Chapter 43

Capricorn
Chapter 43

Lunar Years Ruled By the Tiger
* 1926 (Feb. 13, 1926 - Feb. 1, 1927)
* 1938 (Jan. 31, 1938 - Feb. 18, 1939)
* 1950 (Feb. 17, 1950 - Feb. 5, 1951)
* 1962 (Feb. 5, 1962 - Jan. 24, 1963)
* 1974 (Jan. 23, 1974 - Feb. 10, 1975)
* 1986 (Feb. 9, 1986 - Jan. 28, 1987)
* 1998 (Jan 28, 1998 - Feb. 5, 1999)
* 2010 (Feb. 5, 2010 - Jan. 24, 2011)
* 2022 (Jan. 23, 2022 - Feb. 4, 2023)
* 2034 (Feb. 3, 2034 - Feb. 15, 2035)
* 2046 (Feb. 14, 2046 - Feb. 2, 2047)

*

"YOUR GIRLFRIEND'S A FUCKING BITCH CRAIG!!" was what Craig woke up to the next day. He answered his phone half asleep, eyes closed, but now he was sitting up wondering where the hell he was for a second. He looked around, and he was in their bedroom. He didn't remember getting home yesterday. He had a massive panic attack and was just now waking up. Adena was gone. She had gone ahead and gone to work. He squinted at his bright phone screen and saw that it was almost lunchtime the next day, back to life, back to reality.

"Bev, please don't fucking start. What do you want?" he groaned as he laid back down. "It was all a misunderstanding. Adena didn't even know she was being rude to your future mother-in-law. She thought she was just a random Karen."

"Still doesn't make it right!"

"What do you expect me to do about it?"

"Tell her to apologize!!"

"She did; she's really sorry and didn't mean it. Brandon's mom should understand. She's been pregnant before. Mood swings."

"She needs to apologize to her!"

"I'll talk to her about it. Alright?"

"You sound like shit? Are you ok?!"

"You woke me up screaming that my girlfriend is a bitch, which she isn't. She was out of line, yes. But don't call her names, Bev. You caught her on an off day, a bad moment, a bad mood."

"She seems to have a lot of those. You were so upset with her last time you didn't even want to speak with her. At all!"

"I needed space. Shit happens. We're over that now-"

"She needs to stop using her pregnancy as an excuse to be bitchy to everyone, you, Ma, everyone she meets!"

"I'll relay the message. Anything else, sis?"

"I can't believe you're just going to let that shit slide!-"

"I'm not, she's at work, and there's nothing I can do about that right now."

"Well, talk to her as soon as you can! Ma is threatening to have her pay for the outfit, and that will probably be money coming out of your pocket! That whole outfit was almost eight grand!"

"Well, this is where you talk her down, Bev. You know we can't afford that. We got a baby to save up for."

"SHE has a baby to save up for! Are you sure you want to do this, Craig?!"

"Do what?"

"Get in so deep with this girl. You two just met, and she's already got you fighting her battles and raising her kid!"

"She doesn't have me doing anything. I'm a grown-ass man, and I'm doing everything on my own accord. I chose this. I chose her. I choose her. I'll always choose her."

Beverly paused. "No wonder you're in love with this girl! I can't see why-"

"Anything else, Bev because I'm going to hang up now."

"Just talk some sense into your girlfriend! Soon! We can't just let this shit sit and not take care of it!!"

"Great, I'll keep that in mind. Talk to you later," he said, then hung up on her. He groaned out loud and then sighed. He then got up to use the bathroom, and as usual, when he went to wash his hands, he had a lipstick print on his forehead. Also on the mirror was a message in the same colored lipstick, 'I'M SORRY.' He sighed, smirked a little, and washed the lipstick off his face and the mirror. See, she was sorry. He knew she was. It was all just a big misunderstanding. He decided to shoot her a text: hey, we need to talk.

*

Capricorn Dragons spend a lot of time racing from one experience to another. Always set on the latest goal, blind to failures, and try to forget they occur.

*

Adena's heart dropped when she read Craig's text message a few minutes later. We need to talk. Great, that didn't sound good at all. Adena was busy running the gallery, but her head was spinning at how she could fix the fiasco she had caused. She was also very worried about Craig. He was so distraught, close to tears, and hurt that it scared her. She almost took his ass to the hospital, but Ron assured her he just needed some rest. 

Hopefully, he got some, but he was still obviously upset with her. She wanted to kick herself. Why did she have to be such a bitch? Why did that lady have to touch her without asking? Was she raised in a barn?

She then gasped out loud as she put her hands over her stomach. Then it happened again. 

She couldn't kick herself, but her baby just did it for her. For the first time. "Ohmygod," she whispered as her hands caressed her growing stomach. Holy shit. There really was a baby in there. It all still felt surreal. Until now.

"Hi there," she whispered as she sat down slowly on the couch in her office. "I hope Mommy isn't stressing you out over her dumb mistakes. Yesterday was a shit show. I know. I have a lot of apologizing to do." She sat there, rubbed her stomach, and waited to see if the baby would kick again, but it didn't. They accepted her apology, at least.

"Ohmygod," someone said, and Adena jumped. She looked up to see Lloyd staring at her wide-eyed as he stood in her office doorway. 

Shit, she's been caught.

"Ohmygod, Adena, you're...."

Adena sighed but smiled. "Yeah."

"Why didn't you tell me? Does Donatella know?" he asked as he entered the office, closed the door behind him, and sat on the couch beside her. "I can't believe I didn't notice! You hid it well, still are."

"Donatella doesn't know either. I didn't want to tell anyone because...well, I just got this promotion and didn't want her to take it from me or treat me differently, being pregnant and all. I know she's not going to be happy."

"What do you mean? Of course, she's going to be happy for you! And girl, you got not one but two prizes! You got a baby and Craig as the baby daddy!? The baby is going to be gorgeous-"

"That's the thing. It's more complicated than that," she said to him. "It's not his. It's Taye's." Lloyd's jaw dropped to the floor. "Baby was conceived just hours before I discovered the truth of what Taye has been doing. I found out right after I got back from San Francisco. I thought I would lose Craig, this job, and everything all over again. I almost got rid of it, but I couldn't."

"What does Taye think? Does he even know?" he asked, and she shook her head. 

Adena looked down. "I was going to tell him, but then he showed up in court with my best friend, and I...no, I can't let him ruin this for me."

"What if he finds out? What about Donatella?"

"Trust me, Lloyd; I ask myself that every day."

"Well, your secret is safe with me," he said as he squeezed her hand. "I just can't believe I didn't notice!" he said, pulling her in for a hug. "Whatever you need help with, whatever I can do, just ask, ok?"

"Just please help me keep this a secret. I'm still trying to figure this all out."

"I got you," he said with a smile and held out his pinky finger. Adena laughed and shook his pinky finger with hers. "Pinky swear, that shit is legit." He then paused. "I forgot what I came in here to tell you...oh! What did you want to do for lunch and don't forget that art show today at 2 pm."

"Oh shit, I forgot all about that," Adena said as she got up. "Just get me my usual. Let me finish this stuff up before I have to go," she said as she walked back over to her computer and returned to work. When she finished her lunch, she got her things together. As she walked by the reception desk, she said to Lloyd, "Anything goes wrong, anything at all. Call me. Questions? Call me. Don't let anyone wing anything."

"Got it, Boss," Lloyd said with a starry-eyed smile. She shook her head, but it made her heart flutter when people got so happy for her. It kept reminding and reassuring her that she did the right thing, trying to raise this baby without its actual father. However, that didn't matter either. She had Craig.

Well, she hoped. She got into her Uber and stared at his last text message. She still didn't know what to say. Was he that mad at her? Did he see her note on the bathroom mirror? Did Dragon City deliver the lunch she ordered for him? If he did, he said nothing about it. She sat there overthinking the whole way over what to say, and she was surprised when they pulled up right on time. "Oh, thank you," she said to the driver. She quickly replied to Craig, 'Ok,' and then rushed inside.

'Worried Adena' disappeared, and 'Acting CEO of Donatella's Art Gallery Adena' switched on as soon as she stepped inside. The art show was in the Hell's Kitchen section of Manhattan. It used to be the filthiest part of the city, but now with all the gentrification, the violent crime rate is lower than it used to be, and it's more expensive to live there now. The art showcased there reflected the old and the new Hell's Kitchen. There was so much great and undiscovered talent here. All of the artists were either Black, Latinx, or both. Some art was gritty, and some were vibrant, but all of it was very good, and Adena took her time looking at everything. She was glad she had time to show up here, and since Lloyd hadn't called saying the gallery was burning down or anything, she wasn't going to rush back. Browsing through brand-new art was calming for her.

"Mrs. Houghton?" someone called to her, and she turned around, looking for the source of the voice. When she saw them, she gasped; wait, were they talking to her??

It was Kehinde Wiley. He must have gotten here before her because she knew if he had just come in, she would have noticed all the commotion he would have caused. What was he doing here?

"Ohmygod Mr. Wiley, you remember me?" she asked in shock as she walked over to him. They shook hands, and he smiled at her.

"Of course. How could I forget? You made quite an impression on me."

"Really?" she asked in surprise. "I remember our conversation like it was yesterday and-"

"Yes, it didn't go too well, did it?" Kehinde said with a sheepish smile. "I want to apologize about that. Donatella explained everything. It was a misunderstanding. I was still pretty disappointed in the showing, but those paintings did sell the next day, and I know they are much more appreciated where they're at now."

"I'm sorry too. I was also having an off day myself. I still think about those paintings. Who has them now?"

"The African American Museum in Washington DC."

Adena smiled, "Yes, I know they're very much appreciated there. I'm sorry Donatella's crowd wasn't. They're crazy, don't let that get to you."

"It's all water under the bridge now," he said as he waved her off, and she sighed with relief that all was forgiven. Her anxiety still loved to remind her about that day she pissed off one of her favorite artists, and she was happy that Kehinde himself assured her that everything was fine.

"So, are you shopping? Showing?"

"Both. You know I'm all about supporting US. I was a last-minute surprise addition. They're revealing my new work at 4 pm. Will you be able to stick around and see the unveiling?"

"Oh, I absolutely would love to."

"Great. Donatella doesn't need you, I hope. Or is she here?"

"No, she actually needs me here. I'm here in her place. She's in Paris."

"Oh wow, I'm surprised but happy she had you come instead. You'll appreciate all of this. She probably would have canceled last minute like last year...and the year before."

Adena winced, "She's very busy, that woman."

"Sure she is," he said, and she wondered if he was sarcastically saying that. "I bet she keeps you busy as well."

"Yes, I got promoted. I'm Acting CEO of the gallery in her absence."

"That's amazing!" he said to her with a big smile. "So what do you have planned? What will you do with all that power in your hands?"

Adena shrugged, "Well, she'll be back next week, so there isn't much I can do-"

"Of course, you can. Acting CEO is like being Kamala Harris of that art gallery. The president is gone; who takes their place?" he asked her. "Did you think about what we talked about last we spoke? You know, about helping us get into galleries like yours? Artists here in Hell's Kitchen are getting pushed out with all the changes around here. It's safer but not what it used to be."

"Yes, all the gentrification. It's shocking, really."

"More like colonization," he said. "Gentrification is actually a good thing, and I wish that were what was happening here. Gentrification is a fancy word for making your own community better and safer. Black people can gentrify their neighborhoods. Latinos too. Colonization is when White people push all of us POC out of our homes and raise the prices so we can never come back. That's what's happening here, and it's a shame."

"It is. I didn't know that. I always thought gentrification was a bad thing."

"That's what they want you to think, Adena. Knowledge is power," he said to her. "So, back to my previous question, how are you putting your knowledge and power to good use in Soho as Acting CEO?"

Adena paused. Shit. Nothing. With everything going on in her personal life right now and all the extra work that came with the promotion, she still didn't have much of a say or any of the power that Kehinde was speaking of. The longer she paused, the more his eyes narrowed. If she said nothing, he'd probably storm out like he did last time, and all respect for her would have gone out the window.

Say something, Adena!

"Oh well, we're actually having an event for...Juneteenth," she said on the fly, and Kehinde raised his eyebrows.

"Really? I didn't get an invite."

"You would come?"

"Of course I would. Do you even have to ask?"

"Well, it was a last-minute idea, and we are just finishing...the finishing touches on press releases and the artists before we send out the invitations. It's more like a pop-up art showing in honor of Juneteenth, in honor of us. All Black artists. African artists. All Black history. For all ages too. Not just us adults, but we need our future artists to see themselves represented. We'll have illustrations and everything for the kids too."

"That's amazing," Kehinde said, very impressed. "Well, count me in. I don't know where my assistant is, but I think I can make it. If not, I'll have some art there in my place. Maybe I can do something through Zoom?"

"Really?" Adena asked nervously. Wait until he found out this was a fake event she made up to impress him.

"I'll keep my mouth shut for now, but I want to help you make this a big thing. If you need help with press releases or finding artists, anything at all. Just give me a call. You have my information, don't you?"

"Donatella does-"

"Well, I'll give you my personal cell number. I want to make sure this event of yours is a success. It's crucial. They only give us one chance to make a first impression, which must be perfect. If not, they never give us opportunities like this again. It's important that we have people like us, like you, at the top of these famous galleries to get our names out there. This is exciting, Adena. This event will do so much for the culture and change the whole Soho art scene. I'll help you make sure of that."

No pressure.

They exchanged information and started to plan and talk about this fake ass art show that she had just made up. She was making up everything on the fly. What has she done? What has she just gotten herself into? Soon she was saved by his assistant when they told him it was almost 4 pm and his new painting was about to be unveiled in the auditorium. "Great," he said to them. "Shall we?" he said to her as he held out his arm. She nodded, hooked her arm in his, and walked with him into the auditorium.

His new painting didn't disappoint.

His new paintings were like many others, showing contemporary people of color in paintings from the Napoleon era. The painting was of the visual artist Ibrahima Ndome, who won the Ellipse Prize this year. The Ellipse Prize was a Senegalese version of the Pulitzer Prize here in America for the highest achievements in art from undiscovered artists. It focuses on emerging African artists between the ages of 18 and 35 in Senegal. To qualify, you had to be an artist NOT represented by any art gallery and based in the visual arts. 

"The Ellipse Prize was an initiative developed by the Ellipse Art Projects Endowment Fund, which honors the artistic creations of any sub-Saharan African country or Asian country and raises awareness of their environments through the eyes of the winning artists. It happens annually. Ibrahima is based in Dakar, beat out over 60 other applicants, and was chosen by an independent jury of contemporary art professionals, including specialists from the Senegalese art scene. He is part of a collective called 'Atelier Ndokette.' Ndokette is a Senegalese word, and it refers to a tunic that represents the ever-changing cultural heritage in Senegal. Ibrahima and his collective questions this through artistic expression through photographs, videos, fashion design, and performances. Here is my latest work: Portrait of Ibrahima Ndome," Kehinde said as he introduced Ibrahima himself.

Adena clapped along with the adoring crowd. Kehinde was very inspiring, and gave African artists representation here in America, which rarely happens. Once the claps died down, she got on the phone with Lloyd.

"Hey, Adena, how's the show going?"

"Um, great, just great. Kehinde Wiley is here."

"OMG, did you speak with him?"

"Oh did I? He actually remembered me and um...I'm going to try to leave here as soon as I can but don't hate me, but I need you to stay late with me tonight."

Lloyd sighed, "Really? What's Donatella got us doing now?"

"It's my fault this time. I'll explain when I get there."

"Ok, I'll stay, but only for you. Anyone else, fuck them. I wanted to go see your man at the Love Shack Happy Hour."

"Me too. Thanks, Lloyd. I'll see you later," she said and hung up. 

As soon as she did, Kehinde introduced her to his portrait subject, and he was very excited about her Juneteenth event and also wanted to come??? This was getting out of hand, and the event was nowhere near set up at all. Lloyd was going to kill her. She schmoozed with a lot of artists, and Kehinde introduced her to a lot of people. It was hard to get away.

"Ok, well, hit me up so we can set up a Zoom session. We only have a little over two weeks to plan this thing, so we got to get the ball rolling now. You ready?" Kehinde asked her as he walked her out to her Uber.

"Ready as ever," she said with a smile. She had no choice.

"Oh, and one more thing, I've been meaning to tell you, you're absolutely glowing today. I couldn't keep my eyes off of you," he said to her with a smile. "I thought it was just the dress and that pastels are your color, but then I realized...how far along are you?"

"Oh..." Adena said with a blush. "Almost six months."

"Well, it looks good on you,, and congratulations. I wanted to ask you out to dinner, but I can see you're already in a pretty committed relationship," he said sheepishly, and she looked at him in shock. Was one of her favorite artists hitting on her right now?!! "Don't worry. I won't let this interfere with our work. I'll be strictly professional. But I promise you if that man you're with messes up even once, and I hear about it?" he said and then chuckled. "I've said too much already. Get home safe, beautiful."

"Uh um, you too, Mr. Wiley. Thanks."

"Call me Kehinde, Adena. Call me whatever you want, but not Mr. Wiley, ok?" he asked her and winked. She nodded. "Have a good night," he said and then closed the door. Once the Uber pulled off, she realized it was almost 7 pm. It was going to be a long night.

For her and Craig as well. Unfortunately, their talk would have to wait, and Craig wasn't too happy about it and told her so by calling a few times. However, she couldn't answer because she was with Kehinde at the art show planning another art show that she had just made up to impress him.

And she impressed him so much that now he was hitting on her and wanted to take her out.

What a week this has been already, and it was only Tuesday. She tried to rush into the gallery as soon as the Uber dropped her off, but someone calling her name made her stop. She turned to look, and gasped.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

*

Although very eloquent about worldly matters, Capricornean Dragons struggle to express their personal feelings.

*

It was Taye. What the hell was he doing here? He didn't answer her at first. He just looked her up and down and shook his head. "So? It's true?"

"What's true? What are you talking about? What do you want?"

He scoffed and shook his head, and he held up his phone for her to look at. It was a picture of her and her parents at her surprise baby shower over the weekend. They both had their hands on her belly with big smiles. "You're pregnant?"

"How did you get that?" she asked him.

"Yeah, I guess when you hacked into my social media and blocked everyone in your family from my page, you thought all of your secrets were safe. But no, my mom still follows most of your family, and her timeline is full of pictures like this. Of you. Pregnant!?"

"It's none of your concern. You stopped giving a fuck about me a long time ago, especially when you started dating my best friend."

"And there it is," he said with a sarcastic chuckle. "You moved on pretty quick too. We weren't even officially broken up, separated, or divorced, but you found a new guy the same week you left me, fucked him, and are now having his kid?! We're both even. You're no saint. Just wanted to remind you of that. At least I didn't get anyone pregnant. At least I wrapped it up, unlike you and your DJ boy." Adena looked at him and then started laughing at him. He crossed his arms and tried to wait for her to finish, but she wouldn't stop, and that shit was annoying. She got knocked up, and she was laughing at him??? "Yeah yeah yeah, laugh it up. Go ahead. Cuz both of you are a joke, you and your new clown of a boyfriend."

"You think it's his???" Adena said to him and kept on laughing.

"Oh? So you fucked someone else while you were with Mr. DJ?"

"No, I fucked someone BEFORE I even met my 'Mr. DJ' and that person was you! So yeah, how about that? I never stepped out on you. Craig and I just started dating, and didn't get intimate until months after I moved out. Compared to you, I'm still a fucking saint and always will be!"

Taye looked at her in shock. He then recovered quickly by side eying her and sucking his teeth. "You expect me to believe that kid is mine? If it's mine, you would have told me."

"Would I?" she asked him, and he scowled at her.

"Adena, I tried to work it out with you, but you didn't want me. Then you embarrassed me on social media, tried to ruin my reputation by bad-mouthing me to every company that wanted to hire me, and now, all of a sudden, you're pregnant with my kid? It's too late. When was the last time I touched you? You touched me? You didn't even like being with me. The last time I made love to you, you said hurry up. So I hurried up, I hurried up and moved the fuck on, and so have you."

"No, Taye, the last time we were together was right after you fucked that whore Felicia, who also fucks everyone else in town. Literally, right after. Unfortunately, I was drunk and didn't remember much of it, but I'm pretty sure I didn't miss anything. The only thing missing was a condom. Remember? The next day, I confronted you, and you finally admitted to lying to me and cheating on me. Remember now? I know it's hard to keep track of all the women you were sleeping with."

Taye paused. If he remembered or not, it didn't matter to him. "You're lying; if it were mine, you would have told me."

"Again, would I Taye? Why? You cheated on me, and now you're fucking my best friend. Why would I tell you? I wasn't going to tell you. No one was supposed to tell you, and you're right; it was supposed to be a secret. I was going to tell you at divorce court, but you remember how that went, right? I'm ok, by the way. Not like you cared. Neither you or that traitor of a best friend bothered to check on me at the hospital."

"You're right. I didn't care, but Kim went over there. At least that's what she told me."

"She didn't. She lied to you just like she's been lying to me. How you both have been lying to me. You deserve each other."

"You know what. I agree with you on that. We do. We deserve each other, and if I was more honest with myself, I wouldn't have wasted my time with you and would have dated her instead. Wanna know something else? Since we're dropping bombs on each other, here's a bomb for you. I met Kim before you. We went out together before we met you. I kissed her before I even knew you. You got in the way. You distracted me from someone who actually deserves me. Now we're both where we're supposed to be."

Adena replied by slapping him clear across his face. Taye chuckled as he rubbed his jaw. "That's the second time you've slapped me-"

"Leave before I do it again," Adena said to him angrily. "Bottom line is, the baby was conceived on January 5th, we broke up, and nine months from then, this baby will be here, without you—October 5th. Do the math. It's yours. Unfortunately, I wish it wasn't. I wish I had never met you. You could have saved me a lot of heartbreak if you had been honest with me for once. I'll do you a solid though, and ensure you'll never see my baby. MY baby. Since you're where you're supposed to be now, and that's away from me, from both of us. Have a nice life," she hissed at him, then unlocked the gallery doors and let herself in.

As the double doors closed behind her, the last thing she heard him say was, "If that baby is mine, you have no right to keep me from it! But it's not! Not even a baby would make me change my mind and want to come back to you. Nice try!"

The doors locked automatically behind her, and with angry tears in her eyes, she ran up to her office and slammed the door.

*

Capricornean dragons seem complicated and ambitious, but underneath it all, they are really compassionate and sensitive.

*


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