“Hmm,” he shrugged before turning his head to the road and driving off. For the duration of the drive neither spoke but the thoughts in Imani’s head were pretty loud. She wondered what he would think of her apartment block once he got there considering he had already frowned upon the fact that she lived in the projects. When he finally pulled up to her building, she prayed he wouldn’t make a fuss about it but luck wasn’t on her side.
“This is where you live?” he asked looking through the windshield at her building before scouring the area. She could see the scowl on his face in the dim light that trickled through the clear glass and her automatic response was to defend herself.
“Yes it is what I can afford. It has running water, a thermostat and a warm bed all of which are suitable for me. Not everyone has the opportunity to live in luxury and turn up their nose at other people’s misfortunes.” The latter part of her statement was delivered with acerbity. He quickly through up his hand in apology.
“I’m sorry if I offended you but I am not comfortable with the mother of my child staying in a place like this. This is a bad neighborhood and the building is run down, it is hardly a suitable place for a single woman let alone one who is pregnant.”
She became irritated the more he spoke as his voice took on an air of superiority.
“That is not your concern. I was fine before you came. Plus you don’t know if the baby is yours as yet so you have no say in where I live or not live.”
At this he became quiet as he stared at her through indecipherable eyes that were even more difficult to read in the poor light.
Suddenly he turned away from her as he spoke. “You’re right but when we do this test if the baby is mine you best believe that some things will be changing.” She didn’t know if she felt threatened by the words he spoke but the calm unhurried words he spoke in a flat tone made her feel just that and a shiver ran down her spine. Pulling the car door she hopped out of the car and as she turned to tell him goodnight she noticed that he was standing on the other side of the car closing his door.
“What are you doing?” she asked confused.
“I’m following you up to make sure you make it in safely. Please lead the way,” he commanded as he came to her side with the box of food. Not in the mood to argue, she simply went to the front door of the building and swung it open. He followed her up the stairs to her floor.
“Why didn’t you just take the elevator up here?” he asked when they finally made it to the fifth floor. She resented having to tell him that the elevator was out of use as she would rather forego his condescending remarks but she decided to answer any way.
“It is out of use. Maintenance hasn’t been around to fix it just yet.”
To this he offered a simple, “Oh” which surprised her that he had not taken it as an opportunity to once again criticize where she lived.
“Well this is me,” she said simply as they stopped before her door. Unthinking, she turned and asked him, “Would you like to come in for a drink maybe?”
He simply shook his head no before saying, “I will take you up on it some other time. I have to go now and I’ll see you.” At that he turned back down the hall and made his way to the stairs.
She chided herself for her misjudged comment as it could be possible that he had read it the wrong way and thought she was inviting him inside for a repeat of the last time.
After taking a shower and settling comfortably on the couch to watch TV, she decided to call Lauren.
“Hey girl; how are you?” asked Lauren as soon as she picked up the phone as if she was anticipating the call.
“Apart from the fact that I met my baby’s daddy, he took me home and asked for a paternity test, I think I am quite fine.”
“For real?” she asked taking more interest in the conversation.
“Yup, apparently he’s some big shot. You know he accused me of trying to trap him?”
“What?” Lauren asked riled up. She could always count on her to have her back and so it was no surprise that her reaction matched the one she had sported a few hours ago.
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“Well not in so many words but I would have to be very dense not to understand that he thinks of me as a gold digger so I had to put him in his place. Told him me and my baby would be fine without him and then he decides to go all paternal on me about how his baby will not grow up without a father and if it happens to be his, lot of things are gonna have to change.” At the end of her statement she couldn’t help sucking her teeth and she rolling her eyes as she remembered his statement after dropping her off at the apartment.
“So what do you think he means?” asked Lauren who had reverted to just being curious of the outcome of her interaction with Michael.
“I don’t know but if he thinks he’s gonna take my baby from me, he’s got another thing coming.”
“I hear you girl. Maybe you should do a little research on him so that you know who you’re dealing with. Men with a lot of money can be very ruthless and stop at nothing to get what they want so just be careful Ok?” pleaded Lauren at the last part of her statement.
“I will,” she assured her before the two said their goodbyes and hung up.