Page 5 of Mister Concierge

My eyes rolled and head shook as I poured my popcorn into a bowl. “No, and I think it’s best that way. I feel like we would just be talking in circles because he’s holding something back from me.”

“And you said y’all were good until today?”

“Yep. You know I told you yesterday we spent the whole day together. We had a really great time. He made me laugh and smile all day as usual, and we ended the night with some amazing sex.” I shrugged. “Maybe he did that so we could have one last good day together.”

“Well, fuck him. And fuck Mariah. You and Hosea deserve better, and I firmly believe y’all are going to get it as soon as you release who isn’t truly for you.”

“We have!” I laughed softly, grabbing everything to head to my bedroom. “We really didn’t have a choice, Haley. They left us.”

Her head shook adamantly. “Nah. I don’t mean physically; I mean mentally and emotionally. Hosea is very much still holding onto her ass, and I don’t want that to be the case for you and Raven.” My eyes rolled as she continued. “I know you, and I know you’re a great judge of character…”

“Except when it comes to the men I date. I always choose wrong.”

“Not always, but I will say you let your guards down very fast and ignore the red flags. You’re very observant and you give others the best advice, but you need to listen to it yourself. I know in your heart you want to figure out what’s going on with Raven, but if I was in your position, what would you tell me?”

Taking a sip of my wine, I thought over her question briefly.

“I would tell you it’s not your responsibility to figure out what he is or isn’t hiding from you. That it might be for your protection to know as little as possible. To be grateful for the good times you shared with him and remember that people aren’t ours to possess. That love is something that should be experienced freely, whether it stays forever or leaves. It will return in someone new. Until it does, find other loves and joys to focus on because you’re too good of a person to allow the choice of someone else to make you question your present moments.”

“So I say all that to you, but in my voice.”

I laughed at her silly ass and our conversation shifted effortlessly. We talked about our days and work. I liked working at the school, but I also felt like it wasn’t fulfilling me entirely. When I first got my degree in psychology, I thought I’d become a therapist. I ended up changing my mind because I felt like I wouldn’t be good at releasing the problems of others once my work for the day was done. It was a tossup between being a high school guidance counselor and a college academic advisor.

A part of me felt like I couldn’t help kids with their issues because I was still struggling with mine, so I chose academic advising. Now, I was starting to feel like it was time for a shift. In what direction, I wasn’t entirely sure.

Haley and I ended up talking for three hours before our eyes got heavy. We said our goodbyes and I crashed, not even bothering to do my nightly routine.

* * *

I wasn’t sure how long I’d been asleep, but I woke up to the sound of something banging against the wall. At first, I thought I was just hearing things until I heard my neighbor, Ashley, scream. Jumping out of bed, I grabbed my phone and quickly dialed 911. I gave them Ashley’s address and told them I wasn’t sure what was going on, but she was definitely being attacked. They told me to stay put, but I couldn’t just stay here while she was being hurt. I wouldn’t say Ashley and I were friends, but we were cordial and had dinner a few times over the past year.

After grabbing my bat, I slipped into my house shoes and headed to her apartment. The door was wide open, and it looked to have been kicked in. I saw Ashley tussling with a man in a black mask, and I had no idea why she was fighting a damn robber! She had money, but no amount of money was worth her health or her life. Ashley was the kind of woman who flashed her wealth, so it didn’t surprise me that someone had tried to take it. What did surprise me was that they’d come to her apartment, because our neighborhood was pretty safe.

“Hey!” I yelled, gaining his attention.

Ashley was able to pull the mask off his face, and less than three seconds passed before he made her pay for it by shooting twice. I dropped my bat and screamed. I was so stunned by the fact that he’d shot her that my legs almost gave out on me, but when he put the mask back on and charged in my direction, I willed them to run. Making my way to my apartment, I closed and locked it, praying he wouldn’t kick my door in just as he’d done hers.

“I’ve already called the police!” I yelled, pushing my couch in front of the door. “They are on their way!” I warned, before grunting. My couch wasn’t the lightest, but fear had me pulling strength from places I didn’t know I had in me.

For a few seconds, I watched him bang on the door. As much as I didn’t want to consider the fact that he could potentially get inside, I needed to be able to protect myself in case he did. I had a gun, but I never wanted to use it. If it came down to me or him, I would have to do what I had to do.

I made my way to my bedroom and grabbed the safe under my bed that had a knife and my gun. Every step I took, I prayed the police would arrive soon. Instead of going back out to the living room, I locked my bedroom door, grabbed my phone, and went out to the patio. In case he made it inside, he would have to waste some time finding me. Pulling up my security camera, I watched as he kicked my door and rushed it with his side. He switched to hammering the doorknob with the butt of his gun, and my head shook in disbelief. It always blew my mind to know how easy it was for people to be soviolent. Yeah, I knew how to defend myself, but I didn’t want to unless I absolutely had to.

By the time he’d gotten my doorknob broken and stuck his hand inside, I heard police sirens. I didn’t want to feel relief just yet because there was no guarantee he would stop, and all it would take was a few seconds for something to go down. Sure enough, he continued until he’d gotten my door off the hinges and pushed his way inside. Sinking down onto the floor, I shifted the cameras and watched as he made his way through my living room. He went to my guest room first, then my bedroom. That door was a lot easier to break.

Once he did, he grabbed my purse from my nightstand and rifled through my wallet. He took all of my cash and my ID. His eyes scanned the room, stopping at the patio. At me. Slowly, he walked over, and I lifted my gun so he could see it. That didn’t stop him from walking over to the door, but he didn’t try to open it.

“If you tell the police anything, I’m going to come back and kill you. Do you hear me?”

Nodding rapidly, I tightened my grip on the gun as my arms shook. He stared at me for three Mississippis before running out of my apartment. I stayed like that—sitting on the floor, gun in hand—until the police arrived and forced me to put it down.

Four

Hosea

Me telling my guys I was good didn’t matter—they knew I wasn’t. On the average day, thoughts of Mariah didn’t bother me too much, but there were certain times and seasons where my thoughts of her got the better of me. Today was the one-year anniversary of her leaving me. Tomorrow would be the one-year anniversary of the last time I heard her voice.

It was crazy how much could change over the course of one year.

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