Playing By The Rules

The Delivery Man - Part 2

Musical Suggestion: I Got You by Jimmy Brown

After fucking around with Vincent for a while, I got tired. I wanted something steady. I would say that I wanted something permanent but I wanted something that I could depend on. I didn't want to go back on the "booty" site, so I just decided to let fate have it's way. I had had enough people who wanted to be attached. I wanted consistency. I would say that I wanted all the perks of having a relationship, without having a relationship.

It had been a while after Vincent that I started thinking about Carlos. I wondered what he was up to and I wondered if he was happy with whom he chose to be with. I thought about what I was feeling and I had to be honest with myself, I missed him. I had grown to actually being with him and I definitely loved the sex. It was just different with him, I guess I could say it was easier because we knew up front what to expect from one another.

It had been a couple of months since we had spoken to him and I had erased all contact information from my cell phone to avoid calling or texting him during any moment of desperation. I didn't want to get my hopes up and I definitely didn't want to be denied. I had just settled back in to a routine with my kids and living my life as best as I could while I waited patiently for my divorce to come through.

One day I received a random text from an unfamiliar number. I was bewildered trying to figure out who had contacted me.

[Unknown] Hey, how are you doing? I stared at the text trying to figure out which one of these niggas was trying to reach out. I decided I would go along and play the game with them.

[Melanie] What it do?

[Unknown] How's that ass? The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I instantly had butterflies in my stomach. There was only one person would would come at me like that - Carlos.

[Melanie] Always good. Wassup? I had to keep calm, I didn't want to jump the gun. I wanted to know what he wanted. I figured he wanted to come and 'tap it' a few times.

[Carlos] I miss you. I was floored as I stared at the text message. I just knew this was a mistake. He meant to text his girl.

[Melanie] What? Do you know who this is?

[Carlos] Melanie.

[Melanie] What happened to your girl? She'll be mad if she caught you over here texting me.

[Carlos] We're not together anymore. I've been thinking about you. I've been thinking about you a lot. A smile graced my lips. This motherfucker missed me.

[Melanie] What happened? I had to be sympathetic towards him. I didn't want to show that I was having an "I told you so" moment, but hell, I told him.

[Carlos] Can I call you? He asked. This nigga wanted to talk? I was suprised as fuck. I was surprised that he even had my number and now he wanted to talk. I had to take a seat because I wanted to be fully present for the call.

[Melanie] Sure. I responded. He called me instantly.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hey baby. How you doing?" He asked. He called me baby.

"I'm doing good. How are you?" I didn't acknowledge the term of endearment, I just went along with the call.

"I'm good. Missing you though. It's good to hear your voice." He said.

"Yours too. Are you okay? Are you alright?"

"Yeah. I've just been thinking about you a lot. I don't know how to explain it."