13. Lawton #2
“I think you like that she’s none of the things you’re used to. It’s fresh and she’s refreshing. The way she ignores you fucks with your ego, got ya’ feeling tested in ya’ manhood. And all that shit is doing is making you want her even more.
You like playing with fire, at least until it burns. You can’t make her into something that she’s not. If that’s your objective, you may as well quit while you’re ahead.”
Poppa saying that shit had me recalling the last conversation I had with Dahlia where I vividly remember her saying. “The woman you made me.” I could’ve argued with him and told him that his assumptions were wrong.
I could’ve told him I was drawn to her trauma but now, I wasn’t so sure. And until I figured out exactly what it was about her, I needed to stay away from her. I couldn’t handle another situation ending up the way it did with Dahlia.
After dinner with Poppa, Talitha and I came back to the room so we could pack. The air surrounding us was still awkward and I was ready to get back to Atlanta to put some space between us. The conversation with Poppa was still playing over and over again in my head.
One of the things he mentioned was that after my relationship with Adele ended, any woman that I chose to date, I looked for her in them for some reason.
He also mentioned that when it came to Dahlia, she was resilient when the two of us started dating but along the way she had changed into the woman I wanted her to be.
I didn’t see that, nor did I believe it.
Dahlia had always been headstrong. That didn’t change in the six years we were together.
What changed was her wanting more than I was willing to give.
Poppa claimed she’d always wanted those things but let on like she didn’t out of fear that it would cost her me.
Dahlia abhorred Adele; the two of them never got along. Dah felt like Adele got pieces of me that I never gave to her and that was true for the most part.
Regardless of how true it was, I never made Dahlia feel like she had to compete with Adele. Or at least in my eyes I don’t think I did.
When Adele and I ended, I no longer put her first. That’s the reason she knew something had taken place between me and Dah.
Anytime we spent time together, I made sure Dahlia was either on vacation or back at home visiting her family. I never entertained Adele in the city as long as Dahlia was there.
The holidays were really about the only time the two of them crossed paths. When I did my business with Adele, Dahlia was never around.
Of course, she knew of our history, I wouldn’t dare have Adele in her face without her knowing. So maybe Poppa called it right. Maybe she had wanted longevity all alone and settled out of fear of losing me.
Whatever the case was, I was in no way trying to turn Talitha into Dahlia or Adele. I was drawn to her trauma, her charisma, and that smile that she rarely showed. Talitha had something inside of her that drew me to her the day we had the conversation about expanding things at the youth center.
Even now, as pissed off as I was with her, I was forcing myself to stay away. The last thing either of us needed was to get into another spat.
We were scheduled to tour the abandoned school when we touched down in Atlanta. Not only that but now that we’d secured a few investors, it was time to get the ball rolling and we had an application to submit.
The ringing of my phone had me snapping my gaze away from the window, into my room. Grabbing it off the pillow, I tapped on the screen, answering the call.
“Sincere, everything okay?”
“Not right now but it will be.”
“Anything I should be concerned with?” I asked, interrupting whatever he was getting ready to say.
“Nawl. I’m good this way. Listen, I got some shit I need to run by you. When you gon’ be back in Atlanta?”
“Flight leaves out in the morning. You sure everything good?” I didn’t like the tone of his voice. It sounded like he wanted to tell me something but was hesitant.
“I promise. I need to pick ya’ brain ‘bout a few things.”
“Okay bet.” I breathed a sigh of relief. I had too much on my plate dealing with Talitha so right now I wasn’t capable of adding much more.
“Yeah ain’t shit. I’m just trying to see when a good time gon’ be for me to come down.”
“You know my door always open, Preme. You ain’t gotta have a reason to come kick it with ya’ big brother.”
“I hear ya’. I did wanna tell you that everything with me and Drix a go.”
“That’s what I like to hear.”
“Everything go good for y’all? You accomplished what you needed to?
“It went aight. I got a few people that’s willing to help if that’s what you’re asking.”
“How’s your companion? She having a good time?”
“Shit!” I laughed. “If you call giving my ass the silent treatment a good time, then yeah, her ass having a blast.”
“What you do, Dutch?”
“Fuck everybody keeps asking me that shit for?”
“Who else asked you that?”
“Poppa ass. And to answer your question, I didn’t do shit. She stubborn as fuck.”
“You one to talk. Yo’ ass stubborn too. Whatever you did Dutch, fix it. You can’t go into business and the two of y’all not getting along.”
“Unless you getting ready to tell me the reason you called, we ain’t got nothing else to discuss.”
“You did something. That’s the only reason yo’ ass tryna get off the phone.”
“Goodbye Sincere,” I rasped and ended the call.
Whatever he had to say must not have been important enough cause he would’ve said it when we were on the phone, or he would’ve called back when I hung up.
As long as nobody had gotten killed or the police wasn’t after them, I would sit back and wait for him to come to me with whatever it was. If it was something concerning our mom, I didn’t wanna hear shit unless she was about to pass away.
Tossing my phone back down on the bed, I stood and walked out of the room. I needed a shot of something. When I walked into the living room, Talitha was sitting on the couch with her feet tucked under her, staring at the blank television screen.
My mind was saying press on and let her be, but my heart was saying give it another shot.
My heart won the battle. “Are you okay?” I quizzed and took a seat on the arm of the couch.
If she gave me the silent treatment, I wouldn’t hesitate to let her know that I was here to talk whenever she was ready to get things off her chest. Other than that, I was going to politely go on about my business and let her stew in her feelings.