“Thank you for everything. I’m sorry for…you know, dumping on you and all.”
“I ain’t tripping. It was good to know another side of you, Ms. Cole. I mean, Tatiyonna,” he flashed me a smile. “I’ll see you at the next appointment. Have a good night.” He closed my door.
When I pulled away, all I could smell was his cologne on me. I was still trying to figure out what the hell came over me. Being vulnerable with a stranger has never been my thing. That’s what my best friend and dad were for. The rest of the drive, I rode in silence just thinking about my life. Even when I pulled into my garage, all I could do was sit there. My phone started ringing, forcing me to stop daydreaming.
“What are you doing up this time of night?” I asked Casi.
“Nooo, the question is where the hell you been for seven hours? Where is 235190 Wisteria Estates?”
I forgot she had my location. I gave it to her when I was going to meet Kileen for dinner.
“I was at a client’s house, and my Tesla was acting crazy. He–”
“He? Ooo, tell me more. Is he fine? Girl, I hope he’s better than Kileen.”
“Casi, please! It’s not like that. His niece and nephew are my clients. He’s really nice. It’s nothing like that between us. Besides, you know I do not cross the line with my clients or their families.”
“Tuh, better than me. Let my husband cheat on me and start a family. I’ll have his chest hurting.”
“And that’s exactly why you’re single and still mingling. Let me get in the house and take a shower. I’m exhausted,” I tried rushing her off the phone.
“What does he look like? You still haven’t told me that.”
“He’s fine if that’s what you want to know, Casi, damn. Now, bye.”
“Wait…wait!” Casi said before I hung up.
“What, girl?”
“Like, is he fine enough for you to get your mind off Kileen? Maybe date or something.”
“Casi, I’ll never take it there. But yes, he is finer than my husband if that makes you feel better.”
“It damn sure does. Good night, I love you.”
“I love you too,” I told her before disconnecting the call.
After my shower, I grabbed my laptop and put the twins' notes in and checked my emails. The nap that I took at Jah’s house refreshed me a little. While I had the energy and my head was clear, I got as much work done. It was close to three in the morning when I finally got in my bed. What made me grab my phone and go to Kileen’s text thread, I’m still unsure.
Me: Come home.
Kil: I’m on the way.
As soon as I sent the text, I regretted it.
“Girl, are you fucking stupid?” I asked myself out loud.
I grabbed the phone and sent another text.
Me: Never mind.
Kil: Tati, I’m already on the way. Don’t do that this time of morning. I’ve already checked out of the hotel. Just open the door for me, and I’ll sleep in the guest room until you’re ready.
“Fuck!”
He pulled up fifteen minutes later. I stepped to the side to let him in. He must’ve thought I was going to tell him to come to our room. I left him standing in the hallway and closed mybedroom door. Yes, I was wrong for telling him to come home in hopes of thinking we were going to work on us. It was really selfish of me to see if he was going to come running at three in the morning. Now that I knew he would, I had no need for him at the moment. It was more like an ah-ha moment to the side bitch. Now that he was under the same roof as me, I didn’t want him here. The mere sight of him made my stomach hurt. I could hear down the hall as I laid in bed trying to find the sleep that I caught at Jah’s house. I would probably never see that again. The sound of Kileen walking back and forth from the hall closet to the guest bedroom was going to keep me up all night. I knew he was doing it so I would come out and talk to him. Little did he know, I didn’t want to talk to him at all.
It had beena week since my husband was back in the house. I had maybe said twelve words to him. To me, that was twelve too many. He gave me space so I could respect that. Today, he got a call from his baby mama. The phone call reminded me that what we had would never be the same. I sat and patiently waited for him to hang up the phone.
