Marilyn Monroe's Bed of Lies

XXVIII .Unfolded. XXVIII

I could hear our parents start to argue from outside the house.

"Man it ain't ever gonna stop with them huh", I said

"Right, they might as well just get a divorce"

"Oh come on now, you know pops. They could not talk for 30 years, he not divorcing anybody"

"Yea you right. Ain't like he been only with mama anyways", Rahman responded

"Ain't like mama only been with him either", I said laughing

"They better not ask where we learned it from later on", Rahman said laughing as we went into the house.

Cassius POV

"NJ, what do you mean pregnant?", I asked

Inside I was ecstatic but outside I was in disbelief. There was way to much going on for me to handle right now.

"I'm a couple of months. Joe and I... we never had sex Cassius, this is your baby."

"My baby ? With you ?"

"Yes Cassius."

I began to cry.

"I'll be there NJ. I'll.... I'll leave tonight. I'll be back to you. I promise."

"Cassius is everything alright?"

"Yea just some trouble with the boys but nothing to much to handle. Don't worry."

"Okay Cassius."

"NJ. We're gonna be together. Ima make you happy. We both had troubles but this is gonna change us okay? I love you and our baby."

"I thought you stopped", she responded .

"I could never. Even if I said I did. Even if I believe I did.... I could never.", I looked at the phone waiting for her response.

"I love you too.", she said.

"I'll be on the way when I pack."

"Alright Cassius, call me when you get to the nearest airline, I'll send my plane."

"Alright", I said as I hung up the phone.

I knew this would be bad. Hopefully my son was smart enough to just give those white boys what they wanted. Couldn't have ended to bad.

I ran upstairs and took out my largest suitcase. I put in it all the clothes I left before.

Suddenly I heard the door close.

"Cassius?", Odessa called to me.

I tried to pack faster as I heard her come up the stairs.

The door opened. I stopped to watch her every move just Incase I had to grab her to protect myself again.

"What the hell do you think you're doing Cassius?",she asked.

I looked at her blankly.

"Well I'm packing."

"Packing for what"

"Listen Odessa it's just something's you wouldn't understand .", I said as I zipped my bag and trying to walk past her.

She grabbed my shirt pulling me back.

"And what wouldn't I understand Cassius ?"

"Listen...we'll talk about this another day, right now I have to go."

"Cassius. Your son is down there. He was just jumped...and your first response is to leave ?"

"It's not that way Odessa. I know it seems that way but it's not"

"Then what is it Cassius. What's so important that you have to leave right now ? Right when he's needed you the most."

"You actin like this the boy first fight. How many matches he been in since I've been gone ? Tons. He probably took all them white boys down anyways."

"CASSIUS YOU ARE BLINDED, HE SHOULD NEVER LOOK TO YOU FOR GUIDANCE BECAUSE YOU BARELY KNOW HOW TO GUIDE YOUR OWN SELF! WHAT HAS YOU DISTRACTED, WHY ARE YOU LEAVING?", she yelled

"BECAUSE ODESSA.....she's pregnant."

She stared at me.

"And it's my baby."

She came running full force at me.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH", she yelled as she repeatedly hit me.

"HEY, HEY, HEY, LISTEN WOMAN. STOP THAT SHIT.", I yelled.

I heard the front door close. I knew the boys had came in the house.

I pushed her back into our room and shut the door.

"Now look we both don't like how this is going right now. There's a lot more behind it, trust me. You're more than good with the boys than she is being who she is."

"Please Cassius she has all that money, she could pay someone to be the father if she wanted to."

"Trust me Odessa, your life here way more put together than hers is. Please just let me go to her. I have to. I'll talk to the boys before I go. I won't have any grudges with you. You can do what you please with whoever you want. Just..... Let....Me....Go.", I said slowly so she could understand.

"You know what? Fine Cassius. Ima talk about it with the boys too just Incase you still don't understand.", she said

"They'll understand completely when I tell them.", I said.

"So you calm now ? Can we act like nothing happened?"

"Yea whatever Cassius. Just know, you slip up you not being in their lives."

"You gonna hold me away from my sons ?"

"Don't you get it Cassius ? I'm not holding you away from them.... you're holding yourself.", she said as she walked out of the room.

Jr. Came up the stairs on my way down.

"Come here son, let me get a look at you.", I said as I bent his head in all sorts of directions.

He had a black eye, busted lip, and dried blood by his nostrils.

"What else they do ?", I asked

He lifted up his shirt to show me his bruised ribs.

My heart shattered. I pulled him into me tightly to hug him.

"Son listen. Even though this happened, it's good that you didn't let them get the best of you. You should never let people see that side."

This made me think twice about leaving him and his brother.

"I love you son. You and your brother both. I wish I could've came earlier."

"Yea well I don't, if you would've found that gun they would've been through. And you would've been in jail", he said laughing

"Let's be glad then. Now wash and rest up. You had a rough night my boy."

"Alright", he said as he continued going up the stairs.

He turned back around.

"Hey dad....I love you too.", he said with a smile.

After the house was quiet I thought very carefully about what I was going to do.

The Next Morning

I went upstairs to get my bag. Odessa was still sleep. Although our relationship was confusing, I still cared for her. I kissed her forehead before exiting our room.

I put my bag on the couch to put the rest of my things in it. I had stuff downstairs as well as upstairs.

"Good morning pops", Jr. Said while yawning and reaching out his arms.

Damn.