“Yeah, so, here we are.”
“You love him, though?”
“Yeah, I do. But I think somewhere along the line I fell in love with the idea of being married and being a part of a real family unit, and I keep trying to convince myself that I’m still in this for all the right reasons, but I can’t help but feel like that voicemail was a sign.”
“A sign of what and from who?”
I suddenly became tired of talking about myself and changed the subject. “Enough about me, what about you? You got a girl?”
Oak chuckled. “Nah, I’m still a loner, just focusing on myself now that my military career is over. I’m looking to have some fun, y’know?”
“Yeah, I know exactly what you mean byfun. You wanna whore out all over Chicago.”
“Whore out? Nah. Never that. I’m stingy with my dick. Unlike yo’ nigga.”
“Shut the fuck up!” I hollered before tossing one of Liv’s throw pillows at him.
He caught it in midair and laughed, which only pissed me off more. “I’m fuckin’ with you. Relax.”
“We’ve only been together for a little over a year, so I already had my doubts about getting married so soon. Plus, he’s a friendly ass nigga. And you know me, Oak. I’m not for all that. I just want somebody who’s gon’ be real with me and make me feel like a choice, not an option.”
He dipped his chin in a nod. “Yeah, I know. That’s what we all want. But real ones are hard to come by these days.”
“I’m learning that.”
“So, what you gon’ do?”
“I haven’t decided yet,” I admitted. “I need to talk to Liv.”
He parted his lips to speak at the same time we heard the jingling of keys in the lock. Seconds later, Liv walked through the door. Water droplets splashed against the welcome mat as she shook her umbrella before closing it and stepping inside. Her tired brown eyes lit up with surprise when she saw Oak and me sitting on the couch.
“Lex? What’s up? What are you doing here?”
I rose to my feet and gave her a serious look. “We need to talk.”
“What. The. Fuck,” Liv stated after hearing the voicemail for the second time.
“I know! And I still haven’t heard from him.”
“I can’t believe this nigga put a ring on your finger and is still passing his dick out like Halloween candy! I’m not promoting violence, but mothafuckas don’t learn till you stab ’em.”
I chuckled for the first time, somewhat thankful for the comedic relief. “Shut up.”
“I’m serious, Lex. Men ain’t getting beat with frying pans and scalded with hot grits no more, and that’s why they’re showing their asses like this, girl. And right before his wedding? He’s got some fuckin’ nerve!”
“Right! Now he’s got me feeling like I don’t want a man at all. I’m better off being single for the rest of my life if this is what I have to look forward to. Like, is there such a thing as a committed relationship anymore to these niggas?”
“As pissed off as I am for you right now, I gotta know what you’re gonna do. You gonna call off the wedding? Stay and test him?”
“What do you mean?”
“My mama always used to say a dog will always return to its vomit. So, if he fucked up once, he’ll do it again. The dumb ones always do.”
“I can’t lie and say this shit hasn’t planted the seed of doubt in my mind about this wedding. A part of me wants to call it off and throw the whole relationship away, but there’s something your brother said that I can’t get out of my head.”
“My brother? As in Oakland Amari Gray? Since when did you start going to him for advice, and what the hell did that blockheaded nigga have to say?”
“He basically said to hear him out first before making a decision since I didn’t actually hear Pat on the voicemail.”
