Priscilla took that as her cue to leave, knowing how close the two were and hoping her middle sister could talk some sense into the younger one.
“ What boyfriend, and how come I’m just hearing about him,” Tae teased wanting her sister to relax and honestly open up.
If she was contemplating sleeping with him or already had, she wanted to be sure this guy wasn’t some loser or user who ended up hurting her. Ashlyn laughed and grabbed a soda from the fridge.
“ Because you just got back to Atlanta, and I did kinda mention it when I called you about a month ago,” Ashlyn reminded her.
“ Hmph, well okay let’s say for arguments sake you did,” Tae returned as Ashlyn chuckled again and they ventured to her bedroom to talk.
*****
“ Well call me later if you get a chance honey,” Sapphire told her son as they disconnected and she lay back down on the couch.
She was exhausted, but it was pretty routine for her. She had dialysis three times a week and it always left her drained and tired. Sighing deeply Sapphire thought about her son, pleased he was doing so well in college. Just let me live long enough to see him graduate, she prayed, closing her eyes as her thoughts assailed her once more. True to his word Cartier returned that day from the hospital, after seeing Hope, asking about Sa’Cari and his birth. Sapphire had never been as scared as she was at that moment, but Cartier hadn’t hurt her or even raised his voice. He simply asked her to explain. “How did you manage being pregnant right under my nose,” he asked calmly, looking directly into her eyes. Sapphire smiled just a touch, swallowing hard before answering. “I wore a girdle and tight clothes for as long as I could,” she told him. “I made it up to my eighth month before Quita noticed and said something about me getting fatter,” she continued as Cartier sipped his drink and continued to watch her. “That was when I knew I had to disappear for a while,” Sapphire told him quietly as Cartier’s mind clicked for him. “When you left the note saying you were going home,” he threw out and she nodded silently. Sapphire had been eternally grateful neither he nor Carlo were the type of pimps who chased their whores. If you wanted to leave, they let you. They didn’t ask questions and they didn’t threaten or hurt you. They’d always treated their girls well, so if one wanted to leave they never took it personally, just chalked it up to the women wanting something else in their lives.
“ I gave birth to him two weeks after I checked into the run down hotel on the other side of town,” Sapphire told Cartier as he frowned. “Why didn’t you just come home and tell me Sapphire,” he questioned the hurt obvious in his voice. “You’d just given birth to my seed and you kept that from me.” Sapphire pleaded with him to try and understand. “Socrates, I was 16 years old, I was a prostitute in love with her pimp,” she told him beginning to cry now. “I was scared as hell. I’d heard all kinds of horror stories. I thought you would beat my ass, kill me, or take my baby from me,” she told him breaking down now. Cartier pulled her into his arms at that point and told her it was all right and he understood. “I want my son to know who I am,” he told her once she composed herself. “Socrates, he doesn’t know about my life, about the things I’ve done,” Sapphire returned. Cartier smiled and kissed her gently. “You don’t do anything Sapphire, you’re my woman and that’s all he needs to know,” he assured her as she finally acquiesced. They sat down together one month later and told Sa’Cari the truth.
The phone ringing broke her thought and Sapphire was amazed to see she’d been asleep for almost two hours.
“ Hello,” she answered softly, the sleep still in her voice.
“ I didn’t mean to disturb you,” Horse returned.
He told her he was simply checking on her.
“ I’m fine Horse,” Sapphire returned
“ What boyfriend, and how come I’m just hearing about him,” Tae teased wanting her sister to relax and honestly open up.
If she was contemplating sleeping with him or already had, she wanted to be sure this guy wasn’t some loser or user who ended up hurting her. Ashlyn laughed and grabbed a soda from the fridge.
“ Because you just got back to Atlanta, and I did kinda mention it when I called you about a month ago,” Ashlyn reminded her.
“ Hmph, well okay let’s say for arguments sake you did,” Tae returned as Ashlyn chuckled again and they ventured to her bedroom to talk.
*****
“ Well call me later if you get a chance honey,” Sapphire told her son as they disconnected and she lay back down on the couch.
She was exhausted, but it was pretty routine for her. She had dialysis three times a week and it always left her drained and tired. Sighing deeply Sapphire thought about her son, pleased he was doing so well in college. Just let me live long enough to see him graduate, she prayed, closing her eyes as her thoughts assailed her once more. True to his word Cartier returned that day from the hospital, after seeing Hope, asking about Sa’Cari and his birth. Sapphire had never been as scared as she was at that moment, but Cartier hadn’t hurt her or even raised his voice. He simply asked her to explain. “How did you manage being pregnant right under my nose,” he asked calmly, looking directly into her eyes. Sapphire smiled just a touch, swallowing hard before answering. “I wore a girdle and tight clothes for as long as I could,” she told him. “I made it up to my eighth month before Quita noticed and said something about me getting fatter,” she continued as Cartier sipped his drink and continued to watch her. “That was when I knew I had to disappear for a while,” Sapphire told him quietly as Cartier’s mind clicked for him. “When you left the note saying you were going home,” he threw out and she nodded silently. Sapphire had been eternally grateful neither he nor Carlo were the type of pimps who chased their whores. If you wanted to leave, they let you. They didn’t ask questions and they didn’t threaten or hurt you. They’d always treated their girls well, so if one wanted to leave they never took it personally, just chalked it up to the women wanting something else in their lives.
“ I gave birth to him two weeks after I checked into the run down hotel on the other side of town,” Sapphire told Cartier as he frowned. “Why didn’t you just come home and tell me Sapphire,” he questioned the hurt obvious in his voice. “You’d just given birth to my seed and you kept that from me.” Sapphire pleaded with him to try and understand. “Socrates, I was 16 years old, I was a prostitute in love with her pimp,” she told him beginning to cry now. “I was scared as hell. I’d heard all kinds of horror stories. I thought you would beat my ass, kill me, or take my baby from me,” she told him breaking down now. Cartier pulled her into his arms at that point and told her it was all right and he understood. “I want my son to know who I am,” he told her once she composed herself. “Socrates, he doesn’t know about my life, about the things I’ve done,” Sapphire returned. Cartier smiled and kissed her gently. “You don’t do anything Sapphire, you’re my woman and that’s all he needs to know,” he assured her as she finally acquiesced. They sat down together one month later and told Sa’Cari the truth.
The phone ringing broke her thought and Sapphire was amazed to see she’d been asleep for almost two hours.
“ Hello,” she answered softly, the sleep still in her voice.
“ I didn’t mean to disturb you,” Horse returned.
He told her he was simply checking on her.
“ I’m fine Horse,” Sapphire returned
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