Free Coveted by Mychea Page A

the end of the night, Kenneth and I had downed so many drinks I could not even remember how old I was. That was the beginning of a year-long affair.”
     
    My mother gazed off into the distance after her last statement, sighed, and then continued.
    “ Oh Emeri, It was everything you could possibly imagine - passionate, understanding, loving, free.”
    I had never seen my mama this way before. It is as if talking about my father took 20 years off her. I could almost see the young girl that she must have been.
    “ Your dad used to come back and see me often. He lived in Maryland, you know. I knew he was married, but I was young and in love, I didn’t care. Until one weekend, I think, I had not heard from Kenneth for about a month, I decided that I was going to pay him a little visit, so I took a trip down to Maryland and went to his job to see him. Do you know he refused to see me?”
    Her voice was beginning to waver and the tears, that had threatened to fall at first, are long gone replaced with a look that can only be described as fierce.
    “ So I waited and followed him home and he was greeted at the front door by his wife and his two-year-old daughter. I was disgusted with the whole situation. Here, I finally got to see my competition and I couldn’t even blame him. He had a beautiful wife and his daughter was as cute as a button. I was more upset with myself than with him.”
    So as you can imagine I’m sitting in my car observing this happy family reunion when it starts to dawn on me why should I let him have his cake and eat it too. I will never forget his reaction.”
    “ As he and his family entered into the house, I could believe what I witnessed. How dare he not contact me in over a month and then refuse to see me after I drove all the way to Accokeek, Maryland. Who did he think he was?
    “ I jumped out of my car and sprinted to the front door. I banged on the door with all my might. He had some nerve. Kenneth opens the door. When he saw me standing there, his face registered one of shock.
    ‘ Blanca, what the hell are you doing here?’ he asked. ’How dare you not call me in over a month? You have no idea what’s been going on with me because you do not return my calls.’ I shouted at him. He responded with ‘Woman, are you crazy? This is my house where my wife and child stay. You have overstepped your boundaries and need to leave.’”
    “ I told him that I was not going anywhere until he knew what was going on with me. ‘You had the nerve to get me pregnant and now you just want me to leave. Hell no. You will talk to me’ I continued to yell at him.”
    “’ You’re what?’ he said in disbelief. I kept shouting ’I’m sorry Kenneth, are you hard of hearing all of a sudden? I’m pregnant!’”
    “ He calmly said to me ‘Hey Blanca, calm down. I had no idea.’”
    “ I started to cry and with tears streaming down my face, I told him he wouldn’t have an idea I was pregnant and asked why he wouldn’t return my phone calls. ‘What did I do?’ I remember screaming at him.”
    “ I remember his gaze softening as he spoke to me. ’Blanca you didn’t do anything. It is just that my wife and I have decided to try to get back on track and I wanted to give it my all. This means I had to let you go.’”
    “’ You could have called me and said something, anything. I have never been so scared in my life. I have not told anyone that I am pregnant. My mother is probably going to kill me when she finds out.’ I protested. He respondss by saying, ’Blanca, I promise that I will take care of you and the baby. I will give you anything that you need at any time, but just promise me you will not tell my wife. I really want our relationship to work.’
    “ I looked him dead in his eyes and knew that he meant it. Gone was that look that he had when I first met him. He did not need me any longer. I could see that. He had his family.
    “ The last thing I said to him that day was, ‘I’m sorry