Nookie's Secret (Nookie 2) (Nookie Series) by Anieshea; Q.B. Wells Dansby Page A

she wanted to share so much with him. She was too busy thinking about what she wanted for herself. Kevin stood by her and he wasn’t even sure that it was his baby. She didn’t think before now about what she would do with the baby. She couldn’t take care of the baby alone. She didn’t know anything about raising a child. She went down the call log in her phone and looked for the number of the cab company she used earlier. She called and had a 45-minute wait. She figured he would forgive her if she cried and apologize enough. She dialed Kevin next. When he didn’t answer, she decided to listen to the messages he left.
    “Joy where are you and where did you get this money from? Whoever you stole it from better not come looking for me. All your shit seems to fall back on me. You better not be with that nigga. Fucking him with my daughter in you.”
    “You know something Joy I guessed by now that your are not coming back. It’s been hours and I aint heard nothing from your ass. You think you can throw a few dollars and shit cool? When you have the baby, I’m getting a DNA test and then if she’s mine I’m getting custody.”
    “This is my third and last message to you bitch. Fuck you and I don’t want nothing to do with you. I don’t even know what I’m doing even blowing up your phone. All the shit I’ve done for you when you had nothing or nobody. You probably out smutting that nigga, you bitch. I know why you wasn’t giving me none.”
    “Damn,” Joy thought.
    After hearing Kevin’s messages, she had second thoughts about going to him. He needs time to cool off. Joy knew that she couldn’t stay the night. She didn’t have a lamp or a blanket even if she attempted to sleep on the floor.
    She didn’t know whether she should let Kevin cool down or not. The cab driver called and let her know that he was outside. She walked towards the elevator, Simone and Ronnie were coming out there apartment. Ronnie sucked her teeth.
    “Where you headed?” Simone asked.
    “Don’t really know.” Joy said, still undecided about what she was going to do about Kevin.
    “Do you need help or anything?” Simone asked as they stepped on the elevator.
    “Not really. I just need to get to a store and get some things.”
    “Oh, it’s a whole bunch of stores on Cottman.”
    “I saw a lot of clothing stores. I need a shower curtain and stuff like that.”
    “There’s a Sears up there. Is that cab for you?” Simone asked when they walked outside.
    “Yeah.”
    “You don’t have a waste your money on no cab. I can run you up there.”
    Simone didn’t notice the look Ronnie gave her but Joy did. It made her shake a little. She couldn’t understand why she hated her so much. Ronnie lit a cigarette and started blowing smoke in Joy’s direction. Joy moved closer to the cab.
    “It’s cool. I don’t want to hold y’all up or nothing, but thanks,” Joy said and jumped in the cab. She didn’t like the way Ronnie was looking at her.
    As the cab pulled away from the curb, Joy knew that she wasn’t coming back. She headed to the only person she had left, the person who was there when she had nothing. She only hoped that he would take her back again. She felt like that Jasmine Sullivan song, “I need you bad.” She played out what she would do and say to get him to forgive her.
    When she arrived at the apartment, Kevin wasn’t there. Joy used the key hidden on top of the doorframe to get in. She went straight to the kitchen to get something to eat. When she turned on the light, she saw roses and a card in the trash. She reached in and took them out.
    Opening the card, she smiled at the cover that read “Thinking of you.” The inside was blank except for what Kevin wrote, “Joy I’m sorry for the way I’ve been treating you. I love you.” Joy read this, tears dropped from her eyes onto the card. She searched for something to put the roses in. She found a pitcher in the cabinet. The longer she stared at the roses