tell me is why Ethan is acting like none of this is happening.”
“I knew there was something foul about that man,” Melanie said as she slammed her fist into her other palm and gritted her teeth. “I told you not to trust him; that he doesn’t want a thing from anyone.”
“Mel, this really isn’t the time for this,” Krystal coached. “She is feeling bad enough already.”
Melanie got up and walked around the room to blow off steam, and every now and again they could hear her whispering, “I’m gonna kill him,” even as her brows knitted and her stance remained tense. Every once in a while, Selena and Krystal looked over at her with concern, knowing all too well the temper she possessed. It would be wise for Ethan to stay out of her way now.
“So, what are we going to do now, Selena?” Krystal asked in a gentle voice.
“We?” Selena asked. “There is no ‘we’, just me,” she said as tears began to form in the corners of her eyes. “I was careless enough to do this, and now this is my reward,” she said as she pointed to her stomach.
“No, you have us,” she said as she pointed at herself and then at Melanie. “Although I think right now you only have one and a half friend,” she corrected herself when she looked over at Melanie still stewing and walking around. Selena couldn’t help but laugh.
“Mel, get your ass over here before you wear out my flooring,” she giggled. “This is not your problem.”
“But I saw it coming, and you wouldn’t listen,” she threw at her.
“I know, and I am sorry, very sorry for that now. But it is too late to cast blame and what not. Right now, I need to decide what to do.”
“You are still in the first trimester; abortion is still possible,” she shot back.
“No,” Krystal said again.
Selena looked over at Krystal. “Maybe it is what would be best. I don’t want to raise a baby alone,” Selena said as a single tear fell from her eye.
“You are not alone,” Krystal told her as she pulled closer and hugged Selena.
“You are my friend Krystal, not the father of my child. It is his support I’d need most.”
For a while, nothing was said among them as they all thought about the weight of the decision that now rested on Selena’s shoulders. “Having a baby like this now will only damage my chances at advancing in my career. I still need to go back to school, and I won’t be able to afford that as a single mother. I don’t want to do this Krystal, but what choice do I have?”
“Would you like for me to go to him?” Krystal asked. “Maybe he will listen to the voice of reason then.”
“No, let me,” Melanie growled.
They both looked over at the mad black woman standing close to them. “Are you crazy, Mel?” Krystal asked. “I want to talk to him; you want to kill him. That wouldn’t help Selena now.”
“So disgusting how these men just walk in and feel they can take advantage of a woman and then walk right back out leaving her to suffer all the consequences. Man, if I get my hands on him, I swear, someone will have to call the police, when I get my hands wrapped around that rich white neck, and he is kicking his legs as I squeeze the life...”
“Okay, okay,” Selena said as she realized Melanie was getting sucked into the darkness she had fought so hard to get out of. Melanie had gotten into a lot of trouble before because of her temper and was forced by a court order to attend rehab sessions for her anger. “Don’t go there Melanie; he isn’t worth another trip to rehab.”
She breathed hard and walked around the room some more as she tried to calm down. When they were sure she was doing better, they resumed their talking. “Okay, so first things first,” Krystal began. “We need to get you to a doctor tomorrow to confirm that you are indeed pregnant, how far along you are, and if mother and baby are doing alright physically.”
“Okay,” Selena agreed. She had dreaded their finding out, but now that