two kisses from my favorite person ever."
"I already gave you one." Damien mumbled under his breath. I playfully slapped his chest then looked at my daughter. "Okay." She gave me two sloppy kisses on my cheeks then wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me. "I love you mommy. You too Daddy."
"I love you too Gabby." Damien and I said at the same time.
"Do you love each other?" She asked.
"Of course we do, we both made you and that's the best thing we've ever done so we gotta love each other for that." Damien explained.
"Good. I'm tired of you being mad at each other."
"We're not gunna be mad at each other anymore, I promise." I kissed her forehead and she smiled. "Okay. Can we go downstairs now?"
"Sure mija." I opened the door to my room and exited to go downstairs to the living room where the party was going on and Damien followed behind me. As I entered the kitchen, everyone shouted, "Happy Birthday Reina!" and threw confetti everywhere, even my father participated in that. I looked around the whole room and smiled, everyone who I had a close relationship with was here, from my family, friends and even my employees. Everyone who cared about me and I cared about was here, expect for Rafael but that was expected even before we got into that fight.
I looked to my left and saw a huge ass stack of presents then looked into the kitchen where every single one of my favorite foods was waiting to be consumed. Chyenne ran over to me and hugged me then took Gabby out of my arms. "Happy birthday boo! Is everything good?" She asked looking at Damien and I. We both nodded our heads and she smiled, "Good."
Morgan shortly came over to us and gave me a big ass hug. "Happy birthday Rei." She placed kisses all over my face which made me giggle, "Morgan you're so extra."
She smiled, "I just heard the news! Congratulations."
"Thanks bae."
"No problem." She leaned closer to me and whispered in my ear, but just loud enough so Damien could hear. "And if Damien leaves your ass high and dry again, I have no problem getting my goons on him, forreal Reina."
"Who you getting on me Morgan? Your friends are my friends, your goons are my goons." Damien laughed.
"Whatever, you know what I mean. But I'm serious Damien, we don't need a repeat of last time."
"Don't worry Morgan, I got her, forreal." Damien put his arm around my waist and held me close to him.
"You better." Morgan's face then softened. "But really congrats though, I can't wait for you to pop out another one Rei. Whether it's Rafael's or Damien's, it's gunna be a cutie. No offense D."
"Don't worry about it M. Either way I'm him take care of her knocked you ass like it's mine."
"Good." Morgan smiled. Just then, the Love Like This remix came on and it instantly brought my mood through the roof. "Oh my God, I love this song!"
I threw my hands up in the air and started singing along to the words with Morgan, Chyenne and the slew of family members and co-workers who made their way over to where I was.
As I was singing and dancing around, I looked around at everyone singing and dancing, having a good time. I knew everyone would have my back and make sure I was okay for the next eight months. I looked around once again and my eyes landed on Damien holding Gabriella. He turned and said something in her ear then they turned back around and both blew a kiss at me, making me laugh.
Everything will be okay, I know it will.
***
aaaaanddd that is the end of Beware! I hope you guys liked the book and everything (:
just a few remarks before this is over:
♔ thank you to those who volunteered to be an editor. if I need you, I will be contacting you in the future. I really appreciate those that offered because the chapters are published faster and are more thoroughly proofread (which I rarely have time for)
♔YES there's going to be a sequel for this book, it's going to be published aftef I finish Unfinished Business so it might take a while lol.
♔ Please vote and also comment! The comments can be about how the story ended, what you liked / disliked about the overall story (or certain parts) or you .just leave a comment about anything.
Thank you all so much for your constant support /votes /comments, I really appreciate it! Thank you (: