Page 48 of Tammaro DeLuca

“Thank you for letting me see Asmaria. She’s so strong about everything, and this is no different.” Mrs. Chambers smiled at me, and I recognized that same one as her daughter’s.

“No problem, Mrs. Chambers.”

“No, call me Mama or Angela.” She pressed.

I don’t know if I could ever call another woman Mama, so I went with Angela for now.

“Angela, you can see her whenever you want. Same rules apply. Donald, you won’t come anywhere near her.”

“You don’t have to worry about him showing up with me.” She chuckled, but there seemed to be sarcasm attached at the end. “I’ve filed for a divorce, so you don’t have to worry about me doing anything else with Donald. After I make sure that he gets home, that’s it for us.” She shook her head with that one shake that mothers used when they were disappointed in somebody.

“That’s good to know.” I remained quiet until it was time for them to get out. I hugged Angela but made sure that Donald stayed put until she was out of earshot.

I closed the door because it was time for us to have a little chitchat. Donald and he raised his eyebrow at me.

“I’m glad that you knew there was more to be said.” I started, “You are never to come around Yolanda and Asmaria again. As much as I want you dead and out of the picture, I can’t hurt Yolanda in that way. If she reaches out to you, keep it quick and casual. No, you can’t visit and no, they can’t come to see you.”

“This is ridiculous.” Donald interjected.

“It is ridiculous that you don’t love either of them enough to protect them the way you should. Instead, you put their lives at stake because you were pissed at me. I didn’t come at you through your wife and child. I stepped to you like a man. Why couldn’t you do the same, Donald? Even the forced marriage to Yolanda wasn’t about you. It was about me and nobody else. And to think, all you had to do was tell your wife that you didn’t want her anymore.”

“Watch it, son! Just because I was out here doing what I did, it didn’t mean that I didn’t want her. I love Angela with all I am.”

“You’ve got one hell of a way of showing it!” I raised my voice because he was spitting out bullshit instead of owning everything that he’s done. “Don’t worry about it, because from the way she tells it, she’ll be fine without you. To make sure that her, Yolanda, and Asmaria are safe, I’ve granted you a babysitter. He’ll be watching your every move and reporting to me. One wrong move–one misstep and you’re a goner, Donald. No more second chances. Get your shit together.”

I pushed the door open and waved him out. When I moved to close the door, he caught it, keeping the door ajar.

“Do you really think that I would hurt my daughter?” He asked.

Without a second thought, I answered. “Yes.”

His hand fell away from the door, and I closed it tight.

“Where to?” The driver asked.

“Home.”

I missed my girls and right now, I needed to feel them both in my arms. These days, that was the only way to satisfy the demand to protect them all the time.

Nothing else would do.

YOLANDA

Seventeen weeks later…

What was that? I dropped the glass I was holding as another flutter rippled across my stomach. Ro ran into the room, ready to attack whatever was harming me.

“Cara angelo?”

I stared at my stomach, trying to figure out if I’d lost my damn mind. I remember that feeling. It’s been about fifteen years since I felt it, but I’d never forget the moment that Asmaria moved for the first time. The only problem now was that before now, I didn’t know that I was pregnant.

“Baby?” He called me again.

“I’m pregnant, Ro.” I muttered while trying to think about the past few months. What signs had I missed? There wasn’t any morning sickness or nausea. Sure, my appetite had changed, but it was warmer outside and I craved cold things.

“What?” He asked.

“Ma?” Asmaria ran into the room. “Everything okay?”

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