And I shut the door behind me. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt him, but I was already hurting myself.
Chapter 22
My Mamas
My girl hurting and not letting me in was hurting me in more ways than one.
She didn’t have that glow she always had. Any time she laughed or smiled, it looked forced, and when she asked me for space, I almost took it personally, reminding myself that she was hurting.
I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know what she needed.
I just knew she needed to feel better, and whatever I needed to do to make that happen, I was going to do.
Since she wanted some space, after taking Amir to school, I went into the office and worked on payroll and some other shit, realizing I needed to take a trip outta town to see my diamond guy for a few pieces, including what Amir needed for his mother’s services that were coming up.
I was in the middle of looking up flights when Keith walked in with his music loud, humming along to the music.
“Good morning, nigga,” he said, walking into my office, what are you on today?”
“Getting some work done,” I said, looking back at all the shit I had out on my desk. “I have been letting a lot of shit slip. I didn’t know it was that bad.”
Keith shook his head. “You haven’t been letting shit slip. Money has been coming in, everybody is getting paid, we are good.”
“Yeah, but I am short on diamonds and shit. I need to put in an order.”
“You going to get it?” Keith asked. “You know how long Danny takes to ship shit when you are not there.”
“I know, that’s why I am looking at flights now.”
“How is Islah?” Keith asked, changing the subject.
I shook my head. “I don’t know. S ome days she’s okay, other days she looks like she’s still in Cali. I don’t know.”
“Have you tried to talk to her?”
I looked at him like he was crazy. “You know I have… She is not ready to talk. She asked for space.”
“That’s fuckin’ with you, ain’t it?”
I nodded. “Man, that shit is driving me crazy. I am just trying to be there for her. I love Islah—I have never been in love before. I better not lose her after all this.”
“I feel you. How about this? Let me keep Amir, and y’all slide out and pick up the diamonds, see if that will help her open up.”
“I don’t know, man. Maybe I just need to give her some space.”
“Or maybe you need to remind her that you are not going anywhere,” Keith said before walking out of my office.
While he got the store ready to open, I sat back in my office, thinking about what he said. That nigga might have been right, and I damn sure didn’t have an issue fighting for what I wanted.
I made the call to Danny, my diamond dealer in Miami, and told him to expect me after that. I booked a flight for Islah and myself.
For the rest of the day, the city must have gotten word I was in the store because everybody wanted a custom piece. I wasn’tmad, though. It gave me another place to focus my mind instead of on Islah.
By the time I had to leave to get Amir from school, I had ten new custom jewelry orders.
I was getting my things together to leave when Keith came back into my office.
“So, what are you going to do?”
