The Eighth Day

   “Mo, I’m having a baby with someone and we’ve decided to get married.”

I felt all the blood that used to be in my head sink to my stomach. All at once, I felt dizzy and nauseous. A red veil dropped down over the room and nobody was there but Jacob and me. I remember thinking to myself that it was better that way. There would be no witnesses to the murder the angry little black woman was about to commit. The words ‘baby’ and ‘married’ rang over and over in my head, but they didn’t sound right not being associated with me. Where had he been hiding this other woman? Who the hell was she? What did he mean by ‘we decided’? How long had he been keeping this from me? As my head began to pound and vibrate with thoughts and questions, he kept talking.

            “Now I know that this may be hard for you to understand, but this is the way things are. You’ll just have to deal with it. I have already removed my name and my part of the money from the bank account.”

            ‘The bank account’? Did he mean the account that he suggested we open so that it would be easier for us to pay bills? Together?

“My brother is at the house right now getting my things, so I won’t be

coming back to the house tonight.”

            His things? From the house? Was this the same house that we called our home?

“I’ll be by this weekend to take Jackson to his game. Please have him ready early. I plan to take him by to see my mother before we go to the game.”

Was he referring to the same mother that I had helped obtain citizenship into this country? The same mother whom I accepted into my home even though I didn’t feel she gave me anywhere near the respect I deserved?

“I have already talked to my lawyer about making arrangements with you for child support. Someone will be contacting you tomorrow with the details.”

And just like that, Jacob Owodunni walked out of my life. I don’t remember too much after that. Just that damned Heather Headly song on the radio when I pulled up in my driveway. The two-car garage was empty, and I pulled up on my side of it. As the garage door closed behind me I just sat there staring into the empty space where Jacob would not be parking that night.

            In my mind I’ll always be his lady…and in my mind I’ll always be his girl.

As Heather continued to belt out her tune, I turned off the engine and prepared myself to walk into the emptiness that was now my home.