The Wright One

MIA

I can not believe we are being pulled over. We didn’t do anything wrong. I have a feeling this is Dex trying to use some scare tactic on Nathon. He marches up to the passenger side window and tries to look all official.

He knocks on the window and I glare at him before I roll it down. Nathon is more tactful. “Evening officer. What can I do for you?”

Dex bends down and looks at him through my window. I have to admit he looks damn good in that uniform. He keeps coming by after his shift and I have to remind myself every time that I am not going down that road again.

“Well, sir, you have a taillight out.”

I gape at him. “Are you serious? Are you just making up shit to harass us?”

Dex smiles. “I don’t need to make up shit baby. If you don’t believe me, you can get out and check.”

Glaring at him, I open the door. Hitting him with it. I dare him to bring me in for assaulting a police officer. Instead he just chuckles. “I’m seriously not trying to piss you off. I am doing my job. It’s not my fault that Mr. Money doesn’t have his lights checked.”

“Will you just shut up?” I march in my high heels to the back of the car. Nathon seems agitated, but he does the light check with me. Sure enough the right taillight is out. “Fine.”

Dex looks back to Nathon. “I’ll write you a fix it ticket and you present it to the court house within ten days with a receipt of the repair. Not really a big deal.”

Nathon grits his teeth as I get back in the car. “You could have just given me a warning.”

Dex smiles bigger. “You’re right I could have, but I have every right to fuck with you.” He shrugs. “After all it’s not like you can’t afford it.”

Dex stands back up and starts writing his ticket. I look over at Nathon. “I am so sorry about this. You don’t need to deal with this. I am so sorry.”

He looks softer. “No, honey, it’s him I am pissed at, not you. I get it, he wants to make me look bad. I should have known he would stoop this low.”

I can feel my tears starting to build. “I know I am getting to be a lot of work. I would completely understand…”

“Don’t even finish that statement. I told you, I’m not going anywhere. It’s the same thing I told him when he came to my office the other day.”

Dex is back at the window. With the ticket in his hand. Turning my glare on him. I have never switched so fast from upset to pissed in my life. “You went to his office?”

He doesn’t even look ashamed. “I didn’t think he would go crying to you about it.” Dex reaches over me to hand Nathon the ticket.

Nathon snatches it from him. “I wasn’t crying, I was making a point.”

Dex laughs. “Point being that you are a cry baby.”

I don’t let my glare dim. “You, we will talk about this later. Right now, I want to go and have my date with Nathon.” I make sure he hears that last part. He loses all humor on his face.

“Right, Take care of that light.” He pats the roof of the car. “Please drive safely. This is the mother of my child.”

“I intend to, this is my girlfriend.” Nathon smiles. Nathon pulls back onto the street and I feel that guilt again. These two shouldn’t be fighting. Nathon is a great guy, he doesn’t deserve all this drama.All content © N/.ôvel/Dr/ama.Org.

“I’m sorry Nathon.”

“Stop saying you’re sorry. I promise, I am not mad at you.” He reaches over and grabs my hand. “We are going to have a good time tonight. Don’t even worry your pretty little head about it.”

“I do worry though.”

“Just don’t. It’s a man thing. Dex and I will work it out. We are just battling for territory right now. Drawing lines so to speak. It will all work out in the end.”

I sigh, because I don’t know what else to say.

He holds my hand all the way to the benefit dinner and inside. That’s when I start to feel like things are falling apart. I can see all the people staring at me. I can see them lean in and whisper, while they discreetly point at Nathon and I. I keep trying to keep my head up. I know that I have done nothing wrong. I have nothing to be ashamed of.

Nathon pulls my arm through his. “Don’t worry about it. It’s mindless gossip. Over time it will die down.”

“You shouldn’t have to put up with this.” I feel embarrassed to be putting him through this.

It gets worse when we sit down to dinner. People I have never met before in my life are talking about my life like they know me. The woman at the table, an impeccable blond, looks over me with a sneer. “Aren’t you that single mother?”

I nod my head. “Yep, that’s me. Great identifier huh.”

Dex glares at her. “That’s enough Alicia.”

“What? I’m only asking. Because I heard that a man has been leaving her house every day. I mean it wasn’t you, so why does she have a man at her house everyday?”

I am looking down at my plate. “It’s my son’s father. He is spending time with his baby.” Why do I have to explain myself to these people? Dex has a right to see his son.

“Ah, I see, you keep your side piece while you land you a rich man is that it?”

Nathon hisses. “Knock it off Alicia.”

I push out my chair. “Excuse me for a moment.”

I don’t wait for an answer, I do what I do at home when I need to catch my breath when Dex becomes too much. It doesn’t take me as long at home. It just reminds me that Nathon and I are too different. I was trying to give Nathon a chance, but I don’t think this is going to work.

I walk back out there, Nathon is talking to that woman. She scoffs. “You said that you didn’t even want kids. What are you doing with a single mother?”

“Alicia, I changed my mind. I’m not saying I want more kids, she had her kid so she doesn’t need to have another. One kid isn’t going to be the end of the world.” That just assures me that I am making the right decision. I want more kids. Not right this minute, but I do want them. At least two more. If Nathon doesn’t want that then we are on different tracks.

I sat back down at the table like I didn’t hear anything. I will just get through dinner, and not embarrass Nathon, but this isn’t going to work out. This is as far as I can let this go.