Page 84 of When a Soul Cries

“I know.”

My voice softened.

“That’s my point.”

Her eyes dropped.

“I don’t want you waking up one day realizing you spent your whole twenties just trying to survive, Sol.”

She was quiet.

“And I damn sure don’t want you thinking me and Halo are all you’re allowed to have.”

Her eyes came back to mine.

“I love you,” I continued. “And you know how I feel about that baby. But I want you to have your own shit too. Your own happiness. Your own life.”

She swallowed.

“You deserve somebody to love you right.”

Something changed in her face.

I knew exactly where her mind had gone.

Mack.

I hated that motherfucker.

I hated what he’d done.

I hated that even years later, pieces of what happened still lived inside Sol.

I reached over and grabbed her hand.

“And I ain’t saying Rome is that somebody.”

She gave me a small smile.

“Good.”

“Because I don’t know his ass. He might be crazy.”

She laughed.

“But I am saying don’t close the door before anybody gets a chance to knock.”

Her fingers tightened around mine.

“I don’t know if I can do all that.”

“You ain’t gotta know tonight.”

She nodded.

“And if he fucks up,” I added, “I’ll handle it.”

Sol rolled her eyes. “There you go.”