Page 60 of Arris, Jayme & Dyani
“Alright,” he chuckled, “And you don’t think that’s crazy, baby?”
“No. I think telling him is something that’s going to take a little time and I don’t want to just throw it on him,” I said.
“Alright, well look, while you’re worried about being real with Darryl, do that shit with me too.”
I blinked at him
“What?”
“You didn’t want to come see me here. You wanted to duck Darryl and anybody who may know him without standing on it and telling me that you weren’t fucking with us going out.” He shrugged. “Just be real with me, Dyani.”
“Okay. Maybe you’re right. Maybe I am worried about DP running to Darryl before I can talk to him myself.”
“Alright. Well, look, whenever you decide you want to tell him, let me know. But in the meantime, you probably shouldn’t be sitting in here with the door closed and shit and no tattoo to show for it. The people I work with know Darryl too, so…” He shifted in his seat.
“You don’t feel like you’re being dramatic right now, Arris?”
“I feel like I’m too fucking old to be ducking and dodging another grown ass man and I’m not sure how to read you or navigate this shit.”
“Well I’ve never exactly been in a throuple to know how to navigate shit either,” I sniped.
“You, me, and Jayme ain’t the problem and you know it. We can’t even figure out if shit is a fit or not because of these weird ass rules you have that only sometimes apply. You’re cool with pet names and shit when you feel like it. You don’t want to be seen eating out with me but you’re at my job and in my front seat all the time. Like, I can’t keep up with when it’s okay for me to act like I want to be with you.”
“So, what? You want to focus on Jayme and let this whole three-way relationship thing go?”
“That was one hell of a leap, Dyani.” Arris exhaled. “I didn’t say that shit. Hear what’s coming out of my mouth and not your thoughts, baby. I’m trying to tell you how I feel. That’s it.”
“Okay, Arris.”
“Alright.” He held his hands up in surrender. “Cool.” He hopped up, walked over, and kissed the side of my head. “Thanks for coming through. I’m going to prep for that next appointment though.”
“Okay.”
I climbed up and spun around to further argue my case, but Arris was already at the door, yanking it open. I didn’t utter a word. I just made a beeline out.
Arris walked beside me to my car without uttering a word to me, pulled my door open, kissed the side of my head again, and shut the door. Then he spun around and headed back into the shop while I watched.
It annoyed me that even though he was apparently upset with me and our situation, he still made sure I was okay. I should have appreciated it but something about it just made me want to argue with him.
I hated how calm he almost always seemed to be.
I sat in my car for a while before I pulled my phone out and called Jayme. She was the person who knew Arris the best and she had feelings for him just like I did. I trusted her to give me real good advice.
“Hello?”
“Hey. Are you busy?”
“Not really. What’s up?”
“Can we get together? I need some advice and I just want to see your beautiful face too.”
“Yeah, sure. My sister is taking Blake to a birthday party with her son so I’m free in about thirty minutes.”
“Okay. That works.”
“Where do you want to meet?”
“Uhmmm… Did you ever get your nails done?”
