Nine: On Fire

Back in my room I poured through the classified ads and grew tired quickly of the endless sea of boring jobs. I was just about to give up when I saw an ad for a modeling position with a local bridal shop. I gleamed over it with my heart racing as my eyes gobbled up every word. I was in complete ecstasy once I realized that this was the same shop I'd run into that rainy day when Greg broke my heart. The woman inside had complimented my figure and said I had a models body. I got up off my bed and went into my bathroom to look myself over.

 

Since having Liam, I'd gain a lot of weight in my thighs and face. It was coming off, but rather slowly. Displeased with myself I stepped out of the bathroom and back into my bedroom where I crawled into bed, closed my eyes, and dozed off.

 

My eyes fluttered open when I felt something clawing at my face. I smiled to see Liam trying to wake me up. His face lit up when my gaze focused in on him.

 

"You were asleep when I brought him up," mom said from the chair at my desk.

 

"Oh, I bet he needs a nap," I said sitting up and taking Liam into my arms.

 

"How can you sleep all day when you're supposed to be out job hunting? Are you that self-centered?" Mom asked in quick secession.

 

"First of all my sleep was interrupted by loud pointless stapling, second of all I don't see anyone else around here working besides Arthur. Where's Celia's contribution? She's already sixteen!" I said raising my voice.

 

"Well Celia didn't ruin my wedding reception now did she!" Mom said, standing up as she spoke.

 

"So that's what this is about? You're mad because I got you back for not inviting me to the actual wedding," I said almost laughing.

 

"How is it funny? I had important clients who questioned my integrity after your little stunt. I lost business because of your immaturity!" Mom said and now she was angry.

 

"Who's money did you use to start off this little business venture? It sure wasn't yours!" I stated.

 

"I don't have to answer to you, you're my child!" Mom said and now she was leaving.

 

"Whatever, I'm getting a job and my son and I will be gone by the end of the summer," I shouted after her.

 

"A job where?" Mom asked spinning around.

 

"I'm going to be a model," I said proudly.

 

"Ha, with a body like that, good luck!" mom said and slammed the door behind her.

 

I flew off the bed with Liam in my arms. He was so stunned that he let out a cry.

 

"I'm tired of people treating me like crap because they think I have no where else to go. It's ok Liam, we're going to set a few things straight," I said as I grabbed my sandals, Liam's bag, and my purse and headed for the front door.

 

Enough is enough.

 

My anger usually caused me to do things that I later regretted. Even though I showed a brave front, knocking on Greg's door took all the courage I could muster.

 

A disheveled looking Donald answered the door. His jet black hair was everywhere and the light grey t-shirt and black shorts he wore had food stains all over them.

 

"Hey Myra, is that kid yours?" Donald asked looking intrigued.

 

'Donald Finster would always be the hotter version of Greg' I thought to myself.

 

"Is Greg here?" I asked ignoring his question.

 

"He's upstairs," Donald answered me and I pushed passed him to get inside.

 

The Finster home was exquisite. They have ivory colored sofas and paintings of beautiful African jungles everywhere. When we were younger Greg would tell me about trips to the Serengeti he and his family would take almost yearly. His father owned businesses out on the Ivory Coast and he would spoil his family with vacations to the some of the most beautiful places in the world.

 

Mrs. Finster was a practical woman, but she loved nice things. Often times I'd fine her polishing expensive looking china dish wear over and over again. She even had an entire room where they kept artifacts that no one in the house was allowed to venture into. Greg and I often broke this rule, at my persistence. Inside we played with whistles used by the natives in Brazil, a hat worn by workers in a Japan, and a lei worn by the people of Hawaii.

 

The Finster clan was a cultural bunch and I knew it wouldn't come as any surprise that Greg had fathered a child with me, a girl of half African-American descent.

 

"Donald, who was that at the door?" Mrs. Finster asked coming around the other side of the staircase.

 

"It's Myra, she wants to talk to Greg," Donald answered his mother.

 

"Myra, I don't know if this is the best time, Gregory has terrible jet lag," Mrs. Finster said.

 

"There will never be a good time to say what I need to say," I answered her as I climbed up the stairs.

 

"Please, don't go up there," Mrs. Finster said grabbing my arm.

 

"Why not?" I asked her.

 

"Cadence," Mrs. Finster said in a vain attempt to deter me.

 

"No, Cadence left an hour ago to hang around that Amber chick, remember mom?" Donald asked and Mrs. Finster turned to him angrily.

 

"Amber?" I asked growing more annoyed by the minute.

 

"Donald!" Mrs. Finster chastised.

 

"Hey, what's up with the kid, is he Myra's or something?" Donald asked yet again prying for information.

 

I proceeded to go up the stairs, but I was only halfway there when a sleepy Greg appeared peering down at the scene below.

 

"What's going on? Why is everyone yelling?" Greg asked.

 

He was wearing jeans and a Columbia University t-shirt. His hair looked recently combed down with hair gel in it.

 

"Nothing," Mrs. Finster said and I looked down to see her rubbing her temple as if she were in pain.

 

"Are you ok, mom?" Greg asked, "is it another migraine?"

 

"I'm fine, Myra is here to talk to you," Mrs. Finster answered him.

 

"What do you want?" Greg asked turning his eyes on me.

 

"I need a ride," I said adamantly.

 

"I can't give you a ride," Greg answered me in an annoyed voice.

 

"If you don't give me a ride I'm going to be living on the streets with your son!" I shrieked.

 

I heard Mrs. Finster gasp and Donald let out a huge, "whoa."

 

"This is neither the time nor the place for this," Greg said coming down the stairs.

 

I supposed he wanted me to back down, but I didn't. I stood right there until we came face to face.

 

"Gregory, is it true?" Mrs. Finster spoke in a voice barely above a whisper.

 

"Why are you bringing your drama here?" Greg asked me, "are you jealous that I moved on with my life? Are you mad that I didn't stand around waiting for you to bark orders at me?"

 

"Don't get snippy with me! You've known since last September that I was expecting and you ran away like a scared little boy," I said and now I was shouting.

 

Liam clung to my shoulder looking back and forth from Greg and I.

 

"Move out of my way," Greg said as he inched closer.

 

"Are you going to give me a ride?" I asked, not moving.

 

"Who let her in the house?" Greg asked, "I told you to not let her in."

 

"Donald answered the door," Mrs. Finster whimpered.

 

"Man, I always knew you were hitting it," Donald said to Greg who closed his eyes and shook his head, "there was no way you were spending all that time with Myra and not getting some. Not unless you were gay which was another possibility, but damn. You're a dad, congrats little bro."

 

"Please," I begged, "I need to find a job or else Liam and I will be homeless. My mom's kicking us out."

 

"What?" Mrs. Finster asked as she fell back into reality.

 

"She served me with a three day notice this morning," I said turning to Mrs. Finster who looked pained now.

 

"Are you really going to let your baby mama have no place to stay because you're married to that b***h,?" Donald asked, interjecting his opinion to help my case.

 

"Donald, don't talk about Cadence like that!" Mrs. Finster snapped.

 

"She is a b***h!" Donald exclaimed, "I can't stand her. She's way too bossy. Worse than Myra."

 

Donald winked up at Greg to indicate some inside joke that I wouldn't understand.

 

"Are you sure that Gregory is this little boy's father?" Mrs. Finster asked me.

 

"A hundred percent sure," I said looking down at Liam who had taken most of Greg's features.

 

"If this is the truth then Greg," Mrs. Finster said moving up a step to look at Liam closer, "it is your duty to see to it that your son has a place to live."

 

"What about all those other dudes you were f*****g?" Greg asked and I looked at him, "what about Langston, the same guy who raped you. How do I know it's not his?"

 

"Come on! My son has blond hair!" I screamed.

 

"That doesn't mean anything," Greg said in an a matter of factly voice.

 

"You want to DNA test? I'll go down to the court house and petition for one right now, then your sorry a*s will have to start paying child support!" I said and I was still shouting.

 

Everyone in the room seemed to be looking up at Greg who's face remained frozen with contempt. Liam reached for Mrs. Finster who took him from my arms. With his weight off my shoulder I turned my entire body toward Greg again.

 

"Myra, what about that young man you were having dinner with a couple weeks ago, you said he was the father," Mrs. Finster said and I cringed.

 

"It was a lie. I was trying to protect Greg because Cadence was there," I explained with my body still facing Greg.

 

"She's a liar!" Greg shouted, "why would you believe a liar?"

 

"I don't know little bro, this kid has your face," Donald said as Mrs. Finster took Liam down the stairs.

 

"Stay out of it!" Greg shouted to Donald.

 

The two of them began squabbling back and forth in a lame attempt to one up each other.

 

"Enough!" Mrs. Finster said shouting louder than anyone in the room, "Gregory you're dressed, take Myra where she needs to go. I'll watch Liam while you two are gone."

 

"What about Cadence? She won't like me being gone and especially not with Myra," Greg said as if he couldn't think of another way around this.

 

"Forget about her, think about your son," Mrs. Finster said, "your life's priorities have changed dramatically."

 

"F**k!" Greg shouted as he reached into his pocket to produce car keys.

 

"Here's his baby bag," I said to Mrs. Finster as I walked down the stairs with it in my left hand, "I have bottles already made and they just have to be refrigerated. His diaper might need changing in half an hour. He's sleepy. We had an early morning."

 

Greg was already out of the front door. I gave Liam a kiss and followed him.

 

"Hey Myra," Donald called to me, "thanks for making me an uncle!"

 

"It's my pleasure," I replied and moved past the walkway, to the driveway where Greg's car sat.

 

"Thanks for ruining my life!" Greg said to me.

 

"No problem," I answered.

Reviews

[Tina Kline]

There was a lot of action in this chapter. Can't wait to find out what happens next with Myra and Greg. What's he going to do now that his family knows about his son. Demand a DNA test to make sure>

Really great story!