Chapter 9

Three months passed, and it felt like I was stuck on some time wheel, I went through the same thing over and over again, Jesse spent more time with his lover, and I spent my time reading and listening to audios on raising a child. I miss that early stage in our marriage when I would wait up for him to come home so we will have dinner together, I miss being excited when I hear the sound of his car, I miss us making love together and holding each other's hands when we fall asleep, even though they might not have meant much to him, it did to me.

Jesse's family is coming over for dinner tonight, Because they want to see me, I am carrying their grandchild after all. I told my father the news about a month ago, and he already sent enough baby things for me to start a sales job. 

I made sure the maids set the tables and made dinner to their taste, they are very picky.

8 pm sharp and I hear the doorbell, Jesse quickly stands next to me and wraps his hands around me, it made me feel uncomfortable, especially with everything that is going on, but I had to go with it.

I let out a sigh as I hear the door open. It's show time.

We embrace each other as soon as they walk in, they take their seats at the table, I felt so much anxiety for no reason, Jesse takes my hand and kisses it, and he leans over "You okay?" I just smile at him.

"Have you gone for a scan?" Jesses mum asks curiously 

"No, I haven't yet"

She hits the table aggressively catching me by surprise "Well, is there a reason you haven't?"

"Mother please, calm down, we just haven't had the time yet," Jesse said trying to calm his mother down, I hide my shaky hands behind my back, and I gulp.

"My poor son, always up on his feet, only if you married someone who is capable of doing things herself, then you wouldn't be so stressed, only God knows if the child will be born with the same disability as hers" I immediately stand on my feet, I forcefully wear a smile

"Mother, would you join me in planning a gender reveal? I know with your help it would be spectacular"

She scoffs "I mean, well of course you will need my help, you obviously can't handle things on your own"

I smile "Well then, I guess I will see you tomorrow, now if you don't mind, I will turn in first" I hold my tummy with one hand and I take my staff with the other

"Honey, let one of the maids assists you" I suddenly feel someone take my hand, that sharp smell goes into my nostril my eyes widen, and I forcefully let go

"I can go myself" She grabs my hands 

"I insist," She said with a threatening tone, I gulp.

She helps me up the stairs to my room "See that wasn't so bad, I can be helpful, we already share one man, so its only natural for us to get along" 

"You were at dinner the whole time?"

She laughs "Yup, and I am glad I was, makes you seem more pitiful"

I wear a smirk "You seem like the pitiful one here though"

"Really?" she said with a higher pitch "We know the only reason Jesse is keeping you around is that you are pregnant"

"You think? You were there the day I suggested divorce, what was that he said about you guys' affair?, oh that's right, there's no emotion, I am the one he loves, you are just a pleasure puppet, a prostitute that does her work for free" She slaps me and pushes me to the bed and starts pulling my hair

She exclaims while hitting me "I'm going to kill you!" I scream for help and immediately Jesse swoops in, he takes Benita away from me, and Stella immediately comes to my aid 

"What's wrong with you!, why would you hit my wife! cant you see she's pregnant" Jesse exclaimed 

"You are really taking her side huh? I guess you've made your choice" She leaves and Jesse runs after her.

Stella sobs "Are you okay? how dare she hits you, you poor thing"

"Are you crying?"

"I promised to take care of you, and I have done a horrible job so far, if your father knew the state you are in, he would be so heartbroken". She starts to pour, I give her a hug

"I will get through this, as soon as the baby is born, I have faith that everything will go back to the way it was, my father is in a tight spot right now, I don't want to bother him, he has done way too much, I should be able to handle things, don't worry Jesse will come back around, he loves me". Hearing myself say that out loud sounded pathetic, I start biting my fingers for no reason I know of.

"If you say so then".

The next day, my mother-in-law came just in time.

" Nice to have you here with me mother". I said giving her an awkward hug.

"Likewise". She immediately walks inside the house, I follow her "So what exactly are you going for, cake?, balloons, canon?, fireworks? Pinata?".

I smile at her "Well, this is what I came up with, we are going to have a big mystery box, Once you open it, a big color smoke bomb will be released, and it's gonna have a particular scent, well because I can't see, Pink will smell like cotton candy and blue will smell like-" she cuts me off

"I really don't care about any of that, just tell me what will happen".

I let out a sigh "Well, everyone is going to have a guess first to make it fun, I already arrange food and decorations, we are doing it in the backyard, of course, I sent invitations to some of our closest friends".

She clears her throat "And you made these arrangements yourself?".

" Of course, I can't bother Jesse with all of this, which reminds me mother, there's something I'll need your help with, do you mind going to a bakery with me?".

"A bakery?".

We got in the car and the driver takes us to my family's bakery. 

We get in and the staff immediately recognized me " Well hello Violet, nice seeing you again".

I wear a smile "Hello Mr. Jeffrey". Mr. Jefferson has been running this place for years, my father invested in him because he saw potential and he wasn't wrong, his cakes are out of this world, they really are the best. "And this is my mother-in-law".

"Hello madam".

She replies with a bit of annoyance "How do you do?".

" Mr. Jeffery I hope you have my cake ready".

"Of course, had a lot of orders but I made sure yours was done first, I still owe your father for everything, he doesn't know what he did to save my life, and I will forever be loyal to him".

" Thank you, Mr. Jeffery". My mother-in-law gives me a slight push

"Are you okay mother?".

She complains "I'm still wondering what I'm doing here".

I hear a door open " Wala!" Mr. Jeffery exclaimed  "Your cake".

"Mother, do you like it?".

She replies with a confused tone" Huh?"

"Do you like it, give me your honest opinion".

" I guess it's fine".I hear a bit of sarcasm in her voice 

"Describe it to me".

She exclaims " What!". She suddenly reduces the tone in her voice "what?".

" Describe it to me".

I could hear her sigh out of frustration "It's a two-step cake, bottom blue, top pink with a big bow".

I smile " Mr. Jeffery, I don't like it, could you do a better design, it seems too simple,   especially with the amount I paid".

"What do you mean simple?, its a classic, if only you can see this cake yourself-" I cut him off

"Well I can't, and from what mother described I don't like it, if it was your best work she wouldn't have said 'I guess it's fine' you know you can do better Mr. Jeffery,  please don't be part of those who use one's disability to their advantage. Let's go, mother".

My Jeffery takes my hand " I'm sorry Violet". I don't say respond, I take away my hand from his grip and found my way out of the bakery.

We were waiting outside the bakery for our driver "Thank you for coming with me mother". 

" Do you go through this often?". She said with a worried tone in her voice "Do people take advantage of your situation?".

" Yes they do, but I'm used to it. I remember when I turned 18, a group of girls I hung out with invited me to a party, I was super excited, I begged my father to let me go unsupervised, with no bodyguard, no maid, it would just be me and my friends, he eventually agreed, well, of course, he made Luther and Stella go undercover. Anyways that night they picked up my outfit and did my makeup, they all talked about how beautiful I looked and took pictures, I never felt so happy in my life, the minute I walked into that party everyone starts laughing, at first I didn't realize they were all laughing at me until someone threw something at me calling me ugly Betty, I instantly felt so horrified, my so-called friends laughed with them and even called me names, I tried to leave but they took my staff and they watched me fall to the ground wandering helplessly around, 'if only you could see the way you look like right now' The smell of cocaine and alcohol messed with my senses. Luther and Stella finally came to my rescue, the next day my father fired their parents from the company, and somehow they still blamed me, I don't know what they made me wear, I don't know what kind of makeup I had on, all I know is as soon as my father saw those pictures he cried". I sob "My father cried, I heard him, that's when he stopped any of his staff's kids from coming close to me".

" I'm so sorry to hear that, it must have been tough".

I draw my nose "People are just demons with an angel's appearance, the minute you give in, you find yourself as clueless as sloths". Suddenly I feel someone's presence behind me "Who are you?".

Mother suddenly screams, I use my staff to block his hand from getting closer, and I turn in his direction.

With his deep voice, he says " Give me your bag and nobody gets hurt". Mother grabs my hand and whispers in my ear

"He has a knife, just do what he said, no one is around here".

" Listen to your mother. judging by your eye direction, I'm guessing you are blind".

I scoff "But I'm the one who's blocking you aren't I?"  Mother suddenly comes in front of me spreading her arms 

"Please" she begs "she's pregnant, just take it and leave won't you".

He laughs " Now that's something I can work with". 

"No you don't," I said immediately using my staff to hit the hand he was using to grab the purse.

"What the!" He exclaims "How did you-".

I take mother's hand " Stay behind me mother, trust me, I've been taught a lot of self-defense, I can easily sense people by what I hear and smell". I use my staff to hit the top of his head.

"I'm not going easy on you!". He yells obviously threatening an attack, I instantly stretch one leg to trip him while I use my staff to hit his ass 

" You know what, you are very easy to sense, for starters you smell like garbage" I hit his arm that was stretched in my direction "also your footsteps make your move so predictable, you also make a lot of noises when attempting an attack, is this your first robbery? ". I hit his ass again

" You-what are you?" He said panting 

"Me?, well, I'm just a pregnant blind lady who's out with her mother-in-law". 

He scoffs " You really are something, I don't mean to hurt any of you, I just need a few bucks okay?" He sighs " look, I just got fired from the only job I could ever get, I have a family at home who depends on me, this really was my last option".  

"Well, theft is never the right choice, it would only make things worse" suddenly I hear a cops car 

"There they are!" I hear someone yell

"Shit!" He exclaims 

"This is what I'm talking about," I said adjusting my position

Two police officers walk toward us 

"Thank goodness officer," Mother said out of relief

"Is this man troubling you?". One of them ask 

Mother was about to say something before I step in " Oh Thank goodness you are here officers, it was horrible, I am pregnant and blind, you can imagine how terrified I felt,  the burglar nearly stole my bag when all of a sudden, this man helped us ".

" He did?" Mother ask confused

"I did?... I mean yes-yea I did, I made sure to kick his ass".

" and the knife in your hand then?". The policeman asks with a strict tone in his voice 

"It's uhmm, it belonged to the thief and I was able to get a hold of it".

" Are you sure ma'am?" The officer asks waiting for our response, I tap my mother in law 

My mother-in-law responds "Yes very sure".

" Okay then, we will search the neighborhood and make sure justice is served, the knife?".

"Oh, you won't find any print except mine because-the thief wore gloves".

My face starts to hurt because of the fake smile I wore " Makes sense, well then, enjoy the rest of your day".

The officers finally left.

"Thank you so much, how can I ever repay you". He said crying on his knees with his hands tightly holding mine, honestly, it wasn't comfortable.

" Do you have a driver's license?". I asked

He instantly responds "Yes I do".

" I'll send you my address and you'll start first thing tomorrow, a certain driver of mine just lost his job today so the spot is open".

He pours out even more "I don't deserve this, I don't deserve your kindness, God bless you and your future child, and your family".

"it's fine, you can get up now".Suddenly I hear the sound of our car "look who finally came around, my now ex-driver".

I was in the back seat with mother, she hasn't said anything since the cops arrived 

" Are you mad?, that I let that man go and gave him a job?".

She grunts "Of course, why would you do something carelessly, he looked so dirty and rugged and dangerous".

I shrug " I can't see any of that, I just heard the tone of his voice, I felt his body movement, he isn't a bad person".

She scoffs "Oh please, just because you can sense something no one else can, doesn't make you a good judge of character"  hearing her say that immediately brought Jesse to mind 

I sigh "you can say that again".

"You-you surprised me today Violet, and I'm sorry for the way I speak ill of you, not promising you I will stop, but it did earn you my respect, you are a strong woman and I'm happy my son has you by his side".

A mother-in-law is like a hen, and being her daughter-in-law makes you a hawk in her eyes, trying to steal her precious chick, which is her son. Only if she knew what a rotten egg her son really is.