Page 48 of Out of Bounds
“Why not?” Jream interrogated. “You’ve been with Kreed for years. I’m sure he’s all that you know. You deserve to go out on a few dates. Let somebody spoil you.”
“No, ma’am. I am fresh out of a fourteen-year marriage. I’m not even sure if I remember how to flirt with a man.”
“We can teach you,” Koya offered, making Jream lean over and slap hands with her.
The two of them were absolutely insane. There was no chance in hell I was ready to date anyone, let alone entertain a man. “I do not want to learn how to flirt.”
“Why not? You’re single.”
“I’m also a mother.” I frowned.
“And?” Jream heckled. “No one said introduce the girls to anyone. We saiddate. Go out and have fun. Ya know… let your hair down. What’s the worst that can happen?”
“Did you guys forget that the ink on my divorce papers probably just dried up?”
“We didn’t. But in retrospect, didyouforget that you are afreewoman and no longer bound to your marital vows?”
“Okay, Koya. See… I expect this from her, but you… I thought you were the practical one.”
She snapped her fingers. “I am very practical, I have you know. I also know that as awoman,you have needs—needs thatat some point have to be met. It’s not like you’re going to go sleep with Kreed.”
“Absolutely will not!” I agreed. “But I also don’t think I’m ready to give myself to anyone.”
Jream chuckled. “You ain’t gotta giveyourselfto anybody. We talking ’bout giving that coochie up.”
“Okay, now, see… you’re doing the most!” Koya fussed. Snatching the glass out of Jream’s hand, she set it on the table between us.
“What?” Jream feigned clueless as she hopped out of the pool. “I was just agreeing with you.”
“Talking aboutcoochie. Have some decorum, Jream. Damn!” Koya hissed lowly.
The two of them going back and forth had me laughing. I don’t know why Koya thought Jream could be politically correct. Did she forget that it was her husband who had practically raised Jream? Her mouth was just as reckless as Deuce’s.
“Seriously, though,” I butted in. “I’m sure I’ll get there eventually. Right now, I just want to focus on the kids and my job.”
“Understandable, but at some point, you’re gonna have to give somebody a chance.”
“I’m positive that I will. Anything is possible in due time.”
I wasn’t ready to date yet, but I knew eventually, I would want companionship. However, I don’t think getting remarried was in the cards for me. After fourteen years, I couldn’t see myself going down that road again. One time was enough for me to know that it wasn’t something that I would desire going forward.
“Just promise us that youwillput yourself out there eventually. And when you do, I want you to go into it with an open mind.”
“That!” Jream agreed. “Don’t be out here comparing everybody to Kreed. He might have been a little flawed, but he was the perfect partner. The next man you meet might be lacking a few of the qualities he possesses.”
“I’m not going to lie, Kreed will be a tough act to follow, but if he were the best there was out there, then he and I would still be together.” I shrugged.
I hated to put it like that, but he was perfect until he wasn’t. My thinking that he was void of fucking up is what landed us in this position. I won’t sit up and openly say Kreed had never been an amazing husband, because he was. The way he loved me was something I don’t think I would ever get the chance to experience again. But as I said, we aredivorced;therefore, he had some type of flaws within him.
“Dating is the furthest thing on my mind right now. I told y’all… I’ve been everything to that man for fourteen plus years. It’s time for me to grow as an individual and as a mother. I’ll always love Kreed, so it’s impossible to look at the next man and not pick him apart. When I decide to put myself back in the dating world, I can promise to go into it with an open mind. But my guard is so far up, I really don’t think dating would work for me.” I sighed.
“It might not be for you right now, but eventually, like you said… You will want companionship, Masai. You’re a woman; we crave intimacy more than anything else,” Koya shared.
Sighing dejectedly, Jream frowned her face up. “I really can’t believe you two are divorced. Like… Ineverin a million years thought this would be where you guys ended.”
“Neither did I. Shit happens, unfortunately. My biggest take away from it is that I’ve got to experience genuine love. A pure love that at one point in my life made me feel like nothing else in the world mattered. The love Kreed gave was one in a million, soI’m able to move on knowing that I have had the love that most women crave. It just ran its course.” I shrugged.
I had the perfect love story for years. I’ve been the apple of someone’s eyes. I’ve been the love of someone’s life.I’ve lived the fairytale dream, and if being single for the rest of my life was my destiny, then I was fully prepared to walk in it.
