Capricorn
Chapter 37

Chinese Astrology - Time of birth/Companion in Life
11pm - 1am: Rat
1am - 3am: Ox
3am - 5am: Tiger
5am - 7am: Rabbit
7am - 9am: Dragon
9am - 11am: Snake
11am - 1pm: Horse
1pm - 3pm: Goat
3pm - 5pm: Monkey
5pm - 7pm: Rooster
7pm - 9pm: Dog
9pm - 11pm: Pig

*

Adena struggled to catch her breath and, you guessed it, was too stunned to speak. She looked around the room but it was pitch black. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and took a deep breath and finally had the strength to say, "Craig?"

Was he still here? He was when she fell asleep. She turned on her lamp on the bedside table. His side of the bed was empty but there was a note:

Headed to work Dena, get some good rest. Before you passed out you asked me to come back over so I'll be back around 4, so don't freak out when you hear me knocking. Of course, I'll have the Dragon City on deck, I put your phone on the charger so it doesn't die again.

She looked at the bedside table and sure enough, her phone was fully charged. She picked it up to check the time. 3:31 am. He'll be back soon. That helped relax her some but she was still a nervous wreck, tears started rolling down her face. The dream freaked her out, she never had a dream like that. It felt so real. Everything was real. The doctor's office, the kids running around, and Amanda.

Amanda.

What the hell was that about? Why was Craig's deceased baby sister giving her baby advice? Throwing a surprise party too? Her subconscious was playing tricks on her or had a fucked up sense of humor. She heard that pregnant women have weird dreams but she felt this was more than a weird dream.

Did she believe in ghosts? Sometimes, when she's scared like this or hears a noise in the middle of the night. Was Amanda watching over Craig? Are ghosts able to-

Wait what the hell was she thinking about? She felt she was going crazy. She got up and went into the bathroom. One look in the mirror and she turned the light back off. Ugh. She splashed some water on her face and cleaned off the sweat. She drank a small glass of water and walked back into her bedroom and got into bed. She hung her head and then noticed she was wearing Craig's shirt. It was just long and baggy enough to sleep comfortably in. It had the infamous picture of Biggie Smalls standing next to Tupac on the front.

Damn it, Craig. He literally gave her the clothes, well shirt, off his back. This isn't the first time either remember? What was she going to do? How was she gonna tell Craig? Should she tell him about her dream? About going to the clinic? Her head started to hurt and she took her medication and then just sat there and cried. That's all she knew how to do. She was so freaked out.

The next thing she knew there was a knock on her door. Her head snapped up. Already? She looked at the time and it was 4:14 am. Did she really just sit here and cry for over half an hour? She took deep breaths and wiped her tears on the long sleeve, she hurried to the door as fast as her lack of energy could allow. She unlocked all the locks and opened the door.

There was Craig in all his glory with a big smile on his face and a bag of Chinese food in hand. She tried to return the smile and hoped it was believable. She stepped out of the way so he could walk in and she locked the door behind him.

"I love how that shirt looks on you," he said as he looked her up and down, then smirked. He then paused as he looked at her, "Hey are you ok?"

Adena burst into tears. Why did he have to ask that? She hated being so sad that even someone asking how she was feeling made her have a mental breakdown. She just shook her head and walked back into the bedroom. She got back in bed as Craig put the food on the counter in the kitchen and followed her.

"Babe, what's wrong? Are you hurt?" he asked her but she was sobbing so hard that she couldn't speak. He took off his layers and Timbs and sat on the bed next to her and just held her. That's all he knew how to do. That didn't stop him from worrying so badly that he contemplated taking her back to see Ron at the hospital. "It's ok baby. I'm here."

Being in Craig's arms was therapy all on its own. She felt warm and safe. Which helped her to calm down. "I'm sorry" she choked out.

"Don't apologize but I need to know if you're hurt. Is it your head? Is it the..." and he stopped midsentence as he glanced down at her midsection. She still had her toned tummy but that was soon going to change.

"Everything hurts. I just took my meds though" Adena sniffled.

"You're tired," Craig said soothingly as he moved some of her hair out of her face. The hurt look in her eyes broke his heart. He had to fix this and now. That masculine urge to act instead of thinking things through became very apparent. "I'll call Ron-"

"No, no don't bother him anymore please."

"It's his job, Adena."

"It's not physical or something he could fix," Adena said with a sigh. "It's just everything. I'm no longer married to a man that I thought was the love of my life and the worst part of it is he cheated repeatedly, lied to my face and snuck around with a girl who just so happens to have broken your heart, we would fight and fight and fight and I blamed myself and still do for him leaving, therapy couldn't even help us we're over and done and now he's with my best friend and he has the nerve to flaunt her around a whole courtroom of people, in my face and she let him, she's too smart for that, she has a fucking psychology degree, how are you a mental health professional when you're not right in the head either, like did she help him with this stupid fake divorce scheme, did she know about it, well she should have since she showed up to court, I just can't believe that she would do this to me, to have me find out this way, she was my sister, I loved her, I loved him, I loved them both and I thought they loved me but they both just fucking played me, now I gotta wonder if this went on longer, like what if he was seeing her and me and Miss Lipstick, that would be a fucked up plot twist but how do you go from being just a friend to dating your best friends ex in just a matter of weeks, something happened, something happened and they kept it from me and are still keeping it from me and now I'm supposed to bring a new life into this world with HIM as a FATHER, I can't believe that I'm saying this but the baby would be better off not existing on the same planet as that man, that boy, that cheating ass MOTHERFUCKER.."

Craig let her ramble on. All of this just happened this morning and now that she's gotten some rest, she was now coming to terms with it. It was really hitting her, again, passing out in the middle of a courtroom was the first blow. She had a lot on her mind and she was in a deep dilemma. He really wanted to go see Tony Montana himself and beat his ass for her. She's lucky that he doesn't know where she used to live if he's even still there, but if he really wanted to let's just say he knows a guy that knows a guy to help him figure it out.

"Just breathe baby. Breathe."

"You'll leave me if I keep it? Be honest?" she asked him and he sighed. This conversation was going to happen sooner or later, he just didn't know that sooner was the choice.

"No," he said simply and honestly and she looked at him with bewilderment.

"No Craig, you really have to think about this. We have to really think about this. If I keep it..."

"So you're keeping it-"

"I don't know. I was actually going to talk to someone about terminating the pregnancy tomorrow but...I don't know anymore. I don't know what to do to make everyone happy-"

"Baby, baby, baby" he repeated as he tried to get her to calm down. He held her hands in his and looked directly into her eyes so she knew he was serious, "The only person that you need to worry about being happy is YOU. Fuck Tripp. Fuck Kim. Fuck both of them. Hell, fuck me even because if you want to keep this child, which I think you really do, everyone in your life has to support you and your decision or step. Don't worry about making me happy. Baby, I want you to be happy-"

"You'd really be ok being around 'Tripp's' child?"

"I'd have to be, you really wanted this, and the poor thing, they have no choice in the matter but hey blood doesn't make someone a true father, it's love, if he refuses to help with HIS child, he's even worse than I thought."

"I'd just never imagined I'd be a single mother. I never imagined bringing a child into this world without a father, without a husband. Can I do it by myself? With work and-"

"Fuck all of that too. Do you want to have this child? This was a literal goal of yours. You told me the first day I met you and I don't think that's changed. You two don't need that Traitor Trash. Forget Donatella and the gallery. Please forget me. Think of yourself. If you truly want this child, you'll make it work and if you don't, you'll move on and make it work with what works for YOU. So do you want this child?"

Adena sat there and tried to think but it was hard. "One thing's for certain, Traitor Trash will not know about this. I'm never seeing him again. Whether I keep her or him, I...I don't know."

"Well just ruminate on that. Take all the time you need. Everything will work out if you choose what makes you happy" he said as he moved some hair out of her face. He sighed. "You're so beautiful, you know that? He's making the biggest mistake of his life but he's going to realize it too late because he's stupid as fuck" he said frankly and Adena laughed for the first time since he got there. "I'm serious. I'm really serious. I'm really serious about you too."

"I'm serious about you too, that's why this is so hard-"

"Choose what makes you happy. But I do wanna say, you won't have to go through this alone. I was serious when I said I'll be here for you no matter what. You don't have to be a single mother you know."

Adena looked him in his eyes, bewildered, again. "Craig, wait, you don't know what you're saying-"

"Yes, I do. You don't have to be a single mother. You can be my girl" he said as he held her hands in his. "Who just so happens to be a mother? This happens all the time. If it works out, it will work out. Well, if it makes you happy."

Adena almost said yes immediately but she stopped herself. Dating Craig and getting more serious with him while having another man's child is more complicated than he thought. She wanted to say yes, so badly. But it was her turn to save him this time. She was going to look out for him because she cared so much about him. She would never want to tie him down. He needed to really think long and hard about this because she didn't want to be just another man's regret, especially not his.

As much as her heart wanted to scream Yes!; "I think we should still take things slow. Really think about this. We're not ready. The timing isn't right."

Craig nodded, "I understand."

She stood up, "I feel like I aged 10 years," she said with a sigh. "I'll be right back," she said as she walked into her bathroom.

Craig sighed and sat there and processed what Adena said. Everything she said. He then got up and went to make himself a plate. He made one for her just in case.

He always thought about her, just in case, and always made sure she was taken care of.

So even though he agreed this may not be the right timing, it didn't mean that his heart wasn't broken...

*

If your Chinese Zodiac animal is the rat, don't feel too bad, legend has it that the rat was welcomed in ancient times as a protector and a bringer of material prosperity.

*

Luckily the court fiasco happened on a Friday, so Adena had the weekend to rest, think and plan her next move. She thought the divorce would be officially final, Taye would receive his punishment, she'd take care of the baby situation and she could live happily ever after. That wasn't so easy now. A lot of circumstances fucked up that plan. Since Donatella did know about the divorce drama, she laid off and let Adena have a free weekend. "I need you back Monday bright and early."

Adena decided to use this time like any other young woman when her back was against the wall.

Talk to Mommy.

So she went back home to Long Island. Craig was busy with gigs and thought it was a good idea to go to them. Her parents knew about the divorce proceedings and wanted to come in support but Adena asked them not to, actually, she told them not to. Her Dad was pissed but they had to respect her wishes. She's glad they didn't show up. Taye bringing in Kim and her fainting would've done a number on them for sure. She saved them from that foolishness.

Of course, her parents were excited and gave her long, tight hugs when she arrived. Her mom started to make a big lunch for them while she and her father sat at the kitchen table catching up. During a brief moment of silence, Adena said, "Ok go ahead and ask" she said to them. Talking around it was killing them, she saw it. She felt the same.

"So did that little rat bastard get what he deserved?" her father asked her without hesitation.

"Rich, language," her mother said to him, even though she wanted to know the same.

"No not really," she said to them sadly and they both stared at her in shock. They were livid when they heard what Taye had done and thought she would win the case without any doubts. She told them about Taye and Kim. "So after seeing them together. I started getting sick to my stomach. I had to leave, I was literally sick and upset" she said, deciding to tone the story down some so they wouldn't worry.

"That is so not like Kim. What has gotten into her? I would say this isn't like Taye either but he turns over a new leaf every single day. What is going through her mind?" her mom asked as she paused making the food and sat at the table with them. For once, her father was speechless. He couldn't deal with the plot twists. Her mother then got up and got out a bottle of wine and brought over two glasses, one for her and Adena. Adena smiled, she only drank like this with her mother once and that was at her wedding. She made Rich a glass of his favorite scotch. "So your case is in recess, you can reschedule since you weren't feeling well. Emotional distress. Depending on the judge, that may work out in your favor."

"The judge did make a point though I didn't like it they asked why fight this? I wanted a divorce and I got it. He did something stupid. It's just a case about principles and ethics. So I think I should drop the charges, I don't want to but with, other extenuating circumstances, choosing to battle this may just be unnecessary. He didn't steal any money from me, property or anything like that, the only law he broke was signing my name on a document that I was already going to sign anyway. I also don't want to see him ever again and dropping the charges lets him disappear from my life. They also wanted a handwriting expert, I can't afford that, why even go there? Charge it to the game and move on."

"I think he should be in jail," her father said as he crossed his arms.

"He probably wouldn't have been given that type of verdict. He has a clean record so he probably would've gotten just a slap on the wrist. I've seen a few easy cases like this and the defendant usually was put on house arrest or given some sort of community service. Why put yourself through that stress when all he gets is a device on his ankle" her mother agreed. She was a court reporter for 35 years and has seen it all and was the fastest typist that Adena has ever seen. She was the closest thing to a lawyer that their family had.

"Fine whatever, he should still do community service, he should be stuck in the house all day so he can truly think about what he's done. He deserves to have his clean record taken away after all he's done to you" her father said.

"I really don't need that added stress Dad, I have a lot of other stuff to worry about," she said to him. He grumbled under his breath and took a big sip of his scotch as her Mom got back up to finish their lunch.

"You have to do what makes you happy honey," her mom said, which made her think of Craig. She brought over a plate of grilled cheese sandwiches and a pot of tomato soup. Once they were all settled, she asked, "So how's work?"

"Work is good. I've been pretty busy. Found another artist in the Bronx that is actually really promising."

"Well, that's good at least. Now all you have to do is focus on your work and be the best you can possibly be. You're still young, in a few years you'll be running that place I'm sure. Having no distractions and family drama will get you there" her mother said.

Ok, this was it. "Well actually-"

"You haven't touched any of your wine," her mother said, "You don't like white wine? You prefer red?"

"They all taste the same to me but no, I'm actually not drinking right now. I shouldn't drink for a while. I'm thinking 9 months, maybe longer" she said and then paused.

Her father almost choked on his scotch and her mom dropped her fork and it made a loud clink as it fell on her plate.

"Adena Brielle Capricorn, do not play with me right now" her mother warned but her face looked hopeful. Her father was too stunned to speak.

"Mom, I wouldn't play around with something like this."

"You're pregnant?!" her mother confirmed and Adena nodded. Her mother's excited smile was contagious. She did what most moms do when hearing they were finally going to have grandchildren. Jump up, clap, squeal, and/or laugh with joy, then cry as she hugged Adena tight. Adena didn't know why but she thought her mother would be disappointed with the timing of this but she wasn't. "Ohmygod, sweetheart, I'm so happy for you," her mother said as she kissed her cheek and hugged her close again.

They both calmed down some and turned to her father. He was still speechless not knowing what to say.

"Huney, congratulate your daughter. This is a big milestone. It's a miracle."

"How could this happen? You're seeing someone already?" was all he could think about.

"Not exactly, but there is this one guy-"

"That man from your birthday party?!" her mother asked in shock.

"Yes," Adena said and then shook her head, "No, we have just been dating and taking things very slowly. Let's say we're really good friends. It's not his. I'm at 13 weeks."

"Sweetheart, you're almost done with your first trimester!"

"So it's HIS?" her father asked, ignoring everything else.

"Yes Daddy, unfortunately, it is," Adena said. "It wasn't planned, if we were still together it would still be a huge shock."

"Well honey, if you keep it, there goes your idea of never seeing him again. You'll actually see him more."

Adena shook her head, "I don't have to worry about that." Her parents looked at her questioningly. "I was going to tell him at court, but once he arrived late, smug and flaunting my best friend as his new girlfriend, I've given up on him."

"Are you sure?" her mother asked, "He should at least know."

"Why? All for him to say he doesn't care or doesn't want it to my face? I don't need that, he's disappointed me enough."

"So you're keeping it?" her father asked her.

"Of course, she is Rich, why even ask that?!" her mother said to him.

"Actually I don't know. I'm going to need your help on that" Adena said as she sat back down at the kitchen table. Her father got up and poured more scotch into his glass while her mom got her a bigger glass of water and took her wine away.

Adena sighed, this was going to be a long night.

*

Public Figures born in the year of the Rat during Capricorn season: Richard Nixon (US President) b. 1/9/1913

*

https://youtu.be/pKhfoKOTwZY