Bernice

29

March 20
Bernice,

August dragged me to the studio today. He took a long break from doing music and he finally decided to start back up again. I like that this is what he wants to get back to doing, but I think he needs to do something else on the side. What if something happens to the money that is saved up?

His music has potential. He was selling good for a little bit. Events were booked. His manager is barely helping him with it. The last two shows August did he booked that himself through networking. That's why he's looking for a new one.

A hispanic girl came into the room and she went into the studio booth. She has black shoulder length hair and she's short. She has on booty shorts and a regular tee. She said some things to August. When she came out she looked at me and shook her head.

I stared at August. He came out of the booth. "Babe, are you ok?" He asked. "I'm fine." I said. "You sure?" He wondered. "I'm good." I roughly spoke. He shrugged and went back to the booth. I went on my phone.

August made a left turn while driving and I decided that I should bring up what has been bothering me. "Who was that girl?" I asked. "Huh?" He said. I turned off the music. "I know you heard me." I spoke.

"So that's why you haven't said anything to me this whole ride so far?" He questioned. I looked out the window. "I knew you weren't fine." He whispered. What? "Why would you know I was not fine and then just shrug your shoulders?" I wondered.

He's supposed to push the issue, not dismiss it. "I was giving you time to tell me what has been bothering you. That girl you're asking about is the producer's daughter. She's got a thing for me that's why she was dressed like that, but she's nothing to worry about." He explained.

I decided to stay quiet the rest of the ride. How's he going to tell me she's nobody when she's trying to get his attention? This girl doesn't even mind that he's got kids and in a relationship. That poses a threat.

As my man he should know what's bothering me when he knows I'm bothered. He shouldn't just not care about it and wait for me to talk. It's like he doesn't care to know when I'm not fine.

I walked to the bedroom and laid on the bed. The kids are with August's mom for the weekend and I finally found time this weekend to spend with him. August came into the room and tried to kiss me, but I turned my head the other way.

"What now?" He asked. I turned on my phone and started scrolling through Instagram. "Babe." No answer. He laid next to me and took my phone out of my hand. I looked at him. "Please give it back." I begged.

"Did I say something wrong?" He asked. I sighed. "Said and did." I told him. "Elaborate." He said. "I'm not going to. That's for you to figure out." I left the bed and went to the kitchen. I thought he wasn't this clueless.

I got water from the fridge and drank some. My phone started ringing. I looked at it and it's my mom. I answered it. We have been talking more. "Hi mom." I said. "Hi. How are you and the kids?" She asked. "We're doing good. What about yourself?" I asked. "I'm ok. I want to talk to you and Violet about something. Are y'all home?" She wondered.

"I'm not but Violet should be. What's up?" I wondered. "When are you going home?" She asked. "I'm um... spending the weekend at August's, but I can go home right now and we can all talk." I said. "Ok. See you soon." She ended the call.

I called Violet and she didn't pick up. I went upstairs into the room. The light is on in the bathroom. He must be in there. I knocked on the bathroom door. He opened it with a razor in his hand.

We're just looking at each other. Well someone has to break the silence and it's not going to be me. "I still don't understand what I said and did wrong." August said. "Really?" I rolled my eyes. Men never understand a woman's point of view. "Just forget it." I said.

He started shaving again. "I'm going back to my place." I informed him. I turned around and grabbed my shoes near the dresser. "Babe are you still mad at me?" He asked. "No." I lied. I put my shoes on and then grabbed my keys.

"Yes you are." He confirmed. "I have to go." I started walking to the door until he blocked me. "I promised myself that whatever issue that we have it has to be solved before any of us walks out of that door. Tell me what's on your mind." He spoke.

My phone started ringing. I answered it. "Hello." I greeted. "Hey. Mom called saying she wants to talk to us." Violet said. "Yes. Are you home?" I asked. "Yeah." She answered. "I'm on my way." I told her. The call ended and I handed August my keys.

"We can talk in the car." I mentioned. He nodded. I went downstairs and waited for him. When we got onto the road I decided to speak first. "I wasn't going home because I'm mad at you. It is just that my mom has something she wants to meet with me and Violet about." I said.

"Have any idea what it is?" He wondered. "Maybe she's dating someone or she's sick. I really don't know." I speculated. "Let's hope she's not sick." He hoped. My mother doesn't even care about him, but here he is caring about her.

We stayed silent for a bit. "The producer's daughter-" I was caught of. "Savannah." He interrupted me. "Oh. You know her name." I exclaimed. "Babe. It's not like that." He made a right turn.

"She's definitely something to worry about. Don't you see she's trying to get your attention and you tell me she's nobody." I pointed out. "She is a nobody. Nobody has my attention but you." He argued. "Are you sure?" I asked. "Yes. I thought you trust me." He pondered. "I do." I verified.

"It doesn't sound like it." He murmured. I sighed. "Babe, it's her I don't trust." I confessed. "I'll just talk to her dad to get through to her." He said. "Ok." I said. That girl looks way younger than me. At most 22. She wants a man that has kids. Very funny.

"Now that I know what I said was wrong. What did I do?" He questioned. "It's fine." I shrug it off. "No, it isn't. You gotta tell me." He bugged. "It's just that it seemed like you didn't care about me when you knew I wasn't ok but wouldn't pressure me to tell you." I expressed.

"I just wanted to give you space like how I did when I knew you were keeping something from me. I do care about you." He mentioned. "I understand. You said we had to be honest with each other then I wasn't honest with you then you became dishonest with me. I just think we should go back to that." I acknowledge. "We definitely should." He agreed.

August,

"Where are you going to go?" Bernice inquired. "I can go see the kids." I answered. I miss them a lot. Not spending this weekend with them is kind of hard. "Don't. As soon as you go over there they are going to want to go home and you won't be able to resist." She denied. "Aight. I'll figure something out." I scratched my head. I can still see them.

"If you bring our kids back, we are going to have some problems." She warned me. "Aight. I won't." I assured her. "Ok." She kissed my cheek. "That's all I get?" I asked. "More later." She said and then she left.

My phone started ringing. It's Kyron. "What's up?" I said. "Are you almost here?" He asked. Wait a minute. It's today. "I forgot." I admitted. "I'm stuck in the plane anyways. You got time." He mentioned. "Aight." I ended the call and started driving to the airport.

I thought he was coming to town Monday. He'll be staying with me, but I don't know for how long. This crashes me and Bernice's weekend. He came to visit me and to meet Bernice and the kids. I've been telling him to come and now is when he has time.

After I picked him up, we went out to eat and I got some Togo for Bernice. "You really want to marry her." Kyron stated. "I do. I've done a lot of thinking and if our long distance relationship goes well for a year and a half I'll propose then it's up to her when she wants to get married." I smiled.

"Damn bro. While we were growing up, you could not think about the future. Now you're doing just that." He acknowledged. "Something changed I guess." I shrugged. "Nah. Bernice changed you." He thought.