Page 10 of Broken Clocks
“Impressed. How do you know that?”
“I’m cultured. A nigga read.”
I laughed and rolled my eyes.
We stood there for a second, eye-fucking each other. He was the first to speak after the beat of silence.
“Why’d your momma name you Life?”
I had been waiting for this moment. My Poetic Justice meet cute.
“She said when she found out she was pregnant with me, it changed her life. At least that’s what my granny told me. I don’t know why, because I haven’t seen her since I was three.”
I wasn’t exactly sure why I was telling him all my business. Maybe because nobody had ever cared to ask before. But then, nobody ever knew my name had meaning before.
“Sorry to hear that. I don’t know what I’d do without my momma.”
“It’s okay. I got my granny,” I said, then changed the subject. I didn’t really like talking about my mom. I’d dealt with feelings of abandonment as a child, and I wasn’t quite sure I was over them. “So you a momma’s boy? They say the best type of man to find is one who loves his momma.”
“Are you looking for a man, Life?”
“Not necessarily. I’m open, though.” I smiled up at him, raised a perfectly arched eyebrow—hoping he took the hint. I wouldn’t mind calling him my man at all, which surprised me, but Ididn’t think much of it since I was being really superficial at the moment.
He reached out and toyed with one of my locs. His touch resonated all the way down to my core, causing my pussy to quiver.
“You should give me your number.”
You’re damn right I’mma give you my number—along with whatever else you ask me for, I thought.
Without hesitation, I held out my hand and asked for his phone. Without hesitation, he handed it to me. Didn’t even have to put in a code or anything—which meant he probably didn’t have a girl or a bunch of hoes.
“You need a ride?” he offered when I handed it back.
“No, I live right up the block.”
He was fine and all, but getting in a car with some random negro was a no-no. Letting him know where I stayed? A fuck no.
“All right, Life.”
I kind of liked my new nickname on his lips.
“I’mma call you,” he said before giving me another panty-wetting smile and turning to walk away.
I watched him until he turned the corner.
Isaiah who?
Chapter six- Eshe
PAST
It took him three days to call me.
When he did, I let the phone ring until just before the voicemail picked up. I didn’t want to seem pressed—even though not answering right away was one of the hardest things I’d done in a while. I was anxious as fuck.
“Hello,” I said, butterflies dancing in my belly.
“Hey, Life,” he said.
