In Her Mind (Mountain High Valley Low ) Read Online Free PDF

determine my next move when Brian ordered a coke. His ordering something gave me the notion that I had a little more time, though not much.
“Brian, listen. I told you…” I had to stop and breathe. “You aren’t married yet. What’s more important to you, your son or being with her? She doesn’t have your child, Brian, I do! We come as a package, Brian. Take it or leave it.”
“How can you say something like that to me, Shelly? You can’t be—”
My cell phone rang and I held my hand up to Brian. It was my father again. Brian’s head was buried in his hands and I hit the silencer again. My father was persistent, relentless. I figured maybe I’d better answer him. It must have been of some importance since he refused to lay off of my number. Besides, I needed to maintain control of the flow of the conversation. Answering my father’s call gave me the necessary pause that I needed to calculate my thoughts. I looked at the phone, then at Brian with his head in his hands, then back at the phone before snatching it open. I flipped open the cell phone so violently, I thought I’d broken it.
“YES!” I yelled into the phone. “What is it, Daddy? I’m sorry…It’s just that I was in the middle of something important… Yes…Why…Because I’m not going back, that’s why…Please, Daddy, can this wait? Okay. I’ll be right there.”
The timing wasn’t right, but I knew I had to leave. I could tell that Brian was temporarily relieved by the disturbing phone call. I needed to deal with him, but I also had to handle Daddy. I knew that sooner or later, I would have to deal with my father about my decisions. It was now or never. I started getting Brice’s things together. Brian realized that I was leaving, produced his wallet, and placed thirty dollars on the table.
“Brian, I’m sorry, but I need to take care of something. I’ll call you so we can finish this.”
Just then a brilliant thought scrolled through my mind, one that would surely give me some leverage in my fight to get what I wanted from Brian.
“You know what, Brian? I’d rather not bring Brice along with me to handle what I need to handle. Here.” I stood and handed Brice to Brian. “You two can get to know one another. I’ll come by and pick him up a little later. This will be great for the two of you. Everything he needs is in his bag. He’ll be hungry when he wakes up. If you have any questions just call me.” To say that Brian was shocked was an absolute understatement. I moved fast to avoid allowing him a fair chance to object. This way I could plot my next move while making it hard for him to resist my game plan.
“Shelly, I can’t do this. He doesn’t even know me yet. I can’t keep him with me. You have to take him with you. Once he gets to know me, then it will be fine. You can’t leave him.”
“What’s the matter, Brian? You don’t want him? He’s yours. You will be just fine,” I said before turning to leave.
Brian called after me during my entire exit and finally Brice woke up crying. I snickered as I picked up my pace and sauntered my brilliant self right out of that restaurant.
Chapter 6 Brian
    I rang my mother’s bell non-stop. By the time she came to the door she was cursing. I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Boy, you better stop playing games. The only reason I even came to the door was to cuss you out and slam the door in your face. You’re lucky it’s you. Somebody else would have gotten it good,” she said, her fist held up for emphasis.
“You are funny, old lady,” I said as I kissed my mom on her fluffy cheek. “Where’s he at? Let me at him!” I said jokingly. “Don’t let me find him hiding in the closet or under the bed. I done told you, no company when I’m not at home.”
My mother’s frame bounced as she laughed and shook her head at my joke.
“Boy, even if there was someone here, there wouldn’t be anything you could do about it. I’m grown, boy, and don’t you forget it. Now where did