"Cedric's had admirers lining up his whole life—how many has he ever said yes to?"
"A guy like him doesn't need to chase anyone. Only someone as pathetic as you would sleep around just to prove you've still got some shred of appeal."
"Tch! Honestly, I have no idea what Kate ever saw in you."
Kate wouldn't even look at me now.
"If we hadn't worked well together at the company, I never would've considered him."
My fists trembled at my sides.
A nurse's voice came from behind me.
"The report—you wanted a reprint, right?"
Cedric snatched it before anyone else could move.
I grabbed his wrist.
Locked eyes with him.
"You sure you want to look?"
Cedric recoiled like I'd burned him, yanking his hand free.
"Irvin, you're in a special category now. Watch what you do. You've got cuts on your hands—don't go touching people. What if your blood gets on someone?"
The moment those words left his mouth, every person in the room instinctively stepped back, putting distance between themselves and me.
I lowered my gaze. Said nothing.
Just watched him.
Kate had stopped pretending there was any distance between her and Cedric. They stood close—too close—heads bent together as they flipped open the report, tension carved into both their faces.
"Positive!!"
A shriek.
Cedric flipped frantically through the remaining pages.
His face drained of color.
He looked at me. Took two steps back.
"Irvin... over thirty markers, and seventeen came back abnormal?"
Kate held the report in shaking hands.
Her teeth clenched so hard I could see the muscle jump in her jaw.
"Syphilis. HIV. Gonorrhea. And hepatitis B. Irvin Dickerson!!"
She pointed at me, finger trembling with rage.
"What the hell have you been doing behind my back? Something this serious—and you had the nerve to hide it and trick me into marriage?!"
The guests erupted.
"He has that many diseases? Quick—someone take me to get tested!"
My mother's eyes rolled back. She swayed, about to collapse.
Cedric and the others rushed to catch her.
They eased her into a chair. Her hand shook as she pointed at me.
"This child... I don't—I don't want him anymore!"
"Of course you don't. A wonderful woman like you shouldn't be ruined by her own son."
My mother broke into sobs.
Someone charged forward and grabbed my collar.
"You'd better pray our tests come back clean. If they don't, I'll kill you right here. If we're going down, you're coming with us!"
Another guest lunged to grab his arm.