I slowly opened my eyes noticing the sun beaming in the room. Everything was so messed up. I called my agent last night and he said he would take care of everything. I needed to make sure Lizzy was safe from whatever Shae had planned.

Not only was she pregnant, I was burying a friend today and then on top of that, Lizzy was angry with me. What a week from hell!

I got up and showered. I had taken out my black suit and put it on. I tried calling Jarreau but he didn't answer. The funeral would be starting in less than two hours. I wanted to call Lizzy but I was sure she hadn't received her phone yet.

She had to be upset to send Jarreau all the way back to my house to get her cell. She could have called me and I would have made sure she got it back. Sitting on the bed I put my face in my hands. I was tired. Shae had taken all the wind from my sails. She had to be lying, she couldn't be pregnant with my child.

Lizzy was suppose to be the mother of my children. It was written in the stars and apart of the universe. How could I let this happen? This whole situation was a mess. My phone started to ring and I hurried to answer it thinking it was Lizzy.

"Hello?" I looked at the caller id and let out a curse. It was my mother.

"Is that how you greet your mother? I'm sure Lizzy gets a warm and fuzzy greeting."

"Hello beautiful mother dear."

"Now you are being sarcastic. I know I raised you better than that Sean."

"Sorry but this isn't a good time. I am on my way to a funeral."

"Oh yes that teammate of yours that killed himself. Too bad no one will get that insurance money."

"Mother!"

"I'm just saying. A total waste. I'm glad my son is happy and not contemplating suicidal thoughts."

"You know what mom? I can't talk to you right now. I just put your check in the mail yesterday please spend it wisely."

"Sean you have all this money and it seems you have forgotten who raised you. I struggled as a single parent to raise you. I worked two jobs to support you."

I rolled my eyes. She worked two jobs to support her smoking and drinking habits. Many of days she would forget to go grocery shopping. Now I had groceries delivered to her nice two-story home I bought her. I pay all her debts she accumulates and still give her an allowance of four thousand a month. Even after everything I did for her she calls every month to give me this damn lecture on how she so called struggled to raise me. Like I didn't live the struggle too. Hell I even bought her a brand new Porsche and she doesn't have to work another day of her life.

"I hope you put a little extra in that check. I want to give a good donation to the church. Pastor Odom is asking everyone to help fund a new fellowship hall or if you wanted to make it easier, you could just donate all the costs associated with it. It's not like you would miss it anyway. A great tax write-off."

Pastor Odom was a sleazy, low-down snake in the grass. That money would go right in his pocket. I'm sure the devil had a special place for him down below. The only way he would get my money would be through my mother, no special donations would be given in my name. Shyster.

"If you can't give him money out of the allowance I give you then I can't help you."

"Sean that four thousand dollars a month does nothing. I bet you send Lizzy way more than that."

"See you are wrong because Lizzy works everyday and earns her own money. I don't give Lizzy a dime mother, she's capable of providing for herself unlike others."

"Whatever Sean. Four thousand is pocket change for you. You probably spend that on one of those floozies."

I had to bite my tongue. My mother was a piece of work. Never gratefully for anything.

"Remember we tried that unlimited spending thing and you went crazy. Ten credit cards in my name that I didn't know about and spending money on frivolous things. Money is not to be wasted, I work hard every single day to make it. If the allowance is not enough, I can simply put a stop to it and you can support yourself."

"Maybe I was a little harsh. I'll just make due with what I have."

"There is this thing called saving. You should read up on it. As a matter of fact, the bank can give you more information on it. Most Americans do have a savings account. Who knows they could give you a free toaster or smoothie maker since you like things for free?"

I could tell she was getting even more riled up. She began to talk and I put the phone on the bed putting on my shoes. I would just let her talk until she became winded or ran out of words to say.

"Look I have to go. Love you mommy dearest," I said before hanging up and tossing the phone on the bed. I let out a deep breath. It took a lot of patience to deal with her and biting of the tongue.

I picked up the phone and dialed Lizzy. Her voicemail was full. Every time my dear old mother called I needed to hear Lizzy's sweet voice. She was the only one that could calm me down after speaking to my mother.

I dialed her mother. Liz and her mom were a lot closer than my mom and I.

"Miss Johnson, it's Sean."

"Hey honey. How can I help you?"

"Have you spoken to Lizzy?"

"No. As a matter of fact I haven't heard from her. Was she suppose to come home?"

"Yes on yesterday. I'm worried because I haven't heard from her since yesterday afternoon."

"That is odd. Did you two have a fight? I hear worry in your voice Sean."

"Yes ma'am we did."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No ma'am. If you hear from her please have her call me."

"You sure you don't want to talk about it? You know my child can be stubborn at times but remember you two are best friends and have been since the two of you could sit up. Whatever it is I'm more then sure it will work itself out. She loves you Sean as you love her."

"Thanks Miss. Johnson."

"You're more then welcome."

I hung up with her thinking that if my mother could be an ounce of Miss. Johnson maybe our relationship could be better.

Someone was ringing my doorbell. I looked out the window to see a man in a van. I quickly gathered my phone and rushed downstairs.

"Mr. Gipson, I'm Ramon Aizpuria from the Southern Gate Company."

"Oh yes please come in."

I was putting a gate up around my house to keep intruders like Shae out. I even changed my security code. After I spoke to Ramon he was going to get started on the fence. I grabbed my car keys and headed for the church.

"So are you going to show him the pictures from last night?"

"I need more evidence. A few pictures of her walking into a clinic at night doesn't prove a thing but it will help when I have a mound of evidence that the fakeass hussy is lying."

Jarreau shook his head. " You mean to tell me we sat outside that clinic for half the night and you aren't going to share this information with Sean?"

"Actually it was less than a hour. Somebody was falling asleep on the job," I said looking at him and narrowing my eyes.

"It was after midnight and a brutha was tired after that bigass meal you fixed."

"Anyway, I looked up her doctor. He is a real doctor. Did residency at UCLA, worked for a couple of hospitals and the last two years he has gone into private practice. I am wondering how they hooked up?"

"No telling."

"Is Shae from here?"

He took a sip of his drink. "I don't think so but I'm not sure where she is from. Most women come here to be famous. They come from all around the world to have their little hearts broken where they have to choose between fantasy and reality. The worse part, they find themselves doing things they never thought they would do."

"Are you trying to make me feel sorry for her? If so its not working."

"Of course not. If Shae is lying then karma has a way to make her pay. If she isn't lying, then you have to come up with another plan. You know how much Sean wants to be a father. If this child is his, I know he's going to want to be there for that child."

"I know but deep down she can't be pregnant for him. God wouldn't play that dirty. This has to be a test Jarreau and I will pass it."

"I hear you." He looked at his watch. "We need to start getting ready for the funeral."

"Okay it won't take me long." I got up and headed into Jarreau's guest bedroom. I checked my phone and noticed that my voicemail was full along with twenty-two missed calls. Fifteen were from Sean, two from my mother, one from the hospital, one from Aries and the others were from telemarketers. Checking my voicemail, Sean had left several, a few hang ups from telemarketers, my mom and Aries.

I called my mom first. I needed to hear a reassuring voice of reason.

"Hello mommy. How was your trip?"

"It was good but now I'm concerned because Sean has called me twice in the last twenty-four hours looking for you."

Damn him! He brought my mama in this mess.

"You two talk at least fifty times a day and for him to be calling me, something happened. Care to explain?"

"No."

"Oh really. That boy sounds panicky. Are you still in California?"

"Yes."

"And I'm assuming you didn't stay with Sean."

"No but I am safe."

"What is that suppose to mean? I swear you and Sean speak a whole another language at times."

"We had an argument and he kicked me out." I held my breath, squeezed my eyes shut and counted, three, two...

"What in the hell is going on?! What do you mean he kicked you out? That boy needs a good asswhipping. How dare he calls me and not tell me that he kicked his best-friend, my daughter out his house? What did you do? This is so out of character for him. Wait...what did you do child of mine?"

"I gave his whore a beat down. She deserved it mama. She came in talking all this noise about how she was pregnant and that she and Sean were going to be together. She's using him for his money, she does not love him and I think she's faking the pregnancy. I can't let him go down like that."

"OhlawdhavemercyJesus," she said all together. I could picture her waving her left hand up, looking up at the ceiling asking God why was this happening?

"You and Sean are going to put me in an early grave. Why in the hell would you beat up the girlfriend? I taught you way better then that."

"I got tired of hearing her mouth, so I shut it. I should have pulled that cheap weave out she got from Mr. Lee so she could go to a real hair store."

"Lizzy?! You lucky she didn't have you arrested."

"Oh it wasn't going down like that. She threaten to have my medical license revoked but I know too many people that would vouch for me. I am not going to let her scare me. As long as she thinks she has Sean, she won't mess with me."

"Elizabeth Johnson, you don't have to fight your battles with fists. You are so much smarter than that. I raised you better."

"I'm telling you the truth. She's bad news. She's a goldigging tramp mom. She's no good."

"So where does the part with Sean kicking you out come into play."

"As I was giving his whore an as..."

"Watch that language child."

"As I was kicking her gluteus maximus, Sean and Jarreau walked in and pulled me off of her. He got mad and kicked me out while he tended to that horse face witch. Change that w to a b, capitalized."

I heard laughter on the other end of the phone. Was my mother laughing at me at this whole blown out of proportion situation?

"Are you laughing?"

The phone got quiet for a moment and she cleared her throat. Failing miserably she broke out in a bout of uncontrollable laughter. I put the phone down and sucked in my tongue. I raised the phone and she was still laughing.

"What is so funny?"

"I thought it would have been Sean trying to claim his territory from Aries, not the other way around."

"Hardeharhar, very funny mother."

"I'm serious baby. I'm so surprised that your relationship hasn't come to a head a long time ago. You two got to be the dumbest people in the world when it comes to relationships. You're dating Aries because he is close to being a Sean. Sean dating this girl, to get over from not having you. You two are both playing games and you two have been like that since middle school."

"Middle school, really?"

"Yes. Remember Ms. Lagasse your homeroom economics teacher made the class pair up where you had to get married and take care of the egg?"

"Vaguely."

"Anyway. You came home crying because Sean was paired with that girl Angela Tucker. You thought the teacher was racist because she wouldn't let you and Sean be partners. Somehow you and Angela never got along and I think it was because she had a crush on Sean. You were so upset about it, that at Mary Butler's sleepover you gave Angela ex-lax wrapped up in a Hershey chocolate bar wrapper as revenge."

"I knew I wanted to be a doctor and I wanted to see her with a clean healthy system."

"Please tell me you are not standing near a window?"

"Why?" I was puzzled.

"When the hand of God slaps you for lying, please drop the phone. I want no part of your lies."

"Fine I admit I did it."

"I know you did, I found the paper in your sleeping bag. Anyway, you have been jealous of every girlfriend or thot that has ever come near him."

"Mom did you just call his hookups thots? What do you know about that?" I giggled.

"I'm hip. I bet it's a lot of things I know that you don't know about me but this conversation is about you. If you love him, be a woman and apologize. Tell him you are sorry for beating up his girlfriend..."

"Ex mom, ex."

"Whoever she is and go and get your man. Please call him and try to work this out."

"She claims she's pregnant for him."

"Is she lying? Please tell me you didn't harm an unborn child. You took a sworn oath to help people not take them out."

"I don't think she's pregnant. It's a lie. I even offered to check her out."

"Lizzy! You're going to hell with gasoline drawers on!"

"I wanted to make sure she was and I truly think she isn't. After Demonboy kicked me out I was coming home. Jarreau convinced me to stay which I'm glad I did because I left my phone at Sean's house. After Jarreau went and got it for me, we saw Shaunte and followed her."

"You do know there's a law called stalking. Why would Jarreau even fall for one of your schemes?"

"Ah maybe because he likes me strictly in a friendly way. Anyway, she was at this diner with this young pregnant girl. I think Shaunte might have used her urine or someone else's urine to fake the pregnancy test."

"That's extreme. She can't be that desperate Liz."

"Best believe she is psychotic. One minute all in my face and then the next playing like a helpless victim. Sorryass botch."

I had to calm myself down, I could feel my pulse rising.

"After she left the diner with the pregnant chic she went back to her high rise apartment and later left headed to the hood. She pulled up to this medical building with a trench coat on and high heels. Let's just say, she looked like somebody from the eighties. Who wears a trench coat in ninety degree weather except a moron?"

"Lizzy I'm going to pray hard for you tonight."

"Please do, but I need holy water for this Demonatrix Shaunte. She went in and had sex with this doctor Ausef Banda."

"You know this for sure?"

"I mean I didn't actually see them having it, that would have burned my eyes out, but when she finally came out, her hair was all over her head and she was walking crooked over a little. I did take pics but of course this sorry ass phone died on me."

"Lizzy, Lizzy, Lizzy what am I going to do with you?"

"Mom I'm just trying to protect him from this Shedevil."

"I know you are but your tactics are less than desirable. There are other ways to get to your target."

"What do you mean?"

"You have to strike when they least expect it. You can't give them any clues that you are on to them. It's just like putting a puzzle together, you have to have every piece for it to come together."

"Where is this going mom?"

"Do you know her history? Why do you really think she is lying about this pregnancy? Maybe she is scheming to get monetary compensation and if so you have to have real proof or she will wiggle out of the truth. Do your research it's amazing what you can find out about a person."

"So I should hire a private investigator?"

She laughed. "If you want to spend the money, but there is another way."

"Another way?"

"Lawd my baby can't see the writing on the wall." She took a deep breath. "You're dating Aries, your bestfriend is Sean, they both play football and they both are on top of their game."

"Mom, now you are talking in circles."

"Do you not watch Basketball Wives and Love & Hip Hop, geesh."

I squinted trying to make sense of her analogy.

"Athletes lives seem to intertwine. Their girlfriends, wives and mistresses seem to talk mostly to each other but I bet they know everything before their male significant others do. You have to beat Shaunte at her own game. You have to enter into her world where you can bring down the reign of fire on her butt. It may be gossip but most of the time there is some truth in it. A golddigger's life is not easy trust me they make mistakes along the way and those mistakes will be your opportunities."

"Mom you're sneaky but I could kiss you right now. She will never see it coming."

"Just be careful as women can be conniving and dirty. You have to learn to play by their rules or they will eat you alive."

"I do have a confession to make. I really do like Aries. I wouldn't mind giving him a real chance."

"What about Sean?"

"He's my friend and I love him to death, but I have a feeling his focus is going to be on Shauntae. I don't like arguing with him, it takes me off balance. This way I can focus on Shauntae's betrayal and evil lies that she is spreading all around."

"You can't let your friendship with Sean go by the waist side. You know if he finds out what you are doing, he is going to talk you out of it. You have to be incognito. If you really want to give Aries a chance, you can't focus all on Sean. He deserves your attention too but eventually you will have to decide who you want to be with."

"Mom you watch way too much television."

"That's the joys of being retired."

"I have to go but I will call you later, I love you and thanks for the advice."

"Anytime. I love you too and don't forget to call Sean."

"I will actually see him in person in a few hours."

"Good luck honey."

"Thanks mom."

With a new plan in action I quickly showered, dressed and was ready to go in record time. I had my black dress, black wide brim hat, sunshades and pumps on. I looked like a totally rich snob. No one would probably recognize me and that would make this even better.

We pulled up to the church. Jarreau opened my door and I got out. Cameras were flashing, reporters were stopping people and fans were behind the police barricade. I put my arm inside of his as he led the way.

"I am a pallbearer so I have to go in the back along with Sean. Are you going to be alright out here with these people?"

"I'll be fine, I will just mix and mingle. Go ahead don't worry about me."