Dark Like Me 3: Open Up

9

I'm lying in bed thinking about how I was going to run the newspaper company, that's not my real concern though. Especially with the help of Mr. Sasson, I knew I would do well. My biggest concern is telling my father I'm engaged to the man he forbade me to see a few years ago.

It's been stupid lately between my father; Roy and I. He calls himself secretly taking my back because he somehow found out that I was still seeing Shiriki.

What am I? A child? He acts like I can't get another car.

I didn't care, I bought me a new car the next day, and paid it off with the help of Shiriki. I hadn't even spoken to him since he told me I couldn't see Shiriki anymore. But, for him to come up here and take my car. I know I could have reported it stolen, but I wasn't going to go through all of that nonsense. But, when I tried to call and ask him about my car, he refused to take my calls. When he would answer, he would always ask, "Are you still with that boy?"

I would answer, "Yes."

And he would hang up in my face. It made me feel bad, it makes me feel bad that he would treat me this way over some guy. I do want to get to the bottom of this because I can't have this going on in my life.

I look at my ring on my finger and smile. I never thought I would have any of this. If my father continues to shun Shiriki, I will have no choice but to cut him off for good. Though, I already feel as though I have cut him off. Sequan has been stepping up as a father figure and Roy has just been on the back-burner, being all petty and shit. Why can't Roy be happy for me like Sequan is? I believe it has something to do with Roy knowing more about my relationship with Cole and how it went, than Sequan does. As bad as that sounds, I wish to have no kind of discomfort about my choice of man.

I get up and begin to do something with my locs, I end up putting them in a neat ponytail. Hearing the front door open and close, I go downstairs to find Riki looking rough and disappointed. He sits down on the sofa and covers his face with his hands. I stand beside him and he looks me up and down.

"Baby, you look nice." He rubs my waist. "Where are you going?"

"Well, I was going to visit my family for a bit. Are you okay?" I rub his arm.

He inhales then exhales, "No." He sits me in his lap.

"What's wrong? What happened?"

He buries his face in my chest and begins to sob. I caress his nape, he responds, "I got laid off today." I hear him mumble.

"Baby," I lift his face and wipe his eyes, "it's okay."

"No, it's not okay. I'm supposed to be able to provide for you. Not the other way around. I never wanted you to have to work too hard when you don't have to. I have always wanted things to be easy for you." He tilts his head.

"I understand that. I also know you love your job. But, there are other jobs out there." I try to be positive about the matter because I know these things happen, it's a part of life...sometimes. And nagging him and bitching him out about it as if it's his fault, wouldn't make him feel any better.

"I know. I..."

"Nope. No negative thinking. We've enough saved up for a few months and I still have my own job."

"Yeah, that's right." He begins to perk up a little, but the sorrow still hangs on his face.

I can understand the sorrow, he has always wanted to work hard and make it for his family. Just when he is able to do so, something seems to go wrong. It's a setback for him.

"We can think of other companies who will hire you." I tell him.

"Yeah. But, you want to go see your family." He rubs my back.

"I do. However, I need to help you with this issue first."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." I kick my shoes off.

"How did I end up with such an amazing woman?" He beings to make kissy faces at me.

I move back a little and playfully mush his lips with my hand. "I have no clue."

We spend the rest of the day trying to out hiring out what type of plan Riki is going to come up with. Around dinner time, he comes up with a great idea.

"Baby?"

"Yeah," I waved biting into the fried chicken we picked up earlier this week.

"I believe I have a solution," he meekly says.

The tone in his voice me a little. Ricky is normally a man with a huge voice. When his voice bass like that, I become worried. "What the plan?"

"I want to join the Army."

I began to feel like everything just froze in place. The room began to spin I try to stand up. I remember falling over and he catching me. Blackout.