Page 57 of Intentional Foul
I held Nia’s hand away from my eyes and squinted as if the diamond blinded me. She tapped my hand, and we giggled. She agreed to meet me at the restaurant attached to Exclusive. We met in college with our ex’s playing basketball. Neither one of them was worth a damn, both notorious cheaters.
“How is the five-time Grammy winner?” she asked, and I sighed, rolling my eyes.
We took a seat in a booth and ordered drinks.
“Married life treating you good,” I asked, and Nia blushed as she combed her cropped hair.
“Ace is everything,” Nia said.
She wore the same smile Anissa wore when they mentioned the men they loved. A glow radiated from their skin, a sparkle in their eyes and a happiness no words could express. My late mother said love would drape the shoulders of a woman. It’s something I wanted to be blessed enough to experience.
“He keeps talking about. . .”
The sound of Nia’s voice faded as my eyes watered.
“Jhae,” Nia said as she exited her seat, moving next to me.
She motioned for me to slide over into the booth. I skated over next to the wall. Nia wiped away my tears with a napkin and my foundation stained the white cloth.
“What is the source of these tears?” she questioned.
I sat back and released my dilemma to Nia. “The reason I’m in Chicago is I’m running from a wonderful person. He says he loves me and wants to take care of me. It brings him joy to cater to me. For an entire year, he sent me gifts, he built me a studio in a condo and got me out of my record deal. He is warm, sweet, protective, and I swear he sees me. He gets the small things about me, the things no one notices.”
“And you are running, why?” she asked.
“He is my best friend’s son,” I said.
Nia’s head jerked backward. “How old is he, Jhae?” she asked.
“He turned twenty-three in January. He’s adopted,” I said.
Nia’s eyes danced around the room. “How old is his mother?” she asked.
“She is forty-one and a boss. Last year, I sang at her wedding in England. It was a fairytale watching her marry her first love after years of being apart. It was magical.”
Nia locked hands with me underneath the table. “You want the man and the friendship?” she asked.
I shook my head yes as more tears escaped my eyes.
“I wish I could tell you that things would work out, but it would be a lie. Take me, for example. My dad opposed me marrying Ace, but I did it anyway. Our father-daughter relationship is strained, but it’s on him. The same happiness your friend has—she should want for you. He is a grown man and what about his choice? If he chooses you and you want him, choose him. Friendship shouldn’t restrict your happiness,” Nia said.
I leaned my head back against the bench before finding her eyes.
“She helped me at my lowest,” I reminded.
“And if you have to pay her back by missing out on the love of your life, it didn’t come from a genuine place,” Nia said and squeezed my hand.
She was right in line with Mr. McKnight. I needed to view this from a different lens.
“Beautiful.”
Nia and I both searched for the source of the voice. An older gentleman with streaks of gray in his beard stood next to the table with roses. A six-pack peaked through his fitted button-down shirt.
My friend beamed with excitement as she stood, accepting the gift. A memory of the yellow roses Malcolm bought me sent a smile to my face.
“Ace, I would like you to meet Jhae,” Nia said.
He extended his hand toward me and made a point to kiss mine. “It’s nice to meet you, Jhae. Is it too early to ask when the next album is coming out?” he said, and we laughed.
