Page 25 of Beacon Grove Chronicles 1: Hassan & Sylvia

I kept my mouth shut because there was no defense. I’d fallen out of love with Dave a long time ago but I was of the mindset that if it ain’t terrible you don’t leave. Not because of any family trauma since they all hated him anyway. I wanted to be successful at this relationship thing but should’ve been more wary of the prize I was supposedly getting. Dave had been more of bill than a partner leaving me to handle much of the responsibilities in our house. He knew I had inheritances from my grandparents and had no issue with me using those proceeds to fund our lifestyle. I didn’t see much wrong with it until things just never added up. He got bold when he switched up his direct deposit so it didn’t even hit our account anymore. That was what had me on alert that he was doing something wrong. Bringing me home clamydia was the catalyst for me to figure out what he’d been doing. The video that had been dropped in my lap was the final confirmation that I needed to get out. I was furious for the way he’d been manipulating me for years and I should’ve beat his ass instead of hers.

You got your licks in and your lick back, though.

“You know why you’re all upset, right?” Bug was always a know it all so I was sure she’d give me her opinion whether I wanted it or not. I didn’t take offense to anything she was going to say because her advice was normally good.

“Enlighten me.”

“Because you don’t want to like him and you do.” I was annoyed that she’d circled back around to Hassan when I wasn’t interested in hearing the truth.

“Of course I don’t want to like him, Bug. He hit it and quit it. I’m supposed to be thrilled with that type of treatment?” I kept my voice down as I walked into my bedroom to put my clothes up. My kids were in the kitchen but I still didn’t want them to potentially overhear what I was saying.

“Oh, he explained that and you conveniently left out that he’d left a way for you to contact him but you decided not to. I’m sure your ass was overthinking it and making that man all kinds of trifling in your head.”

I rolled my eyes as I flopped down on the settee at the end of the bed. She was right but I was pissed that she was going to bat for Hassan the way she was. I tucked my legs beneath me happy that I’d already changed in my pajamas for the night.

“I woke up alone!”

“And he said something came up with work! He kept that suite for you the whole weekend so you could relax. Paid for it and all.”

I sucked my teeth because I know she wasn’t trying to make a free hotel room the extent of what I should expect from a man. “Girl, his last name is Beacon. You think that he didn’t get that shit comped?”

Bug was silent for a moment because I knew she didn’t want to admit that she was wrong. “Well you didn’t have to come out of pocket so that’s truly all I was concerned with.”

I laughed because Bug was all about having a nigga foot the bill. “Of course that’s all you care about.”

“Ho, don’t be angry with me because you’re scared.”

“Scared of what?”

“Of that man not being a piece of shit and actually wanting to do right by you. You might have been mad about that shit with Dave but you were also hurt by it. And the only advice I can give you is to not let a new man pay for what the last one did. Especially if he’s trying to do right.”

“Hotel room. Fucked and ducked.” I ticked off the events so that she could remember I wasn’t being irrational.

“Girl, you didn’t call that man! You were too scared to do it and I’m sure if he would’ve reached out then you would’ve blocked him. You act like I don’t know you, Si.”

I sucked my teeth annoyed at her accuracy. “Shut up.”

Bug didn’t bother getting annoyed she just laughed at me. “See you know I’m right. But ain’t nobody trying to fuck with you, killa. I know how you are when you get amped. I still get a laugh at you beating that bitch’s ass at BGE. If I wasn’t worried about embarrassing the kids I would’ve put that shit on World Star.”

“Get off my damn phone, Bug.”

“Don’t get pissy with me because I’m right. But not only are you not mad at that man you’re worried that you’re going to let him take you down again.”

“Ugh, how is your lil bitty ass always talking like a nigga?”

“Height doesn’t determine how much thug you got. You beat bitches and I keep my nine so I never have to. You can take the girl out the Grove but you can’t take the Grove out the girl.”

Bug was barely 5’3 but she had the mouth and attitude of a starting center in the NBA.

“True.”

“I get he made you mad or whatever, but how he look?”

My thighs clenched together again and I was pissed that Hassan had somehow gotten finer in the last two years. I wasn’t sure if it was because he’d always been that fine or if it was because I’d decided to make him the villain. In doing so I’d imagined that the chemistry we’d clearly had must have been in my head. But the way he so easily gathered me together at the bar had me with damp panties and a fury that could rival a bomb. It felt too arrogant for him to come strolling back and just assume I was going to be sitting around waiting for him. So what if I was? It rubbed me the wrong way. The same way that Dave thinking my being single was because I still wanted him. I swore the men in my life wouldn’t give me a fucking break.

He ain’t in your life though. Or is he?

“He looked the same.”