Page 14 of The Marriage Rebound

“You kickin’ me out?”

“No, you stay long as you want. But you can’t be wastin’ my food, and since you ain’t eatin’ I’m puttin’ it away.” She started to walk off then stopped, placing her hand on mine. “You’re an adult, you can’t be actin’ out like you did when you was young.” She patted my shoulder then walked off.

I knew she meant the antics I’d get up to as a child to try and get my parents’ attention. Hell, even stripping had been an act of rebellion against them after they cut me off when I dropped out of college. Another thing I’d done to try to have them pay attention to me.

Why was the fact I wanted to be with the people I loved apparently such a foreign concept? With a groan, knowing that Big Mama was at least partially right, I dug my phone out of my purse, then headed to the den in search of my wayward pet. He was curled up in the middle of some of his toys sleeping peacefully, not a care in the world.

Oh, what I wouldn’t give to be that carefree.

Settling onto the new plush leather sectional Big Mama had fussed at me about when I’d had it delivered as a surprise, I scrolled to see if I had any messages. A couple from Denise and Tanisha. Denise asking when we were next hanging out, and Tanisha wondering if I’d apologized to Courtney yet.

Why did I have to be the first one to apologize? She’d started things by not wanting me there. Again, the words she’d said replayed in my head. “Not even a fucking congratulations.”

Maybe that was going too far. Because them winning was a major accomplishment. I purposefully hadn’t acknowledged it because I’d wanted her to know just how pissed I was. And she did now. But at what cost? She’d left me.

A new dread, one I hadn’t considered before now, hit me. Was she thinking of leaving me permanently?

No . . . Courtney was a fixer, she didn’t give up. She was the same woman who stopped coming to the club for two weeks then sent Tina in to ask me out because coming inside would have meant she was a patron, all because I’d told her I didn’t date customers. Did I think it was a little out-there? Yes. But I’d presented her with a problem, and she’d solved it. And it was the effort and intention behind her actions. After that, we were a whirlwind.

Yeah, I may have been a little extra petty, but that was no reason to end things . . . was it? I gnawed on my bottom lip, my stomach twisting into knots, squeezing all the air from my lungs. I loved Courtney. She loved me. Every couple had their ups and downs, you didn’t just walk out at the first rough patch.

She would forgive me. Wouldn’t she?

“How are you out with us when your wife just had the biggest moment of her life?”

Tanisha’s question taunted me.

How badly had I fucked up?

I scrolled to the message chain with my wife then froze. What was I supposed to say? Please come home? I’m sorry? I mean I was, but my feelings were still valid and she hadn’t recognized them. But like Big Mama said, nothing got worked out if we didn’t talk.

I started and backspaced a few messages before finally settling on: I miss you.

Chapter 7

Courtney

Pizza’s here,” I said, closing the door with my foot.

“Cool. Shae and Dijah are on the way,” Tina yelled from her kitchen. “Should be here in about fifteen.”

It had been a day. A good day, but also a long one. The city had thrown us a parade so that was exciting, and Tina was like a kid the whole time, enjoying every minute. Though to be honest we all were. It was nice to see folks come out in celebration of us and have recognition of our hard work. Then there was lunch at the governor’s mansion, and that of course had meant photos and more interviews.

The fact that we’d won and were the WNBA national champions was still a bit surreal and, all things considered, a little bittersweet. I was crashing at my friend’s house and hadn’t spoken to or even celebrated this historic achievement with the one person who mattered the most.

When I entered the kitchen, I set the boxes onto the counter. Tina was pulling plates down from the cabinet. The smell of pepperoni, sausage, peppers, and onions made my stomach growl. I lifted the lid of the top box and inhaled deeply. “Not sure I can wait ’til they get here.”

Tina laughed as she handed me a plate. “I thought I was the greedy one.”

I slid two slices onto my plate, Tina did the same then grabbed two beers from the fridge, handing me one.

“What do I owe ya?” she asked, then took a bite.

I shook my head. “I got it, don’t worry about it.”

She wiped her mouth and hands with her napkin, and I already knew what she was going to say before she spoke. “You don’t have to keep covering all the food.”

“Yeah, I do.”