Angie was lying on the sofa when the doorbell rang. She quickly got up, ran into the room and stuffed the pillow under her blouse. Then, she walked slowly to the door. She peered through the keyhole. It was her mother.
“Hello, Mama,” she greeted her when she opened the door.
Mrs. Lopez stepped into the foyer. “Hello, Angela. How are you?” She leaned over and kissed her daughter on the cheek.
Angie closed the door. “I’m fine. Just a little tired. How’s Papa?”
“He’s fine. How is the pregnancy coming along?”
“It’s fine. As I said, I’m just a little tired and I’m eating a lot.”
Mrs. Lopez removed her shoes and followed Angie into the living-room. She looked at plate with the slices of pizza and the glass of Pepsi. “Is that what you’re having to eat and drink?” she asked.
“What’s wrong with having pizza and you know how much I love Pepsi.”
“Pizza can cause heartburn and issues with the digestive system. The one you’re eating is topped with a lot of cheese and Pepperoni. Too much cheese can give you a lot of calories and make you gain weight. And Pepperoni is harmful because it has saturated fats. You’re not eating healthy, Angela.”
“I’ve been eating healthy, Mama,” Angie replied, defensively. “It’s just that I had a craving for pizza so I ordered one. I was just about to have some when you rang the doorbell. Let me cover it so that it doesn’t get cold.” She picked up the plate and walked slowly to the kitchen.
“Where’s Paul?” Mrs. Lopez asked her when she returned.
“He isn’t here.” Angie sat down on the sofa. “Why don’t you sit down, Mama?”
Mrs. Lopez remained standing. “Why is it that he’s never at home when I call or visit?”
“He’s a busy man, that’s all.”
“Is he working late again or did he have to go somewhere and won’t be back until after I leave?”
Angie shifted uneasily. “He’s–he’s at the drugstore. He went there to pick up a few things.”
“Don’t lie to me, Angela!”
“What? I’m–I’m not lying to you, Mama.”
“You are. I saw Paul a few minutes ago and it wasn’t at the drugstore. I spoke to him and he told me EVERYTHING.”
Angie gulped. “Everything?”
“Yes, EVERYTHING. He told me about the fake pregnancy and the annulment.”
“Mama, let me explain–“
“Explain? Explain what? Why you lied to Paul and to your family?”
“Mama, I did it for Paul.”
“You did what for Paul? Lie about your pregnancy?”
“Yes! If he knew that I wasn’t pregnant, he wouldn’t have married me. He would have broken up with me and I couldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t lose him, Mama. I loved him so much. I still do. I’ll never stop loving him.”
“Well, you’ve lost him for good. He has moved on.”
Angie’s face became even paler. “What do you mean he has moved on?”
“I saw him with another woman. I asked him about her and he said that he had moved on with her.”
“What did she look like?”
“She was a tall, young African-American woman.”
Angie’s face turned crimson. “Nita! She’s been trying to steal him away from me since she met him at Wendy’s party.”
“Nita. I’ve heard that name before and she looked familiar.”
“She’s at graduate from University of North Carolina Wilmington.”
“I remember now. You and she didn’t get along. At the graduation when she came over to say hello to us, you were rude to her.”
“I can’t stand her and now, she has stolen Paul away from me.”
“Don’t blame her for losing Paul. You and your lies are to blame.”
“If he had been a husband to me, I could have gotten pregnant for real and we would still be together and Nita wouldn’t have her claws in him. I hate her!”
“Angela Maria Lopez, you listen to me. Your father and I raised you to be good and decent person. You don’t lie and scheme to keep a man. Love doesn’t lie and cheat to get what it wants. If you really loved Paul, you wouldn’t try to trap him. Now, I want you to stay out of his life.”
“Mama–“
“I’ve to go now.”
“What are you going to tell Papa and the rest of the family?”
“I’m going to tell them the truth. I’m going to tell them that there isn’t going to be a baby. Instead of sitting there blaming Nita for your troubles, think about how much the truth is going to hurt your father.” Mrs. Lopez’s voice broke and she hurried from the room. Minutes later, the door slammed behind her.
Angie sat there, trembling. What am I going to do? she wondered. Mama is going to tell Papa and the family everything–how I lied about the pregnancy and that my marriage is over. What are they going to think of me? Papa. I can’t bear to think of how this was going to hurt him. Oh, Papa. I didn’t want to hurt you or anyone else. It’s just that I was desperate. I loved Paul so much that I couldn’t bear to lose him. I had to find a way to keep him from leaving me and a fake pregnancy was the only thing I could think of. And now, I’ve lost him to Nita of all people.
Angie buried her face in her hands. What am I going to do now?
Source: Firstcry Parenting
Notes to Women 