Page 5 of Love Delayed

“Calm down, calm down, allow me to explain,” he said and took a swig emptying the remaining contents of the beer bottle. He sat the bottle down and signaled the waitress, and I was sure Malice and Dre were just as anxious as I was to hear what he had to say. For a very long time, Zack was known as Zack the Mack, or Zack the Heart Attack. He was the love them and leave them type. His engagement announcement and quick wedding date was odd to us all.

“My guy, just speak. The waitress will come,” Dre said to get this conversation going.

“Okay, damn, the real is she checks all the boxes.”

“What, what kind of bullshit is that?” Malice asked, and he took his last shot, sinking the eight ball, thus making him and myself the winner of another round of drinks.

“No, no, fellas, straight up, she checks all of my boxes. Pretty as fuck, athletic, fun, and ambitious. She has two businesses and is about to launch her third. She is everything I want in a wife, and that love and passion bullshit will come later. I’m focused on building a solid future for us, and Shelby checksallof my boxes,” Zack explained.

I heard him, but I wanted love and passion along with the building. I didn’t want to marry someone that didn’t make me feel like Zamora had when we were together. I had been with so many after her, looking for someone just like her with zero luck. I was currently with Eliana. She was definitely a keeper, but I was still hesitant. Yes, we had some time in, close to two years, but I was still on the fence about taking us to the next level. I knew it was me.

She was ambitious, had her shit together, and was moving in the right direction for success. Overall, I enjoyed us and enjoyed what we had, and I had love for her, but was it enough to wife her, I wondered as I listened to my friend give me his perspective on making a woman a wife.

“Well, what works for you is what works for you, my guy, because Grace checks all of my boxes, but the passion and the love between us is what keeps me glued to her side. Now, you can build your marriage however you like, but man to man, love is the foundation of any marriage in my book. Loving the Most High first and then loving your woman is a gift, and all I can say is good luck with that,” Malice said.

The server came over, and we raddled off orders before getting back to the conversation. “Yeah, that learning to love her doesn’t sound like a strong way to start out a marriage, man,” I added.

“Well, I don’t do all that god this and god that, and I don’t even know if I’m capable of loving anyone as I love myself, so we are going to be the best partners and power couple that I know we will be. Love will come, I’m sure, but we both know we are a match, and we know that our union is not the norm, but love doesn’t guarantee a happy ending and love doesn’t always keep couples together. Y’all know, because the woman you loved, Marc,” he said pointing me out. Bounced what seven or eight years ago to pursue her cooking dreams,” he said, and I wanted to punch him in his throat. It was more my fault for letting her go, but I just looked at him and gave him my middle finger.

“Your ass ain’t shit, dawg,” Dre joked, and we continued to laugh.

“Whatever, Marc knows I’m telling the truth. Malice was smart to marry Grace, you met her and I don’t know what she put on your ass, but you’re in love like a bitch, she got yo’ ass whipped and you Dre’ just shut all the way up, because yo’ ass needs a steady gig with a woman before you can even entertain this conversation,” he added and we all laughed.

“Dude, fuck you,” Dre returned.

“First, watch your fuckin’ mouth about my wife. I don’t play about my rib, so don’t play with me about Grace. And secondly, you do what the fuck works for you. If checking all the fucking boxes and that bullshit is yo’ thang. Do that, but don’t be hating on what I got with my wife. If I go broke, at least I know she won’t be moving on to the next check all the boxes ma’fucka,” he said and sat his bottle down and walked away, and I was sure he was just going to the men’s room. He would never let any of us rattle him enough to leave.

“Damn, Malice is too uptight about shit, man, he needs to bring that shit all the way down,” Zack said when Malice was out of earshot.

“Nah, man, you asked for that shit with yo’ disrespectful ass. Telling a man he whipped because he just happens to love his wife is childish, man, damn. You need to grow the fuck up, fa’real!” Dre added and then polished off the rest of his beer.

“Yes, and if Malice would have knocked yo’ ass out, you would have just been on the fuckin’ flo’ my dude, damn. Don’t be talkin’ shit about nobody’s spouse.”

“Man, y’all know I don’t be meaning no harm, and it ain’t like I’m lying. Malice was a pimp, but when he met Grace, he changed. It must be something about big girls that hypnotizes a niggah,” he joked and picked up the drink the server left on the high tabletop. None of us laughed.

“Idiot! Zack, you need to grow the fuck up,” Dre said, putting the empty bottle on the high-top table. He headed toward the men’s room.

“Faaaaauuuccck yoooouuu!” Zack dragged out to Dre’s back.

“Chill out, man, damn. On the real, stop cracking jokes. You are going to fuck around and find out with Malice. Just keep playing.” I sat, and he joined me.

“So how are you and ya’ girl, Eliana? Now she is a dime fo’sho, fo’sho,” he said grinning and rubbing his palms together.

“Ayyyeeee, watch yo’self my dude,” I warned.

He held up his hands in mock surrender. “Aw’ight, aw’ight, man damn. I’m just fuckin’ wit’cha. But on the real, how is that shit working out for you?”

“We are good, taking things slow. I mean, I’m feeling her, and at times, I think I love her. However, it’s like something is missing.”

“Like what? She is gorgeous, on her business, and doesn’t blow your damn phone up every five minutes. Dude, you are in there.”

“I know, it’s just Za—,” I was about to say, but he cut me off.

“Don’t you fuckin’ say her name, damn, Marc, it’s been what damn near a damn decade, bro, and somehow, some way, yo’ black ass brings up Zamora. You got to let her ass go, and don’t sabotage this time. Eliana is good for you; don’t do her like all the last one man. Grab ahold of some damn happiness while you can,” he said, and Malice and Dre returned. We left the conversation at that and went back to beers and pool. We hung out for another couple more hours, and afterwards, I called Eliana. She was at her brand-new boutique still getting things set up for her grand opening, so we agreed to see each other the next day. I drove home with the conversations of my friends swirling around in my head and questioning myself. Was I really and truly ready to move on and plan the rest of my life with another woman? Was I over ZeeZee? No, but that didn’t matter. She and I would never be together again, so I had to make my thing official with Eli. She checked all the damn boxes, and I’d be a fool to let someone like her just slip away. She didn’t deserve more than me being a place card in her life with zero plans for a future with her.

I never understood why people did that to people. If you know you don’t want someone, leave and let them be free to find the person that does, I thought as I drove to my parents. Yes, I had a few beers and should have gone my black ass home, but whenever I made big decisions, I talked to my parents.

When I pulled up to the house it was dark, and I wondered if my parents had turned in early. I got out and instead of ringing the bell, I used my key. When I walked in, I walked into a familiar scene. My mom, two women and two small children sleeping on the sofa.

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