Like a moth to a flame, he noticed Truly before I did from across the yard standing at the glass sliding door waving us in.
“Here we come babe, give us like five more minutes.” He yelled.
“Seriously though, don’t let up on Jatavia. Chase her with consistency, action, and patience…not words. Good women don’t need convincing, they need proof. I remember you said she walked away from you quietly when you hurt her…you didn’t know how rare she was until you lost her. By her talking to you, proves that she didn’t turn bitter…that kind of love don’t age. Remember that.” Bleu’s words held magnificent weight to them.
“I’m taking this advice for this time.” I smiled but was serious.
“You better, Dreu. It’s time to be mature this time around. If she still got space in her heart for you, you earn that shit back. Don’t rush her either and test her patience…you like to disappear when shit gets uncomfortable and tough for you.” He said standing up.
A breeze moved through the yard, carrying the smell of grass and smoke.
“I hear you man.” I stood up next.
I wanted to crack a joke but held it in for another time. Bleu never sounded right saying the word nigga nor cursing. He was corny and he knew it, swear he had swag, but I was the one with it.
“And if she doesn’t choose you?” He asked.
She will choose me…this is the part where I don’t take his advice.I thought with a smirk on my face.
“Then at least I know I showed up right,” I said sounding extra corny like Bleu.
He nodded his head and smiled faintly.
“That’s growth.” He concluded.
Chapter 10
Jatavia
Itried to tell myself that I didn’t know what got into me today since I walked out of my job like I had another lined up. Truth is, it wasn’t what got into me, it was about who got into me.
Dreu Langston…
I needed someone to express myself too. I would have preferred it to be Dreu but didn’t want to tell him just yet what I did. So, I pulled up to my cousin Tammy’s house. Today was one of those days when I needed a pick me up the most. My cramps always were severe, I took three Tylenols and a heating pad to work, and it still didn’t alleviate my pain.
I got out of my car and walked up her stone rock pathway. She texted me five minutes ago letting me know that she left the front door unlocked for me to just walk in. It had been a long day for Tammy as well. She finished her last client up for the day and wanted to shower before we had our girl’s night. The plan was to uber eat us some food, sip some wine and smoke a half of blunt since I needed something to mellow me out.
The moment I stepped inside, cheetah print attacked me from every angle. Cheetah-print throw pillows. Cheetah-print curtains. A cheetah-print rug layered on top of her hardwoodfloors. Even her kitchen had cheetah print towels hanging off the over.
“Girl what you just standing by the door for?” Tammy emerged from her hallway holding a bottle of Stella Rosa.
“This cheetah shit is getting out of hand.” I said, looking around amazed.
Last time I was here, it was as bad. Tammy didn’t make things no better standing in front of me rocking a cheetah gown. Although we were cousins people often mistaken us for sisters. I was five foot six, Tammy was five foot three. We both had big breasts, only major difference was that I had no ass, Tammy had plenty of ass.
“I done told you before,” Tammy said proudly, popping the cork on the bottle of wine. “This is a theme home.” She giggled.
“It look like a damn cheetah threw up all over this house.” I turned around and locked her door behind me. I sat my bag down on the coffee table and plopped down on her leather sectional couch happy to be away from the call center.
“Haters gone hate.” She rolled her eyes and sat the wine bottle down on her glass coffee table.
I sat all the way back on her couch. My lower stomach ached in that deep, dull way that made me want to curl into myself. I had the kind of cramps that made me nauseous, emotional and ready to fight with anyone that got on my damn nerves. Soon as Tammy came back into the living room with wine glasses, I took one and filled it to the brim with wine.
I wasted no time gulping down half of it before deciding to drop the bomb on Tammy.
“I quit my job today,” I said casually.
Tammy froze mid-pour; the wine bottle hovered in the air as she looked at me with wide eyes.
