“Hi?” Benny repeats, voice pitched with disbelief. “Almost a month since I’ve seen you and all I get is ‘hi’?”
Za pushes herself out of the booth immediately. “I’ll let you talk.”
“No,” I say quickly, reaching out. “Stay. Please. This won’t be long.”
Just her presence in this moment made me feel safer. Za hesitates but reclaims her seat, back straight, ready to intervene if necessary.
Benny glances between us, confused, hurt, and annoyed.
“Benny,” I began. “You know I care about you and you know I think you’re great.”
If Jabari heard me he’d gag.
“Francine. What’s going on?” Benny cuts to it.
Fine. Like ripping a bandage.
“I don’t want to see you anymore. Not in that way at least.”
The quiet felt like spiritual pressure.
“Is that why you’ve been avoiding me?”
I nod.
“Let me guess,” he continues. “You found someone else to latch onto?”
“Benny,” I say slowly, “I’m not ending it because of anyone else. I'm ending it because I didn’t want to keep seeing you.”
“So it’s me,” he says, like he’s relieved to have something to be angry at. “It’s my fault.”
“I’m not blaming you,” I say. “I’m ending something that doesn’t work.”
“That didn’t work for who?” he demands. “Because it worked fine for me.”
Za cuts in dryly, “Clearly.”
He shoots her a look. “I’m talking to her.”
“Then lower your tone,” Za says, unblinking.
He turns back to me. “What changed, Frankie? You got bored? You found someone else innit? More money? My time and energy ain’t enough for you anymore?”
I blink once. “You’re projecting your insecurities onto me.”
“And you’re fucking disrespectful,” he fires back. “At least be honest. Be a fucking grown woman and say how you feel. Say what changed.”
Oh!
Oh I was not expecting this outburst at all. Benny is usually the calm one. The level headed one. So to see him cussing and yelling out me had my jaw tightening.
“You’re acting like mi owe you something,” I say. “I don’t. I never promised you exclusivity. You knew what time it was when it came to us and guess what? Time up! I’m trying to respect you as a man but don’t disrespect me either. It done.”
His mouth twists.
“So that’s it? You’re just… done?”
“Yes.”
