Chapter 53 - Continuation

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Adena took a deep breath, held it, and released it. She was sitting on the floor, ready for her Lamaze Class. She was early as usual, and the class hadn't even started. However, this would be the first class where she didn't have someone sitting behind her—a partner.

A father.

Her mother came out to help at times. However, no one was available today. They all had lives outside of doing their best to be stand-in fathers. 

Maybe she needed this. She couldn't be a baby about this. She had to get ahold of herself. Once the baby comes, she will do 90% of the work alone. Once you become a mother, especially a single mother, you have to get used to doing everything yourself, which she prefers anyway if you're going to do it wrong. 

She needed to start practicing.

The instructor came in and shut the door. Adena looked around the room and realized she was the only mother with no partner. Wow, this felt like shit. She had the urge to get up and leave, making up an excuse, but she couldn't. She had to stay and get through this.

Besides, she couldn't get up independently; she was carrying around an extra 20 pounds. Well, she could, but it would take too long. 

Her mother was busy. Missy was busy. Lloyd was busy.

She had run out of options.

The instructor started the class, but Adena continued to sit there, lost in her own world. 

There was one person that she truly wanted to be here. Every time the door opened, she wished it was them walking in. She didn't know where she stood with them. She dropped off Craig's present weeks ago and heard nothing. She waved her white flag and extended that olive branch, but nothing worked. If he expected her to beg, please, she would never. She may be lonely but wouldn't wholly surrender; she needed her dignity. She shouldn't have to beg. 

But there was one person left. The person that made her do this in the first place, in more ways than one. 

She wasn't going to call Taye. She didn't know where she stood with him even though they were divorced and he was the father of this child. He claims he'll pop up and help, but just like everyone else, he had a life to live, and she was no longer a part of that. She didn't trust him anyway. She didn't trust he would pick up the phone. She couldn't call him. Fuck him. No. She didn't need him.

Besides, he had to change his number because of all the spam calls she sent when she and Missy hacked his account. She didn't know it anyway. Oops.

"Miss Capricorn? You alright?" the instructor asked her. It made Adena snap back to the present moment. She looked around, and everyone was looking at her.

"What? Why?" Adena asked. 

She knew it. They were all pitying her. She should-

"Sorry! Sorry sorry sorry," someone said as they barged in. Adena turned and watched in shock as Taye approached her in fast-forward motion, and a second later, he was seated behind her. Adena tensed up. What the fuck was he doing here???

"It's alright. It's good to see you again, Taye," the instructor said with a smile and continued addressing the class.

"Sorry my session ended late," Taye whispered in her ear. It was weird having him that close to her.

"What are you doing here? Why?" she whispered through her teeth as she tried to pay attention.

"What? You thought that one time was a fluke? No. I mean, there are some classes I'm gonna miss, but I heard you have others to help," he whispered back to her.

"Exactly, you don't need to be here," she hissed.

"Look, like I said, if this is my child, it's my duty. If not, which it isn't, you'll at least be grateful I could step in."

"Don't worry, and no one is making you be here. You've done enough damage already. We both know you would rather be with someone else," she whispered, "Somewhere else. You'd rather be-"

"With you," Taye whispered to her. She could smell his cologne. She used to love that smell. "I want to be here. I'm not here because I have to be. I want to."

They both sat there in silence finally. Only because Taye was trying to listen, and Adena was in literal shock. 

He wanted to be here, my ass, she thought. 

Taye then reached around her. His chest was against her back. Was he trying to hug her??

Then he put his hands on the sides of her belly.

With a fast, reflexed motion, she elbowed his right hand to the side and swatted his left away. The instructor looked at them. "Adena, what the fuck?" he hissed in her ear. "Sorry, we're good," Taye said, hoping the instructor would move on. Everyone looked over at them.

"No, we're not, don't touch me. I don't like people touching my belly. NO ONE," she said to him, louder for the whole class to hear. She could feel Taye glaring holes into the back of her head. Then she felt the baby even kick like they agreed with her.

"That's good you brought that up, Adena-"

"Fine, you don't want help? Fine!" Taye said aggressively as he scooted back, hands in the air.

"Now, now I know that's probably disappointing to hear, Taye, but Adena's reaction is normal. Mothers, who else doesn't like having their belly touched?" the instructor asked the class. Taye and Adena were surprised to see more than half of the other mothers raise their hands. "It's very common. Remember, those of us who are pregnant are still HUMAN BEINGS. They aren't just incubators or hosts for this other human on the way. They're people. Just like in any other situation, if a person doesn't like to be touched, respect them. Same for pregnant mothers."

"What if they're the father, though?" Taye asked. Adena turned to look at him and cut her eyes at him. Is he the father or not? It changed every second.

"That's normal as well. It isn't very comforting because that's your child too, but you must still respect the mother. Respect their bodies. It's their body, their choice. You won't truly know how bad it can make you feel unless you've been through it. The belly is a sensitive area right now. It's holding a life. Some mothers will go to great lengths to protect their children at all costs. It's their motherly instinct kicking in. It'll be better once the baby is here, but for now and always, the mother's choice matters above all."

"See? You believe me now?" Adena whispered back to him. Taye just sat there.

"When someone else touches your bellies without asking, how does that make you feel? Anyone?" the instructor continued. 

"Dehumanizing," one said.
"I'm kind of a germaphobe, so it gives me anxiety," another said. "I don't know where their hands have been, especially a complete stranger."
"I don't like people touching my hair. So definitely don't touch my belly," another chimed in.

"Exactly. These are all valid reasons. A simple 'No' is valid. Besides, mothers have no choice over what's happening with their bodies. At this very moment, the baby is rearranging their organs to make room for itself, and most of the time, the favorite spot to rest is on your bladder. Am I right, mothers?" All the mothers agreed. "Let the mothers have control over the few things they have control over. They'll be happier mommies."

Adena started to feel better. So she wasn't giving a crazy demand all of this time. It was normal. Everyone else just needed to be more respectful. The incident with Beverly's mother-in-law would have been avoided if that happened. Thankfully, they all got past that.

Sadly, her parents, her practitioner, Missy, and Craig were the only ones she was comfortable with.

"Always ask before you touch and respect the answer," the instructor said, "So in light of that, those who aren't comfortable with this touch relaxation technique can sit out. Don't worry; you can use plenty of other techniques, and we'll cover as much as we can today."

Adena sighed with relief, as did the other mothers who sat out on this one. "Sorry," Taye whispered to her. "I didn't realize. There was a time when I never had to ask, it comforted you, but that's changed now."

"Thank you," Adena whispered back. Yep, there was a time when Taye would tickle, blow raspberries or just caress and admire her stomach back in the day, and she loved it. Those times were over now. 

When the class ended, everyone got their things and was ready to go. "Babe, I'm hungry," another mother said to their partner. 

"Again?" their partner teased.

"What do you mean again? Ohmygod, I could go for a whole buffet right now," another said. 

"Me too," another piped up. 

"There's a nice spot across the street. You all wanna go?" The three couples agreed. "Adena? Taye? We're getting something to eat across the street. You wanna come?"

Adena was about to turn them down when Taye said, "Sure, I'm starving."

"Taye, you don't have to-"

"I'm hungry, and I know you are too. Not only was your stomach growling, but you were getting restless at the end there. I know how you are."

She didn't know why she was surprised. They were together for five years. He knew her more than anyone. Right down to her quirks, pet peeves, and habits. He could read her mind at times.

A half-hour later, the pregnant mothers were sharing a few plates of appetizers as they all waited for their meals to come. She actually had a good time. A great time. She got to know the other mothers better, and they all swapped tips, advice, and numbers. By the end of the meal, they all exchanged information and made a mommy group chat.

"Taye? Taye? Taye?" Dave, another father, nudged him, bringing him back to earth. "You done? You want another beer?"

"Sorry yeah, same one," he told the waiter as he passed his empty plate down. "I was lost for a second there."

"Mannnn, that happens to me all the time. I'm not even pregnant, but I have a pregnancy brain too."

"Maybe that's what I have..."

"Or it's love," Dave said, and Taye looked at him. "I see it. Sometimes I'm so lost in just how beautiful she looks now, you know? Pregnancy is a trippy thing. She's repeatedly asked me 'What are you looking at' the past few months."

Taye paused. Shit, he knew he had feelings for her again, but has it turned back to love now? He thought about her a lot throughout the day, so much so that he would have the urge to call or text her. Looking at her now, across the table from him, chatting with the other moms-to-be, she was literally glowing. Maybe it was that summer tan that he loved or her long, wavy hair was down now that she cooled off, her hair was even longer, or maybe because she was wearing yellow, one of his favorite colors, or that beautiful, genuine smile and laugh she was exuding now that she was having a good time and was relaxed for once. Or maybe it was all of that. Shit.

What if the baby was his?

"Shit," Dave's wife, Lulu, echoed as she threw her white tablecloth napkin down and scooted her chair back. "I gotta fucking piss AGAIN."

"You good?" Dave asked her.

"Yes, babe, I'm pregnant, not handicapped," she said to him as she waddled toward the bathroom.

Dave and a few of the other guys laughed. All of their girls said the same thing throughout the day and used the bathroom every hour, it seemed. "She's lucky she's so fucking hot. She's really lucky," Dave said with a smirk; another dad dapping him up. Taye smirked, too; Lulu was fine as fuck. He could imagine why he was sprung. All of the moms were, to be honest. They were all first-time mothers in their early/mid 20's, which many believe is the "perfect" age. 

"Right, she thinks she's being rude, but it's a turn-on," another said. "She'll cuss me out, then want to fuck, cuss me out, get hungry, cuss me out again. Whew, two more months."

"At least she lets you fuck. Lulu is scared to death."

Shit, now Taye was thinking about what Adena looked like naked, big belly and all. She probably still looked like a supermodel...

"You good?" Adena said, catching him eyeing her.

"Uh yeah, I was gonna ask if you wanted dessert?" he asked. Adena paused and bit her lip as she looked at the dessert menu, which he knew meant yes. 

"I don't know-"

"What do you want?" he teased her. She smirked at him. 

"I want the ice cream, but it's gonna melt before I get to the subway..."

"Well, we'll just have to get a taxi or something." She looked at him. "Or not."

"Shit, it's about to rain," Lulu said as she walked back over and glanced out the colossal window their table was in front of. 

"Siri said it wasn't going to rain today. That's why I wore these sandals," Sammie, another mom, said.

"Fuck Siri," Lulu said as she sat down and mumbled something in Chinese. "Davie? I want ice cream," she said to him as she bit her lip. 

Taye chuckled. Yep, now he understood Dave 1000%. Dave shrugged, "Get whatever you want, babe."

"I love it when you say that," Lulu flirted. "I want the caramel one and the chocolate one. Ooh, can I have the cheesecake too?"

Taye looked at Adena as she looked at the menu. She glanced at him and shrugged, "I want the caramel too."

"One taxi and caramel ice cream coming right up," Taye said with a smile. Adena paused before she returned it.

*

The main character fault for the Chinese Dog Signs is their constant worrying and self-doubt. Specific amounts of stress are only good for the Dog Signs who lack motivation. Anxious of the future and regretful of the past, they need to learn to live in the present.

*

Once the group figured out how to split up the check, they all gathered in front of the door to say goodbye to each other as the rain poured down continuously. The good news was it wasn't hot and humid anymore. The bad news was, it was raining HARD. Like most in New York City, they didn't have a car. Waiting for a ride share indoors was safer but took longer. A taxi can come immediately, but you have to go out in the storm to hail a cab. Taye didn't care. Adena held the door open for him when he ran out to hail a taxi he saw coming down the street, and they stopped. "Come on, Adena, anyone else needs a ride?" he asked them.

Soon Dave and Lulu were joining them. They lived closer to Adena; luckily, Adena was the first stop. Taye got Adena situated as Dave and Lulu got in the backseat with her. Then there was that awkward pause as Dave and Lulu tried to dry themselves off while asking the driver where to go first. Adena looked at Taye, who was now soaking wet. She wasn't close to Taye and their old apartment at all. That was the whole point. "Taye, hurry up! Aren't you gonna get in?" Lulu said to him. Taye hopped in the front seat with the driver. 

"Damn, you're really soaked," Dave said to him.

"You'll be doing the laundry tonight, well, if this storm stops," Lulu remarked with a smirk. "Adena needs a break, I bet."

"It doesn't matter. I have a washer/dryer in my apartment. It's not too bad," Adena said. 

"Girl, where do you guys stay again?" Lulu asked her. Dave rolled his eyes as the taxi headed down the street. This was a daily argument. Lulu hated where they were now. She's been wanting to move, and a washer/dryer in the apartment was her dream, especially with a baby on the way. That would only cost them more. Lulu and Adena had about the same due date, and it was time for them to start slowing down. Moving across town wasn't slowing down. Taye saw Dave's expression and smirked at him, reading his mind. Women.

The taxi was quiet except for the ooohs and aaahs from Lulu as she looked at Adena's apartment website as they ate their matching ice creams. Dave pretended to care and smiled at every picture she showed him. The price was nothing to oooh and ah at. "I mean, if you two are serious, I can give you a referral which is a discount for the first month. They have specials sometimes."

"I'm signing us up," Lulu said to Dave.

"For what?!" he asked her.

"For emails so that we can keep an eye out. This place is perfect," she said as she put his email in first and then hers. 

Dave sighed as he got a notification on his phone saying he was all signed up. "It's perfectly expensive." Lulu waved him off as she and Adena talked about her place, and they soon pulled up.

"See? The neighborhood looks clean. There aren't thousands of tourists like we got near Chinatown," she said to Dave.

"That's because it's raining. It won't be as quiet when the sun-"

"Why you gotta be so negative?" Lulu asked him as Taye hopped out of the taxi and opened the door to help Adena. 

"Bye, girl," Adena said to Lulu, but she was too busy cussing Dave out. In Chinese, no less. Dave was Latino, but he understood exactly what she was saying.

Then there was that awkward pause. Was Taye getting back in the taxi or..? "You want me to walk you up?"

Adena almost hesitated, but it was raining too hard to be standing outside all day. "Sure." Taye tipped the driver, said goodbye to Lulu and Dave, and followed her inside. 

"Wow, this place is nice," he said as he walked her in. He handed her the plastic bag, "Here's your ice cream," he told her. The bag was dripping wet, and so was he. It looked like he went swimming. It was raining so hard that the doorman was even inside. They got in the elevator and rode up in silence. Adena started to tense up. She never in her life imagined that Taye would see her new place. When they walked in, Taye looked around in awe. "Wow, Dena, this is all you?" he asked as he wandered toward the living room and looked at the view. That was usually the showstopper, especially now that the sun was setting. "Holy shit. This view is amazing."

Adena put her ice cream in the freezer for the time being and found a towel to dry herself off with. Her dress was nearly soaked, and her hair was wet. She watched as Taye dripped all over her clean floors. She could feel the anxiety rising more. Not only was he here, but he was messing the place up. "Here," she said as she gave him a towel. "Your Jordans are soaked." Then a massive crack of thunder and lightning shot across the sky. It looked incredible from this view. It seemed to be raining even harder. 

Taye just sighed. Usually, he would get upset if there was even a scuff, but he didn't seem to care. He noticed her expression and quickly put it together. "Well, um, I guess I'll see you around. I know I'm dripping all over your floors. Congrats on this place. You deserve something like this," he said as he grabbed her hand and held it; his sneakers squeaked as he walked.

Adena was in the middle of an internal struggle. Should she care and let him dry off or let him go? 

Then there was another massive crack of thunder that made them both jump, a huge flash of lightning, then some explosion, and then...

The power went out. "Holy shit," they both said as they looked out the window. Lightning struck the Empire State Building, and another hit a smaller building causing an electrical fire on the roof. However, except for the small blazing building miles away, the whole city went black, and since the sun had just set, it was pitch black. 

"It's a fucking blackout," Taye said. Adena turned to where his voice was coming from. She couldn't see him at all. Blackouts had happened in the city before, but she's never experienced one firsthand. 

"Ohmygod," she said as she stared at the burning building, sirens could be heard all over the city. "Oh wait, my ice cream," she said. It surely was going to melt now. All her food was going to be wasted.

"Don't move, Adena. We don't need you running into anything and hurting yourself. Stay where you are," Taye said. "I know you got candles. Where are they?"

"Oh," Adena said as she dug into her pocket, got out her phone, and turned the flashlight on. 

"That's smart," he said as he dug into his pocket and turned on the flashlight. He saw a few missed calls but knew who they were from. Shit, Kim was probably all alone at his...in their apartment. Should he go to her? But he couldn't leave Adena here alone either. 

"My candles are in my bathroom," Adena said as she pointed the flashlight on the floor so she could see a path. 

"Don't even think about it. I'll get it," he said. Adena couldn't even protest. He pointed the flashlight toward the couch. "Sit there. I got it."

"On my leather couch? I'm soaked," Adena said.

"Are you serious right now?" Taye asked her. "Ok, fine," he said, and soon she saw his flashlight approaching her. "Gimme your hand."

"For what?"

"So you can get some dry clothes, and I can get candles. Being soaked and dripping wet is the least of our problems." Adena sighed; he was right. She took his hand, and they slowly went to her bedroom. Adena shined the flashlight toward her bathroom. "Straight ahead, they're in-"

"The bottom cabinet?" he asked her. She didn't say anything because that's precisely where they were. 

She walked to her closet and searched for something else to wear. She paused, "Hey, I'm getting undressed, so no peeking," she said as she put her phone on her bed. 

"Seriously?" he said, and she rolled her eyes. "Please tell me you have a lighter, Adena."

"There isn't one in there?"

"Not that I can see?" he said as he looked through her other cabinets. "This bathroom is nice, by the way."

Adena took off her dress, she didn't bother wearing a bra on hot days like today, but even her panties were wet. Her dresser drawer was on the other side of the room. She sighed.

"I don't see a lighter anywhere. You usually keep one with all the candles."

"It's probably in the kitchen then," she said as she quickly grabbed a pair of panties and the first maxi dress she could find. Then a light was pointed at her. "TAYE!"

"Sorry, I didn't know you were there," he said. He smirked. He did. "I'm going to the kitchen."

"They're probably-"

"In the drawer next to the stove, I know," he said as he walked across the room and approached the kitchen. She quickly got dressed. The lighter he did find was very low on fluid, so low that he could only light a couple of candles. He looked all over but couldn't find anything. He set the candles on her dresser in her room. "You have a cooler?" he asked her. He could faintly see her. She was drying her hair with a towel. She was wearing a long purple dress. Damn. 

"Ugh...I don't think so," she said. "Shit."

"Don't worry, I'll find something else," he said. "I guess we'll have to eat everything we can so it won't spoil," he said, and then, "Yes! You got a gas stove. That's good. You can keep shit warm."

Her father said always find a place with a gas stove. They were lifesavers at times like this. Again he was right, as usual. She paused and tried to call her parents, but the call wouldn't go through. She tried to text, but who knows if that helped either. Soon, Adena was situated comfortably on the couch, finishing her ice cream. That's all she could do right now. Taye sat next to her. "No!" she said to him.

"Jesus, Adena, you got any clothes I can wear?" he asked. However, if it were DJ Boy's clothes, he would rather burn them. Adena sighed. He could see her disappointment in the candlelight. Her silence answered his question.

DJ Boy wasn't around no more? Perfect. Thank God she was too good for him. It wouldn't have lasted anyway. The man was a psychopath that almost killed him. 

So Taye was stuck with her long silk kimono. All she had were maternity clothes and baby clothes. He sat down next to her on the couch. She glanced at him and then started laughing. "Stop," he said to her. Then there was a flash. "ADENA!" 

"I had to. I'm sorry," she said as she looked at the picture she took. He got up and stormed off. "Aww, don't be like that," she teased as she ate her ice cream. He soon sat back down next to her. She looked at him. All he had was a towel around his waist. She looked at his chest and six-pack, then looked away. 

They sat in silence, eating ice cream. This was going to be a long, long night.

*

Capricorn Dog signs are conservative, materially prosperous, and pillars of their community. Charity work, nursing, social work, teaching, and legal aid are great occupations for them.

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https://youtu.be/QQyXHfOy1UU