Among Friends

Chapter 3

I spent the rest of the week avoiding any contact with Tyrell. I was under Vivian helping her with the house. Shopping with her and taking her to her doctors appointments. She didn't take chemo anymore. So she took meds for her heart and to control her diabetes. We made sure she ate well and healthy. We took walks and when she wasn't feeling good she rest. James was off but either he was out and about. Nia helped as much as she can. With Vivian's permission I told her on Friday but is agreed that she spent the night at her friend's house.
Vivian stayed on the couch all day because it was raining. She asked me about Reggie.
"Call him, Keisha this is the twenty first century...nothing wrong with asking a man out for coffee." To be honest, Reggie was not on my mind. I was trying hard not to think or feel Tyrell. I was keeping myself busy so that I didn't had to deal with these crazy feelings of lust. I keep telling myself, "He is old enough to be your son..."
I gave in and called him. And Thursday, I found myself at Starbucks reminiscing about old school days.
"You did a lot of mean stuff to me." I said laughing as I sipped on my Latte. He smiled and again apologized. "Now, do you forgive me?" He asked. I looked at him with a smirk. "I am thinking about it." I told him.
We walked in the park. He told me about the day his wife was in the accident.
"I loved her so much." He replied. "I guess I was angry with God. But I began to realize that she was a gift. And that she wanted me to be happy." I agreed. " A least she loved you back." I told him. I told him of my husband's verbal abuse and his infidelities. And how he tries so hard to stay in my life.
"Keisha, you need to get him out of your life. He will never let you be happy. You owe him nothing. He just to want you to move on...he doesn't want you to be better." Reggie was sincere and I found nice. But to be truthful, this was going to baby steps for me. We end our date with a sweet kiss and a promise of another later.
I came home to tell Vivian about my date. But Nia greeted me to tell me that she went to bed earlier. Nia seemed unhappy. The aura in the house was tension. James came in the living room. He seem to be angry and drunk. He glared at me and Nia, before slamming the door behind him.
I went to my room. There was this book I wanted to read. I didn't get a chance because I fell in a peaceful sleep.
I was awaken by James and Tyrell arguing. Vivian was up sobbing and pleading for them to stop. " You need to just die, Viv, I am sick of getting disrespected in my house. I work hard and I am sick of this young muthafucker disrespect. I am the reason he in Medical school..." Tyrell angrily told him that he didn't need his money or to be remind that he didn't pay bills. But he would like if he stop disrespecting his mother and his wife. James told him that he she didn't trick him that she was pregnant, he wouldn't have married her. He was sick of dealing with her and all 'her sickness' and her drama. How she got a strange woman living in the home he made. It was so unbearable. James wasn't the James she knew. It got quiet. She then woke to footsteps stopping at her door. But then they would walk away. I never brought it up and no one never said anything to me.