Streets and Sheets: The B Side

9. Hell of a Night II

"It's good to see you"  I had finally got the nerve to speak. I stopped playing games and exited to bathroom. I got whatever stench Deonna noticed off with an abnormally long shower her for being met with Jas. She sat straight up sleepily in the king sized bed. I used an extra long hair tie to place my dreads on top of my head.

"Is it really?" She said stretching her arms. I sat on the foot of the bed with my back facing her. I wasn't ready to look her in the eye, especially after storming out on her like a lil bitch. However, it was actually was amazing to see her especially because I didn't think she would still be here. I could see that she was still debating her next move.

"It really is Jas." I said taking a deep breath. I tried planning the conversation so I wouldn't say something that I didn't mean. Apologizing for how I acted during the argument  was a step but bringing up Kenya or any other of my recent indiscretions was not an option. The only thing that I will say I regret is jumping into the situation with Kenya and I so fast but I don't look at the time we spent together.

"Then why didn't you come back? Huh? I stayed because I thought things would have been..."

"Different. Things should have been different I should have handled it better... you better." I continued to coach myself through the conversation.

"I knew this wasn't going to work I should have just left." She flung the cover getting out of the bed.

"I'm glad you stayed Jasmine. We can figure this shit out." I stood up, raising many voice.

"Does she make you happy?" She folded her hands. I'd been trying that thing where I think prior to me speaking which made it harder to be honest.

"She has been making me happy. She keeps my mind off of alot of shit." I ran my hands down my face. This was the first of many questions.

"I don't know what to do. But..."

"But nothing. Baby girl if you want to stay tell me. If you need to be with ole boy tell me. But I can't do the half and half. I can't treat her like that and her can't string each other along." I cut her off mid sentence.

"You never even gave me a chance before you went and started fucking with her. Once I told you he was getting out the switch flipped and that was it." She stated the facts of the situation. I took that as her telling me that she was done. Plus the open relationship conversation didn't make it any better.

"We have been through to much to just up and let it go."

"I don't want to let it go but I'm going to stay with my home girl for a while." She tried to brush past me knowing that I was going to reach out for her. I pulled her closer to me even though I know she hated me.

"You move in too fast and I know you are already invested in her." She wrapped her arms around my torso. She wasn't dumb and nor was I. At this point I had already acknowledged my position in pushing her away. Our silent tit for tat game had come to a head and with Tyson hitting the streets any day now she deserved what ever she wanted.

"Promise me we can take it slow." I said. I was taking a step back from a relationship that I probably should've have been in was painful.

"I promise." We settled on giving it a rest and going on a few dates from time to time. She was firm in not giving herself to Tyson all at once just like I wouldn't do we were both comfortable.

I kissed her forehead and then her cheek before agreeing to our new normal.

"Don't. Don't because it won't end well." She wanted a clean break but the way she clung to me told me other wise.

"I just..." I whispered before she interjected.

"It's only going to make me want to stay."

"Fine." I let her go to pack her belongings while I unpacked my nephew's stuff. I peaked in on him just to seeing  him still asleep. I poked around the house allowing Jas to continue grabbing a few things before I woke him up. The last thing I needed was for him to convince her to say.

"This isn't the end right?" She asked me.

"I don't think it has to be." We both ended knowing it was over. I watched her walk down the stairs and out of the door.

"I just wish that you could have waited before you umm... but I guess that's too much to ask." I stayed out of her way in order to make the situation less dramatic. Once I heard the door open and close I started getting my shit together. I immediately tried to focus on others.

I ordered a pizza before waking Miles up. He balled his face up as I prepared his bath water. He insisted that he could handle bathing himself. Standing by, my mind wondered to my tenants and the money that Kev and I were making. If everyone else was getting out of the game for good what was stopping me? Sure the money was fast but so was the money we were making renting these units.

"Uncle D where is my towel?" He asked from the other side of door. I shook my head and laughed as I grabbed the towel from the closet. I didn't see my youngin often but when I did he always tripped me out.

"You wash or just play in the water?" I sat the towel on the counter. His mom had been teaching him well. Any other kid would have water all over the floor and took 2 hours but not him.

"Yep." I have him a high five after helping him dry off. I got him some lotion and listened to why he prefers the red pajama set over the green one when the door bell rang.

"Finished getting dressed and come down stairs to eat." I patted my pockets for some cash and headed down stairs.

After the short encounter, I tipped the young man and called for Miles.

"This is bigger than the old one you had Uncle D." He took his time coming down the steps. He referred to the condo E and I once shared before o moved back to the house. While he has never met E I'm sure he would have loved her.

"You like it?" He met me at the bottom of the steps excited about the pizza. He shook his head while I prompted him towards the TV. He had been sleeping for the majority of the day so I prepared myself for a hell of a night.

"Netflix." He spoke into the remote with ease. I plated the pizza slices and popped open a fresh juice box.

"Pick a show and eat at the counter." He did just that. Loved him to death but I would hate for him to mess up my furniture, Jas would kill me.

Before I could even slip into my thoughts I directed my to the job at hand.

"What do you think about the movies tomorrow? Maybe a little fun land?" I said causing his eyes to light up.