Hoops & Harmonies

47.

Angel sat on the edge of the hotel bed, her heart pounding. Monica had finally texted her back. It had been days since she had come to Atlanta, and the waiting had been unbearable. Every hour that passed without hearing from Monica had felt like a lifetime. But now, there was hope.

Monica's message was short, but it meant everything to Angel.

Monica: "We need to talk. Meet me at the park later today."

Angel read the message over and over, trying to figure out what Monica was thinking. Was she ready to forgive her? Was she still angry? Angel had no idea, but she knew one thing for sure—this was her chance to make things right, and she wasn't going to waste it.

She quickly got up from the bed and went to the small bathroom to splash some water on her face. Her reflection in the mirror showed the exhaustion and stress that had been building over the past few days. Her eyes were tired, and her shoulders slumped with the weight of the situation. She hadn't slept much, and it showed.

After washing her face, she stood in front of the mirror, running her hands through her hair. Her mind raced as she thought about what she would say to Monica. She knew this conversation was going to be difficult, but it was one they needed to have. She couldn't let her marriage fall apart without a fight.

Angel grabbed her phone and texted Monica back quickly.

Angel: "I'll be there. Thank you."

She hesitated for a moment before hitting send. She didn't know if "thank you" was the right thing to say, but it was all she could think of. She was grateful that Monica was willing to meet her, grateful for the chance to talk.

Monica sat on the porch outside her house, staring down at her phone. She had sent the message to Angel earlier, and now she was sitting there, waiting for the time to come. The kids were at school, and the house was quiet. It gave her too much time to think, and she wasn't sure if that was a good thing.

Her mind kept going back to the conversation she had with her mom the day before. Marilyn had given her some good advice, telling her to take things one day at a time, but it was still hard. The hurt was still fresh, and she didn't know if she could just forgive Angel and move on like nothing had happened.

Monica's phone buzzed, and she glanced at it. Angel had texted back, saying she'd be at the park. That made Monica's heart beat a little faster. She wasn't sure how this conversation was going to go, but she knew it was something they needed to do.

She sighed and got up from the porch, walking back inside the house. She needed to get ready. The park was only a short drive away, but she didn't want to be late. She wanted to clear her head before seeing Angel. There was so much she needed to say, but she didn't want to be overwhelmed by her emotions.

Monica headed upstairs to change into something comfortable. She didn't want to think too much about what to wear, but she settled on a simple pair of jeans and a T-shirt. It was a cool, sunny day, and the park would be quiet at this time. She liked that. She didn't want an audience for the conversation that was about to happen.

Angel arrived at the park early. She found a bench near the playground and sat down, her hands nervously fidgeting in her lap. She hadn't been able to eat much, her stomach tied in knots. She glanced around the park, watching a few people walking their dogs and some kids playing in the distance. It was peaceful here, but the tension in her chest made it hard to breathe.

She kept checking her phone, even though she knew Monica wouldn't be late. The minutes ticked by slowly, and Angel felt like time had slowed down. She was going over everything in her head, trying to figure out the right words to say. She didn't want to mess this up. She couldn't mess this up.