Bloom

Bloom Part 12

~Whitney

"Babe," I said. "Did something happen earlier?"

An unsettled look washed over her, which set off an alarm in me.

I just hoped she would be honest.

I don't play that 'nothing,' 'I'm fine' nonsense.

She hesitantly nodded.

"Yeah," she admitted in her soft voice. "Um, someone I used to see came over."

My eyebrows (and antennas) automatically went up.

She knew I had questions.

"Just so you know, it's a lot," she cautioned, laughing some. "But it's over with."

I didn't like this at all.

"Okay," she breathed out. "Someone from my past showed up today. It happened when my friend was on her way over. They ran into each other..." That was when she paused, looking into the distance. "She felt sorry for him and let him in so he could get some things off his chest." Reading my expression, she added, "Yeah, I know."

"She let him in?"

She laughed at how I said it, but knew I was serious.

"And what happened then?"

"Well, Normani tried to give me a head's up, but I missed it."

"Did you call the cops? What do you mean she tried to give you a head's up? You missed it?"

"She tried reaching me, so by the time I got home, he was already there."

"She tried reaching you when, before or after she let him in?"

"It wasn't her. He came with Ari."

"What? He came with her?"

"Yes, that's what I meant when I said she felt sorry for him. They ran into each other when she got off the train and I think he gave her some sob-story, so she let him in, feeling bad. I know, I know..."

"Y'all still friends?"

From what I could see when I got there, they were.

Which doesn't make much sense to me, now that I know what went down.

"I know she made a poor choice, but it doesn't cancel our friendship. She thought she was doing the right thing. She was gonna even call the police on him, but didn't want to be a Karen. Her words."

"I don't give a fuck. She let him in your house, putting yours and everyone else's life at risk. And closure? The bitch knows you're with me, right? Who gives a fuck about what he needs? And how he knows where you live, too? She done lost her rabbit ass mind. And then gon' smile up in my face and eat my goddamned donuts. She is off her meds!"

Victoria sat on my lap and stroked my shoulders and arms.

"Why didn't you say anything?" I eyed her.

"I was planning on it."

"No! You needed to tell me the minute--not even--second-- it happened."

"Babe, you were in Jersey anyw—"

"So?! If there was a fire you wouldn't tell me because I was in Jersey?"

"Okay, I'm gonna let you calm down," she said, getting off my lap.

"This is serious, something could have happened!"

"I know and thank goodness nothing did. He wasn't even there for two minutes when I came. Montero got him out of there."