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“You were made for me,” I declare. She smiles in response and winks. As we wait for our drinks, Yirah and I chat about everything. Every time we talk with each other, it feels like we’re old friends catching up on our lives. It feels nice to have someone to talk to. Someone to trust.

Aiden and Joey are watching and chatting about whatever sport is on the television. I don’t see Aiden smile much around me, but he does it a lot with everyone else. I just get sarcasm and frustrated sighs. I mentally shrug. You can’t always be everyone’s cup of tea.

“If you could marry anyone who’s alive right now, who would it be?” Yirah asks.

I purse my lips in thought. I snap my fingers when I come up with my answer. “Idris Elba.”

She laughs. “He’s already married.”

“You didn’t say that they couldn’t be married,” I counter.

Yirah rolls her eyes. “Stop playing and give me an answer.”

I immediately reply, “Daniel Kaluuya. Have you seen him in Black Panther? Absolutely scrumptious.”

She nods. “That should’ve been your first answer.”

I nod. “You’re right. Your turn. Who would you marry?”

“Daniel Kaluuya.”

I frown at her. “I already chose him. He’s my husband now.”

She shrugs. “We can be sister wives.” We both laugh as the waitress arrives with our drinks. From the corner of my eye, I see Chris walking up to us with a drink in his hand. I roll my eyes at Yirah. She snickers and takes a shot.

“Well, hello, Attorney Parker. Pleasure to see you outside the courtroom,” Chris drawls.

I look him up and down. “I can’t say the same,” I reply.

He leans in. “Come on. Don’t be like that. I’m just doing my job.”

“Yeah, and in the process, fucking over Aiden,” I remark.

“Let’s not talk about work. You’re a beautiful woman. Let’s talk about us,” he says, his eyes running over me and landing on my breasts. Men. They are all the same. Complimenting me on my looks. What about my insane intelligence?

“Let’s not talk at all, actually.” I wave him away. “Go talk to someone else. The only time you and I should be speaking is in the courtroom.”

“Or maybe the bedroom?” he suggests. My lip curls in disgust. I open my mouth to spew a couple of well-chosen curse words at him, but close it when I hear Aiden speak.

“I’m confused, Chris. You heard what she said, and yet you are still standing there,” Aiden drawls, taking a sip of his drink as he waits for Chris to respond. Chris opens his mouth, but Joey interrupts, with a loud whistle.

Joey raises a shot glass and remarks, “Let’s have a drink to all the hard work everyone put into catching those escaped souls! A huge thanks to Aiden and Joyce for doing half the work by themselves!” Everyone cheers. I shyly look down at my cup. Yirah bumps my shoulder and raises her glass for me to clink.

Joey announces, “Salud!” Then, he tips his head back and takes his shot.

Aiden and I look at each other, making eye contact as we throw back our shots. I slam my glass on the table, still looking at him as he licks his lips. My heart speeds up. Well, not exactly my heart. It’s much lower than that, and it's beating with need. She’s such a traitor. I break eye contact with him.

It’s the alcohol, Joyce. Plus, you haven’t had sex in like, two years.

I don’t want Aiden; I just want sex. I let out a deep breath as Yirah yells to the waiter, “Another round!” Good thing I no longer need a well-functioning liver.

* * *

I moan loudly as I wake up. Sadly, it is not out of pleasure. Rather, it is in absolute despair at the painful pounding in my head. How is it fair that I’m dead, but I still get a hangover? I understand wanting to keep reapers as close to their humanity as possible, but damn.

There’s a knock at my door, and I whimper at the thought of having to move. Struggling, I slowly rise from the bed, attempting not to throw up. I stumble to the door, tripping over everything in my path. I am barely making it there in one piece.

As I pass by the mirror in the entrance way, I get a glimpse of myself. Drunk me did not do her nightly duties. There is no bonnet on my head, which means my hair is a flat frizzy mess. I may break down in tears just at the thought of having to do my hair again. I need to find somebody here who can do proper braids. With all these reapers here, there is bound to be someone.