Page 15 of Rhodes to Love

After I pulled out, she still ended up in front of me. I had to find a way back in. Then again, it was that desperation that got me in the predicament I was currently in. This time, I needed to just chill and be me. I planned to wine and dine her, buy gifts, and show her attention and affection. The deceptive plans were out. I couldn’t try to force this, or it would backfire in my face all over again.

When she turned at the traffic light, I had to assume she was going to her parents’ house. They lived down that highway. I would be turning at the next traffic signal in China. When I got to it, I ended up in line, waiting to turn. I picked up my phone from the console and texted Karima.

I love you.

Every day she would receive at least that message from me, even if she never responded. I needed her to see me trying. She said she knew that I wanted her, but I could read her very well, so I didn’t ask anything further. Her knowing how badly I wanted her didn’t excuse what I did. I got that loud and clear.

Glancing at the thread, I saw that she’d read it. Hopefully, she wouldn’t choose to block me again. This was going to be an uphill battle, but it was something I was willing to put my all into. I knew that I could convince her to eventually give us another try. She didn’t say it couldn’t be done, so I would cling to that hope.

She didn’t seem angry either. Her hurt was evident through her dark, slanted eyes. Living with myself had been tough the past three months after seeing her tears. Hearing her expressions of hurt was much worse than her anger. I would much rather her curse me out than cry. My phone chimed, and I damn near ran off the road to see if it was Karima.

When I picked it up and saw her name, my heart fluttered. I opened it, only to see she’d sent me an ultrasound picture. As I drove, that fucking Dave Hollister song came on. “Destiny” was the song that said everything I needed to say to her. Although I’d said all these things he talked about in the song, I felt like it would reach her core if she could hear it for herself. I sent it to her, then set my phone near the gear shift.

Once I’d gotten to my aunt’s house, I grabbed it again and stared at the ultrasound picture of our baby. I hoped the baby had her hair, her eyelashes, her drive, her amazing smile, and her loving spirit. I’d been staring at the picture so long I didn’t see my aunt standing at the window until she knocked on it, scaring the shit out of me. I huffed, then turned the engine off and got out.

“So she’s pregnant, huh?” my aunt asked as she glanced at the picture on my phone.

“Yeah.”

“And she still don’t wanna be bothered wit’chu?”

“No. I hurt her so bad, and I could see that shit in her eyes. She fell in love with me and had planned to tell me until she found the condoms. She told me that today. It’s been three months, so I don’t know if she still loves me or not.”

“Did you catch her alone?”

“Naw. Several niggas in her family were around her, at least nine or so. One threatened to make my ass disappear if she ‘said the word,’” I said, holding up air quotes.

“She still loves you then. I’ve heard a lot of shit about those Hendersons, especially the ongoing beef they have with the Andersons.”

“What beef?”

“Shiiiiid, two of her cousins have literally killed a couple of them. That’s the word on the street, anyway. There was plenty of shit that went down back in the day too. So if those niggas didn’t take yo’ ass out, she still loves you. If it took her this long to fall in love with you, I can imagine that it will take just as long for her to fall out of love. Don’t let her, Rhodes. Don’t give her the opportunity.”

“I don’t plan to.”

She took my phone from me, that had the picture on display, and asked, “How far along is she? Did she even plan to tell you?”

“She called me about fifteen minutes before I got there. So she wasn’t going to keep it from me. I hurt her bad though. She just wants us to focus on the baby, but I’d be a fool to not see to her needs as well. She’s like sixteen weeks, I think she said. So she probably got pregnant within that first month.”

She slowly shook her head and handed my phone back to me. “I still can’t believe you did that shit.”

“Me either. It was definitely a complete lapse of judgment. But I can’t say that I’m not happy about her carrying my baby, despite my actions.”

“She’s a good girl, Rhodes.”

“Yeah. You’ve told me multiple times.”

“I have to keep reminding you. It won’t be easy to gain her trust again.”

I nodded then followed her inside the house. Glancing at the picture again, I sent a response to Karima.Thank you. Let me know the day and time of your appointment. I really want to go. I moved back btw. I’m sure you figured that out by now.

She probably didn’t give a fuck that I’d moved back. However, now that I knew she was having my baby, I knew I’d made the right decision by coming back. There was no way I would want to live that far away from my baby… or her, whether she was mine or not. She didn’t know it, but she had me for life. Then again, maybe she did.

CHAPTER5

KARIMA

When I walked through my door, I released everything I’d been holding in at the sight of Rhodes. I thought I was over all the hurt and anger until today when he showed up at the diner. In the back of my mind, I knew he would eventually pop up on me. He wasn’t the type to just let things fester without closure of some kind. I left him in Nashville in limbo. He didn’t know whether I was pregnant or not.

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