Rolling my eyes, I muted and put the call on speakerphone. I didn’t want to hold the line, but I knew he’d likely call out to me at random to make sure I was still present.
“What’s good, Tay?” His voice switched again, this time sharper and alert.
My brow went up. Byron never said names while I was on the phone. I heard shuffling and then what sounded like something brushing up against the phone. Assuming he’d slipped it into his pocket, I went back to half listening. I’d taken a Tylenol PM to help alleviate some of the pain in my back once he left, so I was waiting for it to kick in.
“Y’all niggas is buggin’. Fuck I look like stealing from the family? Y’all know me better than that.”
Byron’s words and nervous laughter made me turn the volume up on my phone.
“Weknewyou better than that,” a familiar voice corrected.
“Come on, Aura,” Byron reasoned. “You know these niggas be on some crab in a barrel type shit. Lie on the next man so they can take his position.”
I thought about his lack of accountability and realized it wasn’t just with me.
“See, the thing is, I’ve come across liars, thieves, and fiends in this game. You, my nigga, are all three.”
“Come on, Aura. Do…”
POW! POW!
I jumped at the shots and ended the call. I didn’t need confirmation that the bullets were for Byron. I was scared but not enough to cry. Fear paralyzed me as I tried to process what I had heard. I was a witness. Although my name wasn’t on the scene, my voice held the line. And my connection to the shooter made my stomach turn.
There was only one Aura.
The Aura who’d paid special attention to me. The Aura who’d seen my hidden scars and still decided that I was worth pursuing. He didn’t know it yet, but he released me from turmoil and at the same time had me bound by a secret that he didn’t know we shared. As my fear slowly turned into relief, tears ran down my cheeks, and my hands pressed together like they had done countless nights before. I’d been praying for God to intervene on my behalf when it came to my relationship.
I was raised to be strong, and as far as the outside world knew, I was. Outside of my home, I didn’t take no shit from anyone at any time. So how I ended up in a DV situation was beyond me. I suffered so much, both mentally and physically, being with Byron. While I hadn’t prayed for death in this manner, I couldn’t lie and say that my prayers didn’t end with him having fewer days on Earth. Suddenly, I was free. I didn’t need confirmation. Something in my spirit told me I was.
The phone never rang again that night or the nights after. Byron didn’t have family that I knew of, and no one ever came looking for him. He was just gone. And I accepted that.
My phone rang in my hand, pulling me back to the present. Seeing Thyri’s name, I answered, ready to seek advice that would help me get my mind right.
“Hey, boo,”I greeted in a dull voice.
“Should I hang up and call back?”she asked.
“No.”I let out a small laugh.
“You okay?”
I sighed.“Honestly, not really.”
“Answer your FaceTime.”
Pulling one of the pillows in front of me, I propped the phone up and accepted the video request. Thyri appeared on the screen, looking freshly fucked with her head wrapped in a silk scarf and her chest partially covered with a comforter.
“Ummm, what you doing?”I questioned teasingly.
“Laying in my bed, nosey. What’s wrong?”
“Why you ain’t got no shirt on?”
She snickered.“Cause this my house. I can’t be comfortable in my house?”
“Why you answering my question wit’ a question?”
“Why you keep asking me questions?”she fired back, twisting her neck.
