“Such as?” Gray asked tensely.
“Fibroids which most black women are plagued with as well as high blood pressure and the swelling of your ankles- “
“I will have to stay off my feet. I get that and I have every intention of doing that. I am mostly working from home now.”
“And that is good. I am concerned about your blood pressure spikes, Shelby. Is there anything you are worried about right now?”
“No,” she spared Gray a look before looking at Dr. Manning. “nothing. I have been listening to music along with the babies and staying away from stressful situations. What can I do to make it easier?”
“Complete rest for the next few weeks. We want to see how long we can keep those boys inside you before we start the delivery process. I will be checking on you in a week and if the pressure is not down sufficiently, I am going to have to recommend you get to the hospital until the babies are delivered.”
“Got that.”
*****
“Want to talk about it?” he glanced at her as they made their way back to the house. The snow had cleared up several weeks ago and gave way to the rain that washed everything clean and started the blooming process. All around there were colors everywhere! It was Saturday and Gray was in the process of the renovation process going on downtown. His uncle had managed to talk to the previous owner and had gotten him to sign the papers. Now everything was a full go ahead and Gray was very excited about it.
“About what?”
“The calls from your mother over the last couple of weeks and the one you received from her yesterday.”
“You are watching me?”
Gray made an impatient sigh. “Don’t do that. What did she say, Shelby?”
She shrugged and placed her hands over her belly. “Just the usual. She asked about the babies.”
“And?”
“And said that she wished it was under better circumstances. Like me being married to a man of God and was hoping for my sake and the babies that nothing went wrong because God was not pleased with me.”
Gray slapped a hand on the wheel and caused her to jump. He pulled the car off the road and unsnapped his belt. “Why do you keep talking to her? Are you punishing yourself for something? All she does is cause you stress and every single time she calls, you answer the phone. What the hell?”
“She is my mother!”
“She is poison and is not only infecting you but the children – my children that you are carrying.”
“Thanks for your concern.”
He took a deep breath. “Have you listened to the doctor, Shelby? About the stress level? If you keep taking her calls, you are endangering yourself and the children you are carrying.”
She stared at him for a moment. “I know,” she took a deep breath. “I will stop taking her calls and concentrate on myself and these kids. I promise.”
*****
“Tell me what to do.”
“You know what to do.” Benjamin looked up from the blueprint he was studying and looked at his nephew. He had dropped off Shelby at the house and made sure she went straight to bed before he left. He was so angry that he could not have stayed there another minute, or he would have exploded!
“She is going to be upset if I confront her mother, Ben.”
“So, let her be angry. The woman is harassing her own daughter and believe me if you do not do something about it, I will. Shelby is a fine-looking woman and a kick ass one, but we all have our kryptonite and hers happens to be the woman who gave birth to her.”
“What’s yours?”
“I am surprised you have to ask,” Benjamin said with a grin. “Women, my good man. And yours is Shelby and those boys she is carrying.”
“Yea,” Gray said with a sigh. “And you are right. I have to go and talk to her and hope that I can do so in a calm and reasonable tone of voice.”
“And if that does not work?”
“Then the gloves come off.” Gray said grimly.
“That’s my boy.” Benjamin said approvingly.
*****
Gray sat outside the neat white picket fence for several minutes, his fingers drumming on the steering wheel as he stared at the house. It was a quiet neighborhood, the houses all identical with pink stucco walls and the front yard filled with what looked like dandelions and daffodils with a sprinkle of yellow roses. This was where she had grown up. It looked like a picture-perfect place on the outside, but he knew for sure that inside it had been pure hell. Looks can be so damned deceiving! He had a pretty wonderful childhood and was loved by both his parents so he could not imagine what it meant to live the way she had. He moved when the door opened, and she came out onto the porch. He saw the resemblance immediately. She was petite and not plus sized like her daughter but had the same shaped face and the skin tone. Taking a deep breath, he got out of the vehicle. He had chosen to drive an inconspicuous one to avoid being recognized or drawing attention to himself. He saw when she stopped as soon as she saw him and stood on the bottom step watching as he walked towards the gate. She came down the step and stood there as he pulled the gate open.
“Mrs. Fraser?”
“That’s me and I know who you are. I have seen pictures in the papers to recognize that you are the man who impregnated my daughter.”
“May I come in?” he asked her politely.
“You are already in.” she pointed out.
“Inside the house. I need to speak with you.”
She hesitated a moment and then nodded. “Did my daughter send you?” she asked stiffly as she opened the door and let him pass.
“She does not know that I am here.” He looked around the neat as pin living room and the warmth of the place. Nothing was out of place as if the woman had spent her time making sure that everything was in its place.
“Why are you here, Mr. Cox?” she gestured to the living room and he went in, standing there until she indicated that he could take a seat.
“You have a lovely home.”
“Thank you. But I am sure you did not come all the way from your fancy neighborhood to admire my humble home.”
“You are right. Your daughter and I are having two boys.”
“I see.” She folded her hands in front of her. “She is not good enough to marry?”
“She does not want to. Look,” he leaned forward and looked at the woman opposite him. “The doctor told her that her blood pressure is spiking and that she should stay away from everything stressful. I am asking you to avoid saying anything to her that would elevate her pressure.”
“You dare to come into my home and tell me that I am stressing my daughter? That I am the cause of her blood pressure going up?” she asked, her eyes snapping.
“I am being as respectful as I know how. Shelby is carrying my babies, Mrs. Fraser. And each time you call her, she is upset and cannot function. You are her mother and I get that. What I do not get is the fact that you are bent on upsetting her. I am just asking you to think about her in all this, think about the babies she is carrying- “
“You mean those babies that will be born out of wedlock?”
Gray clenched his fists and tried again. “Those babies who will be your grandchildren. You will be the only grandparent they are going to have because I lost both my parents and your husband is no longer alive. I am asking you to do the right thing- “