Chapter 6 #2
“I said, who is it? And where is my damn car?” Tyree lurched forward, reaching for her. His actions gave Troy from Waiting to Exhale. She was so agitated.
He was too unsteady to catch her, but he tried again, inching closer, his breath thick with liquor and bad decisions. She pulled out her key chain with herpepper spray and taser from her bag. And held it up between them.
“And I said leave.”
Tyree straightened up, finally getting the picture.
“Fine. Just know I did try.”
He hadn’t tried a damn thing but to bring her down with him. Taylor wasn’t playing and he needed to go. She wasn’t in the mood for anything he had to say. She watched him back away until he reached the car waiting across the street. She’d been too preoccupied to notice the out of place vehicle.
She fumbled with the keypad but made it inside. She sighed dropping her purse and keys at the door before sliding the chain lock into place. For a moment, she stood there with her hand lingering on the new deadbolt Brooks had installed.
He’d never hit her, but she hadn’t witnessed him this far gone before. They’d never even talked about divorce or separation. This was new territory for them both and each handling it in different ways. Tyree was reckless, messy, a storm with no direction. She wasn’t going to be swept up with him.
Taylor slipped off her shoes, padding into the kitchen in her house slippers. The wine bottle clinked against her glass as she poured, her hands still shaking slightly. Back in the living room, she peeked through the curtains. The street was empty now, but her heart wouldn’t stop racing.
Sinking into the couch, she turned on the TV and let the tears fall.
This wasn’t how her life was supposed to go.
Some days, the separation felt like failure.
Other days, like freedom. She was finally done fighting for what was already lost. And if she was real with herself, without it, her stolen moments with Brooks wouldn’t exist.
She’d never been this scatterbrained before. She’d never felt this kind of combustion. Not from words. Not from presence alone.
Thinking about him, she smiled. The man was flawless. She knew his stroke was too. His walk told a story all on its own.
She took another sip of wine, forcing her body to calm down. Brooks Bishop was dangerous. Not in the way Tyree had been. Brooks was dangerous because he knew his effect. He didn’t just take what he wanted, didn’t need to. He made you want to give it to him.
She exhaled, trying not to think about how his scent had wrapped around her, how his presence bulldozed over her better judgment. But the moment she felt herself sinking too deep, her phone rang, making her jump.
“Ugh,” Taylor groaned and paused the TV. It was her mother again. She sighed and answered, knowing it was best to just get it over with. She couldn’t keep ignoring and dodging her. That would make her show up and that was not going to work for Taylor.
“Hey Momma.”
“Taylor Marie, I’ve been calling you for days,” her mother’s voice came through the speaker. Taylor sighed because she wasn’t in the mood and didn’t plan on being in the mood anytime soon.
However she loved her mother and knew she was concerned, she was a mother, that’s how it was supposed to be.
“I know, Momma.” She tried to keep her voice steady. “Just been busy. Sorry.”
“Too busy for your own mother?
God ain’t pleased with that.”
“Ma, please.”
“Okay, okay. Sister Patterson was asking about you at the prayer meeting. I didn’t even know what to tell the ladies at church, you just up and neglected your responsibilities. ”
“Momma, can we talk tomorrow? And before you ask, nothings wrong. You caught me as I was about to head to bed. Long day at work with me training.” She couldn’t handle her momma fishing for answers right now.
“Tomorrow?”
“Yes, momma tomorrow. I may even come by.”
“I’m going to hold you to that. Bye sweetie, I love you. Oh, and don’t work too hard ok.”
“Yes ma’am and I love you too momma.”
After ending the call, she unmuted the TV and went back to her thoughts of Brooks. She was curious as to what was up with him and why he was suddenly interested and sharing his feelings. And what did it all mean?
The more she thought about him the more her thumb hovered over his number. She exhaled, shaking off the nerves, then typed out a message before she could talk herself out of it.
Taylor: You still up?
Brooks: Yeah, you done running from me?
Taylor: Brooks, please relax.
Brooks: My bad, you right. What’s up Tay Marie?
Taylor paused. “Tay Marie,” she whispered.
The nickname caught her off guard. It felt personal; she didn’t even know he knew her middle name.
She sank further into the couch, realizing that for all the chaos in her life, this felt oddly familiar like high school flirting.
And she wasn’t going to address it. It didn’t need to be.
Taylor: I need a favor. Can you help me install security cameras? Like a Ring or something.
She wanted to say more.
Wanted to tell him that Tyree had been there. That he’d waited in the dark, drunk and bitter, slurring about what he still thought he had a claim to. That for a split second, she’d felt, fear. But she didn’t. Because she knew Brooks wouldn’t take that well.
If he knew Tyree had shown up, lurking, hiding in corners he didn’t belong Brooks would feel the need to handle it. And as much as she wanted to pay him back, teach him a lesson, and she wasn’t sure she could carry the weight of what that might mean.
She inhaled deeply, forcing her fingers to stay still, to not type anything else.
Then three dots appeared and disappeared before his response.
Brooks: Damn girl another favor. I thought you didn’t want my help, nah my services.
Taylor: Did I say that?
Brooks: You didn’t have to. You ran up outta here, that said enough.
Taylor: Brooks, I really need it up.
Brooks: What you not telling me? That nigga been over there bothering you?
Taylor: Brooks!
Brooks: On one condition.
Taylor: Which is?
His call came without warning, but right on time—his face filling her screen, eyes warm and knowing she needed him. He had a habit of skipping the small talk just to see her face. It threw her every time.
“Let me take you out. Show you a good time. Just friends.”
She pulled her knees into her chest and glared at him. His smile was unwavering, and she smiled back.
“I knew it. So this is about payback? ”
His laugh was low. “Nah. because... I think you need it. All I hear is how tired you are. How you need different. Let me take you out.”
“One date?” She asked.
He nodded. “That’s all I need.”
She hesitated, then smiled. “Okay.”
“Saturday. Five o’clock. I’m picking you up and I’ll be a perfect gentleman.”
Taylor looked down at her phone. She didn’t know what she was doing. But if the only thing Brooks asked in return for helping her was time? Time she could give.
He wouldn’t take her money. She never expected him to.
“Okay, and I doubt it but you better be.”
“Aight. Get some sleep, I’ll see you Saturday.
They disconnected, and her legs flung out in front of her flailing in the air. It was an unconscious release of the excitement bubbling in her chest and belly.
Then her phone buzzed again.
Brooks: I would’ve done it regardless. I’m up like 3 and 0, twin.
She stared at the message, her stomach flipping. And bit her lip.
Taylor: Petty!
The excitement from before was still there, but now it was tangled up with guilt. This was messy and too soon.
The logical part of her knew she should call him back, shut it down before she got too deep in something she couldn’t control.
The reckless part of her was over making choices that always put her last. Taylor wanted to see what it felt like when you just went with it, went with what you felt not what people expected.
She set her phone down and exhaled, rubbing her hands over her face. Because another wave of doubt washed over her. More maybe’s, more overthinking.
Maybe she should be alone.
Maybe she should take time to figure herself out, learn how to exist outside of being someone’s wife.
But another maybe sat right beside it, one that gave her a win for a change. And she needed a win.
With that thought, she climbed under her blanket, her phone still warm in her palm. And drifted off to sleep.