All Chapters of MIXING PLEASURES: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

My father severed in the military. They met in a collage party while he was on leave and they clicked instantly. They had two blissful years together. I was told my mother was six months along when she got the call that he was never coming home. I only know him through pictures and video recordings like their wedding and when my mother got baptized.I missed him a lot growing up, but it was more from the wish of knowing him, I heard so many stories growing up from my mom and grandparents what a great man he was so he must be.Rodrigo Cruz is the kind of man I always thought I’d marry. Strong, honest. A good man. The kind you brought home to your parents, that wanted to settle down, have two point five babies in a pretty house with white picket fence, raising our children and having the occasional cook out with friends.I turned my key twice, kicked the door open and stepped into my dark apartment. “Honey I’m home” I say to my empty room then laughed at my weirdness.I smacked the swit

I watch the old buildings through the window as we drive by. I’ve made this trip numerous times I’ve lost count. I left my apartment at dawn so I could catch the first train to Boston. It was almost eleven when the taxi I took at the train station rolled through the iron gates, the words; St. Anne Nursing Home in white letters on a large brick poster. I settled the cab fare and stepped out, wishing I had gone with a pair of ballet flats instead of pumps but I’m still expected at the office in a few hours. I say hello to the receptionist whom I’m now familiar with, they’ve changed a few times in the past years. “I'm here for Melody Cruz if she can have visitors today,” I say as I sign in at the front while making small talk about the weather and if the snow is going to let up anytime soon as I wait to get approval and a visitor's badge. I head to the east wing of the residential area, and my mom’s home for the past eight years. I still remember it as if it was yesterday. It b

I’m seated behind my desk two hours later at quarter past two, I actually made it back earlier than I expected, enough time to get a hang of what I might have missed. I immediately get to checking my emails. I could have done so on my phone while I was away but I’d been too worried about my visit to the nursing home and ultimately mom’s reaction to my news. Today was a good day for her and she’d taken it well. And then on my way back, I’d been consumed with the thought of my visit there. I felt much better after hearing from her, being with her, in her atmosphere, her infectious smile, and her approach to life. Having a child unplanned isn’t the end of the world. And Marcus, well…. We were figuring it out. Trying to do the right thing for the baby. The right thing for our baby. I’m going to be a mother. Gah. And in only a couple of months. Before the year runs out. I tried to imagine it. Then I tried to imagine Marcus as the father of said child. As though he heard his name

I’ll have James meet us at the front” Marcus says, typing away on his phone, I followed beside him as he moved towards the entrance. He motioned for me to step in through the revolving door.“There’s no need, we’re not going far,” I tell him when he comes out behind me and I begin to walk. Marcus pockets his phone, his long legs eating up the space in two large steps and he is beside me once more. We walk past other New Yorkers going about their days. Decked out in formal wear, the men carrying briefcases, the ladies large purses such as my own to fit just about everything we would be needing throughout the day. It was like every other day excluding who was walking by my side and that I was almost eight weeks pregnant. I pushed back the thought and crossed to road. “Would you slow down?” strong fingers wrapped around my wrist.“Oh, sorry, I’m usually in a hurry to get a good space at the nice eateries, it's lunch hour after all and before you know it everyone would be crawling out o

I’d spent all morning as I usually do on weekends, starting with cleaning then I run to a nearby groceries to stuck up on food. I’d hoped to get started on my laundry but my washing machine decided not to start up, so I had to visit a nearby laundromat, it was around eleven when I got to the coffee shop claimed a table and waited sipping my vanilla milkshake smoothie, watching other patrons go about their lives.The doorbell sounded and I looked up, she saw me immediately without having to wave my hand likely because the cafe was small.Andy strode over and claimed the empty chair in front of me and tossed her sunglasses on the table. “Iced American, two sugar” I offered nodding at the coffee cup on the table. I’d ordered it when I arrived along with my smoothie already knowing her preferred drink.“How’s Wayne taking it?” she asked getting right to it. She was never one to beat around the bush. I had texted her first thing this morning with the news. She sent me a time and location