Cheating On A Cheater 2

Chapter 18

Chapter 18 

No more drama in my life, no one's going to make me hurt again... Mary J Blige, "No More Drama"

 Talisha tightly gripped her phone as she stormed down the hallway. As much as she didn't want for Raymond's words to hurt her, she couldn't help, but to think how long he could have felt the way that he did. Raymond would always tease her about being bear feet in the kitchen cooking while, pregnant with his baby if things didn't play right with his daughter's mother. His day to day affection was what Talisha searched for in Malone when they were together. She paced to the nearest elevator faster than what her thoughts could have if they had legs. As soon as the elevator doors opened up a wide pursed smile on Stacy's face welcomed her. Raymond's so-called baby mama's lil' sister was low-key stalking her like it wasn't apparent. Stacy wore a blue and grey heart printed scrub and her fake pearl earrings were shown, since she placed her heavy box braids in a high bun. Talisha batted her lashes at her, while laughing in her head about how uneasy her head looked from keeping her balance from her bun. She stepped into the elevator without saying a word to Stacy, but her attitude towards her was spoken in volumes.

Stacy placed her based coat manicured nails on the button that was numbered 2. She looked over Talisha's outfit and asked her what floor was she headed to. 

Talisha cut her eyes at Stacy and said, "Don't worry about it. I'm going to wait until you get to the floor you going to." 

 Stacy placed one of her hands in the pockets of her scurbs and pulled out her Android phone. "Talisha, you really down and out right now. I could look at you and tell that from your choice of clothes, like do you even work? You really look tired, boo. I know my niece Farea' not keeping you up all night 'cause you don't live there. What's your excuse? My brother-in-law really fell off when he started fuckin' with you." Stacy looked back down at her phone and started texting. 

 Talisha and Stacy known about each other for a few years. When Raymond and his baby mama at the time had a baby shower for Farea' she was invited. Raymond and his baby mama Salen was cool with Talisha being there, since Malone showed his face too. Talisha would have thought that Stacy wanted Malone the entire time she was there from the looks they both exchange every time she made a sudden move. Raymond and her never intended on ever being lovers just good friends and being a guest at him and Salen's baby shower those many years ago would have proved that.

Talisha stared at Stacy with piercing eyes as she said, "Stacy, I see that you have a issue with me that I have no clue what it could be about. If you would have told me the shit you just told me a few months ago, I would have whopped yo' fuckin' ass for being disrespectful. But you really not worth me putting my hands on. You can say whatever the hell you want about me. You are irrelevant and in my mind and in my world you don't exist."The elevator came to a stop on the second floor. 

Stacy looked confused by her choice of words that she directed towards her and said as she stepped a foot out of the elevator, "I don't exist like that child you carrying, right?" She laughed and clapped her hands and disappeared as the elevator doors closed behind her. Talisha was then just one step from yanking her back into the elevator and giving Stacy a deadly dose of her fists. 

 ****** 

Honaray paid her friendly female cab driver for the comfortable and funny ride to The Family Birthing Center at Touro. She rubbed her belly and smiled as she felt her baby kick. She made her way through the doors and was greeted by a bubbly medical receptionist who was happy to see her. The medical receptionist took down her information and alerted her that her doctor was going to be right with her soon. Honaray took a seat in the waiting room and placed her head phones in her ears. She closed her eyes and allowed the soulful sounds of Mary J Blige singing "No More Pain" tune out the thoughts of Malone. The tears, frustration, and anger started to overwhelm her. Honaray tired not to cry as tears streamed slowly down her cheeks.

A few patients who were also in the waiting room noticed her tears quickly looked away. One young black woman, who looked around her age stood up and handed her a small pack of tissue from her cross body purse. 

Honaray removed one ear bud from her ear and the young woman said, "I just wanted to tell you that you shouldn't let people see you cry, because they will always remember you for your tears." She said as she took a vacant seat next to her.

 Honaray took the tissues and looked at the young woman as she took a seat next to her. "I guess you are right, but you shouldn't be nice to strangers in New Orleans. I'm not too much of a nice girl when I'm not crying either." She hoped that her words would have made the young woman leave, but her words intrigued her to talk to her more. 

"I am right. I hate to see beautiful black women with they head held down. So many brave and courageous black women in our history fought, so we can walk with our heads high. If you look around you in this baby center, you see mostly white couples happy and excited about being pregnant. Just look around. Then someone like you, a woman of color siting in the back of the waiting room in her emotions with tears running down her face, isn't a good look. I grew up here in New Orleans in the 3 Ward to be exact and maybe God wanted me to tell you that you should have a smile on your face."

 The young black woman talked with a educated tone and wore her natural hair in two strand twists in a low bun. Her skin complection was dark brown with a slight bronzed golden kissed highlight that made her high cheek bones glisten in the light. Her almond shaped eyes danced as she looked at Honaray with compassion as if she knew all that she been through. 

Honaray looked at her glowing face and smiled and wiped away her tears. "I just been emotional lately more than ever. Can I ask you what's your name and how many months you are? My name is Honaray, but my people call me 'Ray for short and I'm seven months pregnant." 

"Being emotional won't keep you or your baby healthy. My name is Salen and I'm just three months pregnant at the moment, but it feels like I'm further along with my pregnancy."

Honaray laughed a little and rubbed her belly. "You are right again! I have to do better for my baby before he or she even gets here. Is this your first baby?" 

 Salen looked at the television screen in a daze before she answered her question and said, "I try not to be right all the time. I'm actually a mother already and I have a daughter her name is Farea' and she lives with her father. This time around I'm going to do what's right and be an awesome mother. I guess this was God's way of giving me a second chance."

"I never thought about God giving us second chances to redeem ourselves. I wish things with my situation could be different though. My babies' father is at West Jeff right now. He had got into a little drama and got shot in the leg, but he will be getting release in the next few days."

Salen was surprised that Honaray was so open with her. She felt content that Honaray was no longer upset and emotional. Salen asked Honaray for her cell phone number before she was called into her doctors office. Honaray and Salen's blossoming friendship was going to happen quicker than the rose that grew from the concrete.