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I leaned back against the couch and continued to tell my story.

“After that, I ain’t see her again until that day at the grocery store. All of them years went by, and then there she was, standing right in front of me.”

Maliah rubbed her thumb across my hand.

“Did seeing her make you miss her?”

I thought about her question before answering.

“Nah. Not really. I think it made me miss having a mama, though. If that makes sense.”

“It does,” she quickly responded.

“I ain’t never had that relationship with her. Even before she did that shit, she wasn’t the type of mama I could go to about anything. Shit, Ghost mama was more motherly than mine. When I needed anything, I went to my pops. And now he gone too.”

Maliah moved closer until her shoulder was pressed against mine.

“I wish I could’ve met him,” she confessed.

I looked at her and smiled a little.

“He would’ve liked your ass.”

“You think so?” she asked.

“Hell yeah. Probably would’ve liked you more than me.”

She laughed softly. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and pulled her against me. For a while, we sat there without saying anything. I was grateful she wasn’t trying to fill the silence with questions. She always had a way of knowing when I needed her to talk and when I just needed her to be there.

“You know what bothered me about seeing her?” I finally asked.

“What?”

“I felt sorry for her.”

Maliah lifted her head.

“Why would that bother you?”

“Because after everything she did, why the fuck should I care what happens to her?”

I looked at her. “But I felt bad leaving her there.”

“That’s because you have a heart, Tahari. You can feel sorry for somebody without wanting them back in your life.”

“I know, but I keep thinking maybe I should’ve done something.”

“Like what?”

“Shit, I don’t know. Gave her some money myself. Asked if she needed somewhere to stay. Something.”

Maliah shook her head.

“Baby, I gave her money because I saw somebody who looked like they needed help. I didn’t know who she was when I walked up to her. You knew exactly who she was and what she had done to you. Those are two completely different situations.”

I looked at her.

“You don’t think I was wrong for leaving?”