Nookie's Secret (Nookie 2) (Nookie Series) (6 page)

“Joy, why were you going to the mall? You were going to meet that nigga, wasn’t you?”

“No.”

“Don’t lie to me.” Kevin yelled causing Joy to jump. She looked at him and began to shake. She never saw him so upset. Not even when he was locked up after the big fight between him and Josh’s cousin.

“Kevin, I’m not… “ Before she could finish her sentence Kevin grabbed her by the hair and pulled her back on the bed. He was standing over her with his face pressed to hers.

“Joy, don’t lie. Is that my baby you’re carrying?”

“Yes.”

“After you have this baby and were getting a DNA test. If it’s not mine I want you to forget you know me.”

“Kevin.” Joy was crying so hard that she hard trouble catching her breath.

“Kevin I can’t breathe. You have to take me to the hospital.”

“Shit Joy, stop playing. Now you’re being a drama queen.”

“I’m not playing.” Kevin looked at Joy and noticed her face was flushed. Kevin picked her up and carried her to the car. He put her on the ground while he opened the door and helped her get in. He watched her and saw that her chest was rapidly moving up and down. He got in beside her.

“Joy I’m so sorry. This is my fault, I just get so mad. You know I went threw this before with my ex.”

Joy didn’t comment. She was busy worrying about what she was going to do. She was trying to calm down. Since she stopped crying her breathing was returning to normal. She wasn’t going to say nothing to Kevin. He still was apologizing.

“Kevin I think I’m okay now.”

“You sure?” He was relieved he didn’t get mad. He made a quick u-turn and headed back to his apartment.

Chapter Thirteen

Joy was tired of having to deal with Kevin’s controlling ways. He was jealous of a dead man. He didn’t know that Shawn was dead. Every time Kevin would bring him up, Joy just wanted scream and just tell Kevin that he was dead. He was driving her crazy. She questioned whether it was a good idea to come back here. The only time she left the apartment now was to go to her doctor appointments.

Now that she was almost six mouths pregnant, she was getting more worried by the minute. All she could think about was the baby not being Kevin’s. He might murder her or something, having been through it before, she thought constantly. Joy found it hard to watch how excited Kevin had become. He talked about the baby all of the time. To make it worst, he now knew it was a girl. When the doctor gave them the news, Kevin cried in the office.

Joy only knew one way to deal with her problems, runaway from them. That’s what she planned to do. She hadn’t seen or heard from Simone since the day she found out she was pregnant, but she hoped that she would come through for her again just like she did that day. She was her only option. She didn’t know anyone else.

She found the piece of paper that Simone wrote her number on and dialed the number. After the fifth ring, Joy realized that she didn’t think about what she would do if Simone didn’t answer or had new number, it has been a few months now.

Just as she took the phone from her ear, she heard someone shout hello.

“Hey, It’s Joy.” she said, and waited to see if Simone remembered her.

“Oh, Ohhhh hey. It’s been a while. How have you been?”

“Okay, I guess.”

“Are you sure you sound sad or something?”

Joy told Simone everything that happen from when she left Simone’s job until now.

“Damn, that sounds crazy.” Simone said, when Joy was done.

“Yea, so I need a place to stay to get my head right.”

“Well…” Simone hesitated.

“I only wanted to know if you knew where I could just pay cash for an apartment and not have to worry about paperwork or anything.” Joy said, irritated.

“Oh yea. You can probably get something in the building where I live. My boo is cool with the manager. You probably have to shoot the manager a couple dollars.

“Ok. That’s no problem. Give me the directions and I’ll be on my way.”

Joy was relived to hear the good news. She hated to leave without telling Kevin but he just was too controlling. She made sure she collected all the money from under the bed. She did leave him one of the plastic bags with money in it. She didn’t count it, she didn’t know how much it was but she knew it was several stacks. She left a sticky note next to it that read
, I love you, Joy
.

As she got in the cab, she glanced back because she expected Kevin to come home and stop her. She knew that he wouldn’t because he had a wedding in Edgewater, NJ. In fifteen minutes she arrived at Simone’s. Simone lived in the Northeast, right around the corner from her job.

The building looked a rundown. Weeds grew out of the bricks and the grass was overgrown. Joy walked through the front door and went to the intercom. She buzzed Simone’s apartment and waited. Seconds later she was on the elevator. Once she got to the door, she listened. She heard a males voice but couldn’t make out what he was saying. So she knocked. A short man about 5’2 answered the door, a toothpick stuck out his mouth. He sucked on the toothpick, as he looked Joy up and down. Joy blew her breath loud to show him her irritation but he didn’t notice. He was one step up from being ugly. He had no type of body. He was stick skinny, with a huge gut. Joy had had about enough of him, when she heard Simone tell him to move and let her in. Joy thought that they made a funny looking couple. Simone was 5’’7’. She had long, wavy, jet-black hair. She had flawless golden brown skin. She was very pretty and her body was top notch. She had a tiny fame but a fat ass with melon size breast.

“Have a seat Joy.” Joy sat down at a table that was in the living room.

“Jamek, this is Joy. Joy this is Jamek.”

“Was sup?”

“Hey.” Joy said.

Instantly, Joy disliked Jamek. He talked too loud and his only goal at thirty-two was to be a rapper. He made this known to Joy right away. Just in case she knew someone or someway he could get a deal with. After fifteen minutes of Jamek talking nonstop, Simone was even tired of him.

“Jamek didn’t you say you had something to do?”

“Oh yeah. I’m out. Joy holler at me. Simone got the number,” he said then left.

“Damn, I’m glad that nigga gone.” Simone said and laughed.

“Was that
your
boo?” Joy asked trying to keep from laughing.

“Girl, hell no! That’s just the weed man. He always looks out when I cop from him. He double on anything I buy. Even if I get just a nick, he hand me a dime bag.

“You smoke?”

“Not in a minute.”

“Oh shit, yeah I forgot.” Simone said, reaching over to run Joy’s belly. Joy showed fully now thru her oversized tee shirt. As she looked down at her sweatpants she thought about the day Kevin came home with them. She asked him can he take her to get some maternity clothes and he came home with bags of sweatpants and tee shirts.

“I can’t wait until I have this baby.”

“Do you know what you’re having?”

“A girl. Can I use your bathroom?”

“Yeah. Go in the bedroom, it‘s in the corner.”

Joy got up, letting out a breath. It was harder and harder to get up everyday. She waddled to the bathroom. When she came out the bathroom, she saw that someone else was sitting at the table with their back turned towards Joy. She walked back to her seat and sat back down. She made eye contact with the person and knew right away that it was a female. Despite the baggy clothes and the fitted hat, She had a pretty face, with small facial features and gray and hazel eyes.

When Joy realized that she been studying her, she turned away. Simone stopped talking and introduced them, “Joy,
this
is my boo Ronnie.”

“Hi.” Ronnie said in the softest voice Joy had ever heard.

“Hey.” Joy said, holding her hand up in a nervous wave.

Simone laughed, she loved the reaction she got from people who didn’t know she was gay.

“You got a problem?” Ronnie said taking offense.

“No. I was just surprised.”

“Ronnie cut that shit out.” Simone said.

“Where you say you met this broad at again?”

Joy’s hand went to her stomach. “
Pregnant or not, I will fuck this bitch up
.” She thought.

“Ronnie don’t start your shit. Can you just do me this solid? Joy’s not gay. Don’t you see that she pregnant? Chill.”

“Yeah I don’t know why you trying to help her. It’s a reason behind it.”

Joy knew that Ronnie was jealous. Though she remained quiet, she wanted to tell her she had nothing to worry about. She shook her head but she got up and strolled to the door and left. Once she left, Simone tried to laugh off her behavior.

“I’m sorry bout that. I don’t know why she acts like that. I think she’s bipolar on the low.”

“It’s cool.” Joy said like it didn’t bother, but she knew that she would have to watch out for Ronnie.

The wait wasn’t long. Ronnie came back with a woman in her forties. She wore glasses but looked at Joy over the lens. “How old are you?”

“22,” Joy lied.

“Okay. I’ll show you the apartment. You need to have all the money up front, today.”

“Okay.”

Joy followed the woman out the door. They walked down the hall and turned the corner and came to a door. The manager took out the keys and opened the apartment. She allowed Joy to walk in first. It was smaller than Simone’s but had the same setup. There was the living room with the kitchen off to the side. As soon as you walked into the apartment, the bedroom was the door in front of you.

“How much?” Joy asked.

“$710 everything included. Altogether it will be $2130 for first, last and security. Rent is due every month on the first. Pay it directly to me. I’ll show you where the office is. If I’m not there, wait until I come.”

“Okay.”

“Let me show where the office is.”

They went down to the first floor and into the office. Joy asked to use the bathroom, where she counted off the money. She took an extra $500 for the lady looking out. Even though she didn’t ask, Joy knew that she expected something in return.

She paid the manager and got the keys. She went up to her apartment. She felt as empty as her new apartment.

Chapter Fourteen

Joy never thought ahead about anything that she did, so she had no clue what to do next. She stood in the middle of her floor. She didn’t own anything to put in her apartment. Months ago, this would have been fun but she realized that she really didn’t want to be bothered. She didn’t even have a way to get around.

She stood up against the wall. She didn’t want to sit on the floor because she knew she would have a hard time getting up. Her cell phone rung but she ignored it. Kevin was looking for her. She knew that he would blow up her phone as soon as he knew that she was gone. It was dark and she already regretted her decision to leave Kevin. She was starving. With Kevin she never had to worry about food. His refrigerator and cabinets were always stocked and he had a drawer full of menus, for any kind of the food she could think of.

The baby kicked as if she agreed with her. Joy rubbed her belly. She still had a lot of doctor appointments to go to. Not only did Kevin take her, he was her support. Deep down, she cared about Kevin. He was always in her thoughts. She prayed to God that the baby she was carrying was his because 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.