How I Been

Part 3.7

Omniscient p.o.v

After hanging up, Hector went straight to calling his sister while Jamal sobbed in bed. His sister picked up after two rings. "Nita, I fucked up. I—" Hector choked up, his throat tightening.

"Hector, what's wrong? Calm down. You're scaring me," Nita stressed. Hector took deep breaths, but he couldn't maintain his breathing. He groaned, punching the brick wall of the cell. "What the hell was that noise?" Nita screamed.

"I broke up with him," Hector whispered.

"You- you what?" Nita asked, hoping he heard wrong.

"I broke up with Jamal, I— fuck up," Hector cried.

"What the fuck happened? Why would you do that?" Nita asked, trying to understand the situation.

"We were arguing about me getting a lawyer; he- hmm, he told me I wasn't doing enough, he told me he hated me, and I couldn't hear that from him. I love that boy with everything in me. Hearing him say he hates me broke me! I didn't know what to do. I just got so angry I said some disrespectful things and then told him that we were done. That he shouldn't call me unless he were calling about the babies. Nita, I fucked up," Hector rambled, walking around the cell, tears streaming down his face. His throat clenching almost hurt to speak.

"No, you did not!!" Nita screamed. "My poor baby, Hector, he must be distraught right now," Nita scolded, rushing to grab her keys. She needed to go check up on Jamal.

"Nita, I fucked up. I lost him," Hector continued to repeat.

"No, the fuck you didn't. You're fixing this right now." Nita scolded. She hung up on her older brother to call Jamal. The pregnant man picked up on the last ring, sobbing.

"Baby, I just heard what happened," Nita whispered. Jamal whimpered, his right hand clutching the phone, the other cradling his stomach.

"He left me, Nita," Jamal sobbed, "he told me he wouldn't. He promised me."

"Shhh, come on. I'm calling him right now; we need to fix this. I'm coming over." Nita said. She pulled the phone away from her ear before clicking on Hector's contact.

When Hector picked up, she put the phone on speaker, "I'm about to add Jamal to this call. Fix it now!" She merged the call and put herself on mute.

Hector's heart broke when he heard Jamal's loud sobbing. "Baby," Hector called out, "baby, I'm sorry," he begged.

Jamal continued to cry, rubbing his stomach for comfort. "I ain't mean anything I said, I promise you. I love you so much, pretty baby. You mean so much to me." Hector continued. Jamal couldn't speak; he took in what Hector was saying and tried to calm down.

"When you said you hated me, I didn't know what to do. I got scared. I got angry. I'm not trying to make excuses. I'm sorry for the shit I said. I would never want to leave you. I told you we are in it for the long run, and I mean it, and I'm so sorry baby," Hector pleaded.

"I- I don't hate you," Jamal chocked out. He took a few moments to catch his breath and halt his cries. "I'm just scared, Hector. I'm so scared. I didn't want to have the babies anymore." Jamal confessed.

"I get it, baby. I know being there by yourself pregnant is frightening. Yes, I was selfish to get you pregnant. We could do it. I'm working as best as possible on getting out there with you. I got unreasonably mad when you told me to get a lawyer because I've been working on it but haven't gotten one. I was just frustrated and took it out on you. Puss, it'll never happen again. I can't wait to be with you, rub your feet, kiss you," Hector shared.