Choose Wisely (10 page)

             
After the movie I asked Tyrone to drop David off at my sister’s. My job was open seven days a week and it was my weekend to work. I called Sandy and asked her to come outside once we reached her apartment complex. I waved my hand out the window. I knew she wouldn’t recognize Tyrone’s truck.

             
Sandy ran to the truck and popped her head in to give me a kiss.

             
“How’s the training?” I asked.

She smiled and opened the back door to get David.

              “It’s not as easy as I thought. But I’m hanging in there,”

             
“Hey Sandy nice seeing you again, I didn’t know you were going to school to be a cop,” Tyrone stated.

She did a quick spin to show off her
sweat suit, which read, Harrisburg Cadet.

             
“Yes sir I’m about to be one of Harrisburg’s finest,” she boasted.

I was so proud of my sister. I couldn’t stop smiling. I admired her. She was the type of person who knew what they wanted and went after it. I asked Sandy to bring David to the window. I
squeezed his cheeks and gave him a kiss on the forehead.

             
“You be good for your auntie,” I instructed.

             
“I will mommy! Love you,”

             
“I love you too. I’ll see in church on Sunday,” I waved as Tyrone pulled off.

             
“So where to next?” He asked.

             
“I’m sorry but the movie was it for me. I have to work in the morning,”

             
“That’s cool let me make one stop and I’ll take you home,”

             
“Thanks,” I smiled.

I must’ve dozed off. Because when
I opened my eyes we we’re outside of the
Wine & Spirits
near my apartment complex.

             
“Do you want anything?”

             
“No I’m good,” I stated.

He came out and threw his purchase in the backseat.

             
“So did you have fun tonight?” He asked.

             
“Yes and thank you for spending time with my son,”

             
“No problem. I know you two are a package deal. I gave you the wrong impression about me the other day. This is just my way of making it up to you. Plus your son is cool. He makes me want to have kids someday,”

I beamed at the thought of more children with him. He was fine and I
knew our kids would be beautiful.

             
I gave Tyrone directions to my apartment. Once we pulled up to my building he turned off the truck.

             
“So do you think I can come up for a minute?” He asked.

I was tired but I didn’t want our night to end.
I smiled at the thought of getting cozy with him. I reached for my purse on the floor.

             
“Sure you can come up. But you know I have to work in the morning,” I reminded him.

             
“That’s cool; I have an early meeting in the morning myself,”

We made our way upstairs to my place. I lived on the second floor. My father always told me and Sandy to find apartments on either the second or third floor. He said; if you get an apartment on the first floor any
crazy person could climb through the window. My father was very over protective. I couldn’t blame him. Especially after the way he had lost our mother.

             
I opened the door and turned on the lights. I was glad I had straightened up this morning. I normally didn’t clean until Saturday. I told Tyrone to get comfortable while I fixed us some drinks. We decided to order Pizza since all we had ate was movie popcorn. I turned on the television to see if I could find a movie. I got lucky and found my favorite movie on BET.

             
I placed the remote on the coffee table and sat next to him. He pulled me closer and put his arm around my neck. It felt so good to be in a man’s arms again. I laid my head on his chest while he played in my hair. He lifted my chin and stared into my eyes.

             
“Can I kiss you?” He asked.

             
“Yes,” I replied shyly.

He laid me down and started kissing
me passionately. His lips were soft like butter. He then placed his right hand under my shirt and gently caressed my breast. I immediately pushed his hand away.

             
“What’s wrong?” I sat up and fixed my hair.

             
“I like you. But I’m not ready for sex just yet,”

He rubbed his head and picked up his glass from the table.

              “Baby if you’re not ready it’s okay. I can wait until you are,”

I was about to respond when I heard my doorbell. He handed me the money to pay the delivery
guy. I sat the pizza on the table and we dug in. We ate in silence and watched the rest of
Love & Basketball.
We both must have been tired because when my alarm went off. I woke up in his arms and it was daylight.

             
I removed his arm from around my shoulder and eased my body away from his. He looked so peaceful sleeping. I picked up my cell from the table. It was six o’clock. I also noticed I had three missed calls from Darius. I checked my call history. The last call from him was around four in the morning. I figured if it was an emergency he would have left a message.

             
I placed my cell back on the table and tried to wake up Tyrone. I quickly found out he was a hard sleeper. I tried shaking him, calling his name and he wouldn’t budge. I didn’t have to be to work until nine o’clock. So I settled in my kitchen and started preparing breakfast. I made fried potatoes and onions, bacon, cheese eggs and toast. The aroma of the food must’ve hit him like a ton of bricks. Before I could set the table he was standing behind me snatching a piece of bacon off the plate.

             
I turned and playfully tried to retrieve the bacon. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards him.

             
“Good morning beautiful,”

             
“Good morning to you too,” I smiled.

He bent down and kissed my neck.

              “Everything looks great. Can you make me a to-go plate?”

             
“What? You’re not staying?” I whined.

He lifted my chin and gently touched my hair.

              “I would stay. But I have a meeting to get ready for,”

I didn’t want to
seem like a big baby. So I sucked up my true feelings and asked him what he wanted me to put on his plate. After I was done, I found some foil to cover his plate. I silently put the food away and handed him his plate.

             
“Are you okay?” He asked.

             
“I’m fine,” I lied.

I didn’t know what was wrong with me. Why didn’t I want him to go? We had only been out on three dates. Was I falling for him? Or was I just happy someone was finally taking
an interest in me? I had to be honest since I gained weight. It wasn’t like I had men knocking down my door. I was lucky to have him walk into my life. He had a career, my family liked him, and most importantly he made me smile and feel beautiful. I prayed for a good man and God had answered my prayers.

             
I strolled towards him. Making sure I gave him my most confident look.

             
“Baby I’m fine. I know you have business to handle. I’ll talk to you later,”

             
“You sure?” He asked.

I placed my arms around his neck and kissed his lips softly. I opened my eyes to find him grinning at me.

              “You like me don’t you?” He questioned.

             
“Maybe I do,” I smiled.

I knew I was feeling him. But I wasn’t going to come right out and say it. I
f he wanted to know my true feelings he was going to have to show me he wanted me first. I looked at the clock on the kitchen wall. I only had an hour to get ready for work. Before I could say another word my doorbell rang.

             
“Well I guess that’s my signal,” Tyrone stated.

I hated for him to go. But I also wanted to know who was coming to my crib so early in the morning. Tyrone and I put on our coats and headed downstairs. I was shocked when I got to
my door. There was Darius standing outside with an even more shocked look on his face. I opened the door and let him in. He nodded to Tyrone, which I assumed was his way of saying hello.

             
Tyrone passed Darius without uttering a word. He asked me to walk with him. Once we reached his truck he grabbed both my hands and squeezed them tight. I tried to pull away. But it only made him squeeze harder, which intensified the pain.

             
“Stop you’re hurting me!”  I yelled.

             
“Girl ain’t nobody hurting you!” He whispered while gritting his teeth.

He
looked over at Darius inside my building, who wasn’t paying either one of us any attention.

             
“What’s the matter with you?” I asked.

He let go of my hands and started pacing back and in forth in front of me.
I knew seeing Darius first thing in the morning made him uncomfortable. But I already told him that he was my best friend and nothing more.

             
“Listen I know dude is your friend but if we’re going to work he can’t be just popping up anytime he feels like it. Did you even know he was stopping by?”

             
“No I didn’t,” I admitted.

I grabbed his hand and pulled him towards me.

              “I’m sorry. I want this to work. I will talk to Darius okay,”

He leaned down and
eagerly kissed me.

             
“Alright I trust that you will handle your business. Plus I’m sorry if I got a little rough with you earlier. I just don’t like any other man sniffing around my woman,”

He patted me on my butt and walked around to the driver’s side of his truck.

              “I’ll call you later remember handle that,” he said motioning his head in Darius’s direction.

I waved goodbye and
turned to walk back to my building. I was dreading the conversation I was about to have with my best friend. But I deserved to be happy. He was just going to have to understand that some things were about to change.

             
I watched as Melissa made her way up the concrete steps, which lead to her building. The expression on her face worried me. I hope ole boy ain’t say nothing to get her upset. I stood when she entered through the glass door.

             
“You okay?” I asked.

             
“I’m fine. But we need to talk,” she said frankly.

I followed her up the stairs to her apartment. I sat in my favorite leather recliner chair and waited for her to speak. I had some news of my own. But I wanted to hear what she had to say first.
My eyes followed her thick body as she headed into the kitchen. She came back with a cup of coffee and handed it to me. I couldn’t deny it anymore. I was in love with her. She knew better than anyone.  I took a sip of my hot coffee and smiled. She even knew how I took my coffee she was definitely a keeper.

             
Melissa sat across from me on her leather sectional. She looked nervous.

             
“So what’s up? I asked.

I wanted
her to say whatever she needed to say so I could finally tell her what was on my mind. She started twirling her hair, which she often did when she was uncomfortable.

             
“You know I love you right?” She asked softly.

             
“Yeah I know,” I assured her.

             
“I think I’m falling in love with Tyrone,”

The room went silent. Was I hearing her right? How could she be falling in love with someone she barely knew? I was certain my entire circle were losing their
minds. First Dontae now Melissa, I didn’t know what she wanted me to say. All I knew was I had come over to tell her how I felt and I wasn’t leaving until I did.

             
“Melissa I don’t know what you want me to say,”

             
“I don’t want you to say anything. I just need you to understand things are about to change between us and I need you to be okay with that,”