Chapter 11 Present Day
Present Day
“It sounds like you two were a handful,” Cornell said. “I’ve never gotten into a fight. I always felt that people who resorted to violence lacked problem-solving skills and didn’t have the proper vocabulary to talk things out.”
“Nigga, did you not hear me say we were co-valedictorians for middle school and high school?” Lynx reminded him.
“Yes, but—” Cornell began.
“But nothing, nigga. If you were paying attention, we were defending ourselves. Only a fool would stand there and get their asses kicked.”
Cornell removed his arm from Fateema’s shoulders and lifted his hands in surrender. “My bad, man. No need to get so riled up.”
Lynx wanted to check Cornell again but let him slide… for now.
“Violent nerds… you don’t hear that every day. That’s probably why nobody wanted to date you,” Shyla surmised with a look of satisfaction.
“Where in those stories did you hear nobody wanted to date us? You and Cornell are clearly listening with the same clogged ears,” Fateema said.
“I’m just saying, you both went through all of middle and high school with barely any friends and without a single love interest. That’s weird,” Shyla continued.
“We may have been weird then, but you’re weird now for flying halfway across the country uninvited.”
“Oop!” slipped from Octavia’s mouth while the others, including Cornell and Ryan, held in their laughter.
Shyla didn’t have a rebuttal, and thankfully, someone changed the subject. The tension lessened once the focus wasn’t on Fateema and Lynx, and the conversation flowed smoothly as they discussed work and world issues.
“Did I tell y’all I damn near had to quit my job to get them to approve my days off for Jamaica?” Joaquin asked.
“You don’t have vacation days?” Meaghan asked.
“I do, but because it’s Memorial Day weekend, they tried to deny me.”
“Wait, who’s going to Jamaica?” Shyla asked.
“Obviously, not you since you don’t know anything about it,” Fateema said.
“Lynx, you’re going to Jamaica and didn’t tell me?”
“Shyla, this trip was planned and paid for months before I met you.”
“I guess that’s your excuse too,” Cornell said to Fateema.
“It’s not an excuse. It’s the truth,” she responded.
“What’s the occasion?” he asked no one in particular.
“Me and Bunny’s thirtieth birthday,” Lynx replied.
“Nice,” Cornell said, his voice filled with tension. “When is your birthday?”
“May thirtieth,” Lynx and Fateema said simultaneously.
“Your birthdays are on the same day?” Shyla questioned.
“Yes, and we’ve celebrated all but a few of them together since we met,” Fateema replied. “It’s our golden birthday, too, so it’s about to be epic.”
“It sounds like it. Is there room for one more?” Cornell inquired.
“Make that two because I’m definitely not missing this,” Shyla interjected.
“Nah, we rented a villa, and the regulations are pretty strict regarding extra people,” Lynx offered.
“I’m sure there’s a workaround. I’ll share a room with Fateema and—”
“Nah, that won’t work. We’ll keep you in mind for the next trip… if you’re still in the picture,” Lynx said.
“You said that like you don’t think I will be,” Cornell said.
“I don’t.”
Cornell leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs and clasping his hands together. “Why is that?”
The tension was thick, and nobody said a word as they waited for Lynx’s response.
“You’re not her type.”
“Lynx!”
“Am I lying, Bunny?” He paused briefly but continued talking before she could respond, not that she planned to. “I’m a lot of things, but I’m not a liar.”
“I realize you’re best friends, but that doesn’t mean you know what kind of man she wants.”
“Oh, but Cornell, they aren’t just best friends,” Shyla stated sarcastically. “They’re soulmates… Isn’t that right, Lynx?”
“That’s right, and I know her, inside and out. Can you say the same?”
Cornell’s head fell slightly to the right, and he squinted his eyes. Memories of Lynx’s hands wrapped around Fateema’s waist at the repast the day before, their bodies barely an inch apart, and the subtle comments and awkward glances he’d ignored earlier came to mind.
He slowly stood and asked Fateema in a low voice, “Can I talk to you in the other room for a minute?”
Even though her friends knew the dynamics of Fateema and Lynx’s relationship, she was embarrassed about how things had just unfolded. She stood and led Cornell into the hallway near the front door.
“Are you fucking him?” Cornell shouted.
He was so loud that everyone in the family room could hear him.
“Cornell—”
“You had me smiling in that nigga’s face, and you’ve been fucking him the whole time?”
“No, it’s not like that. Calm down and let me—”
“Don’t tell me to calm down, Fateema. Answer the question.”
“It’s not that—ahhh!” She screamed when his fist whipped past her head and connected with the wall.
She was startled by his act of aggression, and her hands instinctively went up to cover her face as she screamed. Before she could react any further, Lynx had Cornell by his throat pressed against the opposite wall.
“You should already know I don’t play about that one,” Lynx said, relatively calmly considering the situation.
“Fuck you!” Cornell spat.
Cornell’s tough guy attitude pissed Lynx off, so he punched Cornell in the stomach, causing him to bend over in pain. “Get your shit and go. When you walk out that door, don’t even think about contacting her again.”
Lynx shoved him against the wall before releasing him. Cornell had to walk through everyone to get his phone and keys from the family room. Nobody spoke until the door closed behind him.
“You good?” Lynx asked Fateema, grabbing her wrist as she tried to walk past him.
She snatched away from him. “I’m fine. Meaghan, can you give me a ride home?”
“Hold up, Bunny. Why are you leaving?” Lynx questioned before Meaghan could answer.
“Because I’m sick of this.”
“Sick of what?”
“This!” She pointed back and forth between them.
“You and me and this… situationship. I haven’t had a real relationship in all of my adult life because I’ve been foolishly holding on to the idea of being with you.
I’m not waiting for you anymore, Lynx. I deserve to be with someone who will love me out loud, completely, and fully, not just when it’s convenient. ”
“That’s what you think?”
“It’s what I know, and if you think about it and be honest with yourself, you know it too. I’m tired of it, and I want something real. If you can’t give me something real, leave me alone.”
“You don’t think I love you?”
“I know you love me, but you’re not in love with me. A man in love would never be okay with her being with another man. Meaghan, please take me home.”
“I’m ready whenever you are,” her friend responded.
Fateema pushed past Lynx and the others to grab her things from the family room. Shyla remained seated in the same spot she’d been all afternoon. Their eyes connected, and Fateema wanted to smack the smug look off her face but decided not to resort to violence.
“Lynx is all yours. I don’t want him anymore,” she told Shyla.
“Sounds to me like you never had him, but thanks.”
“Your mouth been slick all afternoon and it’s taken Jesus, Mary, and all the disciples to keep me off your ass. If you say one more word to me, even they won’t be able to stop me from beating your ass.”
Fateema waited for Shyla to open her mouth, but Shyla was smarter than she’d given her credit for, and didn’t say another word. In fact, Fateema suspected Shyla had stopped breathing. No more words were exchanged between them, and Fateema continued out of the room.
“Bunny—”
“No, Lynx. Let me leave, and give me time to process the ending of something that never was. Meaghan, I’m ready.”
Fateema didn’t wait for Meaghan, and as soon as the door closed behind her, Octavia and Meaghan gave Lynx an earful.
“We’ve been rooting for y’all to get your shit together for years.
No matter who she was dating, we were always Team Lynx.
Seeing her like this makes me feel like we did our friend a disservice by encouraging her not to give up on you.
She’s fed up, and I don’t blame her. She should’ve done this years ago, and maybe by now, her heart would be open to love someone else,” Octavia ranted.
“You were worried about ruining your friendship, and that’s exactly what happened. It’s obvious to anyone who’s ever been in the same room with you two that you're more than friends. What is stopping you from being together?” Meaghan asked.
“I don’t know—” Lynx began.
“Cut the bullshit, Lynx. You know and just don’t want to admit to us or yourself,” Meaghan interrupted. “If you loved her like you say you do, you’d figure out a way to make it work.”
“I’m gonna go with Meaghan to take Fateema home and make sure she’s okay. Maybe your friends can talk some sense into you,” Octavia told Lynx before giving her attention to Ryan. “I’ll have Meaghan drop me off at your place later.”
Ryan nodded, and they exchanged a kiss before she followed Meaghan outside. Once the ladies were gone, Shyla appeared in the hallway. She leaned against the frame of the family room's entrance and folded her arms across her chest.
“That was interesting,” she said, her voice filled with sarcasm and satisfaction.
“Shyla, go upstairs, get your shit, and get the fuck out.”
“Lynx, I—”
“I won’t repeat myself.”