When it rains

Chapter 4

Tyra strolled into the gym, with her towel in one hand and her phone in the other. She walked to a free exercise bike, wiped the seat with her towel, rested her towel on the handle bars and put her phone in the phone rest. Her mobile phone rang. She picked it up and answered it. It was Charmain.

Charmain said, "I need you."

Tyra asked, "where are you?"

Charmain replied, "Gills coffee shop on Clifton Street."

Tyra, "ok, say no more. I'll be there in less than thirty minutes."

"Thanks Ty see you soon."

"See yah, babes."

Tyra disconnected the call, collected her clothes and bag from the changing room, and exited the gym.

*

Twenty minutes later, Tyra walked up to the table where Charmain was sitting in Gill's coffee shop. Tyra was still wearing her belly top and exercise shorts, and her jet-black hair was tied back in ponytail, because she left the gym as soon as Charmain threw up the bat signal. Knowing that her girl didn't need her now but right now. Tyra glanced from Charmain's disheveled hair, to the crinkled outfit Charmain was wearing yesterday, and knew immediately that there was still trouble in paradise. Tyra thought to herself, things must have taken a turn for the worse because her friend who usually looked immaculate, currently looked like a tree that had been uprooted and tossed around by a tornado. Although every ounce of Tyra hated what Gabriel was putting her friend through, Tyra knew she would not confront him, because she wasn't the type of girl who meddled in other people's relationships.

Charmain looked up at her best friend and braced herself. She knew she needed Tyra's support right now, but she also knew talking with Tyra would force her to face what she was currently going through head on. Charmain's stomach turned and felt uneasy. She fiddled with her napkin and started to sweat profusely. The scent of fresh roasting coffee beans, filled the air. Charmain realized that this scent which she usually loved, currently felt like the stench from the sewers invading her nose and turning her stomach. The coffee shop was bursting at the seams with customers. However, Charmain felt trapped in solitary confinement, with nothing but her thoughts.

Tyra sat down and said, "how you doing Char?"

Charmain busted out crying.

Tyra held Charmain's hand. "What did he say?"

Charmain stopped crying momentarily, but continued not to make eye contact. "He didn't. I mean I haven't told him yet."

"Why not char?"

"Its not easy Ty. Yesterday he came back in such a mood, I didn't think it was the right time."

Tyra paused for a second, opened her mouth, shut it, hesitated, and then said. "You know there will always be something, and there will never be a right time right."

Charmain sniffled, "I know, I know, I know" and continued to cry. "This time of the year is always hard for him, because today is the anniversary of his mother's death, but I know I need to say what must be said."

Tyra got up, walked up to Charmain and hugged her.