“Why do people hate me for being so wise?” Hope asked, shaking her head.
“I don’t know about them, but it’s annoying to me.”
“Being right all the time is a gift and a curse.”
I laughed. “Whatever.”
“So, you’re doing it? This is a good thing, Faith. I promise.”
“It better be.”
“So, you talked my big sister into getting involved with a man who left her emotionally scarred and destined to die alone?” my younger sister Grace asked as she sashayed into my living room carrying a bottle of wine.
“Damn, that’s harsh, you whore,” I fussed, meeting her halfway with a hug.
My sisters and I were meeting up for our biweekly movie night. I loved spending time with them. As the middle of two divas, I was the odd ball. They loved to tease me for being smart, but I was the first one they called when they needed answers. They got on my nerves, but I loved them to death.
“She is a grown woman,” Hope interjected.
“Make it make sense. You are running right into the mouth of the big bad wolf. You’ve been telling me that story since I was three. You know he just wants to eat you.”
“Would that be so bad, though?” Hope chimed in.
“You shut the hell up. You’re the one who did this,” Grace said, whipping her head around to shove her finger in Hope’s face.
“Will y’all both hush? My nerves are bad enough as it is.”
“You’re already stressed out, and your solution is to spend more time with him. See how that doesn’t make any sense?”
“It’s not even like that, and you know it.”
“It’s exactly like that, Sis. He hurt you. I know you can’t forget about that, because I sure can’t. All I’m saying is that I don’t want to see you go through that again.”
Hope rolled her eyes. “All I know was that you were sprung off the tongue, and you need that in your life like ASAP with your boring ass.”
Grace stomped her foot, getting our attention. “Will you stop!”
“I hope you know your little bitty ass is not in charge. Let her get her man back if she wants to,” Hope teased.
“I’m not trying to get anyone back! I’m investigating him.”
Hope smirked as Grace turned back to me. “So, you are trying to check up on him?” She shook her head in disapproval.
“I’m not investigating him, Grace, damn. I mean, I’m investigating the casino. Iaman investigative journalist. You know what I meant.”
“See how defensive you got. You are so not over him. I knew it.”
“I’m over him, Grace. I told you I know what I’m doing.”
“That man played you, Faith.” Grace reiterated her point.
“You think I don’t know that. You think I don’t remember crying myself to sleep for weeks? You don’t have to keep shoving that shit in my face. At the end of the day, it’s not up to you.”
“I understand that you’re capable of making your own decisions. You’ve been an adult your whole life. I’m just wondering why you would put yourself back in that situation.”
Because I wanted to trust that he would be honest with me. Because I needed to finally nail him and show the world howphony he and his bestie were. Because someone other than me needed to see him for who he really was. Because I missed?—
“Because I have a story, and he happens to be the one that can get me the answers I need. Reed is the only way that I’ll get access to Nicholas King. I promised Barbara a big story. So if I have to put up with his annoying ass for a little while, then so be it.”
