Read Online Lying Lips by Mahaughani Fiyah - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Mahaughani Fiyah
Ads: Link
blunt.
And honest.
“So how about we meet at Greedy’s in about an hour?” I asked her. “Or is that too soon?”
“Not soon enough,” she informed me “The nanny’s here, I’m famished and I’m walking out of the door right now.” Before I could respond, I heard a series of clicks and quickly realized that I was hanging on the line alone. I laughed as I hung up the phone and less than an hour later, I was face to face with my editor and best friend since childhood as we ordered lunch.
“So, do you think you can handle it?” I asked her after going into great detail about my project.
“ Can I handle it? Sure,” she answered with no pause. She was certain of her answer. “But do I want to handle it? That’s another question, another issue altogether.”
I stared at her, fully understanding her plight. I wanted her to edit a book I was writing about Hurricane Katrina. A storm that killed her brother, his wife, and their two kids. That was a lot for anyone to deal with and only a few years after the fact.
I hadn’t faced or dealt with how I chose to stay to get the story and wound up trapped in the city, fearing greatly for my life. I’d lost two fellow Journalists and that had stung like hell. But Marilyn, Marilyn had lost her only brother, her best friend in this world, and his family. That had to still be devastating.
“Trust me, I understand. I really do,” I reached out and grabbed her hand across the table.
Something in her eyes told me that she appreciated that move and I could visibly see her working her way through a decision.
“I’ll tell you what,” she said after removing her hand from mine and forking Caesar salad into her mouth, “I’ll do the book for you. But only if you tell my brothers’ story in it.”
Now I was the one who wasn’t sure if I could do it. I was there when her brother and his family drowned. I was there when their house went under. I knew firsthand what happened to them. I was the one that had to deliver the news to her.
Could I write so openly about it? Could I rip out her heart with my words as I described in detail what happened her to family? All Marilyn knew was that they were dead. Drowned in the storm. A few sketchy details. Nothing more, nothing less. And now she wanted me to tell the entire world, her included, in detail what happened. Wow. Although I was capable of doing it, did I want to?
“It would really mean a lot to me,” she said with eyes that told me she was telling the truth.
I sighed. Then smiled a little. “Of course I’ll do it. But you have to know that it will—”
“I’m a big girl, London. I can handle it,” she cut me off with a wave of her hand. “I need to handle it.” She shoved another forkful of salad into her mouth. “It’s time for me to handle it.” It was then that I knew I could and would do it. “Now that that’s settled, tell me about your trip,” she pressed just as lunch was placed on the table.
I blanched. She wasted no time diving into her hot wings.
Having pushed everything onto the back burners of my mind, I had completely forgotten. That’s why I could hardly catch my breath when it all came rushing back to me. God! I was married to two men. Ashton and Asanti. As if on cue, the moment I thought of him he called.
“Speak of the devil…” I mumbled to myself as the phone vibrated in my purse.
“You can get that if you want to,” she mumbled through bites of flaming hot wings.
I could only look down at my plate of stuffed bell pepper and baked macaroni. My appetite, which was okay moments ago, was now gone. “No, that’s okay. I’ll deal with that later.”
And then I forced myself to eat.
Even if it was only a little.
Even if it was through the vibrations of the phone I loathed answering.
Another hour and eleven phone calls from Asanti later, Marilyn stood to leave the restaurant. “I hate to eat and run as we say, but I have a house slash construction zone to get
And honest.
“So how about we meet at Greedy’s in about an hour?” I asked her. “Or is that too soon?”
“Not soon enough,” she informed me “The nanny’s here, I’m famished and I’m walking out of the door right now.” Before I could respond, I heard a series of clicks and quickly realized that I was hanging on the line alone. I laughed as I hung up the phone and less than an hour later, I was face to face with my editor and best friend since childhood as we ordered lunch.
“So, do you think you can handle it?” I asked her after going into great detail about my project.
“ Can I handle it? Sure,” she answered with no pause. She was certain of her answer. “But do I want to handle it? That’s another question, another issue altogether.”
I stared at her, fully understanding her plight. I wanted her to edit a book I was writing about Hurricane Katrina. A storm that killed her brother, his wife, and their two kids. That was a lot for anyone to deal with and only a few years after the fact.
I hadn’t faced or dealt with how I chose to stay to get the story and wound up trapped in the city, fearing greatly for my life. I’d lost two fellow Journalists and that had stung like hell. But Marilyn, Marilyn had lost her only brother, her best friend in this world, and his family. That had to still be devastating.
“Trust me, I understand. I really do,” I reached out and grabbed her hand across the table.
Something in her eyes told me that she appreciated that move and I could visibly see her working her way through a decision.
“I’ll tell you what,” she said after removing her hand from mine and forking Caesar salad into her mouth, “I’ll do the book for you. But only if you tell my brothers’ story in it.”
Now I was the one who wasn’t sure if I could do it. I was there when her brother and his family drowned. I was there when their house went under. I knew firsthand what happened to them. I was the one that had to deliver the news to her.
Could I write so openly about it? Could I rip out her heart with my words as I described in detail what happened her to family? All Marilyn knew was that they were dead. Drowned in the storm. A few sketchy details. Nothing more, nothing less. And now she wanted me to tell the entire world, her included, in detail what happened. Wow. Although I was capable of doing it, did I want to?
“It would really mean a lot to me,” she said with eyes that told me she was telling the truth.
I sighed. Then smiled a little. “Of course I’ll do it. But you have to know that it will—”
“I’m a big girl, London. I can handle it,” she cut me off with a wave of her hand. “I need to handle it.” She shoved another forkful of salad into her mouth. “It’s time for me to handle it.” It was then that I knew I could and would do it. “Now that that’s settled, tell me about your trip,” she pressed just as lunch was placed on the table.
I blanched. She wasted no time diving into her hot wings.
Having pushed everything onto the back burners of my mind, I had completely forgotten. That’s why I could hardly catch my breath when it all came rushing back to me. God! I was married to two men. Ashton and Asanti. As if on cue, the moment I thought of him he called.
“Speak of the devil…” I mumbled to myself as the phone vibrated in my purse.
“You can get that if you want to,” she mumbled through bites of flaming hot wings.
I could only look down at my plate of stuffed bell pepper and baked macaroni. My appetite, which was okay moments ago, was now gone. “No, that’s okay. I’ll deal with that later.”
And then I forced myself to eat.
Even if it was only a little.
Even if it was through the vibrations of the phone I loathed answering.
Another hour and eleven phone calls from Asanti later, Marilyn stood to leave the restaurant. “I hate to eat and run as we say, but I have a house slash construction zone to get
Similar Books
