Part Time Lovers.

Chapter 15.

"Alright, you ready?" I shouted from the bathroom.  Nathaniel was going with me for the first ultrasound, considering Kevin wasn't even taking my calls.

"I'm getting Amari ready now. " He yelled back. I was so nervous, excited, but terrified.

I grabbed my shoes, started the car and came back in the house to get the  rest of my family.

"Guys, come on. The appointment is at 10:45, it's already 10:15." I screamed from the foyer.
Both of my curly headed kids ran right by me into the car, followed by Nathaniel, who was on his phone texting. 

"I'm going to have to fly to London tonight guys. " Nate announced while he drove to the doctors office. 
"Did you want to come?"

I sighed. After we had our little conversation, we had agreed to go to a marriage counselor and try again.  And I'll admit, Nate has been trying. We were just trying to get back on track , but everything just keeps coming up.  His work, me always being tired. The kids.  His girlfriend. Kevin.

"I don't think I'll be much fun in London." I said, rubbing my stomach.

"I want to go momma, please. " Analeigh begged.

"Yeah, please mommy.  Pretty please. " Amari begged with his sister.

"Yall are in school. "I said sternly.  My babies where going to get their education, as much as I paid for it.

"Just a couple of days wouldn't hurt. We could get  their assignments from the school, bring their nanny and have a little vacation. " Nathaniel suggested.

" Come on, please mom? It's London. "    Annie reiterated as we pulled up to the doctors office.

"Okay. But we're not staying for more than a week. And your schoolwork needs to be done before we do anything abroad. " I stated. I didn't want to go at all, but for my babies, I'd go.

Orlean called me just as we were walking into the building. The security officer at the front desk didn't even look at us, just said no cell phones allowed.
Within a minute, I got 4 texts saying to call her, and that it's an emergency.

That worried me a little. I was Courtney's friend.  Orlean was Courtney's friend. We were cool, but not that tight. I'd think she'd call Court in case of an emergency. I texted back, saying I was at the doctors and I'd give her a call as soon as I was done there.  

"Mrs. Howard?You can come on back. " A nurse said, letting me and my family into a private room.  "Dr. Alvarez will be in shortly.

"So, what do you guys think? A baby brother or a baby sister?" I asked as I laid on the bed.

"A baby brother." They both said, looking excited.

"What do you think the  baby is?" I asked Nathaniel.  He thought about it for a moment. 

"Another little princess." He said finally.  Even though it wasn't his baby, my husband seemed so excited.

"How are we mama?" Dr. Alvarez said coming in. 

I just laughed.  Dr. Alvarez was a spry,  quirky woman, but she knew what she was doing.

"We say it's a baby brother, but my daddy says it's a little princess. But I want to be the only little princess. " Annie explained. 

"That was all his doing. " I pointed at Nate and laughed. The girl was certainly spoiled.

"Alright.  Moment of truth. " Dr. Alvarez said while putting the cold gel on my stomach.

"Well, you will be having another little princess. And, if we move this over here, we can hear her heartbeat. "
Strong and steady. My babies looked ecstatic, and my husband looked overjoyed, but you could see the sadness in his eyes.

We wrapped up the visit, went home to take a nap and pack. Well, I was going to nap while everyone else packed up.

I must've been out for at least 4 hours, it was dark out and the house was empty. Nate left a note on my nightstand saying they went to get the children's school assignments and out for food.

I was about to get comfortable in my bed  and watch Catching Kelce when someone started banging on the door and ringing the door bell. I tried to ignore it, but it seemed the more I tried, the louder they hit the door, the more they hit the doorbell. 

I decided to get my ass up and see who it was, but not before grabbing one of Nathaniel's handguns.  Thank God he believes so strongly in the 2nd amendment.  

"Please, I'm looking for an Imani Howard.  Please, are you in there? "  A woman shouted from outside. There was something in her voice, fear mixed with desperation, with a hint of despair that made me open the door. 

A woman, red hair falling from a "I'm with Her" baseball cap, in gray Nike sweatshirt and faded jeans and tattered sneakers, she was holding the hand of a little brunette boy, with sad green eyes.  He had on a Spider-Man shirt that was much too big, and sneakers much too small.

"Are you Imani Howard?" The lady asked. She looked so frightened.  She kept looking over her shoulder.

I nodded yes, Nathaniel's .22 still at my side.  I've seen too many Investigation Discovery shows were they use a woman and a child to lure someone into a trap.

"You don't know me, my name is Rian.  This is my little boy ,D.J. may we come in?" As soon as she said D.J.  I knew exactly who she was.

"You can come in." I said quietly. 
I still didn't trust her, but I'd hear her out.

"You don't know me, but I'm Dante's ex girlfriend.  He's very dangerous. " She started, getting comfortable on my sofa.

"I met him 6 years ago in California.  I was 19, in school and he was 23. He had just finished the police academy.  He was kind and sweet, always looking out for me.

He would tell me how my boyfriend was a loser and I needed to do better. I dumped him and got with Dante a week later.  After he got me to do that, he said I didn't spend enough time with him, so I dropped all of my clubs and stopped going out.  Pretty soon, all I had was Dante.

Then it started going bad.   He would scream at me in public, humiliate me any chance he got. But he said he loved me. I got pregnant with D.J. and it went from bad to worse.

Once, I stayed out late, I was studying for a final. I came home and he was waiting for me. Just sitting, waiting.   
He made me sit on my knees and played Russian roulette. " Rian laughed. 

"I was six months pregnant and he tried to shoot me. He would take all the food in the house,  and I wouldn't be able to eat for days,  maybe a week at a time. " The more this woman talked,  the more I realized that man was a monster.

Rian held the little boy tighter.  "I'm not looking for sympathy or anything.  In fact,  I need to get out of here before he finds out where I am.  I'm just here to let you know what type of man he is.  He'll call sometimes,  no matter how many times I change my number. Last time he left a voicemail saying he was going to marry you and everything. I just wanted to tell you what he's about before you end up like me. " She said,  standing up. 

"You shouldn't have to look over your shoulder all the time,  not go out,  no friends. Moving every so often.  It's no life for anyone,  I wouldn't wish it on you. Get as far away from him as possible. " Rian warned,  before picking up her sleeping child and leaving.

It was a lot to take in,  but it explained  s lot about Dante. Thank Jesus I'm done with his psychotic ass.

I laid back on my bed, trying to fall asleep when my husband came in,  smelling like another woman.
"I'll go sleep in the guest room. " I said softly,  while Nathaniel tried to wrap his arms around me. Between the visit from Rian and me realizing he was still sleeping with the pretty chef from New York, I just wanted to be left alone.

I tried to get comfortable on the extra bed,  but I couldn't. Just as I was about to fall into a fitful sleep,  I received a text message that made my heart stop.

An unknown number sent me a picture of Orlean and Kevin at a restaurant eating,  then getting up to leave. 

Orlean was just as pregnant as me,  and it was time stamped with today's date.