“Leila,” Mel got up from where she was seated and approached me, taking both of my hands into hers. “You are enough, okay? You are,” she reiterated. “Your ex is a coward, and will get what’s coming to him, but you,” she gave my hands a squeeze, “you’re going to overcome this because you have me now. That degree you have? It wasn’t a waste and it doesn’t just go away. It was on pause while you focused on being a mom. There are so many people that wouldn’t have been able to endure what you have with even half of your strength. You know that?”
“It doesn’t feel like strength,” I admitted, pulling one of my hands free to wipe my tears. “It feels like failure.”
“No, what he did was failure,” She countered, reaching for a box of Kleenex on the counter behind me. You’re surviving and about to rebuild, and you don’t have to rush it. You won’t be alone trying to figure this out. You’ll have help. You’ll have us. And most importantly, you have God. Philippians 4:19 says,‘God will supply all of your every need. You just have to trust and believe in Him.’” She smiled. “You’re going to be alright.”
She pulled me into a tight hug after that, and we stayed in the embrace for what seemed like forever. I appreciated the hug and her words because she didn’t know just how much I really needed to hear them. I spent the last forty eight hours trying to figure out what I’d missed or done wrong, but talking with her reminded me that it wasn’t me. Aldrick was just a miserable person because of things he’d done in his own life, and he wanted me there with him.
We changed subjects after that. She told me more about how her and Kiyan ended up here and how against it his mother was at first. He was very young to be the Chairman of the Board at ACU at only thirty-five. Apparently, he was a very ambitious child, quickly working his way through college and up the ranks in his career. It was very commendable.
I learned that his mother was a retired professor who taught African American studies at University of Illinois Chicago, and his father was still the Dean of Education at the same university. His sister was a divorce attorney, which I found ironic, and his brother a dentist. He seemed to have come from a well put together family.
She also told me about their extended family, letting me know they were coming in town for the holidays, which gave me even more motivation to figure things out and get out of Kiyan’s way before then. I didn’t want to put him in an odd position and have him explaining why he had me and my child squatting in his home during a time that he was supposed to be spending with his loved ones.
“You done telling all of my business?” Kiyan asked when he entered the den where we were all on the couch with the T.V. watching us.
When Ava heard his voice, she abandoned the doll and crawled over to my lap. I circled my arms around her to comfort her and took him in. He wasn’t wearing what he had on earlier, so I figured that he’d showered and changed.
She scoffed playfully. “You wish I was wasting my time talking about you, negro.”
“When don’t you take an opportunity to tell people my business, Melonie?” he walked in further. “You act just like your mother and aunt.”
“I can’t wait to tell them you said they had big mouths.”
“They know better,” he chuckled. “You should probably get home. You know I don’t like you driving when it’s dark.”
She rolled her eyes at him then looked at me. “Don’t be fooled, I’m the oldest.”
“I won’t,” I giggled. I loved their relationship. From what I’d seen and heard, the two of them acted more like siblings than they did cousins.
“Come on, I’ll walk you out.”
Melonie got up and gathered all of her things to go. Ava went to get the doll and tried giving it to her, but she shook her head while smiling at her.
“No, baby girl, that’s for you to play with. Take care of her for me.”
She walked over to me and opened her arms for a hug. I climbed up from my place on the couch and accepted her embrace.
“Thank you for talking to me today and allowing me to vent. It meant more than what I’d ever be able to explain.”
“Oh, girl, please. I need someone to talk to other than this one,” she pointed toward her cousin. “I know this won’t be the last time we talk or see each other, so until next time.”
“Until next time,” I replied.
I didn’t know how true our words were, or if I’d see her again after I left here, but I appreciated her taking the time out of her day to talk to me. Kiyan walked her out after that, and I busied myself getting the den straightened back up. I was glad that I’d taken the day to just relax and reset because now I was determined to get things in order for me and Ava. I wasn’t going to allow Aldrick to win. I was going to pick up my boot straps and handle my business.
When Kiyan came back, he apologized for keeping me waiting as well as the mess in his den which I actually found to be comical because everything was very organized and in place outside of some boxes that were stacked in a corner.
“Are those decorations you need to put up or something?” I asked when he took a seat on the other end of the couch.”
He shook his head. “Naw. Gifts that I ordered for my people. I should have gotten them gift wrapped because I damn sure don’t know how to do it,” he chuckled. “I’ll just find someone and pay them to do it though.”
“Or I could,” I suggested.
“Leila, I told you…”
“I know what you told me.” I smiled. “It would make no sense to pay someone for something that I can do for you. It would give me something to do.”
His gaze was glued to mine for a few seconds before he nodded.
