Kamara’s POV
I feel so restless and hungry. I have been moving around the bed like someone whose body is being pricked. The damned live-in nurse who also serves as Diego’s spy dog seems so keen on seeing my end. Putting me on a stupid diet that doesn’t even resonate with my cravings.
Never thought I had it in me to desire food so much. I had read somewhere that pregnant women are allowed to cheat on their diets. But bitch ass nurse Candace wouldn’t let me be. Sitting up, I let out a strained breath, I won’t be able to get any wink of sleep if I don’t indulge in my desire tonight.
I tiptoed out of the room, and down the hallway to the kitchen. Seeing it so close to my reach makes my heart sing in delight. All I want is some chocolates. All thanks to Chantelle and Nana who helped hide it in one of the cabinets Candace would never have thought to search.
A small smile played on my lips as I reached for a chocolate bar. Tearing it open and taking a bite, I was transported to paradise immediately. Settling onto a stool, and resting my arms on the kitchen island, I chewed with relish.
It hasn’t been as bad as I imagined it would be living in a new place with strange people. Nana is the warmest person I have ever come across and I am tempted to ask why the family had to choose such a criminal line of work. Chantelle is more relaxed than I am. They share so much that their thoughts seem to align. She comes around whenever she is free with schoolwork.
Diego hasn’t returned home in over three weeks since I arrived. I am almost tempted to think he was avoiding me. I would have thought him nonexistent if not for his persistent calls to ask the nurse about my health. Such a nosy dude.
I miss sowing, I have drawn many new design inspirations from just sitting in Nana’s well-tended garden. The beautiful scenery makes my head’s thoughts flourish. I intend to wait until my second trimester before I get to work. I have to admit that I do not want to have to do this again. It all seems interesting now, but my life is on hold and I can’t wait to get back to it.
The only compensation I have right now is my parent’s happy state and knowing my siblings wouldn’t risk getting mugged on the streets of Atlanta.
Enjoying the chocolate, I hummed to myself. Just then I heard some kind of struggle by the main door. My heart raced in fear. Silence reigned again. Maybe I am just overthinking it. In less than ten seconds, the noise came again which had me frozen on the spot. What the hell? I thought they had security around these places.
It occurred to me then that I live in a household where living dangerously is their theme. My soul practically escaped my body when the door finally opened. It wasn’t until my eyes recognized it was Diego did I became a bit relaxed. I let out a breath that I didn’t realize I was holding. Fantastic, he hasn’t been home for so long, and when he eventually did it had to be a dramatic entrance.
Panic held me down again when I noticed he was bleeding profusely by the arm.
I gasped in shock, hurrying towards him. “Oh, my goodness, what happened to you?”
He didn’t respond as he hurried towards the sink tearing out his shirt arm while opening the faucet. It was an obvious struggle for him. I wouldn’t have approached an asshole like him in the first place, but with that much blood gushing from his arm, he might die.
“Let me help you.” I stood next to him attempting to reach for the hand.
“Don’t,” Diego ordered amidst clenched teeth.
I could see the pain in his eyes as the water touched the deep gash that was almost showing his bone. With a hand to my mouth, I tried to hold back the puke running up from my insides. Getting a quick grip on myself, I searched around the kitchen for a first aid box. But he found it before me and poured out the entire content while tearing at the cotton wool and pushing it into the wound to stop the blood.
Don’t the mafia leaders usually have men who help them take care of these moments of emergency? I snapped out of my thoughts again and offered to help.
“It will get infected at this point. Just let me help with it.” I offered.
“Get your fucking hands off me!” He yelled out of nowhere.
I stumbled to the back in shock wondering what I said wrong. “Did I say something wrong?”
His breath was hot and sweat trickled down the side of his face. So much was happening in his eyes that I couldn’t decipher. Diego grabbed onto the stubbornly bleeding arm which already had the entire island and floor dotted with blood and turned a distasteful glare at me.
“Yes! You are bothering me. This is none of your business! You shouldn’t try to speak to me or offer me a hand like we know each other. I do not fucking know you, you are here on a job so mind your bloody business!” He bellowed in a surprisingly low but firm tone.
I felt tears rush to my eyes, but I will be damned to let this motherfucker see that his words got to me.
“How dare you? You asshole, I was just trying to help.” I retorted, clenching my fist.
He had returned his attention to the wound now. “Shove your help in a goddamn hole!” He cursed with a hiss.
Sucking my teeth, I grabbed my half-eaten chocolate and headed back to my room. “You can die for all I care!” I said clearly for him to hear.
When morning came, I was most shocked to find the kitchen sparkling clean and a well-relaxed Diego seated by a single couch in the living room sipping coffee. Wasn’t he about to lose an arm hours ago? I couldn’t see the wound now, he had a shirt over it and appeared too composed considering what happened to him.
“Are you ready?” Diego asked looking towards me.
I didn’t respond and kept walking towards the door for my morning yoga.
“I am sure you know I am talking to you, Miss Kamara Hermes. Are you ready?” He repeated.
I furrowed my brow in confusion. “Ready for what?”
He mumbled some curses under his breath. “Are you trying to mess with me this lovely morning?” His words dripped with sarcasm. “You have a doctor’s appointment by nine and this is eight-thirty.”
“How does that concern you?” I threw the question at him not bothering to reason on the context.
“Need I remind you that you have an obligation to take good care of my child and that includes not missing any doctor’s appointments.”
I shrugged, “even at that, it still doesn’t concern you. Why follow me like we are lovers? I can go on my own.”
“Stop getting on my nerves, Kamara.” He gnashed his teeth at me. “Get dressed and I will be waiting in the car.”
I scoffed with an eye roll. “You will have to drag me by the ear to listen to you. If going to the doctor’s appointment means going with you. Then best believe I am not moving an inch. See you whenever I have yoga.” I started moving towards the door with more determination.
“Kamara! Do you have a death wish?” There was nothing friendly about Diego’s threat.
“What is it with the lover’s spat this early morning?” Nana questioned in a singsong voice.
Diego’s nose twitched as he glared intently at me before turning his attention to his grandmother. Like someone with a switch in him, his expression softened as he walked towards her. “Good morning, Nana. How was your night?”
She spread out her arms to hug him. “My night was good. How are you, baby? I didn’t hear you come in last night. How was the trip?”
I wanted to respond on his behalf and say deadly. Like he knew what I was thinking, he turned his deadly eyes on me again.
“It was fine, Nana. I didn’t want to wake you since I came quite late.” His voice sounded too sweet. This makes it impossible to comprehend, how an alien monster sounds like an angel at the same time.
Nana slapped his chest slightly. “Kamara must be pissed at you for being away for so long. You weren’t even around to welcome her.”
“Sorry, Nana.”
“Kamara, darling, do not mind him. I will follow you to the doctor’s appointment instead.” She said.
“Nana, are you sure?” Diego asked.
She patted his cheek lovingly. “It’s okay, honey. Kamara and I get along well, she wouldn’t mind. Isn’t that right, Kamara?”
I held up a smile probably too wide just to spite Diego. “Definitely, Nana.”
“See, it’s all sorted.” She laughed.
“Alright then, I will leave for the office.” He mumbled. As he walked past me, he didn’t resist the pettiness that knocked at his door by throwing daggers at me and making silent threats with his eyes.
I detest him with every fiber in me.