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Hailo’s question was simple yet loaded. I didn’t know how I felt. Or maybe that was my excuse to avoid feeling anything.
“I don’t know.”
“It hurts at first, but it gets better.”
“How the hell would you know?”
“On my wedding day, I found out my fiancé was gay and cheating on me. I’m more than qualified on the subject,” she smiled while sharing details of her fucked up past.
“Damn.”
“I was so heartbroken. Then, I met a guy and had a one-night stand. A few weeks later, I found out I was pregnant and didn’t even know his name. I thought it couldn’t get any worse until it did, and I was forced to marry a stranger.”
“Is this supposed to be a pep talk?”
“This is weird enough. It won’t take much for me to leave you out here,” I threw my hands up and surrendered. “Anyway, at that point, I just knew my life was over. There was no way I’d ever feel happiness again, but happiness is a choice. It’s not always an easy one but it’s always an option, you just have to do the work.”
“I don’t even know what doing the work looks like,” I admitted.
“Start by being honest with yourself and everybody else.” Hailo paused and inquired, “What happened?”
I gave Hailo the abbreviated version of the story. She was quiet, and while I didn’t know her well, I knew women, and the look on her face said she wanted to say something. Something that would likely piss me off. “Might as well just say it.”
“I mean, she did get with your cousin and then go back to you. Are you really surprised?”
“You don’t waste any time, do you?”
“I’m just saying. When someone shows you who they are, save yourself the trouble and believe them. Loving them harder won’t make them who you want them to be.”
“I hear you.”
“Who knows. I might have someone for you if you get your shit together,” Hailo smiled, leaning over just enough to nudge me with her shoulder.
“Have you seen—?” Gianni’s sentence stopped rounding the corner.
The confusion on his face watching Hailo and I have a civil conversation made me chuckle.
“What did you do to this nigga?” I asked, peering back at her bright smile as she shrugged. “He can’t function without you.”
“What can I say? It’s a gift,” Hailo beamed, relishing in my statement.
“The better question is, what are y’all doing?” Gianni asked, still filled with confusion.
Hailo and I shared a glance before I replied, “Nothing.”
“Damn, it’s like that?”
“I’m good at keeping secrets,” Hailo told me, making Gianni scowl at the idea of her having secrets with anyone other than him.
“I’ll leave you with your man before he starts crying,” I joked, climbing to my feet. “Thanks, Lo.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Your wife isn’t half bad,” I said, patting Gianni’s shoulder as Hailo molded herself to his.
“Tell me something I don’t know,” Gianni boasted.
“Oh, and another piece of advice,” Hailo called out, making me turn around. “You can’t hold everything in and be upset people aren’t there for you. You have people, Tyson, but it’s up to you to let them in.”
