gave birth to her kids after being infertile throughout her twenties and thirties, she’s been enjoying her life to the fullest. She’s a firm believer in the “life begins at forty” theory.
I decide to help her out and get one of those Taco Bell supersize cups from the house.
“C’mon, Alita,” I say to my friend, who nods and follows me inside.
Marlene is in the kitchen next to the refrigerator, running her mouth to Jeff. She’s squirming and fanning herself. She looks like she’s about to turn away from him, but when she sees me and Alita approaching, she turns her back to us and faces Jeff.
I stand right beside Marlene with my hands squarely on my hips, a big power move that always make me feel confident and unshakable.
Even from inside the house I can hear the Godfather of Soul scream, “Give me some hits, I want some hits.”
Alita clears her throat. “Hey, what’s going on? Why are you guys in here? The party’s outside.”
“The party is wherever we are,” Marlene says sweetly and stares at Jeff. He smiles back down at her. I don’t like for him to look her in her eyes like that.
“Oh, God, give me a freaking-ass break,” I say.
“Speak up. What did you say?” She sounds shocked.
“Marlene, aren’t I free to talk?” I ask, eyeballing her.
“Nothing’s free, Rachel. E-e-everything has a price.” Although she’s trying to be bold and strong, Marlene looks and sounds nervous. I think she’s just trying to show off in front of my ex.
“Whatever, Marlene. You’ve got a lot of …” and I stop speaking.
“Are you finished? Anything you need to say, be a real woman and say it to my face.” She is still squirming and bouncing up and down on her feet looking crazy.
“What’s wrong with that real woman?” Alita asks out loud to no one in particular.
“Marlene has to go to the ladies’ room,” Jeff explains. “Or, should I say, the real woman’s room,” he jokes. He looks at her like she needs to go ahead and take care of her business before she accidentally wets herself.
“BRB,” she says real loud and threateningly rolls her eyes at me.
Finally, with the skank now leaving the room, here’s my chance to do a one-on-one with Jeff. Something I should have been done before now but was too afraid. It’s hard to admit that you think you’ve made a mistake. But sometimes, even if it’s risky, you gotta express deep-set feelings.
Alita nervously clears her throat. “I guess it’s a good time for me to go back outside now,” she says. “The food’s probably ready and I’m star—.”
“No, you’re my girl, don’t leave. I need you to stay here with me.”
“Okay, girl. I got you.”
I turn to face my ex. “Hey Jeff. I really wish I would’ve known you’re into drilling horizontally.”
“What you talking about?”
“You and Marlene.”
“Again, what you trying to say?” He has the nerve to look bewildered.
“Oh, God. I hate it when men play dumb.”
“Not playing dumb, Rachel.”
“Oh, then your dumbness comes naturally?”
“Wait, wait, wait. What’s with the smart attitude? You’re the one who rejected me.”
“And how many times do I have to hear about that, Jeff? Ten more? A hundred more times? Don’t forget, you-you were rushing things, and, believe it or not, I got scared and confused. I loved our relationship and the way it felt, but you were telling me things I hadn’t thought of at that point.”
“Such as?”
“How many kids you wanted to have. I believe you want three.”
“At least.”
“Well, good luck getting three kids out of that one,” I angrily snap.
“Wait, wait, hold up. Why are you making me and Marlene married? I don’t want to marry every woman I date …” He pauses. “I just wanted to marry you.”
I squirm and can barely look him in the eye. “Jeff, I already feel bad.”
“Not trying to make you feel bad. It’s just that when you dumped me—.”
“I didn’t dump you.”
“When you
I decide to help her out and get one of those Taco Bell supersize cups from the house.
“C’mon, Alita,” I say to my friend, who nods and follows me inside.
Marlene is in the kitchen next to the refrigerator, running her mouth to Jeff. She’s squirming and fanning herself. She looks like she’s about to turn away from him, but when she sees me and Alita approaching, she turns her back to us and faces Jeff.
I stand right beside Marlene with my hands squarely on my hips, a big power move that always make me feel confident and unshakable.
Even from inside the house I can hear the Godfather of Soul scream, “Give me some hits, I want some hits.”
Alita clears her throat. “Hey, what’s going on? Why are you guys in here? The party’s outside.”
“The party is wherever we are,” Marlene says sweetly and stares at Jeff. He smiles back down at her. I don’t like for him to look her in her eyes like that.
“Oh, God, give me a freaking-ass break,” I say.
“Speak up. What did you say?” She sounds shocked.
“Marlene, aren’t I free to talk?” I ask, eyeballing her.
“Nothing’s free, Rachel. E-e-everything has a price.” Although she’s trying to be bold and strong, Marlene looks and sounds nervous. I think she’s just trying to show off in front of my ex.
“Whatever, Marlene. You’ve got a lot of …” and I stop speaking.
“Are you finished? Anything you need to say, be a real woman and say it to my face.” She is still squirming and bouncing up and down on her feet looking crazy.
“What’s wrong with that real woman?” Alita asks out loud to no one in particular.
“Marlene has to go to the ladies’ room,” Jeff explains. “Or, should I say, the real woman’s room,” he jokes. He looks at her like she needs to go ahead and take care of her business before she accidentally wets herself.
“BRB,” she says real loud and threateningly rolls her eyes at me.
Finally, with the skank now leaving the room, here’s my chance to do a one-on-one with Jeff. Something I should have been done before now but was too afraid. It’s hard to admit that you think you’ve made a mistake. But sometimes, even if it’s risky, you gotta express deep-set feelings.
Alita nervously clears her throat. “I guess it’s a good time for me to go back outside now,” she says. “The food’s probably ready and I’m star—.”
“No, you’re my girl, don’t leave. I need you to stay here with me.”
“Okay, girl. I got you.”
I turn to face my ex. “Hey Jeff. I really wish I would’ve known you’re into drilling horizontally.”
“What you talking about?”
“You and Marlene.”
“Again, what you trying to say?” He has the nerve to look bewildered.
“Oh, God. I hate it when men play dumb.”
“Not playing dumb, Rachel.”
“Oh, then your dumbness comes naturally?”
“Wait, wait, wait. What’s with the smart attitude? You’re the one who rejected me.”
“And how many times do I have to hear about that, Jeff? Ten more? A hundred more times? Don’t forget, you-you were rushing things, and, believe it or not, I got scared and confused. I loved our relationship and the way it felt, but you were telling me things I hadn’t thought of at that point.”
“Such as?”
“How many kids you wanted to have. I believe you want three.”
“At least.”
“Well, good luck getting three kids out of that one,” I angrily snap.
“Wait, wait, hold up. Why are you making me and Marlene married? I don’t want to marry every woman I date …” He pauses. “I just wanted to marry you.”
I squirm and can barely look him in the eye. “Jeff, I already feel bad.”
“Not trying to make you feel bad. It’s just that when you dumped me—.”
“I didn’t dump you.”
“When you
Similar Books
