Page 43 of Jagged Edges

“Hey, babe,” Melonie ended the call as she rushed to my side and opened the door.

“Hey,” I returned, shutting off the engine and stepping out to greet her.

I’d missed her tremendously.

“Please tell me you have some time on your hands. You can even spend the night if you need to. I just need like an hour of your time. Two tops,” she spat.

“It’s fine. I’ve had a nap. I could use a shower before I head out, though. It’ll save me a few bucks.”

“Of course,” Melonie agreed, “Before I forget, let me forward you this information for this apartment. I think you’ll love it. The crazy part about it is that it’s on Huff Street. It’s a cozy little spot near the theatre. It’s on top of a bakery and a convenience store. I had to search high and low for it. I’ve already called. The current tenants move out in about three weeks.”

“That sounds good,” I nodded, “Please send the information.”

“I’m sending it now,” she never looked up from her phone to say.

“Do you mind if I take that shower before we catch up?”

I wanted to be fully invested in the conversation with Melonie, especially knowing that I had a bomb to drop on her as well. In the shower is where I could calm my anxiety and prepare myself for the waterworks that were sure to come and massage my jaws for all the apologizing that I planned to do.

“No. I don’t mind. I just sent you the information. Let’s get inside.”

The Frank’s residence was as cozy as the last time I was over. I felt so much like home. One that I didn’t have but knew it must’ve felt much like theirs made me feel. Melonie led the way as I played the background, nerves settling in and choking me up.

“One second, I’ve been holding this man hostage all day because I couldn’t get hold of you. Let me tell him he’s free to leave, now. My savior has come,” Melonie announced, grabbing my hand and pulling me in the opposite direction.

We ended up in the kitchen, where my soul began to leave my body. The musky notes tickled my nostrils as we circled the corner just as the fridge closed. The figure behind it caused a whirlwind of emotions to swarm my insides like bees to their hive. Melonie began saying something that I just couldn’t quite make out, not that I was trying to anyway. I couldn’t. I’d gone death in a matter of seconds, too consumed with the presence before us to hear what she was saying to it. Tohim.

Bello stood in the kitchen with a cup in his hand, clad in his signature black. The joggers and v-neck did wonderful things for his figure. His gold chains dangling from his wrist and neck. His eyes met mine as I bore witness to the fire inside of them. I wanted to run in the opposite direction to free myself from his spell, but just as much I wanted to run into his arms until the side of my face collided with his chest.

God, I’ve missed him so much. I thought as my center began to throb. My lady had missed him, too.

“That’s a bet. I’m going to get out of here in a few minutes,” he spoke, eyes leaving mine to find Melonie’s.

She accepted his response before turning back to me and saying, “Now, you go ahead and handle your business. When you’re ready, I’ll be upstairs in my room waiting for you.”

I nodded, watching as Bello passed us both with his cup to his lips. He exited the kitchen and left Melonie and me alone. I definitely needed that shower more than ever, now. If there was any chance that I was going to get through the conversation with Melonie, I had to get it together. Seeing Bello wasn’t in my plans. He’d thrown a wrench in the entire operation, forcing me to rework my entire layout.

Before I was able to gather my thoughts and respond verbally, Melonie was out of the kitchen, too, and on her way upstairs. I shook off the fogginess of my head with a shake and headed for the basement to shower. My heart wanted me in the other direction, but I couldn’t. Though I didn’t want him to, Bello could wait until I fixed things with my friend. Right now, that meant more to me than anything else.

I slung my overnight bag over my shoulder and onto the bed in the basement as I removed my shoes. The oversized shirt that I wore slid off with ease and so did the black leggings. I was undressed in a matter of seconds and ready to prepare my shower. Before stepping into the bathroom, I slid on the shower shoes that I kept in my bag so that I wasn’t walking on the floor of the rest stops that where I usually showered.

I managed to start the water and achieve the perfect amount of pressure and heat almost instantly. It was crazy how well I knew the bathroom in the basement. In a sense, it had become mine. No one ever used it but me. There were four bathrooms available upstairs.

Body wash, I remembered. I’d snagged a new fragrance that I was desperate to try but had been saving for a time as thepresent - where I was in a residential shower and not a paid one. There was a huge difference to me. Some products simply weren’t meant to be experienced in certain places. The lavender and coconut milk shower cream was one of those products.

“GOD!” I yelped, clenching my chest and scanning the room for the location of my bath towel. My nudity was suddenly an issue for me as I wasn’t expecting anyone to venture into the basement where I was. Privacy had always been reserved for my visits down here.

“I’ve seen it already, Brisk. Been all up in it. Licked that motherfucker from top to bottom. Spelled my name on and in it,” Bello reminded me, sitting on the bed with my towel next to him.

“Bello,” I softened, recognizing the achiness in his voice.

“I never pegged you for a heartbreaker, love,” he responded with a shake of the head.

“Because I’m not,” I told him.

“Then, what do you call this?” With two fingers, he tapped his chest as he stood.

“I’m sorry,” I confessed. Because, honestly, I was.

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