Seventeen: Allegations

In my haste I abandoned the stroller and began frantically searching the nearest exhibits for any sign of Cadence, but I saw nothing except children walking happily with their parents and older kids goofing around with their friends.

“Are you ok, miss?” I heard from behind me.

“No, it’s my son he’s gone!” I answered with the hysteria in me growing every second.

“Oh, these things happen every hour on the hour, how old is your boy and what is her wearing?” the woman asked me and I finally turned around.

She was older, maybe in her 40’s with auburn colored hair and she wore a t-shirt with the zoo’s logo on it.

“He’s an infant, he was wearing a onesie with a lion on the front that’s yellow,” I managed to answer and towards the end it felt like the air was being sucked out of me.

“An infant? Where you?” the woman asked with an extremely perplexed look on her face.

That’s when I heard the static from the walkie-talkie on her hip and I had flashbacks to my first arrest after beating the living daylights out of Daisy Spins and Kimmi Lautner. My stomach tensed up and I was having trouble breathing.

“I left him with my, his…” I started stumbling.

Who was Cadence to me? Who was she to Liam? Well I knew the answer to who she was to my son, but saying it out loud brought tears to my face.

“There’s she is!” I heard and it was Cadence’s voice behind the zoo worker.

Somehow Cadence found the stroller I abandoned and had Liam sitting in it strapped up looking as content as ever.

‘He didn’t even miss me,’ I thought to myself.

“That’s them, that’s my son, thank you,” I said to the worker trying to move as far away from her as possible.

“Is everything ok?” Greg asked walking up to us with the diaper bag in hand.

“Yes, honey, we’re fine. Myra became lost and so I rented the stroller,” Cadence answered all cheery.

The zoo worker looked confused, but shrugged her shoulders and went about her day. I couldn’t imagine that we were the only blended family to cause commotion in this place.

“I actually wasn’t lost, I rented out a stroller and when I turned around Cadence was gone so I panicked,” I said to Greg as I took the baby bag out of his hand.

“You could actually use a new diaper bag,” Cadence said in a sneering tone to Greg, “honey when we leave from here we can go pick up more formula for the baby and get him a new diaper bag.”

“That’s fine, now can we let my son see some animals already?” Greg asked clearly annoyed at the drama which just unfolded.

“Let’s go,” I said slinging the baby bag over my shoulder and mindfully walking behind Greg and Cadence.

I had to admit the zoo was loads of fun and Liam even fell asleep by the time we got to the Flamingo’s. It was a wonder I hadn’t thought of taking him out to a place like this on my own. Was I so obsessed with waiting for Greg that I would hold my son back from having fun?

At the end of the trip we made our way to the gift shop. Cadence shopped like there was no tomorrow and I could hardly believe myself.

“Baby needs his first zoo themed sweater for when it gets cold,” Cadence said in the most nasally tone ever which every mom knew as baby talk.

“His name is Liam and I have winter items for him already,” I chimed and looked at Greg who moved deeper into the men’s themed section of the store to avoid my comment.

Before I could dive further into my grievances my cell phone rang and I saw it was Sonny.

“Hey,” I answered on the second ring.

“Do you know where Violetta is?” Sonny asked me with an accusatory tone.

“No, why?” I asked trying to sound as innocent as possible so I could pry information out of him.

“Well she’s not here!” Sonny just about screamed into the phone at me.

“Have you called mom to see if they’re together?” I asked.

“Of course not, I get home from being out with my friends and both twins

are sleeping in their crib and their mother is nowhere to be found,” Sonny exclaimed and that’s when my spine began feeling a bit tingly with worry.

“Did you check the whole house? Have you called her parents?” I asked and moved away from Cadence who was taking quite the interest in my conversation.

“No, I’ll call her parents now, but she’s pulling some bullshit only you would do,” Sonny said and stayed silent until I answered.

“I called her last night and she said you were gone,” I explained, “the conversation ended because the babies started to cry.”

“I’m not dealing with any post-partum shenanigans. She wanted to get pregnant and she needs to be a mother!” Sonny screamed before ending the call.

“Is everything ok?” Greg asked and I hadn’t even seen him walk up to me.

“Yes, it’s Sonny.” I said, “his children’s mother left the babies at the house and took off.”

“Sonny has kids now? Doesn’t shock me one bit,” Greg said answering his own question before I could

“What’s all the fuss?” Cadence asked purposely pushing Liam’s stroller between Greg and I.

“Nothing,” I said becoming angry at her for intruding.

“Sonny’s having domestic issues with his girlfriend,” Greg answered and I quickly rebuffed.

“Everything’s fine,” I blurted, “it’s time we headed home. If you still want to buy your stuff can you hurry up and check out.”

Cadence looked at Greg who looked at me. Liam let out of a laugh and we looked down to see him playing with a stuffed giraffe.

“Hun, I need you credit card to buy all this,” Cadence said and leaned into Greg and kissed him on the cheek.

“Here,” Greg said opening up his wallet.

It must be nice to be able to depend on a man to pay for your purchases. I’d never known that luxury and I bore a man’s child. I instantly thought about my next modeling gig and realized I needed to call Wendy to solidify the show in Stockton next weekend. I wasn’t sure after getting into it with Greg is Miss Pearl would want me around.

“You know Greg,” I said as Cadence walked up to the register, “I don’t think two hundred a week is enough for Liam and I. Formula is expensive so I need to up our deal to four hundred a week if you want your son to be comfortable.”

“Myra, we can discuss this later,” Greg said turning red from obvious aggravation.

“No, I think here and now is fine and your wife needs to tone her smugness down another notch. I’m done playing nice today,” I said and could see Greg becoming angry.

“My wife has been fine it’s you who’s starting trouble out of ignorance as usual,” Greg snapped at me and I officially had it with him.

“I’m half black so now I’m ignorant. Was I ignorant when you fucked me in the back of those cars? If so then your son is a result of my ignorance,” I said loud enough for anyone close enough to hear.

“We’re done, let’s go,” Cadence said running to the exit with her purchases in hand.

We returned the stroller and Greg went ahead to get the car. The sun was still shining bright, but it was obvious sunset was coming near.

“It must be so nice to depend on a man for such a cushy lifestyle,” I said to Cadence without making eye contact.

“I don’t depend on Greg, I have my own job and I’m here in California on my vacation time I accumulated,” Cadence answered, but at this point it didn’t matter what she said at this point.

“Well isn’t that peachy. I don’t get vacation time my whole life revolves around caring for my son and while that’s rewarding his father being absent really is detrimental to my son,” I countered without skipping a beat.

“Greg told me when we first met all about you and how he chased you even though you ignored him for all types of other guys,” Cadence started,

“Greg also told me he lost his virginity to you and that you might be pregnant by him our first summer together.”

“So what does your speech mean to me?” I asked with a snort.

“Greg always wanted children, but I was born with issues that affect my fertility. We both agreed that if you were pregnant and he and I stayed together we’d do what we could for you and your child with no issues,” Cadence explained.

“I wish I had fertility issues then maybe my life were half normal,” I blurted waiting for Cadence to react.

“No you don’t. I know you’re younger than me and you probably don’t see not being able to get pregnant as a burden, but it is,” Cadence said with tears now streaming down her face, “I prayed that God would be able to bless Greg with a child so he wouldn’t grow bored with me and look at this.”

Cadence looked down at Liam who was growing sleepy in her arms.

“You think your prayers brought Liam into this world?” I asked quite

stunned and perplexed.

“Anything is possible with the power of prayer,” Cadence said and before I could respond Greg pulled up with the car and I took Liam from Cadence

and strapped him in.

We all piled into the car and returned to a life that I wasn’t totally prepared.