A TIME TO HEAL

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

"BITCH, I'VE been calling you. Where were you?" Seye asked when I got to her side.

"Out. What's the matter?"

"I just wanted to hang out with you. That wasn't Kelvin's car, was it?"

"Kelvin doesn't have a car and you know it."

"Just asking to be sure."

"Come in." Seye entered the house before I could finish my statement. "So?" I asked.

"So what?"

"She stood you up again. You're dressed in fancy clothes, you don't wear these to come and hang out with me."

She was decked out in a black blazer and blue jeans. She was supposed to be on a date with the girl she abandoned me for that night at the club.

"Do you think so lowly of yourself?" she replied smartly as I knew she would.

"Seye, there's no shame in admitting that you were stood up."

"For fuck sake, I did everything she wanted." She fell on the chair and I almost felt sorry for her.

"I'll get ice cream. Let me change out of my dress first then we can get comfortable."

I washed the makeup off my face after removing my dress. I wore an old, large, round neck tee that was touching my knees and came out to join Seye in the living room. I stood behind the sofa she was sitting on.

"Should I get you the ice cream?" I asked.

"You watch too many movies. Who wants sugar when they're angry?"

I rolled my eyes. "What do you want then?"

"Alcohol."

"I wish I had some at home, but I don't."

"Tell me something, has Kelvin ever seen you in this shirt?" Seye sat up straight in the chair and I went to the other couch.

"No."

"Hallelujah! It's hideous."

"You're a smart mouth."

"Do you think that's why she stood me up?"

Whew, I was starting to really feel sorry for her. "I don't think so. You said you guys rarely talk when you see each other because you're always doing other things."

Seye nodded. "You're right, maybe she thinks I'm not smart."

"No way! You have the look, one can easily tell that you are."

"Thanks. Marry me, please? You're the only girl that understands me."

I smirked. "You're not my type, sorry."

"Oh, yes! We know your type; dark, tall, bearded, Kelvin, someone's fiancé, and soon-to-be husband."

"I get your point, but this isn't about me. You're pouting over someone that clearly doesn't want to see you. I thought you were smarter."

Seye groaned loudly. "I thought so too."

I went to the kitchen and scooped some ice cream into a bowl. I got to the living room and gave Seye the bowl. "Take the ice cream, it'll make you feel better."

"I don't like so much sugar," she said and placed the bowl on the small stool beside her. "Let's play monopoly."

Seye picked the game pack I had left on the center table. I thought of the hours that was required to finish one round of the game and shook my head.

"It's late, don't you want to sleep?" I asked.

"Not yet."

As drowsy as I felt I gave in. "I'll play with you only because you're hurting. One round, and no more."

"One round," she agreed and came over to hug me.

I smiled and we got started.


"HOW WAS the date with Akin?" Kelvin asked when I eventually saw him.

"Awesome. We ditched the restaurant and went for a cereal date."

He looked at me with concern. "What's that?"

"A cereal date at the beach."

"Are you guys lacking material?" he asked smartly. "I could help you with romantic ideas if you're lost."

Only if he knew there was nothing romantic about my friendship with Akin. "Shut up. I wanted it and it was perfect. I ate cereal and we watched the water."

"Sounds magical," Kelvin said sarcastically.

"Kelvin?" I warned because he was giving of the wrong energy.

"Yea?" he answered innocently.

"Stop it."

"Stop what? You liked it and that's all that matters."

Exactly. "Now you see my point."

He took another slice of pizza and wolfed it down. It seemed as if no matter how much we tried to stay away from each other we always found our way back together.

"I see your point."

Kelvin was in my house. After what happened, I imagined he would never step foot in my house again but here he was dragging the remote control to the TV with me. Seye was on the other sofa fiddling with her phone, and it made me confident that nothing uncomfortable would occur with kelvin.

"Any plans for your birthday?" I asked.

"Alex and my sisters are planning something."

Kelvin sat up straighter and the sofa dipped. We were sharing the same sofa and I tried not to sit so close to him.
"And you have no idea what they're planning?"

"Nope, no idea."

"Shouldn't I be involved? I'm your best friend, as you like to call me." I was yet to get a call from Alex concerning his birthday plan. I'd never planned a party before, but I was eager to add my contribution towards something relating to Kelvin.

"I asked Alex the same question, and she said there was no way you'd keep a secret from me." He shrugged. "That's the reason they had to exclude you."

Alex likely excluded me for other reasons, but I didn't point that out. Kelvin was clueless about his girlfriend's antics. It was amazing how someone as perceptive as he could be clueless to the obvious antics going on beneath his nose.

"She has a point.," I validated. "I can't keep a secret to save my life." I was going to keep playing the game Alex was so good at, one misstep on my part and I was going to be seen as the bad guy.

"She suspects that," Kelvin said.

"You've finished the pizza. We should have ordered two boxes," I complained when I noticed the empty box in between us.

"I didn't want you eating too much, consider this a favor."

"I only had a slice."

"I don't want you adding weight."

"I don't remember asking for your help."

"You needn't ask. Deep down you wanted my help."

"And how could you tell?"

"Didn't I tell you I'm psychic?"

"I must have missed that part."

"Your bad."

"Yea, my bad."

He fluffed the throw pillow and rested his head on the arm of the chair. I went to another sofa so he could place his long legs comfortably on the sofa. In a perfect world, those legs would be on my lap.