Moving On

Moving On

A Chapter by Sha-Tisha Avonlady Bonhomme

Before the sun came up, Angel packed her things and snuck out of the Heberts’ home. She went to the bus depot, but wasn’t sure where she was going. She decided to just get on the next bus and go where ever it took her.

She lived in motels and hopped from bus to bus for almost two weeks. Finally, she decided that her next stop would be her last. Her trip ended in Las Vegas.

For about a week Angel and Marques lived in a cheesy motel just outside of the city limits, but her money began to run low. It was time for her to find a job. She dressed herself and Marques and went out to pursue a new life. However, on the way out, she began to feel sick. She ran to the bathroom to vomit.

Once she did get out, she walked for about an hour, with her son in toe, looking for places that were hiring. She saw a casino, with a help wanted sign in the window, so she decided to go in. The security guard stopped her at the entrance.

“The boy can’t come in here,” he told her.

“But Sir, I’m not here to play,” Angel explained. “I’m just here to apply for a job.”

“I’m sorry, but he’s under age. He can’t come in,” said the security guard.

The manager, Steve, saw Angel standing in the doorway, arguing with the guard, and came over

With the grace of a God, eyes like the ocean, and a smile like the devil, he looked directly at Angel and asked, “What’s going on here?”

Oh, nothing for you to concern yourself with, Sir,” the security guard replied.

“The lady seems upset,” said Steve.

“I’m am. I’m here to apply for a job and this a*****e won’t let me in, because I have my son with me,” Angel explained.

“Your son!” Steve said, looking at her wide eyed and surprised.

“Yes, my son,” said Angel. “I’m new in town. I have no family here, so I had no place to leave him, and I need a job.”

“Okay, come with me,” Steve said, directing her inside of the building.

As they walked through the casino, she looked around and began to feel a little intimidated. She hated large crowds and that’s all this place had. She began to feel nauseous again. She ignored it as Steve led her into his office and closed the door behind them.

“What did you say your name was, again?” he asked, as he sat down behind a large cherry oak desk.

“Angel Garcia,” she replied.

“You have a face like an Angel. Have a seat, Angel face,” he said as he flashed her that devilish smile. “My name is Steve.”

Angel sat down in one of the leather chairs across from Steve.

“Now,” he continued. “We do have several job openings. Your age will determine whether we can hire you. You must be at least 21 to work in the casino. And, any job offer you get, you’ll still be required to obtain a health card form the Clark County Health District, as well as an Alcohol Awareness Certification card. How old are you?”

“I’m 18,” Angel said, once again feeling intimidated by all the information he was giving her.

“Okay, I can hire you in the restaurant, bussing tables. But if I do, what are you going to do with the little one?” he asked.

She put her head down and bit down on her bottom lip. She hadn’t even thought about that.

“I tell you what, my sister has a daycare. I can call in a favor and you can have the job.”

“Thank you, so much!” Angel said excitedly.

“Do you have a place to stay?” he asked. “I know you said you’re new in town.”

“I’ve got a room in one of the motels outside of town.”

“You can’t live in a motel forever. I’ve got a small apartment that you can rent. It’s not fancy but it’s cozy.”

“Why are you doing all of this?”

“Well, I know you’re just trying to make a life for you and your kid. It’s not often you see a young mother trying to do the right thing, so when I do see one, I do everything I can to help them.”

“So, it’s not just me? You’ve done this for other people?”

“Yeah, I do things like this all the time,” he said, as they shared a smile.

It took her about a week to get all the forms she needed to start working. As soon as she did, Steve took her to the restaurant and started showing her the ropes. A week later she moved into the tiny two-bedroom apartment that Steve offered her. The rent and utility payments took more than 60% of her pay check, but shew was happy to be doing it on her own.

Steve seemed to look out for her a lot, more then he should. He was always making sure she ate lunch, even if she didn’t have any money. Often, he would walk up to her while she was working, start up a conversation with her, or say something to generate a smile from her. He went out of his way to ensure that her work schedule didn’t conflict with the daycare hours, so she was always on tome to pick up Marques. He was a very charming guy.

A month went by, and she could no longer ignore the nausea that twisted her stomach day in and day out. So, she got herself a home pregnancy test. It was confirmed. She and Khiry were going to have another child.

She never took the time to see a doctor, and over time her belly started to get bigger. Because Steve paid such close attention to her, he noticed the change in her form. Angel was clearing a table when he approached her about it.

“Don’t you think you should get that checked out?” he asked. “That’s one hell of a pimple you’ve got growing on your belly. Why didn’t you tell me you were expecting?”

“I didn’t know at the time,” she replied.

“Have you seen a doctor, yet?”

“No.”

“Tomorrow, take the day off, get it taken care of.”

He began to walk away, but she called out to him, “But, I don’t know any around here. And, I don’t know if I could afford a doctor bill right now.

He turned around. “I’ll take care of it.”

“No, you won’t,” she said firmly. “You’ve done enough for me. I can’t keep allowing you to do these things.”

“I don’t mind.”

“But I do.”

“Fine, but I will give you off, tomorrow. So, you should take the time to go see a doctor. I would recommend Dr. Mills. She’s very good. She accepts walk-ins, and sometimes she has pre-paid slots.”

“Pre-paid slots, what is that? Is that even a real thing?” she asked.

“Yeah, sure it is. People sometimes donate money to help pay for appointments that some patients can’t afford,” he explained with a wink.

“Yeah right,” she said with a hint of sarcasm.

Angel knew he was making it all up, and that he was planning to pay for her visit whether she wanted him to or not. She just didn’t understand why he would do such a thing. Regardless of why, she did need prenatal care, and if he didn’t pay for it she had no other way of getting it. At this point she was too poor to have pride.

With a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth, he turned and walk away.

The next morning, she dropped Marques off at daycare, early. Then she went home to find information on Dr. Mills. After locating the address, she grabbed her purse and walked out of her apartment. When she got downstairs to the lobby, Steve was waiting for her near the mailboxes.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“I came to see if you needed a ride to the doctor’s office,” he replied.

“No, I don’t.”

“What are you gonna do, walk there?”

“Maybe,” she said, trying to sound firm.

“You’d never make it,” he said with a chuckle at her lame attempt. “It’s on the other side of town. Come on, don’t be stubborn. Let me drive you there.”

“Okay fine, but this is the last favor.”

Angel walked outside and saw a shiny black Chrysler 300 parked on the curb.

“Hop in,” Steve said, as he opened the door.

They got in and they drove off. The engine was so silent, that if it weren’t for the outside scenery whizzing by, she wouldn’t be able to tell that the car was moving. As she inhaled the new car smell that lingered inside the care, she turned to look at Steve.

“How could you tell that I was pregnant? Is my face glowing or something?” she asked.

Steve looked at her with his handsome smile and said, “An angel’s face always glows.”

Angel turned away from him, and put her head down, hoping he would not see her blushing cheeks.

“I told you your stomach is getting bigger,” he continued. He went silent for a moment, contemplating how to ask the next question. “So, where’s the father?” he finally asked.

“It’s a long story, and I don’t want to talk about it,” she said.

“It must be painful.”

“Let’s just say we chose different paths in life, and leave it at that.”

Angel looked out the window, fighting against the memories of Khiry. He had not crossed her mind since she had made it to Vegas. She was busy trying to live her life, and was not about to let the thought of him slow her down.

After the doctor’s visit, the two went to lunch. She told him about her life as a foster child. She told him how it all changed when Nancy and Lawrence adopted her. Steve told her about how he became the manager of the casino and restaurant, and how the only thing missing in his life was that special someone to share his success with. Angel began to develop a crush on him, although she would never admit it. Harboring those feelings felt wrong since he was her boss. Also, he was almost thirty years old, and she was only eighteen. He was a rich white man who grew up in the suburbs. She was a poor Mexican female, and a single mother of a biracial child, who grew up in the ghetto. The chances of him returning her feelings were very slim. They were two completely different people from two completely different worlds.

Angel and Steven became such close friends, that her coworkers believed they were dating. He began driving her to and from work. They spent their lunch break together every day. The other works noticed he was always rubbing her swollen belly, or touching her in some other way. They also noticed his favoritism towards her when he made the work schedule. The eventually began to resent her for it, and stopped speaking to her. So, here she was again, in a new town with no friends, except for Steve.

By the time she was seven months pregnant, being on her feet for long periods of time became harder for her. One afternoon, she was walking around, serving drinks, when she caught a sudden pain in her stomach. She leaned against the wall and began to take slow deep breaths. Steve spots her from behind the bar.

“Are you okay?” he asked walking up to her.

“Yeah, it’s just a little gas pain,” she replied.

“Let’s get you off your feet. Come and sit in the office for a moment,” he said.

As he is escorting her to the office, they pass several other waitresses, who are rolling their eyes and smacking their teeth at her.

“This isn’t special treatment. He’s just concerned. He would do it for them too, if they were in my shoes,” Angel thought to herself.

Steve leads her into the office and closes the door. She sits down in one of the chairs and continues to take deep breaths.

He squats down in front of her. “Do you feel better?” he asked.

“Yes, thank you.” She replied.

Steven walks over to the mini fridge in corner of the office. “Don’t you think it’s time for a maternity leave?” he said, grabbing a bottled water out of the fridge.

He walks over and hands her the water. She opens it and drinks some.

“The doctor said I can work,” she said.

“But, I don’t think it’s a good idea,” he said sitting on the edge of the desk across from Angel. “You need your rest, for the baby’s sake. Next week when we go back to the doctor, I’ll have him draw up your papers. But for now, why don’t you just go home and rest.”

“Steve, I can’t afford to be out of work right now. I have rent and bills to pay.”

“Relax, Angel face. I’m your landlord, remember. I’ll take care of you.”

“No!”

“I don’t mind,” he said.

He headed out of the office, but then he thought of something. He turned around.

“Hey, why don’t you and Marques come over for dinner tonight? I won’t take no for an answer.”

“Okay,” she said with a deep sigh.

That evening, Angel showed up at Steve’s condo, very nervous, not knowing what to expect. Although it was obvious to everyone, that he was interested in her, she refused to allow herself to believe it. She did not want to get her hopes up.

They had a delightful dinner that night. Afterwards, they sat and talked for a while. Time flew by, and before she realized it, three hours had passed. Steve was sitting on the sofa and Angel was sitting in an armchair near the corner of it, when they noticed that Marques was falling asleep in Angel’s lap.

“Why don’t you put him lying on the sofa?” Steve suggested.

She placed Marques on the sofa, and Steve noticed her limping.

“What’s wrong with your leg?” he asked.

“Nothing. My feet are just a little sore,” she replied.

She was going to return to her chair, but Steve grabbed her hand.

“Come and sit next to me,” he said.

She sat on the sofa between Marques and Steve.

“Give me your foot,” he demanded.

“Why?” she asked.

“So I can massage it,” he told her.

“Not a good idea,” she said.

“Yes, it is,” he said, grabbing her foot.

He removed her shoe and began rubbing her foot.

“You’ve been on your feet so much,” he says. “They are swollen and full of blisters.”

“Well, I have to do what I have to do.”

“You don’t have to do anything.”

“No one else is gonna pay my bills.”

“Is it not obvious that I care about you, Angel. I can take care of you and your kids. You can move in here with me. You’ll never have to work again.”

“I have this whole independent thing going, and I kind of like it. I’m not sure I’m ready to give it up.”

“Would you be open to trying it on a trail bases?”

“Yeah. I think that’s a good idea.”

“Finally, we agree on something,” he said smiling.

“I can’t believe this is really happening. What could he possibly see in me,” she thought to herself.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her stomach. She winced, as she tried to breathe through it.

“Are you okay?” Steve asked.

“Yeah, I just need a little water,” she replied.

He runs to the kitchen. He comes back and hands her a glass of water.

“Are you sure that’s all you need?” he asked.

“Yeah, I went through the same thing when I was pregnant with Marques. My uterus is just a little dehydrated.”

“I think you should stay here, just for tonight? I just want to make sure you’re alright.”

“I’ll be alright.”

But, the pain hits her again. This time it was a lot worse. Steve becomes nervous. She lets out a scream.

“That’s it, I’m taking you to the hospital,” he said.

“No, you don’t have to. I’m fine,” she tried to argue.

“No, you’re not. I’m bringing you to the hospital and I don’t want to hear another word come out of your mouth,” he said.

He checked her into the hospital. They kept her overnight for observation, and gave her something for the pain.

The medications wore off early the next morning. She woke up to find Steve sleeping on the pull-out sofa with Marques sleeping in his arms. She didn’t want to wake them, so she just sat quietly. Soon Steve began waking up.

“Good morning,” she greeted him when he opened his eyes.

Steve looked at her. “Good morning, Angel face. How are you feeling?”

“Better. Thank you for bringing me here, last night.”

“I spoke to the doctor and he told me that you’re going to have to take it easy, now.  He wants you on full bed rest. That means, you can’t get out of bed unless it’s important,” he explained.

“How in the hell am I supposed to do that? I have a kid to support,” Angel said.

“You can come home with me,” Steve suggested.

“Steve…”
            “I already know, Angel,” he interrupted, “you’re independent and loving it. You’re also extremely stubborn, and sick. You need someone to take care of you. So, stop trying to prove your independence, and let me help you. Haven’t I shown you by now, that I’m a good person? I’m not gonna cook you and eat you.

Angel sat up in the bed, with a stubborn pout on her face.  “What about the trail bases?” she asked.

Steve slipped himself from under Marques and got up from the sofa. He sat on the edge of her bed.

“We still do that. You can keep your apartment. When you have the baby, you can move back in, if you want to. Deal?

He puts his hand out for them to shake on it. Angel thought for a moment, and didn’t see any harm in it.

She placed her hand in his and replied, “Deal”.

Angel moved a few things out of her apartment and moved in with Steve. This was the final nail in the coffin. She was officially burying her and Khiry’s relationship, or so she thought.

Steve didn’t try to rush into anything. He gave Marques his own room and allowed her to sleep in a separate room. Every morning he would bring her breakfast in bed and made sure she had everything she needed before leaving. He kept Marques in daycare and took over the monthly payments, so that Angel wouldn’t have to tend to him while he was at work. This went on for a few months, until finally the big day came.

It was late, about two in the morning, when her pain came back with a vengeance. On first it felt like pressure in her stomach, which just made her uncomfortable. Then it began to feel as if the baby was trying to punch its way out. She had to wake Steve. When she got out of the bed, warm liquid gushed from under her night gown, like a water balloon. It continued to drip, as she dragged her feet down the hall to Steve’s room.

“Steve,” she whispered, as she shook him gently.

Steve stirred around in his bed a little, but never opened his eyes.

“Steve,” she says, shaking him harder.

He woke up, and rubbing his eyes he asked, “What’s wrong, Angel face?”

“I’m in labor,” she said, trying hard not to scream.

Although the pain was trying to knock her to her knees, she remembered Nancy telling her that screaming only made it worse.

“Okay, don’t panic,” Steve said calmly. “I’ll get you to a hospital.”
            He got up and wrapped a still sleeping Marques in a blanket. He grabbed the bag he had prepared, in anticipation of this day, and rushed her to the hospital. She gave birth to a baby boy, that she named Kevin.



© 2017 Sha-Tisha Avonlady Bonhomme


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Added on December 30, 2017
Last Updated on December 30, 2017


Author

Sha-Tisha Avonlady Bonhomme
Sha-Tisha Avonlady Bonhomme

Lafayette, LA



About
I write mostly fictional urban love stories. I also sometimes write poetry and screen plays more..

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