Free Obsession 3 by Treasure Hernandez Page A

watching.
    â€œThank you so much,” Secret said as Ray came back into the house, removing the gloves. Secret shook off the creepiness she felt.
    â€œGirl, in my line of work, I’ve seen maggots on people’s bodies before.”
    â€œYou know you just made me throw up in my mouth, right?” Secret fake gagged.
    The two shared a laugh.
    Ray put her hands on her hips and then looked around. “If li’l bit is going to stay here, this place needs to be cleaned from top to bottom and sanitized first. You can’t subject a week-old baby to all these wandering germs. I’m going to have a friend of mine named Gene send her crew out. She owns her own cleaning company. They do excellent work. Ivy and I have them clean our house every few months.”
    â€œNo wonder your home is so spotless. I wondered how you managed to keep it spic and span with all the hours you put in at the hospital and with Ivy on the road.”
    â€œWell, now you know my secret.” Ray winked. “Do you want to grab anything? Clothes or something while you’re here?”
    â€œThat’s a good idea.” Secret headed out of the kitchen and to the stairs. “Keep an eye on her for me, would you?” She pointed to Dina sitting in her seat and then went upstairs to go get some things. She paused the moment she hit her closet. Sitting right by the door was the overnight bag she’d packed for when she went into labor. Next to that was the Coach diaper bag Shawndiece had bought her filled with all the things the baby would need its first few days in the hospital, including the beige outfit, fit for a girl or a boy, to wear home.
    Secret shook off the thoughts of how things should have played out, opened her closet, and grabbed a suitcase. Ten minutes later she made her way down the steps with her overnight hospital bag, the diaper bag, and the suitcase.
    â€œGene said they can come out and take care of this place next week,” Ray said as she slipped her cell phone into her pocket once Secret had come down the stairs. She looked down at all the stuff Secret was toting. “So you really don’t have to bring a month’s worth of stuff.” She laughed.
    â€œI know, right.” Secret laughed. “I figured it was better to have more than enough than not enough at all. For the last four days I’ve been at your house I’ve had to keep rinsing out the same three pair of panties.” Secret had the pair of panties she’d actually had on while she was arrested. She bought two pair off of another inmate whose husband had purchased and sent her a pack.
    â€œUhhh, TMI. I don’t need to know your drawers look like that trash bag: all kinds of critters crawling around in them”
    They both shared another laugh.
    â€œHumph, if only you knew,” Secret said. Thank God the hospital had given her a nice supply of heavy duty pads to capture the bleeding she would be having. With no money, the last thing she wanted to do was have to ask Ray could she borrow some dang on sanitary napkins. Fortunately she’d had a nice supply of her own under her bathroom sink that she’d packed in her suitcase.
    â€œYou ready?” Ray asked Secret.
    â€œYep.” She looked around the room. She couldn’t wait to return and start a new beginning. This time she’d be sharing the place with her baby girl. Having to camp out at somebody else’s place wasn’t exactly what Secret would have wanted for her and her child, but it beat any other options, which were slim to none. It made Secret feel good inside to know that she was at least capable of providing a roof over her child’s head.
    â€œHere, give me the baby bag and I’ll carry the baby, too.”
    Secret handed Ray the baby bag. She opened the front door and Ray walked out with Dina and the diaper bag. Secret locked up and then followed Ray to the car with the suitcase and duffle bag. After putting