2. Khalif #3
My question made a soft giggle push from Tahli’s throat.
“I hate those questions. I’ll just tell you the important stuff like I work part-time at a bank.
I’m waiting on a full-time position to open up, and since I don’t work full-time, I live with my mother, but I’m not looking for a man to save me. ”
“That’s good to know,” I laughed. “It’s just you and your mom? No siblings?”
“In the house and from my mom, no. I have nine siblings on my father’s side.”
“Damn.”
“Yeah, I know right.”
After a short time in the closet, I decided on wheat colored Timberland’s. “Some people that come from big families want ones of their own. It also turns some people off from them. You want a big family?”
“If you’re asking me if I want a lot of kids, hell to the no.
For one, who in the hell will push all of them out?
Secondly, it’s just my personal opinion that having that many kids in one house, it will be almost impossible to give them all of the time and attention they need individually.
My father is the epitome of a dead beat.
I’m not too pressed to have kids but if I have them, I’ll be good with two. ”
My head bobbed as I checked my reflection out in the full-length mirror. “I agree. And as a man without a college degree and millions in the bank, I’m not trying to spend my entire life struggling, and kids are far from cheap.”
“Amen to that. What do you do?”
It was crazy how I always hit a slight pause when a woman asked me what my occupation was. When I say most of my people had a bad taste in their mouth regarding the police, I wasn’t exaggerating.
“I’m a police officer.”
“Oh, okay that’s cool,” Tahli didn’t miss a beat. “Even though I haven’t heard good things about dating officers of the law.”
“I’ve heard that before,” I grabbed my keys. “What horror stories have you heard?”
“Just that there are quite a few police officers that are abusive, and that there’s no point in calling the police on the police because they look out for one another.”
“Again, I won’t say that’s not true in some instances, but I can only speak for myself. I’ve never put my hands on a woman, and I never will. I don’t do verbal or physical abuse.”
“That’s good to know.”
“Will you be free for me to take you out anytime soon?”
“Um yeah, my schedule is pretty flexible. Just let me know the date and time.”
“I’m about to go to Social, that sports bar in The Hills. If you’re not doing anything you can come out, and I’ll pay for your drinks. I’m meeting Nook though, so I don’t know how you feel about that.”
Tahli sighed. “I’ve been around Nook and Sheniah so long that their arguments are something I choose to stay out of. I don’t get involved at all, but I do have to do a wig install and shoot the video before midnight, so I’ll take a rain check.”
“You do hair?”
“No. Well just my own. I kind of accidentally became a wig influencer. It’s pretty cool. I get checks from social media, free hair, and I get paid to post the wigs. It’s not a bad deal. It’s holding me over until I can get on full-time at the bank.”
“That’s what’s up. People go viral every day, but it’s still not easy to do.”
Tahli and I talked the entire way to the sports bar, and I really didn’t want to end the conversation.
We planned to meet up the next evening since I was off.
I was going to pick Sierra up from school and spend some time with her before dropping her off at her grandmother’s house.
I wasn’t sure what was up with Gina, and I didn’t care.
As long as my child was being taken care of by a responsible adult, I didn’t give a damn what Gina did.
Maybe she’d grow up one day and realize that she was someone’s mother.
When I walked into the bar, I saw Nook seated at a table in the corner.
He was already drinking a beer, and a shot of something sat in front of him.
I hoped he was cool. I never knew how his attitude could go when he was into it with Sheniah.
Or maybe they had made up. I had been busy with work and hadn’t spoken to him in detail.
“What up?” I slid into the booth.
Nook finished off his beer and let out a small burp. “Not shit. You working this weekend?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“I need my stuff from the house, and Sheniah won’t let me get it. I’m trying to avoid an argument. I don’t want to get into it with her. I just need my clothes, shoes, and the bed out of the guest bedroom. She can keep all the other furniture. I don’t expect you to get the bed though.”
My brows hiked. “You’re seriously moving out?” The night of the cookout, I thought Nook was just drunk and talking. It didn’t matter how much him and Sheniah argued. I still didn’t think he would really move out.
“Yeap. I can’t take it anymore, bro. I was hoping you could go by, and she’d give it to you without a bunch of drama.”
With a shake of my head, I scrubbed a hand down my face. “Is that really what you want to do?”
“Yeap.” His tone was short and matter of fact. I was sure he’d answered that question a million times. His mother loved Sheniah and so did his sister. Everyone was more than likely trying to talk him into staying.
“I don’t know,” I replied slowly. “I can go by when I get off work, but if she won’t give it to me, then I’m not going to argue about it either. You know I stay out of you and Sheniah’s shit.”
“This is one of the reasons I want to leave,” he started as the server came over to take my drink order.
After I ordered, Nook tossed back his shot and continued.
“She told me to get out if that was what I wanted to do. But when I try to get my stuff, she won’t give it to me.
Talking about I must have found another bitch.
I haven’t been anywhere near another woman. ”
“Is this what it’s like after you’ve been with someone for a long ass time?” I inquired. “You just wake up one morning and decide it’s not what you want anymore?”
Nook chuckled. “Like I told you the other night, it wasn’t overnight. I’m tired of arguing and yeah, I’m tired of being with one person. It might sound fucked up, but I’m not the only person that feels that way. That’s why so many people cheat. At least I’m leaving instead of being unfaithful.”
I didn’t respond. He had to do what worked for him.
I wasn’t going to try and talk him out of leaving, and I wasn’t going to encourage him to stay.
People gave their opinions and advice when I left Gina, and I didn’t want to hear any of it.
My mind was made up, so there wasn’t anyone that could say anything to change my mind.
I tried to stay for my daughter, and I couldn’t do it.
If Nook truly wasn’t happy anymore, no one could tell him what to do.
The server brought our drinks over. I wasn’t sure how many that made for Nook, but I was going to have three drinks and be done.
If I wanted to get fucked up, I did so in the comfort of my own home or I rode with a designated driver.
Driving drunk was dangerous. I wouldn’t do it even if I wasn’t a police officer, but I for sure wasn’t going to lose my job due to getting a DUI.
It was my opinion that anyone that got a DUI should be made to tag along on a few calls when we responded to accidents caused by drunk drivers.
Most times, the driver walked away without a scratch, and it was innocent victims that left the scene in body bags.
I watched Nook get shit faced, then he got mad when I wouldn’t let him drive home.
He was on the outs with Fred, so I asked Clint to come get his car from the bar since they were roommates.
He got an Uber there, and drove the car back.
Something told me Nook’s ass was about to be out in the streets acting like the bachelor from hell.