What About Yout Friends

JENNA

King had suggested that we go to Eaton Centre on Yonge Street to go shopping. While I usually wasn't one to go to a shopping center, I liked the idea of shopping with him and Jessie.

"The more high-end stores are somewhere," King was looking at his phone, pinching the screen to make the image bigger. He scrunched up his face as he looked at the phone and then up at where we were.

I reached over and put my hand over the phone. "I don't care about the high-end stores, babe. I just want to spend time with you."

"Can we go across the street there?" Jessie pointed across the street. There were little table with umbrellas as well as some fountains.

"Yeah, we can do that," King nodded.

We crossed the street to see what was going on. There was a dance performance by some kids, so we joined the crowd of people and watched. Jessie watched with huge eyes, occasionally mimicking some of the dance moves.

"Is she in a dance class?" King nodded towards Jessie.

I nodded my head as looped my arm through his and leaned my head on his shoulder. "Yes. She's at my old dance class. Don't worry – we'll keep her off the pole," I looked up at him and winked.

King chuckled as he shook his head.

"So," he covered my hand with his. "I think I'm going to call Talia and talk to her. Answer whatever questions she has and apologize again for everything."

I raised my eyebrows as I looked at him. "Oh, yeah? What made you change your mind?"

"You asked me to do it," he shrugged his shoulders. "So, I am going to do it. There's a restaurant called 'La Cubana' that's supposed to have Cuban comfort food. We can all go there."

"We?" I looked up at him.

He nodded.

"I don't need to be there, King. This is between you and her. That relationship really has no bearings on me."

"So, here's the thing," he exhaled as he looked at me. "I'll be there to talk to her, but you'll be there to talk to Nyla."

"Nyla Walke?" I took a step away as I looked up at King. "Your ex – my ex-friend, Nyla Walker?"

"One in the same."

"Why would she be here?"

"Because Joel called her. He called her because Lia asked him to – for you. Apparently, she's taken a liking to you and thinks you and Nyla should talk. So, she convinced Joel to call Nyla. I kind respect that and it shows me that she's not going to try anything underhanded."

"She did that? Really?" I found myself smiling.

"Really," King nodded. "So, the day you and Nyla talk, I'll talk to Talia. We'll all meet at La Cubana and enjoy some delicious Cuban comfort food and see what comes of these meetings."

"That's really sweet of her," I leaned my head on his arm again. "I see why you fell for her."

"Babe?" King leaned over and kissed the top of my head. "You're not supposed to see why I fell for another woman."

"Yeah, but I do," I looked up at him. "I'm also not supposed to check out other women... but I do. Like that one over there in the orange coat," I nodded towards a woman that was standing off to the side. "She's cute."

"See, you like to start dating the other women and turning this," he moved his hands in between the two of us, "into something else. Babe, I already told you, I can't have what you had before. You can't have a husband and a girlfriend and I know any other man would jump at the opportunity but...."