Page 32 of Krash & Bern

I knew my words might betray me, so I opted to give a nod of my head before I threw the trash into the bin. I washed my hands and watched her walk away.

Her ass had gotten thicker over the years. The once lower-case C shape had become a round, bubble shape. She even had a cup under her cheeks. Her hips had spread, and her breasts had gotten thicker too. I wanted to taste her honey and see how mature her sweetness had become. We were only two years apart, but those two years made a big difference when I was legal to drink and she was still a teenager.The sight of the sway of her hips had me adjusting my dick in my shorts. I wanted herbad. I wanted one last chance to make things right.

As Ralph walked Krash through the app, Toni and I cleaned up and loaded the van with the extra equipment we didn’t use. It took about twenty minutes for Krash to understand all the mechanics and to set up his security codes. Toni cranked the engine to the van as Ralph walked toward us.

“Bernice, can I talk to you before you head out?” Keyshawn asked as he slid his phone into his pocket.

“What’s up?” I inquired. I placed the tablet on the seat in the back and closed the van door. I walked over to Krash as Ralph climbed into the passenger seat.

The sight of him under the setting sun made my coochie thump. I wanted to ask him more questions. I wanted to catch up and talk about what all had changed in his life. I knew we touched on things briefly during lunch, but I wanted so much more. I missed my best friend. I’d gained friends in college, but none of them could compare to the bond I had with Krash.

A lot of time had passed between us. I was older, wiser, and had changed a lot. Part of me felt like we could have made it work. Part of me wished we’d tried to see how things worked. The possibility of a failed relationship might have been easier to process than calling it quits before we even put the relationship to the test.

“How long have you been back in town?” he asked.

“Two years. I figured you’d have heard about my arrival from my parents, but y’all lost contact too.”

He rubbed his fingers through his facial hair. “Yeah. I loved your folks, but it didn’t make sense to keep in touch when we’d lost contact. They were your family, not mine.”

I shook my head. “I actually never wanted you to lose contact with them. They loved you—hell, they still love you—like you were their son. I wanted you to keep them in your life.”

“I appreciate the offer, but it didn’t make sense to me.”

“I understand.”

I tucked my hands in my back pockets and leaned on the heels of my feet. “I don’t want to hold you up, but I do want to see you again. Can I see you again?”

“If the stars align, we shall see.”

“Man, don’t be cryptic. I need a yes or no answer.”

I laughed. “It’s a maybe. You have connections. I’m sure you could find me if you really wanted to. I’m putting it in your hands.”

“All I need to know is if you got a nigga at home waiting for you,” he queried.

It took everything in my power not to let the smile on my face fall at the mention of a man at home. No one knew therealreason I moved away from Massachusetts. My story had been to return to my hometown and improve security in the city and surrounding areas. However, I had a few skeletons in my closet.

Visions of my past played through my mind as I tried not to get dragged back to my lowest point.

“You have no one!” He snarled at me as if I were a stray dog stealing scraps in the alleyway.

I pulled my knees to my chest and buried my face between my legs. The tears burned my eyes as his hand flew down to strike me. The ache spread across my shoulder and down my back as he repeatedly hit me.

“I’m all you’ve got. No one will ever love a woman as ugly and useless as you. Fuckin’ bitch!” he shouted.

I’d spent three years fighting for my life. Finally, I mustered the courage to leave in the dead of night and never looked back. I put a restraining order out on him, so if I was ever caught in his path of destruction again, he’d be arrested immediately. I had to run away to protect my life from an abusive boyfriend. Of course, I couldn’t mention that to Krash.

“I don’t have a man waiting for me at home. All I have is a fish tank full of fish and the animals on my sim mods,” I explained in a light tone.

He chuckled. “Good to know. You won’t give me your number, but I’ll find ways to get in touch before the week is over.”

His certainty made butterflies swarm my tummy. The thought of him putting in the effort to make me his again was invigorating. I prayed things took a turn down a positive path without the threat of my past lingering around every corner.

“I don’t doubt it. Have a good day, Keyshawn.”

“You too, Bern.”

I turned on my heels and made my way to the van. Once I had climbed in and buckled my seat belt, Toni pulled out of the driveway and made the trek back to the office.

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