Page 97 of Surrogate For My Best Friend’s Man 2

“No.” She shook her head harder. “No, because Shante wouldn’t—” Her voice broke off.

I stayed quiet. She didn’t need me explaining anything. Her own mind was doing enough. I watched disbelief turn into confusion. Confusion into realization. Then realization turned into something that looked a whole lot like pain.

“How long you known?”

“Since the hospital.”

“And you ain’t tell me?”

“I tried staying out of it.”

“Everybody always stays out of shit when I’m the one looking stupid!” Her voice cracked.

People were still watching and this time, I didn’t care.“I told Shante she needed to tell you, but she didn’t. And apparently Deuce ain’t told you shit either.”

Her eyes started watering. She looked toward her truck, then back at me. “So when I saw you at Somerset you knew then?”

I hated answering. “Yeah.”

Her lips parted and she turned her face away. I could see her breathing change. That was when I realized just how bad this shit was from her side. This woman had been buying gifts and checking on Shante even defending her. And the whole time she was being played.

“I wasn’t trying to play in your face, Alisha.”

She looked back at me. “But you did.”

I couldn’t argue with that. “I should’ve told you.”

“Yeah.” She nodded slowly. “You should’ve.”

I let her have that then her face hardened again. “Wait.” She looked at me. “At the baby shower Kim came in there talking about her and Deuce having twins.”

I nodded and her eyes widened. “Oh my fucking God.” She covered her mouth. “Shante knew.”

I didn’t say anything.

“That bitch was standing right there!” Her voice rose again. “She let me beat Kim’s ass! She stood there and let me think Kim was pregnant!” Her hand dropped from her mouth. “And she was carrying the fucking babies the whole time?”

“Yeah.”

“That dirty bitch.”

I stayed out of that one. Alisha started pacing. Now she wasn’t even looking at me. She was putting everything together out loud. Every lie and every weird moment. Every time Shante had sat in her face, then she stopped. “Grandma Lorraine.”

I looked at her.

“She knows?”

I hesitated, that was enough because Alisha laughed. “Of course, of fucking course she knows.”

“She found out after I did.”

“Don’t matter.” She grabbed her purse tighter. “Everybody knows but the wife.”

I didn’t know what to say to that.

She looked at me one last time. “You still fucked up for not telling me.”

“I’ll take that.”