Free Brothers and Wives by Cydney Rax

Karetha bent over is the only funny thing that’s happened today. But LaNecia’s smile lasts for a brief moment. If she had known that her plans of dropping by on Scottie and asking him to commit to a date night would result in her seeing him and Ugmo together, she would have come up with a plan B.
    “Damn, damn, damn. I can’t believe he’s spending time with her … again.”
    Unable to help herself, last night LaNecia snuck and parked her car near Dani’s apartment and almost vomited when she saw Scottie drive up around ten. “That’s too damned late to be going over to someone’s house,” she said at the time. Although she was dying to wait and see how long Scottie stayed, her eyelids began to drop from sleepiness, and she was forced to go home.
    “Okay, Miss Fatal Attraction. Now what?” Karetha asks.
    “I dunno.” LaNecia sighs.
    “Well, I do. Give Scottie a chance to do things his way. And until then, you should take your life in your own hands. Call Ms. Anya and do the college thing since she’s so willing to help you out. She sounds like she truly cares about you, girl. Not too many other folks running after you to help you like she is.”
    “Yeah, I just wish I could take Ms. Anya’s heart and place it inside Scottie. That would make me feel so good.”
    “You need mental help, LaNecia.”
    “What I need is inside that trailer. What on Earth are they doing in there all alone? Where are the rest of the workers? What kind of foreman lets his employees goof off and not be at work?”
    “The same kind of supervisor that may fire us if we miss work. And I’m telling you, you shouldn’t have called in sick today at Pappadeaux’s just to follow behind Scottie’s ass. You can at least take the rest of your day and do something productive. Try and get a good night’s sleep, and tomorrow you can return to work and bag those to-go orders.” Ka giggles.
    LaNecia ignores Karetha’s comment. She stares down at the ground and paces in a small circle. “It’s all Ugmo’s fault. Scottie wouldn’t be acting this way if it weren’t for her. What does he see in her? Why did I ever have to get pregnant? I know he’s acting out because we lost our baby. Little Scottie.”
    “Girl, please. You don’t know the gender.”
    “I do too know. It was a boy. Our son. He’d be about seven months by now. And I love when kids are that age. They play with their toes and talk baby talk and …”
    LaNecia’s longing for her dead son is interrupted. The door of the trailer swings open and Dani emerges first, followed by Scottie.
    “Thanks for hanging out with me at lunch. Gotta get back to work, though. The rest of the crew should be back here any minute,” Scottie says to Dani while walking her to her truck.
    “I enjoyed the food.”
    “Is that all?”
    “And you, of course. You always make me laugh, Scottie. Now I better head on back. Gallery Furniture is scheduled to deliver the new bed this afternoon and I don’t want to miss them.”
    “Hmm, I can’t wait to see your new bed.”
    “Oh, Scottie, try and be good.”
    “Why you say that? It’s not like anyone can hear or see us.”
    He leans over and plants a solid kiss on Dani’s lips. She waves good-bye, gets in her pickup, and drives off.
    Scottie watches her until she turns the corner, then heads back inside the trailer.
    “Damn, I just can’t believe this.”
    “Maybe you should try,” Karetha says.
    “I think I’ll have a little talk with him. Do you know we haven’t seen each other in weeks, since I showed up at Ugmo’s? I know once he sees me in a good setting, he’ll realize he hasn’t treated me all that well. I just gotta get my face time, Ka. Wait for me in the car.”
    LaNecia boldly walks up the little stairs and taps lightly on the trailer door. When Scottie doesn’t answer, she turns the knob and steps inside. The room is deserted. She notices several construction drawings spread across the surface of some portable tables.