Page 8 of Autumn & Woods
I laughed into her shoulder. “You’re stupid.”
She pulled back and held me by the shoulders for a second. “Two years is crazy. Never again.”
“I know,” I said. “Life been life-ing.”
“Same.” She circled to the passenger seat while I tossed my bag in the back. “Come on, hop in. I gotta pick up some wings and a bottle of Casamigos is calling our names.”
That was love.
After all that, finally settled in Taj's car, I got in, buckled up, and let the music ride while she merged into traffic. Tavern City still felt like home. Busy streets, flashing lights, and bass shaking somebody’s trunk two lanes over.
Taj glanced over and smirked. “So what’s new? You finally let go of that weirdo or nah?” I didn’t answer right away. She looked at me again. “Girl, don’t play.”
“He let go of me,” I said, calmly. “In his own weird, selfish, coward-ass way.”
“Mmm,” she nodded. “Theo still a hot mess.”
“Still.”
It’d been a little over a year since the breakup. He was one of those men who looked good on paper, said all the right things, but couldn’t hold a mirror to his own bullshit. Too busy blaming the world for his failures to do anything about them.
I tried. I held him down through layoffs, family issues, and his dream-chasing seasons. And when I needed him the most, when depression took me under, he folded. Theo fell back quietly and without apology. But it never failed, he’d always call on holidays. All of them. Hence, the airport call.
“You heard from him?” Taj asked.
“Here and there,” I muttered, looking out the window. “Mostly dumb shit. Passive stuff on socials. Random calls. Neversays what he really wants, just enough to remind me he still exists.”
She sucked her teeth. “Whew. The nerve.”
“I don’t respond every time. It’s exhausting, and I don’t need that kind of distraction.”
“Good.” There was a beat of silence. Then she perked up again. “Well, fuck him. I gotchu.” I side-eyed her. She grinned, waving a hand. “I’m serious! My cousin’s in town. First time back for Thanksgivin’ in years.” years.”
I groaned. “Don’t start.”
Taj held up a finger. “Nah, listen, he’s fine. Likefinefine. Grown as fuck. Got his own business. He stays out West in Cali. Probably your speed now that you’ve elevated from your charity datin’ era.”
I snorted. “Charity dating is insane.”
“But accurate,” she said, hitting her turn signal. “Anyway, he’s slidin’ through tomorrow. I’m puttin’ you in his presence. Don’t block your blessin’.”
I laughed and shook my head, but I was barely listening now. My mind had drifted again back to the bathroom stall. Back to Woods’ hand on my throat and his voice in my ear. I knew Taj meant well, but whatever she was talking about? Her “fine ass cousin from Cali”? I didn’t care because Woods still circled my mind, and nothing in me was ready to let that go just yet.
T h es u nw a sdisrespectful the next morning, beaming straight through the floor-to-ceiling windows like it had a personal issue with my hangover. My phone buzzed on the nightstand for the third time, screen lighting up against the wood, but I didn’t reach for it right away.
My fucking head was pounding. Mouth dry as shit. I lay there in that big ass king bed, sheets twisted around my legs, trying to piece together my night—how many blunts went around, when the fuck niggas drained both bottles of Clase Azul.
Buzz. Buzz.
I groaned, grabbed the phone, and sat up slowly. “Yeah?”
“Don’t ‘yeah’ me like you got a problem.”
I scratched my beard, leaned back against the headboard. “Mornin’ to you too, Ma.”
“It’s almost noon, Quamaine. What the hell is good mornin’ about that? We been up since seven gettin’ this food ready. Your auntie Diane brought the wrong greens, and your Uncle Tone forgot the damn yams. So, now I need you to hit the store, pick up Aunt Sherry, and grab some ice on the way to Big Mama’s.”
I squinted. “Wait… ice, Aunt Sherry,andthe store?”
