Chapter 19 #2
“Sloane is two things, pro black and vain as hell. Judge Cromwell is white, and Mark Jones has that hideous keloid on his face. She wouldn’t be caught dead with either of them. Not even for the money.”
“You sure about that?”
“I guess all that trust you said we had was bullshit.”
“I trust you, Blue, but she’s not wrong. We can’t do nothing, so pick your poison,” Treason said, leaving it up to me. I hated that he was trying. Where was his big ego when I needed it to make an impossible decision?
“I’m not talking about Lorenzo.”
“Cool. What else have you been doing other than cooking for nigga’s?”
“It’s Ward.”
“I don’t give a fuck who it is.”
“You are a crybaby. How was your day?”
“Long,” he sighed, massaging his forehead, “A lot of fuckin’ talking.”
“Poor Stink worked hard today.”
“Yeah, and no thighs to rub so I can fall asleep.”
“You’ll be home soon.”
“Keep that Poor Stink energy when I get back too.”
“I miss you,” I admitted.
“Repeat it,” he smiled, holding the speaker to his ear.
“I miss you, Tre.”
“I thought you’d be jumping for joy a nigga was gone.”
“Less to do with you gone. It’s a little boring around here without you.”
“I’ll be back to shake shit up soon.”
“Good. I have a surprise for you, too.”
His curiosity, along with other things, was aroused by my statement.
“What is it?”
“I’m not telling you. You’ll see when you come home.”
“Damn, you’re keeping secrets. That’s crazy.”
“So dramatic. Try to get some sleep.”
“I’ll hit you tomorrow. Love you, Blue.”
“I love you too.”
Hanging up the phone, I peeled myself from the bed.
Tre’s cologne was still woven in the sheets, making me miss him even more.
Moseying down the hall, Ward made himself comfortable on the couch, watching sports highlights.
Instead of finishing my plate, I dumped it, ready for dessert, but there wasn’t a thing in this house that I wanted.
“Can we get ice cream?” I asked.
Ward laughed, checking the time. It was late, but with Tre gone, I didn’t have anything to do tomorrow, and neither did Ward.
“Let’s ride.”
Skipping through the house, I grabbed my shoes so we could take the elevator down to the lobby. I followed Ward through the parking lot because I usually entered the car from the sidewalk out front.
“I wanna drive,” I spoke up, garnering a side eye from Ward.
“Can you drive?”
“I drove just fine the night I left Tre in an alley with you.”
“Catch,” he called out, tossing the keys to me.
“I didn’t actually think that would work,” I admitted, slipping into the driver’s seat and adjusting it because Ward was much taller than I was.
“I’m feeling generous. You better not kill us either.”
The truck zoomed through the parking garage while I giggled at Ward holding on for dear life. Once we hit the main street, I slowed down, cruising to Icy Delights. Their Caramel Frappuccino ice cream had been my favorite since I was a kid.
The breeze curled around us after I parallel-parked the truck with ease. Ward pulled the door open, and it was packed for a Saturday night, but we waited our turn patiently. We gave the cashier our order and stepped aside to keep the line moving.
“Of all the flavors you picked, butter pecan! You act as old as your brother,” I joked, but Ward was frozen beside me.
When I looked up, his eyes weren’t on the menu anymore. They were glued to a woman at the end of the line, staring right back. It felt like I’d opened the wrong door and intruded on a private moment, watching their smiles twitch like nervous teenagers.
Finally, she stepped out in line and walked over.
“Hey, Darren.”
Ward smirked, likely at her using his government name, “Hey, Kelis.”
“Who’s your friend?” she asked, wearing a smile, but I read the curiosity behind it.
Ward opened his mouth, probably to stumble over something, but I beat him to it, flashing a polite smile.
“Hi, I’m Navie.”
“Oh,” she blinked nervously. “You’re umm, Tre’s girlfriend, right?”
“Guilty.”
Her eyes floated to Ward, clearly thinking I was someone other than his best friend’s girlfriend.
“Sorry. Hi, I’m Kelis,” she introduced, realizing how awkward the silence made things.
“Nice to meet you.”
Ward was still quiet, like he was too star-struck to speak or didn’t trust himself not to ruin the moment.
“Do you wanna join us?” I offered.
“Oh no. I need to get going. It was nice seeing you, Darren.”
Poor girl, didn’t even get her ice cream, trying to flee so fast.
“It’s late, let me walk you out,” He offered, tapping into the one area that he never failed.
Kelis wanted to resist but knew better, spinning on her heels for the exit. Ward gave me strict instructions to sit down, but I wasn’t going anywhere. Not until he answered my questions.
“So, who was that, Darren ?” I asked as he approached with his hands tucked in his pockets.
“I brought you to get ice cream, and that’s how you do me?”
“Kelis has to be important because you didn’t correct her like you’re doing me.”
Ward chuckled, sitting down, mashing his spoon into the waffle bowl.
“An old friend.”
“An old girlfriend that you’re still in love with.”
“How do you figure that?”
“You’re easy to read. So can we fix it?”
“ We ? Tre won’t like that.”
“If it gets you married, I think Tre will be okay.”
“Who said I want to get married?”
“Because you see me like I see you,” I admitted, forcing Ward to give me his attention.
“So you do wanna marry Tre?”
“I want someone to stay, and I think you do too. That’s hard to admit when you feel so broke.
Harder for a black man, I imagine. So you pretend you’re happy because the idea of anything better feels impossible.
Crying about shit never changed anything, so we push forward and make the best out of what we do have, but there’s always something missing. Or someone.”
“That’s why you’ve been cranky as fuck all day. My boy got you fucked up without him. You miss him, but you’re not used to missing anybody- except Rayven.”
“I told him I missed him tonight.”
Ward’s neck buckled in shock, “I know he ate that shit up.”
“Grinning hard as fuck, but maybe you were right. Tre’s not so bad.”
“Damn near killed you to admit that, didn’t it?”
“It wasn’t that bad, surprisingly. He’s been a lot less irritating since. Well, you know.”
“I’m proud of you.”
“Maybe you should tell Kelis you miss her.”
“It’s a lot more complicated than that.”
“Tre and I are the definition of complicated, and look at us.”
“Kelis was never really my girlfriend, but she always had my heart. When I got out of the army, we tried to pick up where we left off, but I wasn’t the same man anymore.
I was drinking more than I ever had, and it made me darker, meaner.
I was battling something I couldn’t name at the time.
I didn’t want her to look at me differently, to see me as broken when I was already struggling to see myself as whole. ”
“Sometimes telling the truth changes things for the better. It doesn’t always end badly. Think about it, bro .”
Ward nodded, enjoying his ice cream. The drive home wasn’t as quiet as I expected. Ward wasn’t a talker, but tonight he was babbling about nothing and everything. When we reached the penthouse, we went to our respective rooms.
Standing alone in Treason’s massive bathroom, I caught myself paying more attention to the doorway than my skincare routine. Usually, he leaned against it, wearing a goofy ass grin, watching me. Tonight, he would’ve strolled over, wedging me between his arms while asking me to wash his face next.
I snapped a quick picture before climbing into bed to text the man I couldn’t stop thinking about.
Me: Attachment.
Me: Hope these help you sleep .
Stink: You got a nigga ready to come home fr.
Me: Relax Cowboy I don’t do broke . They’ll be here when you get back.
Stink: Word?
Me: Word.
Shaking my head at him still being awake, I knew I’d have my work cut out for me when he got home, but I was looking forward to picking Stink up from the airport.