Snapped (Urban Renaissance) Read Free Page B

to care for those spicy foods. But, once again, I held my tongue so I wouldn’t piss Ronald off.
    I was trying so hard to make this a nice visit, but my hormones were making it hard for me. I was also trying to deal with our long-distance relationship, but it was wearing me down. Ronald had moved to Ohio when the GM plant closed in Atlanta. In addition to the plant closing, he was running from the law, and this was the second time that Ronald had been back in the ATL since he left two years ago.
    Ohio was supposed to have been a temporary move, but thus far he had not sent for me and the twins, and he would get upset every time I brought up the subject. Tonight, I was going to tell him about the baby because I was going to need some help as I got further along.
    “Why are you being so quiet?” Ronald looked at me from the corner of his eye.
    “Huh?”
    He had been talking to me and I hadn’t been paying attention. I was occupied with how I was going to approach him with the news of our baby.
    “You were a million miles away. I guess you didn’t miss me.” He placed his hand on my lap.
    I knew he thought he was soothing me, but his touch only made me more nervous. “I did miss you, baby. I was just thinking about the kids.” I was still concerned about leaving them home alone even though they were old enough to be left by themselves.
    “Hey, don’t bring them into our night out together. It’s not often we get to spend time alone.”
    Humph, that was easy for him to say, because at the end of his “holiday” he went home to peace and quiet and I was left alone to raise his children. The situation was less than fair, and I deserved more.
    “You’re right. This is our night. I’m so glad to have you here. Don’t get me wrong, I love Ohio, but it’s much too cold in the wintertime. I hate that you had to move there to keep your job.”
    He said, “You ain’t even lying. When I got back in Georgia, I just started peeling off my clothes. It’s going to be hard making the drive back home.”
    Hearing him claim Ohio as his home stung. Home was supposed to be where his heart was—and that wasn’t in Ohio. For a second, I started to doubt his love for me, but I quickly shook that thought from my head. If he didn’t love me, he wouldn’t be sending me all the money he did to sustain our household. True, I had a job and did the best that I could, but my salary was only meant to sustain me. A snippet of doubt, however, entered my mind.
     
     
    In spite of my earlier trepidation, we had a very nice dinner at Copelands. For a while, I forgot my churning emotions.
    “I can’t wait to get back to the house to make love to you,” Ronald whispered in my ear.
    We were sitting next to each other like young lovers.
    “I hope you’re ready, ’cause I’m going to make you work.” I was flirting shamelessly with him. My stomach was in knots with anticipation. It had been two months since we’d last made love and I was more than ready. “Ronald, when are you coming home to stay?”
    Before he could answer me, the waiter came and asked if we wanted dessert. Ronald pushed his plate away, knocking over his glass of water.
    “I’d like the cheesecake,” I said, and smiled.
    Ronald frowned. “You don’t need it. Don’t you think you’re getting a little fat?”
    My cheeks burned with shame, and I closed my eyes to keep the tears from falling. I got up from the table and ran to the restroom. I refused to let him see me cry. Ronald could be a cruel bastard when he wanted to be. Attacking my weight was just one of the things he used to keep me in my place. This was my Achilles’ heel because I was not as razor thin as some of the other women he used to deal with.
    I went into an empty stall and threw up my dinner. My heart ached because the blinders were falling off. Everything was good as long as I stayed in my place and didn’t ask him any questions. That little glimpse of clarity didn’t make me feel any