Prove Your Love (Worth It: Book 2)

Chapter 12: The Other Woman

"How are things going with the galleries," Janelle asked plopping down onto her big, furry, bean bag chair.

I sighed. "It's been really hard, but I'm trying not to stress about it, because of the baby. If Kevin knew that he'd immediately jump in and try to stop me. I can't let him do that," I sighed, "this means way too much to him."

"But Lys, you do need to take it easy. You've been working really hard, not just with this, but with school and work. I really would like to see you take a minute to focus on yourself, for your sake and the baby's."

"Janelle I can't just sit around and do nothing. I have major responsibilities to keep up with. I can't just chill."

"Tuh. Yes you can. This pregnancy is the perfect excuse for you to sit your ass down."

I slid further down into the sofa and rubbed my belly.

"You know I'm right. You're just stubborn," Janelle said grinning at me. "Either way the choice is yours mama. It's up to you to make the right decision."

"I can't choose between Kevin, school, work, and the baby. You're asking me for too much."

"I'm not asking you to do anything, except compartmentalize your responsibilities according to what is the most important and what is the least. You can handle that Lys."

"I guess you're right," I said sitting up. I grabbed my phone and keys. "I'm gonna head out. I have a few more errands to run."

"Alyssa. What did I just say?" Janelle huffed.

"I know. Imma just do this real quick and then imma go home."

"You promise?"

"Yes I promise," I said walking to the door.

"Alright," Janelle sighed, "Love you girl."

"Love you too boo. Lock up."
..
After I left Janelle's place, I decided to make a quick stop at the park. There was an art festival happening and I was curious to see if I would run into any art buyers or gallery owners who were scouting for new talent.

As I was making my way towards the large crowd forming, a woman who was jogging in my direction accidentally bumped into me.

"Sorry," she said turning around to apologize. She stopped in her tracks and looked at me strangely before her eyes darted down to my belly.

"Woah," she said to herself. I scrunched up my face and looked at her judging my pregnant belly. "Um. Excuse me," I said annoyed, "is there a problem?" She averted her eyes back to my face and then, almost as if a light bulb went off, I recognized her. I was now feeling more awkward about our encounter and less angry. I was standing face to face with Oliver's ex. I wondered if she remembered me, but then again if it were me I'd never forget.

"Um. Trinity hi," I started. "We never officially met. I'm Alyssa."

"I know who you are," she said giving me a once over. "See. Never forget," I said to myself. She returned her attention back to my belly. "Damn. So it's true."

"What's true?"

She looked up at me and pointed to my small, protruding belly. "You're pregnant with Lee's baby."

"Oh no. You heard wrong. This isn't his baby."

"That's what his cousin said."

I sucked my teeth. "Amber don't know shit."

She looked down at me with a raised brow. "Then whose baby is it?"

"My fiancé."

"Which is...?"

"None of your damn business," I said rolling my eyes.

"Damn okay. I didn't mean to offend you. My bad," she said holding her hands up in defense. She turned away from me and walked over to a nearby bench. When she sat down I walked over to her. "Hey, look," I said sitting down beside her, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. I just got a lot going on and seeing you just really threw me off." She looked over at me. "It's cool. I shouldn't have been prying." We were silent for a moment lost in our own thoughts I'm sure. I cleared my throat and turned to her. "Um. Trina. I never got to say this before, but I'm sorry about everything with Lee. I didn't kn---" Trina cut me off. "Look there's no need to apologize. I found out that you weren't the only one he was messing around with. There were at least three other women." I responded to the news in disbelief. "I'm sorry. What? Three? Did I hear that correctly?" Trina nodded her head. "Yep. I had the same reaction you did. I wanted to kill that nigga."

I sat back in my seat. "Hm. I almost did," I said mostly to myself.

"You," she asked with a raised brow. "Was that before or after the break up?"

"Girl, during."

Trina sat up. "What? What happened?"

"He admitted that the reason why he came back into my life was because my mom paid him to break up me and Kevin."

"Your fiancé," she questioned with a raised brow.

"Damn bitch you nosey," I teased. "Yes."

Trina chuckled. "Sorry, I was just trynna clarify, but damn girl that's fucked up. I'm really sorry." I nodded my head. "Yeah. I was so livid I---" I took a minute and paused. "I just never felt so betrayed. I mean I never would have thought that my mom and my ex would have teamed up on me like that."

"Wait a minute. Your ex," Trina said cutting me off.

"Yeah. We dated during my last year of high school up untiiil---what? My sophomore year in college."

"Wooow," Trina said sitting back in her seat. "I didn't know that." She perked up after a few seconds. "So, he was cool with your mom then?"

"Yeah," I said nodding my head, "she adored him. She used to always tease me and be like 'Lys, you betta keep an eye on him before I snatch him up for myself.' She liked having him around," I shrugged, "Everyone did."

"Huh," Trina said in thought.

I scrunched up my face and looked at her. "What?"

She shook her head. "Nothing."

I side-eyed her. "Okay. Now you got my attention. What's up?"

Trina hesitated, but my eyes implored her to go on. She sighed. "It's just that...well---one of the women that he was seeing was someone that he introduced me to when we first started dating. She was an older woman, about mid forties. Um. He called her Ms. Ree, I think. Said that she was like a second mom to him and I was just wondering if maybe---Alyssa what's wrong," she said stopping abruptly. She gently grabbed ahold of my arm. I could barely form a sentence as I tried to make sense of what Trina was implying. "I-I-mean she wouldn't---like there's just no way that---um," I looked at Trina and started to stammer some more, "I-I-I have to go." My bewildered expression visibly concerned her. "Alyssa," she started.

I got up as fast as I could and rushed quickly in the direction of my car. I unlocked the door and slid in the driver's seat. Before I put the keys in the ignition I rested my head on the steering wheel. "Ms. Ree could be anybody right? I thought to myself. "Nah. Everybody who was close to me called my mom either Aunt Ree or Ms. Ree. I was nervous and couldn't ignore the knot that sat in the pit of my stomach. I lingered on the thought some more. "But I mean if it is true that would explain why she was able to get him to agree to sabotage my relationship with Kevin."

I huffed and picked my head up from the steering wheel. "This shit is unreal," I mumbled. I started my car up and drove out of the parking lot. Enough was enough. I was going to her house to find out the truth and to make sure she knew that my ties with her were cut once and for all.
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