Chapter 2
Greene Harris
Iclosed my eyes, combing through my tangled hair as I moved through my living room.
I couldn’t believe I had allowed my sister to guilt me into going into town with her.
I say guilt because had she come out and asked, I would have told her flat out no.
But instead she went on and on about how her insta-boyfriend had dumped her and she needed some air before I finally agreed to have a drink with her at Guuds.
I should have stuck to my normal plans, which included catching up on my shows and finally getting some rest since I had no procedures or anything planned for the next two days, plus my son was spending the weekend with my father.
As a matter of fact, none of my regulars hadn’t even called, so that meant I would have gotten to lay around and look a complete mess for the next several days.
But no, I fouled that up. I had to play Captain Cheer-A-Hopeless-Romantic-Up.
Unlike me, Raev fell in love at the drop of a dime.
She saw love in any and everything, making it completely impossible to see the shit on the horizon.
That was just Raev, and though I hated it, she was my sister.
I’d always be there to pick her up because at the end of the day she’d do the same for me.
We were three years apart and she was my best friend, had been that way since we were kids.
Once I had my hair detangled and in two plaits on the sides of my head, I moved into my bedroom to grab the fitted white tee I’d decided on.
I had no interest in catching anything tonight, but I knew Raev did.
I was literally just there to drive, give good conversation, and watch the scene.
When it came to moments like this, I knew my space with my little sister.
The ringing of my phone had me squeezing the tip of my headphone to answer. “Hello,” I said, pulling my shirt onto my body.
“Hey, Greene. It’s me, Versai.”
“Hey girl, what’s up?” I greeted one of my best customers. She and Duhani had foals every year. In turn, my services were always needed over there at Guuds. I was cool with that because she was cool as hell and a cousin to one of my good friends, E. They were good people.
“Nothing much. Feeling like I’m about to pop at the same time as some of these mares.”
I laughed. “Considering you’re overdue, that is possible. How are you feeling?”
“Like a cow.”
I laughed. “Don’t say that.”
“I do. I’m at that point where I’m not comfortable and I don’t enjoy anything. But I swear I didn’t call you to complain. I’m calling because I think Lydia is close. Not within the next day or so, but before Christmas.”
“Good. Since this isn’t her first, we won’t be waiting too long. I’m honestly not worried about any of them, except that Bridget. It’s her first and she was already a fiery one at two hundred days.”
Versai laughed. “I told you she has that pick me energy. She lets Hani and Asher touch her just fine, but the moment I even look like I’m about to touch her, she acts a complete ass.”
I joined in on the laughter. “Yeah, that sounds like her. I’ll have one of the nurses come with me and make sure it’s a male.”
“Good idea.”
“I’ll come by Monday. Call me if you need me earlier, okay?”
“Will do. See you soon, Doc.”
We hung up at the same time somebody knocked on my door. I knew who it was, because within seconds whoever it was jiggled the knob. Only one person in my life had that much audacity. Raev.
“Stop being an old cow and open the door, G.”
I rolled my eyes toward the ceiling, then stomped to the door.
When I had it open, Raev sent a mug in my direction before a smile filled her features.
She looked so much like our father while I was told I favored our late mother.
She died several years ago after a three-year fight with cancer.
She put up a good fight, but in the end she lost, and that haunted me every day.
As the oldest, she made me promise to care for my father and sister, something I had been doing ever since.
“You know you’re really beautiful when you smile. Too bad you like walking around looking as mean as a rattlesnake.”
I cackled. “So you say. This is my natural face, darling. Now let me lay down the law for you right quick. I will not be out until the wee hours of the morning. As a matter of fact, I’m only staying for two and a half hours. If you ask me, that’s reasonable. I am also not goin—”
“Shut up. Everything doesn’t need to be timed. Let your hair down, grab your jacket, and let’s go. I’m driving.”
“Uh no you’re no—”
“Yes, I am.”
When I looked outside, she was already rounding her car to the driver’s side. Now I knew for damn sure I’d be stuck with her if I allowed her to drive. Shit.
After grabbing my phone off the charger and purse from the table near the door, I cut the lights out and left.
As soon as I got to the car, Raev was blasting “Where You At” by Jennifer Hudson and singing off beat.
Oh, my baby sister was hurt and I hated that, but I told her a traveling serial gambler who played guitar in bars for tips wasn’t a good idea.
Ol’ boy screamed “I just need a place to stay for a few weeks, then I’ll be back on the road”.
That’s exactly what happened too. Dot, as she called him, used her for all he could, then took the first bus out of the city.
They tried to keep in contact, but because he couldn’t keep his phone on, they Instagram DMed until she finally realized it wasn’t going anywhere.
Her finally realizing it wasn’t going anywhere was him telling her that he loved her but he was a floater and would never come back here and be with just her.
She cried for days afterwards, then watched Pretty Woman over and over before we got to this stage.
It was time to catch more fish, as I called it.
I may have hated her hopeless romantic attributes, but I deeply respected them.
At least she was willing to take chances on love after so many disappointments.
Me on the other hand, I was closed off to love, avoiding it like the plague.
That sort of thing happened when you fell in love, made a baby, and found out that the man you intended to spend the rest of your life with had already promised the rest of his life to another.
My son’s father was not in his life because not only was he a sad excuse of a man, but he also preyed on na?ve young women while going home to his wife and family portraying an upstanding man.
He was none of the sort and it took falling victim to him to find out.
Instead of coming home when I found out I was pregnant, I pushed through, carrying the brunt of my decisions on my own until I graduated with a three year old and returned to Millers Pointe.
I did my D.V.M at the hospital before taking care of all my licensing and everything, all while caring for my son with no input or a single cent from his father.
That was fine though because my family stepped up.
My father acted as the male figure in Ethan’s life and my sister helped in ways I couldn’t imagine.
For a while it was hard, but then it became normal and life just went on.
“Can I ask something and you won’t get mad at me?” Raev’s voice crept into my eardrum.
It was then I realized the music was no more and she was looking right at me. “Yeah, shoot.”
“How do you do it? Just shut off love.”
I looked at her, eyes traveling her curious expression. Then I shrugged. “Honestly, I didn’t just shut it off. I just don’t know how to give chances anymore. Between the thoughts of being deceived and the fear of abandonment, I’m not sure I even know how to love again if you want the truth.”
She nodded. “But you do, because even after everything you’ve carried over the years, you love Ethan, despite who fathered him.”
“Well, that’s different. Ethan is of me; that’s my baby. My love for him is unconditional. I guess what I’m trying to say is I don’t think I have that kind of love in me for anybody that I don’t share blood with.”
“Well, I think you do. Problem is, you don’t give chances and I give too many chances. Lord, please help my sister and I find a happy medium.”
“Whoa, whoa. I don’t need to find a happy medium. I’m perfectly fine.” I waved my hands, laughing at her adding me to her equation.
“Um no…no you’re not. You need some. Like I’m not saying you need to fall in love and all that, but you need a little something. Sister, you spend all your free time from work with Ethan on your sofa. Shoot, I bet if you look at the couch your body indent is there.”
I waved her off. “There is nothing wrong with me finding comfort.”
“Nah you’re right, it isn’t, but it is when you find it in the corner of a sofa and not awaiting arms.”
“Have you ever thought that maybe those awaiting arms are the problem?” I asked while taking my braids down. I was going for the fresh braid-out look because I knew my hair was already damp and semi-wavy.
She pulled into the parking lot of Guuds before responding.
“All the time, but then I realized you don’t get what Mama and Daddy had by not taking chances.
I want that someday, even if I have to kiss a few frogs along the way.
” When she finished the last of her statement, she looked over at me.
“And I want that for you, even if you don’t know you want it for yourself, big sister. ”
Once parked, she opened the door and got out of the car headed toward my side since I was technically closest to the entrance of the well-known hangout.
As always, when I got out of the car I looked up at the structure, taking it in as if one day Duhani would change the cheesy stripper lights.
Of course he wouldn’t, they were a staple.
They screamed titty bar but there was absolutely no titty.