The Hard Road

Part 10: Forge

The cake was delicious.

Truly.

As we sit on the sofa, her back to the arm rest and her legs over my lap as we sit close- I rub my hand up and down her thigh and she takes another puff from the joint she just lit.

"You know what I find truly humorous?" She asks and glances at me to see if I'm paying attention.

"What?" I ask and she hands the joint over for me to puff.

"This." She points to her elbow and we both start laughing at her terrible dad joke. "Haha...sorry. Couldn't help myself."

"That was pretty good. That got me."

"Tyrone messaged a few moments ago when you were in the Loo."

"Yeah?"

"Luna is doing great. Eating well- no complaints of pain or anything. Baby is stilling good."

"Thank you." I say softly and continue to rub her leg closest to me.

"You don't need to thank me. I'm just trying my best."

"I know you are. I really am sorry that I haven't been the best."

"You're forgiven. Can't say I wouldn't be the same if I was in your shoes." She says sympathetically as we sit and relax into our ganja smoke filled space. "You seem to be finding your groove with that."

She gestures to me smoking and smile shyly.

"Can't believe you've never done it before. You really were a Boy Scout until I corrupted you." She makes be turn red slightly, her fingers running up and down my arm as she looks at me with those big brown eyes of hers.

"I just never thought of a good enough reason too. I always tried to lead Luna by example. And here she's one upped me."

"You were never curious?"

"I mean of course I was, but I also fell for the scare tactics being replayed in my head from when I was just a kid. Don't smoke the Devil's lettuce because it's a gateway drug and all that bullshit."

"When's you first drink?" She asks curiously and I smile softly.

"First beer was when I was 15. My friend and I were hanging out down by the harbor and they stole two beers from his old man. It was piss warm and overly foamy and I threw up immediately after trying to chug it, haha."

"So you won't do drugs- you'll just underage drink. Got it haha."

"What about you, Rebel with a Cause?"

"Oh I smoked the house pipe through out my teenage years. It made living with my overbearing, over critical, and inhumane mother ten times easier. I only got into drinking after Secondary school- just before Cambridge. And it was more of an out partying so party til the room turns upside down kinda drinking-not black out piss ya-self sort of drinking. Honestly I'm a little surprised I even graduated."

"So why'd you finish your schooling here? Why New York?"

"Honestly, I just needed a change. The UK medical society is very...well—it made me feel like I had to be a cookie cutter doctor. Young black doctors back then weren't popular in practice and if I wanted to get anywhere, I felt I had a better chance in the US to make a name for myself than dreary London."

"And look at the name you've made— Dr. Helen." I tease her and she rolls her eyes before setting the finished joint in the glass bowl I found to use.

"Please...I've sat appeared on shows with anyone powerful enough to go by one name and you know what?"

"What?"