Sweet Nothings

Boom, guess who stepped in the room

I turn to Emil as tears fall from my face and watch his jaw go slack as he opens his cookie. A photo of him and Maribela having sex in the bathroom in his hand.

"To find out that my love has been sleeping with her of all people. For her to smile in my face while she fucks my husband in closets, bathrooms, hotels.... well, you can see how that puts a damper on my marriage." I walk back to my bag beside Abuela. I reach in and grab the divorce papers.

My family is standing silently. Tia Aña has tears in her eyes.

I face my betrayers. They still stand together, against the whole room. Maribela tries to grab Emil's hand, but he's pulling away. "Mara Babe... he starts. "I want a divorce," I tell him quietly as I place the papers in his hand.

"You can continue your grand love affair with my egg donor. I even helped you by moving out this afternoon. It's tainted, I will never step foot in there again. All further communication will be done through my lawyer."

I turn to address Maribela. "Have you no shame? My Papi has been gone for a year and a half. How can you do this? To me? I hate you more than anything. You have to have some kind of damage to do this to your own child. If I wasn't pregnant, I would beat your ass."

I step back. I watch as she tries to garner some kind of sympathy. Fake ass...

"I needed someone... I was devastated when Senior died. I am not built to be alone. Emil and I love each other. We'll raise this baby together."

Emil is silent. He looks as devastated as I feel.

"What, nothing to say, Emiliano? Thought you could just keep fuckin us both?"

He looks up and nods his head. "I love you both. I want you both... I know it's wrong. I wanted to tell you, but then the baby...."

"No worries, I saved you the trouble." I hear the elevator ding.

Right on time. In walks Emil's parents. We hand them a cookie bag. Behind them is my brother. He flew in from California. He runs the family business from there. He's... never liked Emil.

"Ale, I am so glad you made it," I say as I give him the biggest hug. "I just let Maribela and Emil know that we know about their affair." My MIL, Tami, gasps. She's so fake. She knew too. Emil's a momma's boy.

My family begins to shake off the shock, and everyone starts yelling at them.

Ale starts heading for Emil. My big little brother is 6'3 to Emil's 6'. He has also been hitting the gym more. Ale goes in for the kill... a straight one-hitter quitter. Emil is sprawled out. My Mom stands there with crocodile tears... not one ounce of remorse. She's forgotten where she is. You see, Abuela is my father's mother. Tia Aña is his big sister. She has always only tolerated Maribela.

Boom, she punches her square in the face. Tia Aña was on her neck... in two minutes.I thought I would find joy in seeing them knocked down, but all I feel is sadness.

I knelt in front of my Abuela and cried. She held my head and rubbed my back.

My in-laws and betrayers are escorted out.

"I'm sorry I ruined dinner Lita." "No, mi amorcita, ahora entiendo."

No more words were spoken as she loved on me as she always had.

Later, as we left, I asked that they give me a little time before calling. I needed to really process all of this.

Thank God for best friends and brothers. Too bad they can't stand each other. Stacia pulls her brown and blonde faux locs up and away from her nape as she adjusts her pea coat. Dressed from top to bottom in navy blue, her wide-legged slacks and mock turtle neck shirt fit well, enhancing her God-given curves. Ale looks on and licks his lips. They play this game, who can be the biggest a-hole. Looks like Ale is gearing up. " Lookin like you some Nubian sista."

"Not today, Satan," replies Stacia as she strolls to the exit. "Come on, Queenie, let's get to the crib and bang the cookies. Too bad ya egg donor had to ruin the cake. Who the hell eats that nasty fondant? She did that sh*t on purpose, ol grimey heffa. How about we stop at Big Gay Ice Cream on the way? Cookies, milkshakes, and superhero movies sound great to me."

"You would pick Big Gay... knowing that Italian spot.....what's it? Amorino's has better shakes and gelatos. I wanna watch that last Spiderman tho!!" says Ale as he pulls me into him and gives me a one-handed hug. " I can pick everything if you text me, then head your way. "

"Who says you are welcome? You damn sure aren't welcome in my spot, yo!!" Stacia is ready to go off. "

"Can we please not tho? I just want to lie down and veg out. I don't want to have to think for a little while."

"Truce?" Ale asks. "Aiight", Stacia responds. Whew... It's a food-baby miracle.

Stacia and I arrive before Ale. We take the stairs to her 2nd-floor walk-up in Brooklyn. Stacia inherited her place from her Granny. She has been remodeling bit by bit for the last year or so. It is more modern and homey since her Granny moved out. I take one side of the oversized sectional couch. The living room was redone in brown, brass, and cream colors. Stacia hung up our coats and came to sit on the ottoman in front of me.

"Do you want to talk right quick before ya big head brother comes back?" she asks.

"I really don't know," I say. " This whole thing has been a nightmare, yo. I mean, how is she even for real? My moms yo!! I mean, I know we've bumped heads over the years, but I neva would have expected this. It's so nasty, man. I threw up thinking about it when I saw them dirty messages. That jerkface thinks it's morning sickness. I know I'm clean 'cause I see the doctors every month, but I went and got my ish checked again anyway. I got something for both of them, puntas, tho." Ugh... I have to calm down. None of this is good for my daughter. Can't have my pressure all over the place.

"Mara, you know that I am here for you. You don't have to leave if you don't want to. We can plan your next moves, petty moves, and dream maneuvers. Let me know what we doin." Stacia says as she gets up. Stacia sits beside me. Pulling my head into her lap. She holds on to me as I start to cry.

"This is supposed to be the best time in my life. I did all the right things. Got my life on track, graduated from college, got married to the man that I love, started a business, and now I am having a cheater's baby. Maribela was really expecting to raise my baby with him. She barely raised me. Emil must have a Mommy kink or something."

I have to stay away from them. I know me and I know I will swing the next time I see either of them. I have to get away from here. I am shuttering my office space and taking the business mobile. I didn't need a physical site anyway; that was Emil pushing. Saying that it looked more professional. There was an offer on the space as soon as I listed it. The money from that sale, plus the house... Yeah, lil Mami and I will be just fine for a bit.

"The look on his face when he sees he has 30 days to leave, priceless. If he thought that I would just give up my house to him and her, yeah, right. My Papi helped me pick it out. Had that spot longer than the relationship."

"Gurl, when you are all settled, we'll do a weekend and set your office space and the nursery up together. Making the business mobile and setting new hours should be what you change first on your site. Also, change the access to all of that. No need for Emil or the donor to try to undermine or steal from you." Just then, there is a knock on the door. Stacia gets up and walks down the hallway to answer the door. Ale stalks in with a large bag, a quad cup holder, and two boxes of pizza.

"Yo, tu mamá es delulu. She has called my phone like 20x in the last hour. After I had already said that she was dead to me

"Ale", I say," You don't have to cut Maribela out of your life."

Ale just shakes his head and walks to the couch. "Let's get chocolate wasted!!" See.... right there. My best friend and brother in one room... ugh, le sigh.