BAMBI

XXI

My back leaned against the side of my bed while the squabble Prince and I just had played in my head over and over. His car had long since screeched it tires as he drove down the road, making his frustrations known to me as well as all my neighbors. I didn't really feel like I was out of line for asking him if he had sex with the other girls without protection, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized I came off as harsh and bitchy.

My still weakened legs helped me stand to my feet, walking to my tall chest of drawers, I pulled out my favorite Guns N' Roses t-shirt and slid it over my head. Then I grabbed a pair of running shorts and slipped them on.

When I turned around to leave my room, the phone, the passage way for so many of Prince and my conversations, suddenly had all of my attention. I knew I hurt his feelings and I knew I needed to apologize. Sometimes admitting you've done something wrong is the hardest part of forgiveness, but in this case, I feared the aftermath. Would he accept my apology? Or would he just move on from me to something better?

I hesitantly picked up the receiver, my index finger pushing the rotary dial to the right 7...9...2... his house number...4...3...8...

Ding Dong.

My busy hand was interrupted by the door bell ringing loudly. I hung up the phone and ran downstairs to see who could be at my door.

"Oh... hey Kar, what's up?" I asked, slightly surprised and a bit disappointed to see Karen standing there.

She didn't say anything instead walked passed me to sit down on the couch. The moment I saw her, I could tell she was perturbed about something. "I heard Janet's back." She finally uttered, looking up at me from her plush seat.

"Oh really? How'd you find out?" I closed the door, locking the cool breeze that was coming in out and took a seat next to her on the couch.

"You know her and my cousin are best friends and they tell each other everything."

"Uh huh."

"So I heard she was gonna try to come over here tonight, but I guess her mom told her that you knew she stole from you."

"She's so fucking dumb, what did she think I wouldn't notice half my jewelry was gone?"

"Viv, I heard she's real bad off, she's been on a drug binge since she got to St Paul. My cousin said she had track marks up her arm." I felt my heart sink into my stomach. I guess Karen was right, me being with Janet wasn't going help her in any way.

"So why are you telling me this?"

"Because she said she's still gonna come here to apologize or some shit and I don't want you to be alone."

"No, if she's gonna come here, I'd rather handle it by myself Kar. Plus I've got some other stuff I've got to take care of." I said, referring to the apology that I had yet to make.

"Well, I'm not leaving."

"Karen, please. If she comes I'll call you, but I need to do this on my own." Silence filled the room while our wills dualed for dominance. Her brown eyes never left mine as we stared each other down. I knew she was coming from a loving place but the relationship Janet and I shared started with two people and it needed to end with two people.