Page 53 of Set me Free

Now, I was sitting in Arielle’s bedroom, my legs crossed under me, a glass of wine in my hand as my girls stared at me, waiting for me to explain myself.

"Okay, so let me get this straight," Egypt started, reclining against the headboard. "His mama just popped up? With his ex?"

"Exactly," I muttered, taking a sip of my wine.

"And you still don’t know why?" Averi added, looking just as confused.

"Nope."

Egypt scoffed. "Oh, hell no. That ain’t normal, Toot. Why she still around? Why she pulling up to his spot like she got a key?"

"That’s what I wanna know!" I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my curls.

"Girl…" Egypt shook her head before grinning mischievously. "What if she pregnant?"

Silence.

Then slowly we all burst out in laughter. Loud, booming laughter that shook the entire room. I even found myself laughing so hard I had to clutch my stomach.

"Egypt, you watch too many damn movies," Averi wheezed, wiping a tear from her eye. “And read too many of them urban fiction books.”

"I’m just saying!" she grinned, taking a sip of her wine. "That’s the kinda shit that happens in those messy ass dramas and them nasty smut filled urban fiction books. Baby mama poppin’ up outta nowhere, saying she pregnant, trying to claim her spot. Next thing you know, the main chick tryna fight the baby mama over this nigga that don’t really want neither of them."

"That’s not what’s happening here," I chuckled, even as a weird feeling sat in my stomach.

Arielle, the only one who hadn’t been laughing, gave me a pointed look. "You know, you could just ask him," she said matter-of-factly.

We all went silent again. Egypt raised an eyebrow. "I mean, I guess there’s that."

Averi nodded. "Yeah, Serenity. Maybe you should just call him. You’re stressing yourself out for no reason. Maybe his mama is sick and she brought the girl thinking he needed moral support or something."

I sighed, biting the inside of my cheek.

"I don’t know," I admitted.

Arielle rolled her eyes. "Brodie says he hasn’t been himself. Said he’s been damn near out of it. Whatever happened, it got him messed up."

Hearing that made my stomach drop. Because if that was true, then maybe I was being childish and maybe I should just pick up the damn phone.

After excusing myself, I slipped into my room, closing the door behind me before grabbing my phone. I stared at his name for a moment, my thumb hovering over the call button.

Finally, I pressed it.

The phone rang once…twice, until…

"Damn, Beautiful. You finally calling me back?" His voice was gruff, tired—but relieved. And just like that, my chest loosened, my heart settling in my ribcage.

"Hey," I murmured, suddenly feeling stupid for ignoring him.

"Hey?" he repeated, letting out a small chuckle. "That’s all I get after you been dodgin’ me for three days?"

I smiled, biting my lip. "I wasn’t dodging you… I was just… giving myself time to think."

"Think about what?"

I hesitated. "About why your mama brought Gianna to your apartment. What was so important that they travelled 1500 miles to come see you?"

His laughter died. A long pause settled between us before he let out a slow breath. "I wanna tell you, Serenity. But not over the phone."

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