KAYLA SAT ON THE COUCH inside her dark living room, watching “Pretty Woman”. A blanket across her lap, her feet propped up, she’d closed all the blinds and had succumbed to misery. Staring at the television, she reached into the bag in her lap and tossed a barbecue chip into her mouth. Richmond is never going to forgive me. How could I have been so stupid? And Carson, uuugh. I can’t stand him.
Crunching the salty chip, the sad knot in her upper stomach hurt.
Richard Geer, playing Edward, said, “I’ve never treated you like a prostitute.”
Julia Roberts, playing Vivian, replied, “You just did.”
Kayla sniffled. “I know how you feel, Vivian. My man treated me like a prostitute last night. He asked me if I thought about telling him the truth before or after I sucked his dick.” Frustrated, Kayla balled the empty potato chip bag and tossed it on the table. She’d eaten the whole darn thing. Before that, she’d had some ice cream. Earlier this morning, she’d indulged in a jar of pickles. Now she had a craving for a fried fish sandwich with some tartar sauce. All this stress had her eating her butt off.
Right before Alana had left to take CJ to Chuck E. Cheese, she’d asked Kayla if she was pregnant, and she told her no. I’m not pregnant; just stressed. I always eat whenever I’m stressed.
The doorbell rang. Nauseated, Kayla pushed herself from the couch and headed for the door. When she pulled it open, her heart flopped. Richmond stood on her porch, looking sad as ever. Poor man had been through hell and back.
“Richmond.” She said his name in a whispering tone.
The brown in his eyes looked like a cold wave. “We need to talk.”
I agree. “Come in.” Kayla felt awkward as she closed the door behind Richmond.
His eyes lingered over her face as he belatedly said, “It’s so dark in here.”
“Would you like for me to open the blinds?” His presence gave her a sense of peace.
Glancing around the dim room, he shoved his hands inside his pockets. “No. The darkness doesn’t bother me. But being at odds with you does.”
Kayla folded her arms beneath her breasts. “I’m so sorry about not telling you the truth.” She’d cried so hard last night after she’d left his home, she couldn’t cry anymore, even if her life depended on it.
His brown eyes were unreadable and as flat as stone. “I believe you’re sorry. After thinking long and hard about what happened, I don’t blame you for not telling me. If I were in your shoes, I may have done the same thing. But Kay.” Hearing her name roll sensually from his tongue, she gloried briefly. “If we’re going to get married, you can’t keep things from me. Even if you think it’ll hurt me, you have to tell me. I have to be able to trust you.”
Did he just say they were still getting married? Her insides jumped with joy. “I promise, I’ll never keep anything from you again. You can trust me, Richmond.”
Richmond’s eyes bore into her. “Don’t you have something else to tell me?”
Kayla was confused. “No.”
Richmond tilted his head. “Kay. I know you’re pregnant.”
“What? Well, if I’m pregnant, you’re telling me something I don’t know.”
As his eyes fell to her stomach, he clenched her waist. “So you haven’t taken a pregnancy test?” he asked on the lift of his eyes to her face.
Kayla shrugged dismissively. “No, why would I take a pregnancy test unless I think I’m pregnant? What makes you think I’m pregnant?”
“I’ve kissed and licked your stomach enough times to know when it’s changing.”
“Maybe I’m just getting fat.”
Richmond chuckled. “No, sweetheart, you’re not getting fat. You’re getting thicker. And I love a woman with some meat on her bones. I love you, Kay.” Richmond reached in his pocket, pulled out the diamond ring he’d given her, and slid it on her finger. “Don’t ever give the ring back to me again.”
“And if I do?”
Lust enlightened his eyes. “I’m going to spank you.”
Kayla’s lip curved into a big grin. She slid the ring off her finger, yanked on the top of his jeans, and dropped the ring inside his underwear. “Before you can spank me, you’ll have to catch me first!” Giggling, she took off running. “I love when you spank me!”
“Come back here, you sexy woman!” Chortling, Richmond ran down the hallway after Kayla.
Reaching Kayla’s bedroom, Richmond yanked her jeans and underwear down her legs, threw her across his lap, and wore her little fanny out with his bare hand. The whole time he spanked her butt, she writhed and snickered. “Do it harder! Harder!” Her legs kicked wildly.
“Stop spanking my mommy!”
Kayla’s head flung up between her shoulders to find CJ standing in the doorway with a disgruntled look on his face. She gasped. Richmond panicked. He jumped to his feet, causing her to fall to the floor flat on her face.
CJ ran up to Richmond and punched him in the stomach, then stomped on his foot. “Leave my mommy alone!” CJ demanded.
Kayla had never been so embarrassed in her life. Where was Alana? she thought, quickly pulling up her jeans. Heat gathered in her cheeks. Oh God, how did she explain this to him? “CJ, Richmond and I were just playing a fun little game.”
CJ folded his arms across his chest. “I don’t like that game, Mommy.”
Kayla gently put her hand on CJ’s shoulder. “Okay. Well, Mommy won’t play that game anymore. Now tell Richmond you’re sorry.”
CJ’s bottom lip poked out. “I’m sorry, Richmond.”
Richmond ruffled his head. “That’s okay, sport. Don’t feel bad. Would you like to make it up to me?”
CJ nodded, then shrugged. “But I don’t know how.”
“I do. You can make it up by being in your mommy’s and my wedding. We’re getting married, sport.”
CJ’s eyes brightened. “Am I getting a daddy for Christmas?”
“Yes, CJ. You’re getting a father for Christmas.”
CJ’s squeals filled the room.