“I got it.” I laughed at his insistence. “8 p.m. Paolo’s.”
“What happened, baby?” I said, rushing over to the couch where Tasha was sitting. Pookie Po was sitting at her feet and she was still crying.
“Well, you know what I told you the other day?” Tasha asked. She looked a mess, wearing old ripped jea
ns and a T-shirt.
“You mean the baby? What about it?”
“Well, it’s not going to happen. I’m not having a baby.” Tasha punched the arm of the couch and Pookie Po jumped up.
“Lionel doesn’t want it?”
“No, I still haven’t told him.”
“So what is it?” I asked. It was the first time I’d seen her so worked up.
“I can’t have a baby,” Tasha blurted out. She pulled a piece of pink paper from her purse and handed it to me.
“What is this?” I said, unraveling the crumpled-up piece of paper.
“Remember when I said I stopped taking the pill?”
“Yes.”
“Well, that was about two months ago,” Tasha went on. “After the first month, I was a bit worried when nothing happened. So I decided to wait another month. But then there was nothing.”
“Okay,” I said, reading the paper: PATIENT LAB REPORT—Natasha Adrianna St. Simon.
“Well, last week I couldn’t take it anymore, so I went to my gyn to see what was wrong. And today I got the results.” Tasha pointed to the paper. “Read it.” Tasha grabbed the paper from me and held it up in my face.
“It says I can’t have a baby,” Tasha cried. Her words hit my heart like a sack of quarters. I took the paper from her hands and pulled her into my arms.
“I’m so sorry to hear that, Tasha,” I said. “I’m so sorry.” I rocked her back and forth slowly. “Are you sure they have the right diagnosis? What exactly did they say?”
“It’s my fallopian tubes. The doctor said they’re blocked, so my eggs can’t get fertilized,” Tasha cried into my chest. “Not without surgery, but even then it may not happen.”
I stroked Tasha’s back and fought to hold back my own tears.
“Well, you said it yourself, Tasha. You can’t get pregnant the regular way, but there are other options,” I said. “Like in-vitro or something. Have you discussed that with the doctors?”
“Yes. They’re going to let me know on Monday if it’s even possible.”
“See, there’s hope,” I said. “Don’t worry, Tasha. Just pray that this will happen for you and it will.” Tasha sat up and looked at me.
“I want you to come with me,” she said.
“Me? Don’t you think that’s a job for Lionel? It just wouldn’t feel right.”
“I’m not ready for all that yet. How am I going to explain that I even went to the doctor?”
“Tasha, you have to tell the man everything,” I said. “He’s your husband. You have to trust him.”
“I know and I do trust him. I love my husband.”
“Then tell him what you want.”
“I know. I know this is my bullshit, but I just have to work through this and then I’ll tell him. But right now…right now I need you in my corner.” Tasha started to cry again.