3 Old Friends
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CHAPTER 4: Brenda
Brenda
“I’m on my way to pick up Jasmine.”
“How is my god-baby?” Menda asked.
“She’s good. I can’t believe she’s six months already. Feels like I just had her yesterday.” I was driving down I-41 heading towards Chicago Ill. Menda called wanting details on John, she is so nosy.
“So what is he like?” She asked.
“Girl you ask too many questions.”
“Well than answer them.” She laughed
“I’m burning up minutes talking to you.”
“Not like you don’t have the money to pay for them.”
I don’t know how Men and I became friends. Being black and rich are the only things we have in comment. She’s loud, annoying and the best friend I’ve every had, well next to John and now Steve. When I started school, Mendia was the one of the first people I met, and we didn’t get along. We were standing in line and she and her girlfriends were talking about every person they saw. When they turned and looked at me I said, “Try it.” It pissed them off. You know me, I don’t take sh*t, and I was still trying to get my head right back then. Anyway. We met again in the cafeteria. She started talking to me and we’ve been cool since. I guess she’s never met anyone willing to stand up and shut her up. But that’s me.
I don’t think I could have made it thru my pregnancy without her. When I carved crazy foods, she’d get up in the middle of the night and bring it to me. She attended child-birthing classes with me and was the only person I would let into the delivery room. She was basically Jasmines father.
“You’re annoying me.” I told her.
“Why are you being so secretive?” I just want to know if he’s single.
I need some loving.” She laughed.
“No, he’s with someone.” I tried to keep the smirk from showing in my voice.
“Is she coming with him?” She asked. Men loved talking other women’s men, and then dropping them like a hot potato. Yep this was my girl.
“No.”
“Then hook me up.”
“I can’t.”
“Stop playing with me. Bren. What’s he like?”
“He’s smart, funny, sweet, nice, gay, sexy..”
“Wait back up. Did you say GAY?” she asked.
“Yeah, didn’t I mention that?” I laughed.
“Here I was getting my hopes up. Damn. Another one bites the dust.”
“Your bad. He’s a sweetie girl. He took care of me after. Well you know.”
“Yeah. I know.”
“He was there for me. I just wish I was more enthused about his visit.”
“What’s up. Why aren’t you jumping up and down. Girl you haven’t seen him in how long.?
“I know, I know. I just don’t want him to ask questions about Jas’s father. He has a way of making me tell him things. Even if I don’t want to.”
“You still have feelings for him?”
“God no. That’s my guy. I’m so over that. Plus him being gay helps.” I laughed.
“I know that’s right. Does he have a boyfriend?”
“Steve. He’s the one I told you about. I stayed at his house after, whatever. He’s another sweetheart.”
“Damn, thought there was still hope.”
“I’m letting your sex crazed butt go. I’ll call you when I get home.”
“Bye Mommy.”
“Bye Men’s.”
After hanging up the phone I tried to concentrate on driving, but my mind was in another place. I couldn’t help but think about Jasmine’s father. Was she missing out on all the things a father brings. All the things they could do together. I know most of you think I’m wrong for keeping my secret. But you have to look at things thru my eyes. When I found out I was pregnant, I was almost five months along, to late to do anything about and I damn sure wouldn’t give my baby up. So there wasn’t any reason to contact him. If he didn’t want her, there was no reason to burden him, and if he did, then I stood the chance of sharing custody and I’m not willing to do that. Not when she grew inside my body, came from me, is apart of me. Life is hard for any child, there was no reason to ship her from house to house. No I’m doing the right thing. Right?
By the time I got to Chi, it was 9:30 and my parents just put Jas to bed. So I decided to stay the weekend. I had to pick John and Steve up on Sunday, so it would be easier then driving all the way back here Sunday morning. I took Jasmine into my old bedroom. The room was unchanged, my awards and honors still hung on the white walls. Nsync poster from my teenybopper days, still stared back at me. A queen bed covered in red silk sheets and a red velvet comforter, sat in the middle, with nightstands on either side. Sheer red curtains draped the wall-sized window in the far end of the room. Stuffed animals from my childhood rested on the window seal, outside stood a tall oak tree, once used to sneak male friends in.
Memories were are all round me. I remember the day I received my college acceptance later from Oxford. I hadn’t told my parents I’d applied. As far as they new, I wanted to go to a school close to home and that was the last thing I wanted or needed. Bobby my six-foot football player boyfriend opened the letter for me. He scared me by saying I didn’t get in, I snatched the letter from his hand and read it. I couldn’t believe I’d made it and in a few short months I’d be as far away from parents as I could with traveling to the moon. My mother and father were out of town, like always, which made it hard to talk to them about it. I made the decision myself and was off.
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