Chapter 14: Long, in the dark!

Long, in the dark!

  "Jamal!" I called out, sitting on the bed with my laptop. I had work to accomplish

I called about three times, but I got no response. I walked into the living room yet I found no one then proceeded to the porch. I was thinking it was his normal pranks or maybe he was working out as always. Then I heard his voice sounding worked up yet trying to speak under his breath.

  "Hey babe!" I called one last time

He was trying to conclude whatever conversation he was having, the last thing I could hear was 'don't call me up!' He hurriedly came over to my side and hugged me, like real tight

  " Are you ok?" I cupped his face

  "Yeah babe. I just....uhm" he stuttered

  "You should rest. Seems like that phone call really not worth it..." I added simply to hear his response

  "Yeah, it ain't!" He simply replied

  "Then don't make it, could you not.."

I demanded

  "I feel sick and tired, maybe I should go under the duvet...." He teased trying to avoid the conversation

  ".....or maybe you should freeze out, right here!" I teased too

  "Oh c'mon, Danni. You keep doing tempting stuff, its really turning me on!" He groaned

Maybe he was right, I had this black  gown, just at thigh length and was transparent, just like a net.

  "Jamal I got work, though!" I wrapped my arms around him and he grabbed on my waist pressing a lovely 2-minute kiss, really divine.

Jamal was out to see his Dad, Dr Khaleefa, while I was preparing to go out as well. I had an appointment with Kabir, about Lola. Jamal was keeping a secret and was not willing to spill out, as a go girl, I wasn't willing to take chances as well, I'd find out exactly what the problem is. I wore a black crazy jean, and a red hoodie, and a pair of gucci sneakers. My hair was wrapped in a bun then I had this medium sized round earrings and bag.

I drove to Jersey Hotel, where we agreed on. I ordered lemonade while waiting for Kabir, he needed to drive his wife to the store. I was surfing the net when a photo popped up sent by Tedd. It was photo of Lola and West talking, it didn't seem like a quarrel neither did it seem like there was abnormalities.

There! It struck me slightly, just wondering how Lola knew West? The first time I mentioned Burger man to her, she seemed lost and numerously Claimed to not know him. Then I concluded maybe they probably just met or something, its a small world I literally don't have the right to get mad that would be childish and uncalled for.

Kabir walked in briskly and sat dropping his keys and cell phone on the table.

  "I'm really sorry, traffic meddled!" He simply apologized

  "Never mind. What'd you like to have?" I offered

  "Just juice! Any kind." He said

We ordered that as well

  "Back to why we are here. Last time you mentioned Lola being pregnant...."

  "Ma'am, can you just stop hurting yourself, covering up about you two? We all know y'all ain't together." He cuts me short

I sighed heavily then I continued

  "Kabir I know y'all know....I just need to know when you saw her last." I asked

  "Last few days! She had this bump on her, it couldn't be normal its definitely a baby. My wife is pregnant, so I could tell if I see one" he almost jabbered

  "Ok Kabir! That's all I needed to know. I was only thinking about her, so I should be concerned if she was pregnant...." I twisted

  "Yes ma'am I really understand. You could see for your self though, she comes by to get Groceries almost everyday. I'll leave you the address just in case you change your mind" he scribbled on a piece of tissue on the table.

  "Thanks a lot Kabir...."

  "I got to go, I have to get my wife you know.......gosh! I didn't ask about Jamal, is he ok?"

  "Sure thing. He has errands to run ASAP." I smiled

  "Oh ok! He's a good man.....ok, bye ma'am, see you soon!" He left

I dialed Tedd immediately

  "Hi Tedd!"

  "Long time my friend. I guess you got my message...." He added

  "That's why I called. I don't understand, Lola and West could be..." 

Tedd cuts in

  "Just give a thought, Danni!"

  "Fine." I hung up

I sat in the hotel about an hour just thinking. Was I wrong for getting married so soon or am I letting these illusions get to me. Lola and West could be friends or a couple, none of that mattered to me. I was more concerned about Jamal not because he was in danger, but because there's something he's not telling, always hiding secrets. Jamal does that a lot, even when we were younger he'd keep everything a secret, you'll have to force words out of him to know the truth aside that Jamal is a perfect guy.

I drove to the grocery store Kabir described I parked my car at the corner of the street wearing head phones to while away. I waited almost an hour then I saw Lola pulled over, she stepped out of the car and walked into the store. It took about 20 minutes then she stepped out of the store, then drove away. Before she left, I took about 3 pictures of her, I wanted proof. I wanted to show Jamal. We've been friends for ages, so Lola having a child would definitely excite us just maybe we could re-up, just maybe.

I drove home after getting groceries , I wanted to prepare dinner for Jamal and I.

I got home exhausted after a long day of spying on Lola. Jamal was seeing a movie when I walked in.

  "Hey babe!" I took off my shoes

  "Darling!" We kissed then i walked into the kitchen to keep the bags

  "What would you like for dinner!" I screamed abit from the kitchen

  "Just anything. I don't feel like eating, just want to eat you" he teased as always

I came to him, sitting beside him I threw my legs on his muscular thighs

  "Danni, take your legs off. Your sock stink like poo." He exaggerated

  "Not working Mister!" (I defended) I had a long day, spying. You will not believe who I saw today....." I stirred up

  "Who did she see today? You've been seeing a lot of faces lately" he added reluctantly

  "Ok ok ok. Look at this!" He showed him the pictures I took

  "Lola???" He sat up, his eyes widened

  "Seems like she's having baby Lola!" I added

  "This can not be true......like.....u hmm.....nah! No way!" He got pissed at once

  "Hey what's up. What the hell! Its not yours or something, she's got Jamie, remember. Dumb ass!" I said reluctantly, still observing the pictures, zooming in and out

  "Did you just say mine?" 

This time he yelled really bad, it did not sound like a joke anymore

I got up to leave

  "Chill bro! I just wanted to show you. Our friend is pregnant, at least even if we can't be there we could......I dunno! Just chill." I ignored and left for the kitchen

Jamal followed me to the kitchen holding unto my arm

  "Don't walk out on me for that crap named Lola. I am your husband! I don't want to hear or see photos of her again, do you understand?" He yelled again. I got tensed too, he shouldn't speak to me that way, over nothing serious. I pushed him away

  "No I don't. You must be sick---you are being absurd, like are you even a man? Why are you goddamn worked up for! Jeez!" I continued taking out the groceries from the bag

  "No you are absurd. Do you even know what you doing right now?" He left, few minutes later he drove out.

I made dinner, just noodles. I wanted something more sophisticated but he ruined it.

I showered swiftly, I wanted to see a movie. I wore a big black T-shirt that reached my thigh and a white cap that had 'Own my masters' boldly inscribed on it. Anytime I see the inscription I remembered Jackboy's 'Own my masters', a hip hop crooner.

I took a bowl of popcorn and glass of wine to chill out.

It was 9pm and Jamal had not returned. Jamal would only stay out late with Tommie (his friend), who recently returned from Miami, and was on vacation with his wife Ana. If he wasn't at Tommie's definitely at Dr Khaleefa nowhere else, these were the places I knew about. I finally dialed his phone and realized it was  behind the pillow on the couch, I took it out

  "Shit! This asshole....how could he forget his phone." I soliloquize

I continued watching waiting for his return then a number called. I hesitated to pick up, it wasn't my cell nor my business so I ignored. The number called numerously, I was about to pick up when it went off then a message popped up

               Jamal, you ain't picking up

               my calls.....you really can't   

               run from this shit!

It was anonymous so I couldn't figure out who it was. I simply copied the number to my phone.

I kept his phone then I got curious to know who it was, I decided to use a Call App to alpha search. I did all that but the number was registered as Kelly....I just couldn't fathom.

Jamal's phone beeped again, a message popped up again

                Its our baby for crying out 

                loud.....

My heart stopped, I could feel it. I was fixated on the thoughts of Lola's pregnancy immediately. Maybe because she was the only pregnant lady I knew, not Kabir's, she had nothing to do with this, not even a hint.

I lost interest in seeing the movie. I turned off the TV, switched off the light then I headed to the room and folded my legs on the bed. I did not know what to do, I felt this was the exact secret he was hiding. Why did he walk out all because I mentioned  Lola being pregnant?

I saw him walk in all drunk, its really a long time I saw him this way. We drink squarely as friends for fun not to drool in pain or something.

I stood still on the bed without a word, he stood in front of me.

  "Danielle uhm..... Did you see my phone, I forgot it!" He acted normal

I ignored him still looking at him

He went downstairs searched for it. He came up to the room looking at me

  "Danni, I acted immature earlier. I was wound up, after all she did us, it ain't fair" he tried to hold my knuckles, then I resisted

  "I regret the day we got married!" I simply said

I took my phone and laptop headed to one of the empty rooms.

I guess he saw the missed calls and read the texts too, he ran to the room I was in, I was sitting on the bed

  "Danielle, I can explain......jeez!..Danielle!" He tried to explain

I looked up to him, I didn't know the right words to say

  "For how long?" I firmly asked

  "....I promise, it wasn't what you think.....I was....i-i-i...." He stuttered

  "Lola is? Is she having your child?"

He couldn't speak for some seconds

  "Yes. But I'm not responsible, I can swear on that....."

  "You know what, ever since I decided to love you, to care for you, to give you chances, to carry your cross......I lost my sanity.....I did things I shouldn't have done for a grown ass man like you. You took the only peace i got, toyed with it, I lost all my friends....all because I was in love with Jamal" I yelled and air quoted

  "I'm sorry..." His eyes watered already, mine was on the way

  "Don't you ever apologize to me, do know how many times I heard that from you....y'all are a bunch of ingrates, bunch of assholes that couldn't get their shit together....." I yelled again

  "Danielle! I'm sorry....I wanted to tell you, i just couldn't....I couldn't do this to you, I couldn't bear to see you hurt..." He explained

  "The first time I asked if you were ok? Was the time I got hurt already. You kept lying to me, I needed you to confess to me but you lied. I called it off for you to confess to me, you still lied to me......wasn't that enough? No. You spoke to her today, i asked you about it

...what did you do Jamal? You lied. You claimed to be sick.....then I finally spoke about her pregnancy, what did you do? You lied. You feigned to be angry...." I yelled my life out

  "......Danni, I'm sorry. I should have known better....." He pleaded on his knees

  "I guess you banged her again and again and again.....(I was pacing around) you could just get a surrogate or something......(tears rolled down) I hate you, i hate you."

  "It was a mistake. It happened real fast, I never ever repeated it. I wouldn't......" He explained silently sobbing

  "I need a favor, and you'd it...." I said

  "I'll do just anything, just anything." He pledged

  "If she ever comes into this house to stay or you visit her, I'll kill her, your baby and lastly you....." I commanded

  "Danielle, she wouldn't. I don't care, I could kill her myself....."

  "And the baby?"

  "He's only a child...." He tried to plead

  "Are you choosing her over me?"

  "I'd do it." I concurred

The next morning, I was having coffee and milk no sugar in a white robe. I felt different suddenly, I wasn't the emotional Danielle i had been, I was in for the worse. I was determined to kill Lola and her child to have Jamal to myself. Divorcing him would be no fun, I needed to let them know the things I could do. I wouldn't let this slip by for no reason. If I didn't know who the woman was, I'd let it go but to the fact that it was Lola, Nah, I won't. She made me feel inferior and stupid, she claimed to be the smartest of all, I just have the right recipes to this scandal, I wouldn't let it slip by, not once.

All these ideas occurred to me in a minute, my immediate impression was only a smile.

Jamal was low key since last night, he was scared to speak with me, but he did regardless

   "Uhmmm..... (He rubbed his head and continued) can I atlast make you breakfast, anything of your choice" he offered

  "You mean anything?" I answered politely with a smile

  "Yes I promise, I'd prepare it  for ya!" He beamed in fear