“You’re welcome, Anastassia,” he replied.
“Stassi,” she corrected. “It’s easier,” she shrugged.
“It’s okay for some things to be hard,” he answered. “You have yourself a good night.”
“You too, Grayson.”
She looked at the sticker on the windshield. “Better get back to Station 10 before they find out you’re using their fire truck to pick up girls,” she teased.
He laughed and nodded. “I think they would give me a pass.” Stassi waved goodbye before turning to walk into her building.
She heard the loud horn of the truck just as she stepped inside. She made her way to her door, and when she placedher key in the lock, she froze. The lock was already turned. She pulled her hand back like the door was hot to the touch.
It was like all her senses came alive at once, and the hair on the back of her neck stood up. She pushed the door in slowly and eased into her home. There was a small glow coming from the hallway.
I know I didn’t leave that light on. Did I?She made her way to the knife block on her kitchen counter before easing down the hallway.
She took a deep breath before pushing forcefully into the guest room.
“Charlie?! Shit!”
Charlie practically jumped out of her skin.
“What are you doing here?” Stassi yelled as she placed the knife down on the dresser. “You almost gave me a heart attack!”
“I called you! I left you a message!” Charlie shouted, holding a hand to her chest and heaving in distress as she tried to calm down. “Bitch, what your butcher knife was gon’ do?”
“Stab a mu’fucka up if I needed to,” Stassi said, laughing as her anxiety subsided. Charlie fell into laughter, too, as she shook her head.
“That shit don’t work against no real robber, ho. You need a gun, living here by yourself,” Charlie said.
“Well, thank God I don’t have one tonight cuz your ass would be grass,” Stassi snickered. “What’s going on? Why aren’t you with Demi?”
“Demi didn’t come home, and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t plan to,” Charlie said. “I really don’t know what to do. He lost his son, Stass. What am I supposed to do?”
“Not be here, Charlie,” Stassi said empathetically. Stassi sighed and sat on the end of the bed as Charlie sat up against the headboard. “You have to just be there for him.”
“How can I do that? He asked me to leave the hospital. He hasn’t even called me to update me. It’s going on four in the morning, and he’s not home.”
“Did you call him?” Stassi asked.
“I can’t call him. I don’t want him to think I’m down his back. I want to give him space, but it feels so…” Charlie paused. “I don’t know. It feels like…” Charlie swiped away a tear as she lifted full eyes to Stassi. Stassi could almost hear Charlie’s heart crushing under the weight of her fears. “Like he’s never coming back.”
“Charlie, he lost his son,” Stassi whispered. “I don’t have a kid, but I can imagine that he wants to die right now. He may not be home right now, but when he finally does walk through that door, he’s going to need you.”
Charlie nodded. “What if I can’t comfort him?” Charlie asked. “What if I’m to blame? He’s going to hate me. I love him so much, and I’m going to lose him to this. I can feel it. It’s already happening. When he put me in that car and sent me home, I felt the disconnect.”
“You felt grief. He probably can’t get to the love he feels for you through the clouds that are over his head right now, Charlie. Don’t overthink this. He loved you before this happened. It’s a tragedy. He won’t be the same for a while, but he’ll love you after. Go home, girl. The last thing you need is for him to make it there and you’re gone. I don’t even like Demi’s ass, but I know he needs your support through this.”
“You’re right, and I know you’re right. So why does it feel wrong for me to be there with him through this?” Charlie asked.
Stassi sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. “Okay, look, Charlie. I’ma keep it all the way real with you because I love you. It’s gon’ sound real bitchy and judgmental because I been working all day and I’m tired, but I promise I hold no judgment. The time for you to feel like this was wrong was when you were riding that married man’s dick. He’s yours now. He’s divorced.He left his family for you. You don’t need anybody’s permission to be present for your man in his time of need. You asked for this, so put your big girl panties on and ride this shit out.”
“It kind of sounds judgey, bitch. Like you done said this shit to somebody else before,” Charlie joked.
Stassi smiled. “Well, I warned you it was gon’ sound bad, shit. Now, go home! I’m exhausted, and I ain’t got the energy to talk to you all night about your insecurities that don’t even make sense. Catch me in the morning, and I’ll do the whole sister circle thing with you.”
Charlie crawled across the bed and wrapped Stassi in a hug.
