“I love you too.”
We ended the call, and I gathered my things to meet Nash and Rashawn in the gym. They walked me to my truck, and we exchanged hugs before going our separate ways. I drove home on cloud nine and didn’t come down until I went to sleep. Personally and professionally, my future looked incredibly bright.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Rashawn Kentrel Williams
We were slowly approaching the seventy-two hours mark since I last saw Elise on Monday. And she only gave me that bullshit hug before we went our separate ways at the school since Nash was there. I tried to go see her after chilling at Essex’s house for a little while, but she was already asleep before I made it there. Practice had my baby tired that night. Then I had a night class on Tuesdays and didn’t get out of there until ten when she was already asleep again.
Thursdays were my easy day; I only had one 45-minute class, and I rushed out of there as soon as the professor dismissed us. I was headed straight to Elise’s house. We did enough FaceTiming and texting. I needed to see her face in person, feel the brush of her lips against mine. A nigga was having withdrawals like a motha fucka. I knew what it was like to be a feign now, and I was thankful that this would be our last week keeping shit on the low.
For the most part, I was ready. But thinking back to the last conversation I had with Essex proved to me that I had come a long way, though I still had work to do.
“So what are we going to do about Myron?” I questioned.
We were sitting next to his pool, smoking a blunt while Nariyah finished cooking dinner. The dark sky and the stars twinkled between us. My phone vibrated, and I lifted it to read the message while Essex puffed on the blunt.
Shay: Handsome. I’m exhausted. I’m calling it a night early. I love you.
Me: Damn, so you sending me back to my own crib?
Shay: You’ll be fine.
Me: I love you, beautiful. I’m so proud of you. Good night.
Shay: Good night.
I looked up as Essex passed the blunt back to me. He still hadn’t provided an answer, so I tossed out suggestions. “I ain’t too far removed. I can make that move real quick. Reading those messages had me HOT!”
“Nah,” Essex shook his head from side to side. All calm and relaxed about the situation. “In this next phase of your life, you have to start learning how to problem solve without killing motha fuckas. Our lawyer filed an injunction for protection against Myron, and he was served today. I still talk to his brother Mitchell, and they still get Nash from time to time. I sent that shit to him, and he gave us Myron’s address to make it easy to serve him. We had an in depth conversation with Nash, and he’s starting therapy next week.”
“Damn, you really maturing. What do I have to do to speed my process up?” I laughed.
“Shit, you see that?” he pointed through the sliding glass door where Nariyah stood with Nova on her hip, with Nashin front of them, tickling his sister. Nova was throwing her head back, exposing that gummy-nubby smile. “I’ll never do anything that could trick me off these streets and take me away from my family. After running up in Myron’s gathering that time, I promised to keep my crazy in check for them.”
Nariyah pulled the sliding glass door open. “Y’all ready to eat?”
“We coming, beautiful.” He smiled at her.
The love festering between their gaze was almost blinding. I left their house that night and prayed that I could experience that feeling so openly with Elise. Hence, why I was headed to Elise’s house. I wanted to make her day special, show her that she had been on my mind since we parted ways Monday evening.
On the drive to Elise’s house, I stopped by my crib to grab the Amazon boxes off my porch, then shot over to Elise’s favorite hibachi spot to grab the food I ordered. When I pulled up to Elise’s townhouse, I drove to the visitor’s parking lot to help conceal my presence until she entered the house. My phone notified me that the DoorDash driver delivered the flowers, and I smiled because everything was going smoothly.
When I got inside of Elise’s townhouse, I checked her location on the map. I still had twenty minutes before she got home from work. Half of the high school students went on some type of field trip, and all of the girls on the wrestling team were on the trip, allowing Elise to come straight home after work. By the time Elise’s security system annoyingly announced that the front door was opening, the setup was complete. I collected the bouquet of flowers and rushed through the back door. I met Elise in the living room, and a smile quickly spread across her face.
“What are you doing here?” Elise bubbled, accepting the bouquet of sunflowers while I took the bag from her grasp to lighten her load.
“I couldn’t wait another second to see you. I missed you. I was having withdrawals,” I admitted, leaning down to peck her lips.
Elise wore a black smock dress with ruffles on the shoulders that swung down to her calves. She paired it with her mauve Keds and matching earrings. Her braids were pulled back in a low ponytail, and a faint peach scent lingered on her skin when I leaned in.
“What are you wearing today? That’s not the perfume you usually wear.” I wondered on my trek over to the couch to sit her bag down.
“I wanted to try something new today,” she chirped, following behind me.
“Trying something new when you didn’t even have plans to see me today. Don’t get no body fucked up.”
“Hush, Rashawn,” she giggled, plopping down on the couch to remove her shoes.
