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.