"Pretend" is basically about when you're in a relationship with somebody and instead of dealing with the stuff you deal with in a relationship, you don't do that, you pretend like everything's fine.
For Erien Lee, she's paving a new road for herself...
"Somebody help my baby!" a young woman screamed as she walked in with her small, loud baby in her arms. "My name is Milan Ellis and he's Matthew Ellis."
I watched Dr. Lee take charge and I stood back at assistance.
"I don't know what happened. He just won't stop. Every time I try to lay him down, he gets louder," the woman whined.
"Who's your pediatrician ma'am?" I questioned and began to pull up her files.
"Erien, you pull those files up! Christian we need a baby gurney," Dr. Lee instructed while the mother stood behind me talking to herself. I quickly e-mailed the files and turned to the woman.
"Let's take a seat," I reached my small arm around her. "Is there anyone you'd like to call? His father or any family members?"
The woman shook her head rapidly, "No father."
"As in you don't know the father or what?"
"It's as in I don't know which one.. It doesn't matter though. I told everyone I was pregnant and everyone denied him. Even my parents wanted me to terminate so now it's just us. Team Milan and MattMatt," she expressed herself and cried into my black scrubs. I could feel myself begin to cry but I couldn't. I need to be strong for Ms. Milan.
My shift was supposed to end in five minutes. I think I can stick around for just one more family.
"You're probably judging me right now. A single mother who can't even take care of her own child."
"I don't think that and I don't want you to ever think that."
Time passed as I did my best at distracting Milan from baby Matthew. I'm sure it had been a full five hours of waiting. It was now three in the morning and Dr. Lee had just returned.
"Erien I think it's time for you to go home now. I can take it from here," he made it seem like he was offering it yet I knew my father well enough when he was hinting things out before bad news.
I hugged Milan, went to locker room to gather my things, and headed home. My notifications consisted calls from Tyler, Momma K, texts from Leah, and more of Tyler- who I have been ignoring.
*
"I need air!" I yelled from under my comforter. It was passed three and I was legit just waking up.
"Then get up and go out," Leah mumbled from my floor. When I entered the house last night, I found her stretched at the foot of my bed. I'm guessing my sleeping caused her slight fall. "I told Tyler you'd go out with him tonight."
Do I ever get a break?
"You didn't forget about tonight did you?"
"The last time we did this I made out I with a stranger, helped him during his surgery, and winded up being stuck with him."
"Well we're going out tonight with LEO so get ready."
His name is Tyler...not Leo.
Eleven o'clock had struck and Tyler and I were fresh out of his Range Rover. It's amazing how much paparazzi follows him and he's not even who he says he is.
"I've never been here before," I let go of his hand as we walked into the club. It was packed and I was completely feeling the vibe. Half dressed women danced on the counters and some in cages.
Tyler connected our hands once more, "Follow me," he insisted and I followed him to the VIP section. The man who guarded the entrance greeted Tyler.
I watched Tyler dap up a few other guys who were too busy having asses and boobs rubbed in their faces.
"Woah, woah, woah," said a tall darksin. He was about Tyler's height with a pretty smile and of course his breath smelled like alcohol. "You didn't tell me you got a new girl. This where you been hiding all day and night?"
Tyler gave a slight nod, "you should bring her by. Y'know pops wouldn't mind!"
"Shut that shit up. Jacob this is Erien. Erien this is my boy Jacob."
Jacob picked my hand up to kiss my knuckles, "pleasure is mine."
I responded with a nod and went to enjoy myself. Hands were the first thing I felt on my hips as I danced to the music. After the many times I'd been hanging with Tyler, I knew his hands like a book, and these weren't his.
I pushed the hands off of me and turned to see who thought they could cop a feel.
"Jacob?"
Jacob nodded his head towards Tyler and then looked back at me, "he told me to keep you company."
"I'm fine!" I politely pushed away from him. My eyes wandered to the brownskin beauty walking in. "Leah!"
Tyler I'm tryna figure out who told Erien she could dance on any nigga except me.
"Let go of me!" Erien hissed and yanked her tiny arm away from me before we were swarmed by the paps.
Strike one
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Even though she was being called out of her name and judged, she remained calm. It's something I liked about her. She never cared. At least she didn't show it.
"What's your problem?"
The night was great. From my spot, she looked like she was having the time of her life. Now that we're together, her attitude wants to unravel.
"Just take me home."
Strike two
"Why did you take me out with you if you were just gonna grind on that bitch and throw all of your friends at me?"
I chuckled, but before I could get my words out, my phone rung.
"Are you gonna get that?"
Strike three
"Cut that shit out!" I rose my voice before answering the call. Swear if I didn't have respect for her like I do now, her ass would be laid out in the backseat screaming.. "Yo?"
"She knows," Pops said on the other end and quickly hung up. I eyed Erien from the corner of my eye.
GAME OVER.
If Erien knew, who else knew? How did she even know? If I wanted her to know, I would've been straight from the jump. But I know Erien didn't need my kind of business in her life. A girl like her didn't need any drama. She had everything going on for herself and I.. I had everything but it wasn't legal how it came about.
