Hoops & Harmonies

45.

Angel lay on her bed in Chicago, staring up at the ceiling, her mind racing with thoughts of Monica. The hours felt like days, the silence in the house almost unbearable. She had hoped that sending the flowers would soften Monica's heart, but now all she could do was wait. She hated waiting. She hated feeling powerless. But she couldn't force Monica to forgive her. She had to be patient, no matter how hard that was.

Her phone buzzed next to her, and she grabbed it, heart racing. But it was only a text from Kysre checking in.

Kysre: "How you holding up?"

Angel sighed before typing back a quick response.

Angel: "Barely. Monica still hasn't called. I don't know what else to do."

Kysre replied almost immediately.

Kysre: "Give her time. She loves you, but you hurt her. Trust me, she just needs space to figure it out."

Angel stared at the message for a moment, then tossed the phone back onto the bed. Everyone kept telling her the same thing—give Monica space. But what if too much space made Monica decide she didn't want her anymore? What if the longer she waited, the further apart they grew?

She groaned, rolling onto her stomach, burying her face in the pillow. This wasn't how things were supposed to be. They were supposed to be happy, raising their kids together, not stuck in two different cities with their marriage hanging by a thread.

Monica sat at the dining table in her house in Atlanta, sipping on a cup of coffee. Her eyes were heavy with exhaustion from the emotional rollercoaster she'd been on. The past few days had been draining, and she knew she needed to talk to someone—someone who could help her sort through her feelings.

She picked up her phone and dialed her mother, Marilyn. After a few rings, her mother answered with a cheerful voice, unaware of the turmoil her daughter was going through.

"Hey, baby! How's everything going?"

Monica hesitated, taking a deep breath before responding. "It's... it's been rough, Mom."

There was a pause on the other end before Marilyn's voice softened. "What's going on, sweetie?"

Monica leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes as she gathered her thoughts. "Angel and I... we're not in a good place right now. She lied to me, and I'm not sure if I can trust her anymore."

Marilyn was quiet for a moment, letting her daughter speak. "What happened?"

Monica rubbed her forehead, trying to explain everything in a way that made sense. "There was this picture. Angel was in the car with some guy, and they were going to a club. I didn't even know about it until I saw it online. She didn't tell me anything, Mom. She hid it from me. And when I confronted her, she acted like it wasn't a big deal."

Monica's voice wavered as she spoke, the pain still fresh. "It's not just about the picture. It's about the fact that she didn't tell me. She was sneaky, and now I feel like I can't trust her."

Marilyn sighed softly. "Monica, I know you're hurt, and I understand why. Trust is everything in a marriage. But you need to ask yourself—do you believe Angel loves you?"

Monica didn't hesitate. "I know she loves me, but love isn't enough if I can't trust her."

"You're right," Marilyn agreed. "Love and trust go hand in hand. But sometimes people make mistakes, and that doesn't mean they don't love you. It means they messed up. The real question is, can you forgive her? Do you want to forgive her?"

Monica stared out the window, watching the kids playing in the backyard. Rodney and Romelo were playing basketball while Laiyah sat on the grass with her dolls. The sight made her heart ache. She missed Angel being there with them, being a family.