Page 191 of When a Soul Cries

“And you think I’m not?”

“I don’t know.”

“Why?”

“Because I saw your face when your mama started talking about buying a crib.”

His eyebrows rose.

Then he leaned back.

“My mama was planning overnight visits with somebody else’s baby without asking the baby’s mama.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“So you weren’t uncomfortable because of Halo?”

“No.”

I looked at Halo again.

“What about her getting attached?”

Rome was quiet for a moment.

Then he looked down at her too.

“She ain’t doing nothing wrong.”

“I know.”

“So why would that make me uncomfortable?”

“Because she doesn’t understand temporary.”

His eyes lifted.

My voice softened.

“She doesn’t understand that somebody can be around today and not be around tomorrow. She just knows she likes you.”

Rome’s jaw shifted.

“And I don’t want her hurt.”

“I understand.”

“Do you?”

“Yeah.”

He leaned forward, resting his forearm against his thigh while still supporting Halo.

“I don’t know what’s gonna happen between me and you, Sol. I’m not gonna sit here promising you shit I can’t know yet.”

My heart squeezed at the words *me and you.*