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Maybe I should have let Alex talk to his cousin on my behalf, because sitting in Koffi's family's home where people had gathered for lunch had my anxious heart ready to jump out of my chest. So far, there was no sight of Ketura, Koffi and his mom and I was dreading the moment when I'd have to come face to face with my former friend and his wife.
I was on egg shells as Koffi's sister Soraya walked beside me to the dining room, where we joined the rest of the group gathered for family lunch. Koffi and I exchanged an awkward hello and I was sure to sit as far away from him as I possibly could. I could tell he was nervous, and not for the first time, I found myself wishing we hadn't complicated our friendship with sex, especially when we both knew it wouldn't lead to anything.
As I internally lamented over the lost friendship with Koffi, his wife walked in, her dark, gorgeous face apprehensive as her eyes landed on me. Alex had already told me she was pregnant, so I was in no way surprised to see the baby bump she was sporting, but my heart still managed to squeeze a little when it hit me that a friend I'd known since I was a kid would be welcoming his first child into the world and I didn't get to share in his joy.
"Hi." I said to Ketura, finally releasing the breath I was holding. "Long time no see."
Awkwardness coloured the faces of everyone seated as Ketura settled beside Koffi and nodded in response to my greeting. "True. You look good, Cheyenne."
"Oh, please." I said, aware that my face was severely flushed. "Look at you! You're glowing. Congratulations, by the way."
"Thank you." Ketura said with a half-hearted smile, her eyes darting to Koffi, who had a ridiculous look on his face.
"Uhh... I'd like to speak to you, please, Ketura. After lunch, if you don't mind." the words tumbled out of me of their own accord. As uncomfortable as it was for me to sit face to face with a woman who would probably forever view me as a homewrecker, my sister's freedom was my number one priority. I'd just gotten her back. Just gotten a taste of what it was like to be a part of her life again. There wasn't much I wouldn't do to get to know her without prison bars standing in the way.
"Me?" Ketura asked with frantic eyes looking around the room as if she wanted someone to say it was a prank.
"Yes. Please." I sounded desperate and I didn't care. I'd watched some of her court cases online leading up to the morning I told Alex I would reach out to her and she was an absolute beast in the courtroom. I didn't doubt that she could help Latoya. The question was would she?
"Maman said you were here because you need a friend." she said now, her statement very clearly pointing out the obvious, I didn't have a friend in her.
I could feel myself recoiling, wanting to put a cap on this uncomfortable interaction and call it a day. I had no words for her now that I knew she couldn't even wrap her head around me needing her for something.
