Get You

Bernice

As Bernice and I were sitting in the doctor's office waiting for her to get her sonogram to know what she will be having, I noticed that her leg stayed bouncing up and down. She didn't take her eyes off the door leading to the back of the office where the rooms where. I let her be in her own world but I needed to know what got her so antsy. There wasn't any smart remarks or ugly faces made and it took her forever to walk into the clinic. The look on her face was, dare I say it, fear. I was a bit confused, but brushed it off as I was just ready to get this over with to start my long weekend off. I was going to be looking at a few places to move my salon to, I wanted for there to be closed off rooms for each client. Also Kareem wanted to look at some places since my lease was going to be up at the end of this month. I heard her name get called and she froze.

"Bernice? Girl, come on they called your name." She looked at me and shook out of her daze when they called her name again. She stood up fast as hell, forgetting her purse and started walking over to the nurse awkwardly and loudly saying, "HERE!" She shrunk down when everyone looked at her for her loud voice. She turned looking for me frantically. I picked up her purse and followed, as we made it to the examination room she was sweating bullets. I watched her sit on the table and said, "Bernice, calm down babes. They are just going to get a few stats from you and see the gender okay?" She took a deep breath and looked at me and nodded. I was curious as to what is going on inside her head. My thoughts were cut short when the doctor walked in.

"Hello, Ms. Lewis! I see you brought someone with you to see the gender today, I'm Dr. Nicks and you are?" She extended her hand and I took it but before I could open my mouth Bernice opened her, "This is Mila, the mother." I looked at her crazy and shocked, now this trick didn't. The doctor smiled and said, "Well hi mama number 2, I bet you're excited to find out what we are having today! We will see, but we first need to check your weight, blood pressure, and temp then I'll be right back. Nurse Diamond will be in to get those stats." She pat me on the shoulder and skipped out. I looked at Bernice and said, "What the fuck?" She went back to sweating.

"Listen I'm nervous and I just blurted it out okay? But technically you are going to be the mother after I have it. What did you think Kareem would do after the baby is here?" I looked at her because what did I expect after she had the baby? I turned and said, "You're really going to leave the baby here and go live your life?" She nodded and looked at me like DUH. I was about to say something else when the nurse came in to get her stats. And right after that Dr. Nicks came back in to take a look at what she would be having. She set up the machine and prompted Bernice about the temp of the gel and put the wand on her stomach.

"Well it looks like we are expecting a bouncing baby boy!" I fake smiled while Bernice gripped my hand hard as a MF. I saw her crying and the doctor went to go print off the sonograms. I said, "Isn't that exciting? A little boy! Now you'll have to think of some names, and will need to go shopping." She was still crying and looked at me and said, "Thank you for coming. I really appreciate this, but I am not fit to be a mother. You'll need to think of names and go shopping, I am not keeping this baby." She just cried even more, at this point I am concerned about what she is going through.

"Bernice why are you thinking this way? What makes you think you won't be a fantastic mother, you can have this baby. If it will make you feel any better Kareem and I would be with you every step of the way." I hugged her and she cried more and shook her head. She opened her mouth and said, "I am a drug addict, I can barely afford to eat and if I am being honest any money I get my hands on I spend it on my fix. I don't want this baby to grow up in this environment that I am in. I could never give this baby stability, but you can." She took my hand in her and guided it to her belly where I felt the baby move. I was creeped out and said, "You have five months to make this choice. You don't want to regret any decision you make. Lets get you some lunch. We will wait for the doctor then go get some Benihana's okay?" I couldn't take this deep of a conversation right now.

I was at Kareem's parents house and all the men were outside on the grill, while the women were in the kitchen making the sides. I decided to bring it up and tell them what went down today. Sonia was the first to speak, "I always knew she was bad news. Her upbringing was much worse from who her daddy was. He use to whoop her mama ass like it was a full time job. Her mama was into drugs and finally got clean when that mean ass man died, turned around and her mama contracted HIV and died 2 short years after that. I can see why she trying to give that baby to yall."She continued doing the mash potatoes. I said, "I'm going to try and make her keep it, she would regret giving her baby up." Cheyenne nodded along with me.

Destiny spoke and said, "This is a cry for help, I think you should welcome the baby with open arms. I mean she let you know what's up and Kareem been trying to get you pregnant forever, maybe this will slow him down." We got quiet when the sliding door opened and in walked Kam he kissed Chey on the cheek and looked at us suspiciously. "What are yall talking about?" And Chey head ass gone say, "Mila becoming a mama." I looked at her like bitch wtf! Kam smiled big as hell and said, "You pregnant? Kareem didn't say shit to me about. REEM! BOY YOU SHOT THE CLUB UP AND SNATCHED A BODY!" It was too late everybody walked in talking about congrats and shit. I said, "Ain't nobody pregnant!" I snapped Chey on the back of her head.

Kareem turned to me and said, "So what's up? Why would Cheyenne say that?" His stance widened so I knew he was wanting answers. I let him know the whole run down of Bernice and this nigga said, "I know, she called my lawyer to draw up the paperwork two days ago, he called me this morning to let me know what was going on." I looked at him dumbfounded because this is what I'm talking about. "I KnOw, nigga what the fuck? You've had all day to let me know what is happening. I didn't agree to this!" He looked at me and said, "I'm still trying to process this information myself, Mila. I didn't know she would seriously not keep the baby, I thought if she just had a bit of support we would be good." He ran his hand over his hair. I went over to his side and said, "I say we let her know that we know and that we will not be taking on the responsibility." He was quiet for a while.

"I think we should, I don't want her to think she can just plan to pawn off her child on us. Hell we are still trying to get it together. I'll call her and see if she wants to meet up for dinner." I nodded as everyone around us was looking at each other. I could tell that they wanted to say something about it, but I just brushed them off. They would not be shouldering this child and Kareem and I's relationship is new I want him to myself a little while longer you know. That makes me remember to get set an appointment to get on birth control too. I'll check in with my doctor tomorrow.

We were waiting on Bernice to come into Cork, a nice restaurant with contemporary american food. It had a mellow vibe with low r&b playing in the background. She strutted in looking like a goddess and she was strutting in, with her 4 inch stilettos. She sat down and looked like a nervous wreck. I gave her a smile and tried to make it comforting, we ordered first and just asked about updates on the baby to not start off wrong. As we had finished the dinner, Kareem cleared his throat and spoke, "My lawyer called me up and let me know about the paperwork you had drawn up two days ago." At that moment any type of smile slipped off her face and all I saw was desperation and that is not a good look. I squeezed his hand, but he continued. "That is a big responsibility and we don't want any regrets on your end. This is a child, your child-"she made a sound and gripped her belly I saw the panic and desperation in her face. When those two mix it's never good. I said, "If you need us we will be here for you, we just want for you to fully understand your decision and we want to give you some time to think this all over before making any hard choices okay?" She took a shaky breath and nodded her head.

When we got to the car Kareem was quiet, he opened my door and helped me in the truck and buckled my seat belt. He walked over to his side with a mug, once he made it in I spoke. "I know you're mad but the look she had on her face that showed she would do something crazy. I -" He held his hand up and looked at me, "I'm not mad at you, I'm upset at the whole situation. I saw her face and at that moment I just wasn't sure what the fuck to do. Are we really about to prepare for a baby you're not even having?" I just shook my head and stared at this fine man. "I guess we are, it's a boy. Here's the outcome, we prepare for this baby and he comes home with us or he doesn't come home with us and we give her what we have purchased and move on." At this moment I don't know what else we can do.

He kissed my lips before putting the truck in reverse and said, "I guess we are preparing for a baby. Tomorrow we will be looking at houses."