Page 45 of The Marriage Rebound

I picked up my drink then strolled over to curl up on the couch. Vuitton waited until I was settled before moving over to snuggle beside me. I started to take a sip, but paused as Courtney’s hurtful words replayed in my head. I’d said plenty of out-of-pocket stuff, mainly because lashing out to hurt before I got hurt was the way I rolled. She usually tried to keep the more level head. Sure, in the heat of things she’d made a dig or two, it was to be expected, but the comment about giving our hypothetical baby alcohol . . . did she truly think I was that irresponsible? She hadn’t apologized or tried to walk it back. I looked at the champagne flute, scraping my tongue along the bottom of my teeth, the desire to finish my mimosa drained away.

Instead, I picked up my dog and held him close. “You don’t think I’d be a bad momma, do you, boy?”

He responded by positioning himself for belly rubs. She didn’t really think I’d be a bad mom, did she?

I stroked Vuitton’s silky fur and tried to calm my worries. How could a person claim they loved you, but in the same breath say they wouldn’t want to raise a family with you because they didn’t trust you as a parent? The two were in conflict.

I pressed the heels of my palms to my eyes and groaned. Mya said Courtney was a doer and Courtney was good for listing off all the things she provided. And even better at shutting down conversations when she was tired of them.

“It works both ways.” The last thing she said to me last night before she left me sitting alone. Was I being unreasonable to want more than what she was giving? To want my wife to actually be around?

I needed a distraction. Tanisha and Denise had been on my case about the lack of girl time lately. I set Vuitton next to me then pulled out my phone to fire off a text to my group chat.

“It’s been a minute since you invited us over,” Denise said as she plopped her bag on the island, then crossed her arms, giving me an accusatory look.

“It’s nothin’ personal.”

“Didn’t say it was, just pointing out a fact.”

“Damn, D. If you were gonna show up with attitude, why the fuck you even come?”

“I ain’t got no attitude. I made a simple observation that it’s been a minute. You think it’s attitude when it’s simply the fuckin’ truth.”

I glanced at Tanisha, who shook her head and shrugged as she kept eating. I didn’t have the bandwidth to deal with Denise being Denise. Had enough on my mind, especially since Courtney had barely spoken when she’d gotten back from her workout. She’d showered, changed, then said a quick bye. I’d gotten more from Mya than my own wife.

“Anyway. At I’m feedin’ y’all. G’on head and fix you a plate. I got wings, and some sliders, and we can sit and hang out.”

“Only for a couple hours,” Nish said. “We both dancing tonight. You remember how busy it is on Black Friday.”

Shit . . . I’d forgotten what day it was. “That’s right, that’s right. All good. Nish, you good with your drink? D, what you want?”

“Jack and Coke.” She looked around as she loaded up on the food. “Where’s Courtney?”

“Why?” I asked as I placed her drink in front of her.

She took a generous sip then smacked her lips. “Thought so. This impromptu get-together has to do with the fact that she ditched you again.”

“Denise!”

“What? Don’t act like you weren’t thinkin’ the same damn thing, Nish.”

I waited for Tanisha to deny it, but she just quietly sipped her own beverage.

“Damn, y’all, really? I thought we were just gonna hang out and have a good time. And—”

“And what? Again, only speaking truth,” Denise said as she bit into one of the lemon pepper wings. “You text us 911, up in your feelings again ’cuz you two had an argument. And then you want to have time for us to get together so you can bitch about your wife. The only time you really want to hang out.”

I scowled at her and she returned the look while sucking down my liquor and eating the food I’d provided for them.

“Now why you lyin’ and had the nerve to say you don’t got no attitude?”

“I mean, Denise’s delivery could have used a little finesse,” Tanisha chimed in. “But she’s not completely wrong.”

Denise smacked the table. “Thank you!”

I sat back in my chair, crossed my arms, and let my attention shift between the two of them. “Y’all for real right now?”

Tanisha looked at Denise, who was busy eating, then heaved a sigh. “Look, we’re here, right? You needed us, and we managed to make it over for you. But . . . sometimes things be feelin’ a little one-sided with you is all.”