CHAPTER 2

Chapter 2

          Antonio and Julissa sat in the OBGYN waiting room a bit quiet and awkward as they waited for her to be seen. The past couple of weeks were daunting for everyone. Antonio more so with the baby, and stressing about the dead bodies, and Julissa and Janet. They hadn’t rekindled anything since the whole mess started. To be honest, he didn’t know what was right or wrong anymore. The baby was the only thing he could look forward to.

          “Fantasizing about your woman?” Julissa asked, with a scoff as she turned her head, already knowing the answer.

          “You think you know me so well, don’t you?” Antonio asked. His eyebrows rose in curiosity as he shook his head.

          “Well, don’t I?” Julissa replied, stretching. “Anyway, was I right?”

          Antonio didn’t respond.

          “See. It’s fine. I get the feeling you want to be somewhere else. No one is making you stay here, you know? You are free to do what you want. You made it clear we aren’t together and I have to accept that. I want the baby. You don’t.”

          “You are far from the truth, Julissa. I’m actually nervous about being a father. Mine wasn’t the best, that is…” He paused looking down at his hands. Julissa caught it and turned back to him.

          “What happened with you and your father? You only talked about your mother. What happened to your father?” She asked curiously.

          “It’s a sticky situation. Just know I want to be here with you. It is what I’m supposed to do, what a real man would do.”

          “Oh, now you want to be a real man?” She teased, folding her arms. Just as soon as he was going to open his mouth, the nurse called Julissa to the back.

          “We can talk about this later.” Antonio helped her up as if she was fragile and they walked to the back to the examination room.

          “It seems you are fine, Miss Saulsberry, but your blood pressure is kind of high. Make sure to watch out for that. Have you been stressed lately?” The doctor asked after checking her arm.

          Julissa glanced over at Antonio at that point. “I have been a bit stressed. I will make sure to relax.”

          “Good. Come back next month and we can get a sonogram.”

          “Wait. We will be able to see the baby that soon? It would only be about three months,” Antonio asked excited and curious.

          “Technology,” the doctor responded.

          The ride back to Julissa’s house was filled with conversations of possibilities. It was really happening. Antonio was going to be a father. Somewhere deep down he didn’t understand it all until the check-up. They discussed names and plans together like a couple.

          “Maybe if it’s a boy we can name him AJ for Antonio Jr.,” Julissa said, turning her head as she caught Antonio’s eyes looking at her. There was still chemistry between them, which wasn’t healthy for either of them when at the end of it all he would go running back to Janet.

          Antonio shifted the car to park and turned back to her wanting to relieve some of the tension. “Look Julissa, I know it’s hard for you to accept it at the moment. I apologize for not being honest about my feelings for Janet and dragging you along in the relationship and this mess.” He rested his hand on her seat. “But I’m serious about this. I want this with you. Regardless of who I love or who I’m with, my child will always come first. I promise to protect you through all of this. And after all of this, we may not have the perfect relationship, but we can still be great parents.” He caressed her cheek, seeing so much emotion in her eyes. “We are tied together for life now. There is no reason for us to hate each other.”

          She leaned in stealing a couple of kisses to see his reaction. First, her lip was just pressed to his, but then she fought for her tongue to enter his, but to her dismay, he put up a fight. His lips never moved and she knew then that they were truly over when it came to that aspect of their relationship. Her forehead fell on his shoulder as she sniffled. His speech didn’t give her at all what she wanted and that was him, all of him.

          “I’m sorry, Julissa.” He whispered, opening the car door on his side and then the car door on her side. “I will make sure you are in the house before I leave.”

          She hesitated to get out of the car, but soon swallowed her pride and did just that. He stayed behind her as she unlocked her door. He looked around the yard to see some muddy prints on the porch of a man’s shoes. He placed his hand on top of hers on the lock.

          “Let me go in first. Be quiet and stay behind me,” he ordered. She nodded, seeing him in protection mode as she took a step back. Antonio opened the door cautiously to see a man sitting in the chair in her home. He reached for his gun behind him, aiming at the man.

          “Who are you?” he asked before the man stood up slowly turning around.

          “Father!” Julissa ran to him, worried about him, as Antonio slowly put his gun away.

          “I came to see my daughter, but she wasn’t here. I started to believe she was dead,” Gerald replied, holding his daughter close as he stared deadly at Antonio.

          “I told you she was in good hands, Mr. Saulsberry. We were beginning to worry about you. You went MIA for a few weeks,” Antonio replied, suspiciously.

          “I didn’t think I answered to you.”

          Antonio shook his head. “No sir, you don’t. But your daughter was worried about you and the doctor said she doesn’t need the stress. So if you don’t want to lose your grandchild, I suppose a simple call will do next time.”

          Julissa turned to Antonio angrily. “Antonio, what the hell?”

          “Yes, Antonio. How dare you blame my daughter’s stress on me? I know it’s you and that whore causing my child to be this way. If anything, if you want to keep your child, you wouldn’t put her through such misery.”

          Antonio squinted but didn’t say anything. He placed his gun securely in his pants behind him. “Call me if you need anything.” He walked out.