Page 38 of Tension

“Mane,” I hung my head, knowing what I was about to say was completely out of character for me, but it was my truth. “If Chris called me right now and said she needed me, I wouldn’t even ask why; I would just be headed her way.”

I held my head up and looked at all of them.

“I don’t even want her to have to ask. I want to be able to meet her needs before she even knows she needs anything. She’s been through so much, and I have seen her grow, and it’s only made me want her more. I just want to be a soft place for her to land when life is getting to her. It’s not like I'm hiding the shit; I’m just waiting on her.”

“Mane, thats the hardest part. I knew as soon as I saw Nia she was meant for me; she just had to come to the same conclusion on her own.”

LL picked up his phone like he was waiting on a call.

I instinctively checked mine like a message would magically appear.

We looked at each other like puppies waiting on their owners to come home.

“Awww hell. Y'all made it longer than I expected.” Joe pulled out a twenty-dollar bill and handed it to Matt.

“Yo’ ass act like you not fina go over there just to not get Jas to talk to you.”

“Mane, fuck you,” Joe responded to Matt, but he got up with us as we all headed to our cars.

“Y'all have fun.” Matt waved as he made his way over to his motorcycle.

LL pulled out first, I followed, and Joe was right behind me as expected.

CHRIS

“It’s honestly one of the best places I’ve ever visited.” I reached over to get more popcorn. “They have an open permanent position; I’ve been thinking about it.”

Nia and Jas looked at me like I was crazy.

“I guess I have no room to talk with my flight attendant schedule; I’m barely here,” Jas said, shrugging.

Nia looked defeated. “I guess do what makes you happy.”

Jas patted my knee. “You know we're not going anywhere, and now we have a new place to visit.”

“It’s just a thought for right now; after this final week, I'll make a decision. Part of me is like a new start is just what I need, while the other part knows that no matter where I am, it’s just up to me to make it better.”

“True, people move to new places and take the same problems with them,” Jas said, then took a sip of her wine.

We were all seated on the floor with a movie playing for background noise and a coffee table full of snacks and wine. An awkward silence filled the room, and I looked over at Jas and Nia, trying to figure out what was up.

“So you gone make us ask,” Jas finally said.

“Ask what?” I questioned, and they looked at each other like I was being obtuse.

“Vel?” they said in unison.

“Oh.” I couldn’t hide the smile creeping up on my face. “I don’t know. Do I want him? Hell yeah. Does he want me? I think so.”

“You think so… that man is gone over you,” Nia said, waving me off.

“I just want it to happen naturally. You know?”

“What do you mean?” Jas asked.

“I don't know… Like I can’t center my life around trying to get and keep a man. I just have to live my life, do what I want to do, when I want to do it, and how I want to do it. What's meant for me will come and stay.”

“Damn, thats some real shit,” Nia said, nodding her head.