Given Black Roses

18

My body is shaking and I hear Joe calling my name, "Malita, Malita get up."

I wipe my eyes sitting up, "What?"

"I know this is a lot but I need you to cook breakfast before my mother wakes up. First impressions and all." He tells me.

"Seriously?"

He nods, he helps me out of bed which I dont need Hands me a robe and slides me slippers. I go downstairs and begin cooking breakfast, he wants to impress his parents or whatever he is trying to do. It's getting me very annoyed. I make some quick and simple: Bacon, eggs, hash browns, grits and biscuits. I would make the biscuits by scratch but I'm not Donny all that please his parents. I don't even want to be in this relationship anyways. I didn't hear Joe walk in the kitchen he wraps his arms around me rubbing my belly.

"Good morning.." he kisses the back of my head.

"Oh this part of the act too?" I said rolling my eyes. I turn my head and see his parents entering the kitchen as well. "I see. Good morning, breakfast is ready."

I hand Joe his plate. His mother Samira is impresses, "You're going to make a great wife. This is a woman who knows how to treat her man and I can't wait for my grand babies to arrive."

"Me either."

We all sit down and feast she compliments my cooking. "So, Malita how is the wedding planning coming along?"

"I haven't started yet, I'll let Joe do it he's the one that wants something big. Me, not so much."

"She's going dress shopping with some friends." Joe cuts in.

After answering. 1 million questions they finished and is getting ready to leave. I hug them goodbye and went upstairs to shower in my room. I feel so damn dirty, I begin scrubbing as hard as I can but no matter what it's like it won't come off. After showering I find a dress I can be comfortable in. Before I can sit down and relax my feet Joe knocks on my room door opening it telling me he's taking me shopping, clothes shopping then baby shopping. Can this day get any worse?

"How about you just buy me whatever it is that you want me to wear and whatever baby things you want."

"It'll be fun come on. We can use this time to get to know each other more."

"You're not going to take No for an answer huh?"

He shakes his head. I get up. "I don't see why you need me to come with you there's no need for us to pretend like we actually like each other."

"I do like you I do care about you whether you believe it or not."

"Let me rephrase need to pretend like I like you." I respond getting in the car.

"Starting over. Sooner than later you'll love me." He smiles at me.

"Doubt that."

"Let's start the day off without you being a bitch okay?"

"Don't get your hopes up. Faking it to your parents was exhausting enough now I have to pretend like I want to be here with you t-

*smack*

"That's enough! Sit back and shut the fuck up!" He yells at me.

So much for starting over. "Fine I'll just stop talking." I did just that stop talking. He picked out all the clothes he wants me to wear or think I'll like, he picked out baby furniture.

"You know women are the ones who usually do all this. The man just pays for it." He says choosing neutral color stroller and car seats.

"These are your kids so you do it." We Wait in line.

"Kids are a blessing you'll enjoy being a mother I promise. I know imma enjoy being a father. I have a few baby names I been thinking about is they are girls and boys. I know I already named the boys but I'm playing around with it. Oh, you'll need to go wedding dress shopping, figure out what your bridesmaids are going to wear."

"I don't have any friends Joe. You just do everything, you pick the dress, you pick the place and invite whoever and I'll just show up." He opens the car door for me to get in.

"I would like you to be apart of this too."

"I would have not liked to been raped and become pregnant but here we are. So since you're forcing to marry you as well as if having your children isn't bad enough-"

He wraps his hands around my throat squeezing it. "I am so sick and tired or your little smart ass remarks Malita!"

I grab his arm trying to loosen his grip, I can barely breathe, "I can't......breathe Joe."

"Oh you can't breathe?" He squeezes more. My arm collapses down as I begin to lose consciousness. He let go. I woke up in the bed in the house. My big mouth got me in trouble again. I have to stop triggering him. I sit up and Joe comes from the bathroom in a towel.

"You're up. Are you hungry?"

"I guess I can eat." I'm trying not to stress my stomach begins rumbling. He goes to the kitchen.

I don't know what to do with myself at this point.