I stared in his face for a few seconds and I could feel his sincerity.
“I know that, Dylan,” I finally admitted. “And I’m sorry. I guess I got caught up in the moment, too. Let’s just call it a misunderstanding on both our parts.”
“Ah’ight. But aside from our little misunderstanding, did you have a good time tonight?”
I gave him a weak smile. “Yeah, believe it or not, I really did have a good time. I guess that’s the problem.”
“What’s the problem?” I wasn’t about to tell him that he was right, that I was feeling him, too, so I made up an excuse.
“Look, I gotta go; Becky’s waiting. I’ll stop by your store some time and pick up those Brotherman comics.”
“You do that,” he replied.
I waved at him, wondering if this would be the last time I ever saw him. Most likely I wouldn’t get up the nerve to stop by his store. It was too dangerous. As much as I wanted to pretend it wasn’t so, lying on that couch with Dylan had awakened feelings I was not ready to deal with. I had to wonder what it was about this guy that had made it so easy for me to forget Derrick, even if it was only temporary. I had been so sure my relationship with Derrick was like a rock, and now my commitment to him seemed about as solid as Jell-0. His request for money for his baby’s momma sure hadn’t made things any stronger between us, and now Dylan comes along. I was afraid my relationship with Derrick was about to hit some serious bumps in the road.
I took one last look at Dylan and silently promised myself I would just stay away from that temptation. Once I walked out that door, it would be back to my life as I’d known it.
It was hard being at work the next day. Not only was I tired as hell from being out all night, but I couldn’t get my mind off Dylan. It had been so long since I’d had a man to hold me and make me feel desired. I had to force myself not to daydream about him, and the more I did that the more he crept into my mind. I kept thinking about the way he talked to me, the way he kissed me, and the way he went down on me. Not that I wanted to admit it, but my panties were getting wet just thinking about how it felt when he was doing his thing. I tried to convince myself that it was just oral sex, not like it was my first time or anything. But I don’t think I’ve ever met a man with as much skill as Dylan.
I was so grateful to get home at the end of the day. I couldn’t wait to put my feet up and get some much-needed sleep. But that plan was ruined when the phone started ringing before I could even put down my purse. I knew right away it was Derrick calling. My life was pretty predictable since he’d been locked up, so he knew he could always catch me at home around this time. Truth is, usually I was happy to hear from him and would run to the phone. But today was different. I definitely didn’t want to talk to him.
Derrick seemed to have this sixth sense when it came to me. He knew right away if I wasn’t telling him the truth. And I knew he’d be trippin’ about why I hadn’t answered my phone last night. Once he started interrogating me, I’d have to lie. Then I’d have to deal with the consequences once he figured out I was lying. On the other hand, if I didn’t answer now, he’d be calling me all night until I did pick up the phone. I had to choose between letting the phone ring all night or dealing with it now so I could get some sleep later. Might as well get it over with, I decided.
“Hello?” I was trying to think of a lie fast.
“Jasmine?” I let out a thankful sigh when I heard Big Momma’s voice. “Where you been, girl? I was callin’ your house all night. I must’ve left fifteen messages. Why ain’t you call me back?”
I looked down at my answering machine and the number 20 was flashing. That was not a good sign. Big Momma was not the type to leave one message, let alone fifteen, so something must be really wrong.
“I spent the night at Becky’s house last night, Big Momma. Why? What’s wrong?” I braced myself for bad news.
Big Momma released a sigh that made it clear she knew I wasn’t telling the whole truth. She had probably called Becky’s house as many times as she’d called me. I was sure she’d ask me for the real story another time, but now Big Momma had more urgent things to tell me.
“Your sister had her baby last night, child! A big ol’ nine-pound baby boy!”
“Oh, that’s great, Big Momma. What’d she name him?” I tried to sound enthusiastic, but it wasn’t working. I was happy for Stephanie and Travis, but more than that I was jealous. I’d been wanting a baby for a long time. Derrick and I had even started trying to have a baby, but of course that all came to an end once he got locked up. So it wasn’t that easy for me to share my grandmother’s joy.
“Travis Jr. They’re gonna call him T. J.” Big Momma ignored my lack of enthusiasm and kept talking a mile a minute. She was like that. Wasn’t no one or nothing gonna spoil her good mood. “Yeah, my first great-grandson. I can’t wait to see him. I want you to come over here and pick me up so I can see my great-grandbaby. You hear?” she ordered.
Going out again was the last thing I wanted to do, especially since I’d have to put on a happy face for everyone else’s benefit. But Big Momma was not the kind of person you refused. So I promised I’d pick her up as soon as I took a shower and changed. At least with the birth of Stephanie’s baby I had an excuse for where I was last night when I did finally talk to Derrick.
Before I could kick off my shoes and head to the shower, there was a knock on my door.
“Who is it?” I sighed wearily.
“It’s me, girl. Open the door!” It was Sabrina, my best friend and next-door neighbor. She and I had been friends for years, but we really got close when her husband, Richie, got locked up and sent to prison for armed robbery around the same time as Derrick. I liked Sabrina. It was nice having a friend who understood what it was like to have her man in jail. The only difference between us was Sabrina was sick of traveling up to Roanoke every weekend and was looking for a new man. You see, along with being my best friend, Sabrina was also the biggest slut I’d ever met. She’d slept with about half of Richmond, and the other half was on standby.
“I hope you got that twenty dollars I loaned you the other day.” I opened the door. “’Cause girl, I’m broke.”
“Please, Jazz,” she sucked her teeth as she entered my apartment. “You know Uncle Sam don’t pay ’cept on the first or the fifteenth. And it ain’t neither one of those days. So you just gonna have to wait till next week like the rest of the bill collectors. I’m as broke as you, if not broker.” She held out a vase filled with the prettiest red and white roses I’d ever seen.
“So where’d you manage to get them roses, then? Seems to me if you got a man who can afford roses, he should be able to help you pay me back,” I teased. I knew when I gave Sabrina that twenty dollars I wasn’t gonna see it anytime soon.
“Shiiit! Ain’t nobody give me these flowers, girl. I was coming up the steps from work when the florist came knockin’ on your door an hour ago. He asked me if I’d give these to you when you got home.” Sabrina smirked. “He was kinda cute, so I told him, ‘Sure, but you gotta give me your phone number.’”
“Well, I guess you got the number?” I took the vase from her and walked over to the sofa. Sabrina was right on my heels.
“Yeah, he gave it to me, all right. Then he said if his wife answers the phone to tell her he was on his way home with the milk.” Sabrina sucked her teeth while I laughed. “Can you believe that shit?”
“Not really, but that’s the kinda man I wanna marry.”
“That’s ’cause you a player-hater,” Sabrina replied, and we both laughed. “Okay, girl, give it up. Who you talkin’ to that would send you roses?” She placed her hand on her hip.
“I don’t know. I’m surprised you didn’t read the card.”