Read Online Naughty or Nice by Eric Jerome Dickey - Free Book Online Page B

lose your job.”
    â€œOld Navy ain’t all that. It’s only seasonal part-time work so I can get that discount. Need to buy Mo a few things and save a few dollars for when I’m off track at Unified. When her mom jacks me over on a Friday night at the last minute, I don’t really have a backup plan.”
    â€œYes you do.”
    â€œIt’s not your problem, Tommie.”
    â€œBring Monica over.”
    â€œDon’t you have to work?”
    â€œDon’t have to be at Pier 1 until three.”
    â€œI don’t get off until five.”
    â€œMaybe I can change my hours.”
    â€œThat’s not being responsible.” He tugs at his hair. “You can’t do that.”
    â€œBlue, it takes a village. Understand that.”
    Blue has cable and I don’t. So a couple of times a week I come over to braid or plait his daughter’s hair. Our little ritual. I do her hair. I eat with them. He bathes her while I wash his dishes. I play with her and read to her so he can get a break. Blue puts her in the bed by nine. Then he makes us ginger-peppermint tea and we watch cable for an hour or so.
    Tonight we just talk.
    He opens up the futon in the living room and I rest next to him, not touching but wanting to. The words stop and the yawns come on strong.
    He asks, “Running in the morning?”
    â€œIf Frankie calls. Don’t have to.”
    Being on a futon, anything that resembles a bed with a man is a huge step for me. It means I trust him. My sex and guilt issues don’t exist with Blue.
    My eyelids get as heavy as Blue’s breathing.
    I pull the covers up to my neck. Blue moves his heat closer to me, almost spooning.
    Sleep finds me.
    Then I hear feet; feel a tiny body crawl up on the futon, climbing over us like we’re a mountain. Monica gets under the covers, snuggles her cool body between me and her daddy’s warmth. She looks at her daddy, sees he’s sleeping, then moves over and looks in my face.
    She whispers, “Tommie?”
    â€œYeah, Monica?”
    â€œWhen is morning time?”
    â€œNot too long. Close your eyes and it’ll be here before you know it.”
    â€œI forgot to tell you I love you.”
    â€œLove you too.”
    She says, “G’night.”
    â€œG’night.”
    I massage her back; calm her the way my momma used to do me. Her breathing becomes heavy and smooth. I get up in the darkness, put my shoes on, pick up my purse, grab my keys.
    I’m at the door, turning the lock when Blue’s voice follows me. “Leaving?”
    â€œThanks for the tea.”
    He never says, but I can tell that he’s not comfortable when Monica comes in and sleeps between us, if only for a moment. I understand the message he doesn’t want to give his child. And she’s at that age where she tells everything. And her momma gives Blue enough drama.
    We pause. Darkness hides the truth as unspoken words fill the air.
    He says, “Tommie . . .”
    Something is on his mind. The way he said my name gives me awkward energy.
    I ask, “Whassup?”
    It takes him a moment. “I’m really sorry I didn’t make it to ’Bucks.”
    â€œNo big deal.”
    â€œYes, it is. You do so much for Mo and I couldn’t make it around the corner to support you. After I realized her momma wasn’t coming . . . could’ve brought Monica with me, she would’ve loved to see you—”
    â€œNo, it’s cool. I understand. If you need me in the morning, holla.”
    â€œWe can work it out over here.”
    That pronoun builds a wall between us, reminds me that I’m not part of their weekness .
    I say, “Blue, you do things for me all the time. You change the oil in my Jeep, you flush out the radiator.”
    He doesn’t respond to my sprawling words, just gets up and comes to the door. He hugs me with both arms, holds onto me. I hug him tight, hold