Page 41 of And It’s Still You

“Only if you want me to.” He placed me on my feet, kissed me, and headed to the bathroom.

When I heard him turn on the water, I stripped out of everything and went into the bathroom to find him sprinkling rose petals in the water. “Now where did you conjure those up from?”

“Come look at them, and you tell me.”

“Are those from our wedding night?”

“Sure are.”

“I didn’t think you’d keep them.”

“I kept everything you didn’t want, Moya. I wasn’t ’bout to throw away sentimental shit.”

“So you kept it all?”

He motioned his head toward the closet in his bathroom. “Go look for yourself.”

In all my naked glory, I went to look. My throat tightened upon seeing everything I wanted to throw away. I remembered being so mad, so bitter during our divorce that I didn’t want to keep anything. I told the movers they could pack it up and throw it away, not knowing Shea had kept everything, including my wedding dress.

Shea walked up behind me and snaked his arms around my waist, relaxing his chin on my shoulder. My hand went to the side of his face.

“I’m sorry for trying to get rid of all this,” I apologized. “Thank you for keeping it. Seeing it all reminds me of how much it meant to me, of how much you mean to me. I do have a question, though.”

“Why’d I keep it?”

“Yes.”

“Because it would’ve been like losing every part of us, part of the life we created. I wasn’t ready to part with it yet, and apparently, I’m still not.”

“I regret how I handled things, Shea. I was so bitter and mean to you when you didn’t even deserve it.” I turned around to face him, peering into those eyes that made me weak in the knees. “I’ll apologize over and over again.”

“It’s no need when I forgave you a long time ago, Moya. Did that shit hurt? Like a muthafucka, but I didn’t let it keep me down. You know why?”

“Why?”

“I knew that wasn’t you. I knew that was the pain talking, the pain that I’d caused. Of course, you were going to direct it at me. I took it to the chin, but I also didn’t let you get too disrespectful.”

“Oh, you’d never let me do that. You’re the only man outside of Cress Townsend that can put me in my place and make me be quiet.”

“We know and love you. You’re a damn firecracker, but you’re a sensitive one.”

“I’m a thug. I’m not sensitive.”

“Bullshit.”

Shea and I shared a laugh. As I was about to lean my forehead on his, my eyes ballooned, and I looked behind him. I didn’t even have to say anything. He ran over and turned the water off before it spilled over. Once he let some of the water out, he helped me step inside before peeling his clothes off and joining me.

“Mmm.” I moaned when he massaged my feet. “That feels so good, Shea.”

“I bet. When’s the last time you got a pedicure?”

I kicked some water at him. “Don’t play with me. You know you love my feet. You weren’t complaining about them the other night.”

“Who said I was complaining? I do love them, which is why I couldn’t keep them out my mouth. You’ve always had some pretty feet.”

“I know. I should’ve started selling feet pics instead of going to work.”

“And I would’ve been yo’ number one customer.”