“Either I’m the stupidest woman in the world or…”
The sound of the doorbell stopped me midsentence, and my eyebrows furrowed. I walked over to the door and pressed the button on the panel to see who was outside. Within seconds, the smiling face of my best friend, Jakayla, appears, and I feel comforted but also vulnerable. I didn’t want her to see me like this, but I knew that I would have to tell her about it sooner or later. She was literally my soulmate, although only platonic. So, even if I didn’t say anything, she’d immediately know something wasn’t right.
“Zee open uppp!” she calls from the other side of the door. She holds up a plastic bag. “I bought your favorite ice cream.”
At the mention of ice cream, my stomach growled. I hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast this morning, and even though it wasn’t a full meal, anything would suffice at the moment. I honestly just wanted to eat away my feelings.
“Zeeee, come on! This hallway is hot as hell,” Kay groans, and I giggle to myself. She’s so dramatic. “The ice cream is gonna melt messing around with you.”
I shake my head before finally opening the door. She was standing there looking fine as hell as usual. It took me back to when I had a crush on her when we first met a fewyears ago. I’ve gotten over it since, but she still owns a piece of my heart. She’s been such an amazing friend all these years, always looking out for me and making sure I’m good. I knew that no matter how bad a day I was having, seeing her, even for a few seconds, would make my day a little brighter. That’s just the kind of effect she had.
“Hey, bestieee,” she says in a voice a few too many octaves higher than her actual voice, causing me to playfully roll my eyes. “How’s it going, big head?”
“Girl, fuck you,” I laugh, pushing her back. I finally stepped back to let her into the apartment. She shuts and locks the door behind her. “Where’s my ice cream?”
“Right here, Miss Impatient,” she teases, holding up the bag again. The dread from thirty minutes ago is replaced by excitement. I squealed, reaching for the bag, but she pulled it out of my reach. I groan, but she just takes my hand in hers and leads me to the living room. “Come sit down first, Zee. I wanna hear all about your trip an-”
Her voice trails off as she takes in the room around us. Since Sasha and I had gone half on everything in the apartment, the living room was looking pretty sparse after she’d taken her things. Both recliners, the TV, most of the pictures on the wall, and the end tables were gone. All that was left was a rug, a sofa, a coffee table, and my bookcases. Remembering that my first-ever long-term relationship was over made the tears swell up again, and before I knew it, they were slipping down my cheeks.
Kay didn’t say anything as she placed the bag on the coffee table before coming over to cup my cheeks in her hands. She uses her thumbs to swipe the tears as they fall. I let out a shaky breath as she kissed me softly on the foreheadbefore pressing hers to mine. She pulls away to look me in the eyes, hers searching for something.
“Zee, what happened?” She asks. “Talk to me so I know how to help.”
“She left me,” I say, finally breaking down. I began to sob as she wrapped her arms around me. “She sent me on vacation so that I could be out of the house while she got her things. She was packing the last of them when I arrived two hours ago.”
“The fuck?” she says, pulling back. She wore a disgusted look as she shook her head. “What do you mean she left you? You’re the mother of her child. You’re herwife.What the actual hell is going on?”
“I know!” I cry harder, my head throbbing again. “When I a-asked her about it, she said…she said she just couldn’t d-do it.” I looked up at her, defeated. “I was the best partner I could be to her. She promised to care for us. When I was scared to start IVF, she was there to help me through it, but now it’s too much?” I shake my head, looking around the room once more. “Kay…what do I do now?”
“First of all, fuck her,” she says. “I’ve never liked her ass, and this only solidifies that feeling.” She sighs, guiding me over to the couch. She sits, pulling me down so I can rest my head in her lap. I feel myself slowly start to relax as she rubs my back gently. “You’re gonna be okay, Zseyah. I got you, and I got my goddaughter. You’re not alone, and you never will be, okay?”
“Okay,” I nod. “God, I feel so stupid for investing so much time into that relationship.”
“Don’t even prep your lips to blame yourself,” she says. “It’s not your fault that the person you gave your heart to ended up being a piece of shit.”
“But…”
“No buts, Zseyah,” she says, cutting me off. “You didn’t do anything wrong, so you can dead that. I know it’s hard right now, but we’re gonna get through this, and she’s gonna get whatever’s coming to her. So, let out the tears if you have to, but know that you have me in your corner always. You couldn’t get rid of me if you tried.”
I crack a smile as I look up at my friend. If I knew anything, it was that she would always be there for me. She’d proven time and time again since knowing each other that she rode behind those she cared about. I was honored to know that I, as well as my daughter, was included in that. Having her as a friend and having her support meant the world to me, and it made this whole situation seem less daunting.
Yes, I was now on my own and about to be a single mom, but I wasn’t alone. I had family and friends who loved me. We were gonna come out on the other side of this better than ever, and my daughter will be raised around people who actually care about and love her. It was going to be okay.
“Have I ever told you how much I appreciate you?” I say. She smirks before chuckling.
“Yep, all the time, but even if you didn’t, it's okay,” she replies, pulling her phone from her pocket. “I know where your heart is, Zee. I can read you like a book.” Before I can ask her about it, she speaks again. “Now, let’s get my bestie something real to eat. This ice cream isn’t gonna cut it anymore.”
I nod as she begins listing the options on the deliveryapp. We decided on a few options from a local soul food restaurant, and she ordered them. We spent the rest of the night chilling and watching movies after she moved the TV from my room to the living room. By the time we went to bed, I felt better than I had earlier today.
I felt ready to start the next chapter of my life.
Fuck my ex.
CHAPTER 1
The New Normal.
Zseyah “Zee” Morris - September 15th, 2023 - (Almost) Two And A Half Years Later
