Page 14 of Labria

“That too. So, Miss thing, is Las Vegas going to be your permanent residence?”

“I don’t know.”

“Now you have a job here. It seems like you are here to stay.”

“No, I’m not. I don’t know. I needed to do something while I was in this town. You know I’m not the clingy type and there was no way I was going to stay home and do nothing all day while Lord was out working.”

“What does he do for a living again?”

“He has his own business. You know that.” It was true enough.

Khia’s eyebrow rose. “Now sister, you would tell me if something was up with him?”

“Yeah, of course.” I couldn’t look her directly in the eye. I took the time to lift my glass to my lips to play it off. But Khia was good at reading people.

“He’s not here. Is there trouble in paradise?”

“No, no, it’s no trouble. The only issue I have is we’re in the same place as we were six months ago.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know what I mean exactly. Lord just works so much. He’s always traveling for his job. It’s like we’re living two different lives.”

“You both work so—”

“I know. It’s just not exactly how I thought things were going to go with us.” I got a lump in my throat thinking about things.

“Well, I’m sure you’ll figure it out. Remember, go where you’re celebrated, not where you’re tolerated.”

“Right.” I sighed.

“I can’t believe you’re practicing law again.”

“It’s not that glamorous. I handle real estate law, land deals. It’s just a lot of permits, trusts, licenses and contracts.”

“Sis, I’m not going to lie. I hate that you’re living here, so far away from your family. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it. But I’m glad to see you’re back at work. I didn’t understand the bookstore thing. I didn’t know why you were working there.”

“I needed a break.”

“You got one. You’re back making real money. You have to make your own money and have your own in a relationship with that man. I can see Lord and his people have a lot. You need to have your own, just so you can bounce anytime he starts clowning you.”

“Clown me. I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

“Girl, you know you can’t never, ever, put nothing past a man. It don’t matter if he Black, White, Asian or Alien. You have to hope for the best and expect the worse.”

“How can you say? We had a wonderful dad and Larry is a great husband and father.”

“I had to train him. You think he came out the box that way?”

I definitely didn’t want a lecture on men when I was mad at Lord. I was pissed and worried because there was no way I should’ve let him leave without telling him I loved him. I wasn’t an idiot. He was the underboss. His job was dangerous and if something happened to him while we were bickering, I would never forgive myself.

“Khia, I just want to hang out with you. I missed you. I don’t have any real friends out here. I’m surrounded by all these people that are related or connected to Lord.” Those damn Italians.

“What about at your job? Did you meet anyone interesting there?”

I rolled my eyes. “It’s like two Black people there. One’s in the mailroom and the other is a janitor.”

“Uh, for real?”

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