the light come on and the door open.
“Devin, get out of here,” she hisses at me as she makes her way down the stairs. “You’re going to get me kicked out.”
“Good,” I yell back at her. “Nothing’s ever been difficult for you, Princess.” I take another drink of my Jack and lean back against the asphalt, thanking God that it feels cool.
“Nothing has ever been difficult for me? That’s the biggest line of bullshit I’ve ever heard.”
She’s fuming, and I can tell by the way she’s got her arms crossed over her chest, the way she’s tapping her fingers against her bicep.
“All you gotta do is smile at me and spread your legs, and I give you anything you want.” I’m attempting to stand up so that I can look her in the eye, but it’s hard. The ground is moving out from under me as I brace against the concrete and try to push myself up.
“I hate you,” she tells me through teeth I can see clenched. “Look at you, you’re an embarrassment. Get up off the asphalt and take your ass home.”
It was at that point I passed out, and I remember nothing else about that night, only that I was told the next day Trace and I passed a cop on our way out. Tonight, I’m not drunk, and I’m not looking to make an ass out of myself.
I turn into the complex, seeing it with new eyes. This is definitely a working-class complex, and I’m surprised Nina picked this on her own, but then I have to realize she’s only on one income. For the first time I wonder, has she struggled? I haven’t because I was the major breadwinner in the first place. I told her so many times she didn’t even have to work, but she insisted. Now, I’m curious, but I’m not sure how to bring it up.
Instead I flip my keys in my hand, grab my phone and put it in my pocket, and make my way up the stairs to her apartment. I’m actually nervous as I stand at the door. My hand shakes as I tap on it with my knuckles. I feel like a lot rides on this night.
*
She opens the door, smiling at me as she pulls it to the side. “Come on in. I have to put my boots on, I’m running late,” she tells me as she invites me in.
“Took longer to take care of your problem than you thought?”
I can’t help but tease her. I’ve been doing nothing but thinking of her since I got that text. Her cheeks are pink, and her eyes are bright.
“Unfortunately no. The mother of one of my students had car trouble, so I had to drive them out to meet her. It pushed me behind. I had to rush here and change,” she tells me as I watch her put on her knee socks over her jeans.
“You look great by the way.” She winks at me. “New shirt?”
It is, and I open my mouth to tell her that when I realize everything she’s wearing is stuff she had throughout our marriage. “Yeah.” I nod, taking a look at her living room. There’s not even a TV in here, and I can’t help it, I have to ask.
“Are you struggling, Nina? Do you need money?”
She glances at me, her face more red than I remember it ever being.
“Things aren’t nearly as easy as they were before, but you know what? I kind of like it. I don’t sit around and watch mindless TV anymore; I find other stuff to do. I budget, can you believe it? Me? Who had bitched about us being broke when we first started out.” She laughs. “Let me tell you, it was a shock when I realized I had sixty-five dollars a week to spend on food, but I’ve gotten creative. I like it, Sketch.” She grins over at me. “I really do.”
“I didn’t even think about that when you left,” I admit.
She giggles harder. “Me neither. I’m embarrassed to say I didn’t realize how much you took care of us. I learned pretty fucking quick though. I like who I’ve become.”
“It looks good on you,” I praise her.
“So does your shirt, your almost beard, and the bite mark I gave you on your neck.” She finishes putting on her boots and walks over to sit in my lap. “Don’t feel bad, I did it to myself. You told
“Devin, get out of here,” she hisses at me as she makes her way down the stairs. “You’re going to get me kicked out.”
“Good,” I yell back at her. “Nothing’s ever been difficult for you, Princess.” I take another drink of my Jack and lean back against the asphalt, thanking God that it feels cool.
“Nothing has ever been difficult for me? That’s the biggest line of bullshit I’ve ever heard.”
She’s fuming, and I can tell by the way she’s got her arms crossed over her chest, the way she’s tapping her fingers against her bicep.
“All you gotta do is smile at me and spread your legs, and I give you anything you want.” I’m attempting to stand up so that I can look her in the eye, but it’s hard. The ground is moving out from under me as I brace against the concrete and try to push myself up.
“I hate you,” she tells me through teeth I can see clenched. “Look at you, you’re an embarrassment. Get up off the asphalt and take your ass home.”
It was at that point I passed out, and I remember nothing else about that night, only that I was told the next day Trace and I passed a cop on our way out. Tonight, I’m not drunk, and I’m not looking to make an ass out of myself.
I turn into the complex, seeing it with new eyes. This is definitely a working-class complex, and I’m surprised Nina picked this on her own, but then I have to realize she’s only on one income. For the first time I wonder, has she struggled? I haven’t because I was the major breadwinner in the first place. I told her so many times she didn’t even have to work, but she insisted. Now, I’m curious, but I’m not sure how to bring it up.
Instead I flip my keys in my hand, grab my phone and put it in my pocket, and make my way up the stairs to her apartment. I’m actually nervous as I stand at the door. My hand shakes as I tap on it with my knuckles. I feel like a lot rides on this night.
*
She opens the door, smiling at me as she pulls it to the side. “Come on in. I have to put my boots on, I’m running late,” she tells me as she invites me in.
“Took longer to take care of your problem than you thought?”
I can’t help but tease her. I’ve been doing nothing but thinking of her since I got that text. Her cheeks are pink, and her eyes are bright.
“Unfortunately no. The mother of one of my students had car trouble, so I had to drive them out to meet her. It pushed me behind. I had to rush here and change,” she tells me as I watch her put on her knee socks over her jeans.
“You look great by the way.” She winks at me. “New shirt?”
It is, and I open my mouth to tell her that when I realize everything she’s wearing is stuff she had throughout our marriage. “Yeah.” I nod, taking a look at her living room. There’s not even a TV in here, and I can’t help it, I have to ask.
“Are you struggling, Nina? Do you need money?”
She glances at me, her face more red than I remember it ever being.
“Things aren’t nearly as easy as they were before, but you know what? I kind of like it. I don’t sit around and watch mindless TV anymore; I find other stuff to do. I budget, can you believe it? Me? Who had bitched about us being broke when we first started out.” She laughs. “Let me tell you, it was a shock when I realized I had sixty-five dollars a week to spend on food, but I’ve gotten creative. I like it, Sketch.” She grins over at me. “I really do.”
“I didn’t even think about that when you left,” I admit.
She giggles harder. “Me neither. I’m embarrassed to say I didn’t realize how much you took care of us. I learned pretty fucking quick though. I like who I’ve become.”
“It looks good on you,” I praise her.
“So does your shirt, your almost beard, and the bite mark I gave you on your neck.” She finishes putting on her boots and walks over to sit in my lap. “Don’t feel bad, I did it to myself. You told
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