Property
1646 Words
Honestly, today was different.
We were leaving my appointment and my father-in-law was all smiles. Meanwhile, my thoughts ran wild. I told myself it was just this pregnancy and it was getting the best of me.
"Can you believe it's a girl?!" He said as he put his hand on my stomach.
I had been used to it for some time now. Well, the last 45 minutes. As I sat there I realized my stomach was their property. I was another bought thing in their life and I wasn't more than who I was currently; A woman carrying their esteemed grandchild.
"Aren't you excited?" He asked me and for the first time, I gave him an answer.
"For what? To be miserable or my daughter's life be miserable?" I looked at him and he looked at Ree.
"See it's you and fuckin Paige!" He said looking as if he could kill Ree himself.
She sat there unbothered as she shot me nasty glares the entire time.
Tears fell from my eyes as I silently cried for the half-human in me.
It wasn't all Seven in there it was me, she was me and she deserved freedom and happiness just like me.
My father-in-law looked at me as I stared out the window and wished that maybe it wasn't a girl.
I was ready to take my life this morning but it changed. I started to think maybe. Maybe I could do this and give up my baby but No I knew I couldn't give her up. I couldn't leave her with them, not with Ree. Not with Paige.
She was going to be here and outside of her grandfather no one would ever really love her. I wasn't even sure if I could this morning. I knew her grandmother would treat her like trash and we wouldn't even get into Paige. I didn't even want this baby but found myself worried, concerned, and wanting to protect it.
In the back of my mind, all I could think about was the pills.
They would be our escape, a new life, an end to a miserable one, so many things but most of all free.
The closer we got to the house and the more the old man rambled I started to feel bad for my concern.
I couldn't go through a pregnancy and give up whatever was growing inside me, not to them of all people.
"We're goin to cook a big meal. All the family over and we are going to celebrate." He smiled at me and I nodded.
I was no longer crying but still crying on the inside and I'm sure she could feel it.
Ree was still pissed and hated I was getting 'special treatment'
I really don't know how special it was considering I was locked in their home and being forced into reclusion all while pregnant.
As I continued to stare out the window they did what they always had, watched me.
It didn't take much longer to reach their estate.
They were the only black people I had met who had as many properties as they did. I guess it was a good front for the socialite and his family. They weren't just anyone they were like the mafia. He was well connected, respected, feared, and then some. These were huge telltale signs that I had missed. Here I thought I was marrying into black royalty and I married the streets themselves.
The large mansion stood near the coast as the water rushed the outside of the property.
It was honestly a beautiful home but it was obvious it had its secrets.
"You eat a lot today okay?" Matthew smiled at me.
"I will Matthew." I said giving him a faint smile as we pulled up to the house.
He quickly got out holding up the ultrasound in his hand as all of Seven's siblings stood there.
"It's a girl!! And she looked just like Seven." He said pushing the photos in their face.
It was surreal to me.
They were all excited as they surrounded me after hearing the 'good' news.
"A girl?" One of them said happily.
Matthew nodded.
"Man, Sev would be happy." He smiled.
They were all different variations of Matthew. I assumed it was because each of them had a different mother. His eldest was with his first wife. The twins he had were with his second wife. His fourth son was with a childhood love and Seven was with his last wife Ree.
Ree was the youngest, prettiest, and meanest of the bunch but lately, Matthew had been keeping her at bay.
"He would." The twins said at the same time.
I slowly tried to make it past them as MJ the eldest grabbed my arm.
"Did you eat today?" He asked and it surprised me.
Normally none of them spoke to me. They would stop by the house, look in and walk away. They knew how Seven treated me. Half of them were in on it. As of right now looking at him Mj was either trying to get on my good side or kill me.
"I'm sorry." He said lowly and I just walked.
"I know-" He started but before he could say anything my eyes couldn't believe what I was seeing.
There was my mother, the devil herself smiling at me.
"You look soo beautiful." She said walking over to me with her arms wide open.
Matthew stood on the opposite side of me reading the situation.
MJ's face filled with disgust, mine full of hate and my mother's had a look of fake love.
As usual, it was all an act, I should have been used to it by now.
"Please get her away from me." I said as Mj pushed her back and Matthew looked confused.
"Princess don't do this. You loved Seven I just tried to make things easier." She tried to plea as MJ continued to push her back.
My mother's true spiteful being that she had no dignity as she started to yell.
"I didn't know he would cheat on you!" She said loudly as I continued to walk away.
I couldn't help but think about the laughs and mockery from the night he did and the excruciating silence that spoke volumes.
In the hallway stood Paige and Ree as they smirked hearing that he was unfaithful.
As if the past hurt wasn't enough my mother just kept going.
"You choose him! That's what you wanted-" She tried before I stormed over and slapped her with all my might.
It was long overdue.
My mother was never really a mother to me, she left me for dead. She left me to be hurt and abused. That was long before Seven and when you would have thought she would have jumped the gun to protect me that was the last thing she would do.
"Get out." I said looking at her stumble back.
I could tell the slap caught everyone off guard.
"Maybe it's time for you to go?" Matthew walked up behind me as he stared at my mother.
I could tell she wanted to say something but instead, she shoved MJ and stormed out.
It wouldn't have been bad if it wasn't a room of their family watching me.
As much as I disliked my mother I couldn't help but feel disappointed with myself.
"I uhm, I'm sorry." I said as Matthew shook his head.
The guests all turned from me and headed towards the back of the house.
He calmly pulled me down the hall but with each step I took, I couldn't help but tremble in fear.
The most dangerous man in the world was guiding me down the hall and as much as I looked forward to ending it all I was terrified.
"Hey, you're okay." He said opening my room door and ushering me.
His voice didn't make me feel like I'd be okay.
I was scared.
"I'm sorry." He said shutting the door.
I looked at him surprised.
Matthew apologizing wasn't anything I expected.
"I guess it makes sense now. You being happy and sad." He said as I listened.
I was never truly happy there.
"It makes sense why you didn't want to see your mother... Why you weren't happy." He sighed sounding disappointed.
"I didn't know. What I do know was that Seven loved you even if he made a mistake." He said as I took a seat on the bed.
I couldn't help but cry once more because if this was maybe two years or even a year ago I would have believed him. I wouldn't have believed a bad word about him is what was crazy. Now I sat in the same denial since I was still coming to terms with all the things but the most important thing was that I had a daughter growing inside of me.
I glanced at the pillow as I debated once more but knew in my heart I couldn't.
"Hey, as long as you have my grandchild nothin will happen to her or you. I promise you. You both will be safe and if anyone ever tries to hurt either one of you, family or not there will be hell to pay." He said as he patted my shoulder.
He let me cry a few more minutes before he turned to the door.
"Go get changed and wipe your face. Today we celebrate that little girl and tomorrow isn't yesterday so we can't worry about the past." He said opening the door.
He looked at me once more as I nodded and climbed from the bed they had designated me.
It was hard to distinguish the words but one thing for sure, I and the baby growing inside of me were one thing and one thing only, his property.
- Writer
