Page 13 of The Best is Yet to Cum

“Why?” they asked simultaneously.

I picked up my phone, unlocked it, opened the text thread between me and Clinton, and gave it to Lariah. Karla leaned toward her so they could look at it at the same time.

“Umm, sis, this man has texted you once a day since the first of January,” Lariah stated.

“I know, and that’s not how this was supposed to work.”

“Why are you ignoring him?” Karla questioned.

“He said he respected my desire to work on myself and to reach out to him whenIwas ready.”

“So, you’re punishing him because he contacted you first?” Karla continued. “And let’s not pretend like if he hadn’t contacted you, you wouldn’t be wearing a hole in the rug, pacing back and forth, wondering what you did wrong.”

“Shut up!”

“Nope, because you know I’m right.”

“I didn’t go to New Orleans expecting to hook up with anyone. The purpose of going alone was to be alone.”

“Do you regret it?” Lariah asked.

“Not at all. The time I spent with him was refreshing, eye-opening, and the best time I had in my adult life.”

“But?” she pressed.

“I genuinely needed some time alone. I wasn’t ready to communicate with him for the first month. I’d just started therapy and was an emotional wreck. Once I got a better handle on my emotions, I felt he disregarded my wishes and thought he could ‘force’ me to communicate with him.”

Lariah looked at my phone again as her thumb swiped the screen. “Nothing he said sounds forceful, Mo. There are no threats, demands, or expectations in these messages.”

“It’s notwhathe’s saying. It’s the fact that he’s saying anything. I was supposed to reach out to him when I was ready, and he didn’t even give me a chance.”

“So what! He’s a real man, unlike that bitch you were married to. He’s in tune with his emotions and isn’t afraid to express himself to a woman he clearly cares for. Have you read any of the messages? He misses you, Mo,” Karla said. “He says it several times.”

“I miss him, too, but—”

“But nothing. Stop making these weak ass excuses and call that man. Tell him you miss him too and that you’re having his baby,” Lariah demanded.

“Fine… after I throw up,” I announced, covering my mouth and running to the bathroom.

7

Clinton

“Have you heard a word that I’ve said?” Evander almost shouted.

“What?”

“Bruh, I’ve been talking to you for five minutes, and you ain’t said shit.”

It was after our workday, and Evander wanted to discuss a new client. I had other things on my mind and wasn’t paying him attention.

“My bad, bruh. I got a lot on my mind.”

“You’ve said the same thing every other day for the past few months. Is there something going on that you want to talk about? Are you sick?”

“Nah, man. I’m not sick.”

“Is it one of your parents or your sister?”

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