A Love Like This (Book 1) (12 page)

“
I told them they were both idiots and that they needed to stop acting like a bunch of horny adolescence and make a decision.
”

“
What do you mean make a decision?
 
I believe I have a say in the matter.
”

“
They need to choose who is going to pursue you otherwise it
’
ll ruin their friendship.
”

“
If you had to choose between Mike and Tucker who would you choose?
”
 
 
I ask.

She doesn
’
t hesitate.
 
 
“
Mike without question.
”

“
Why,
”
 
I ask as I merge past
the toll booths on the Bay Bridge.

“
Tucker
’
s like my brother.
 
He
’
s a nice settle down kind of guy and I
’
m not interested in a serious relationship. Besides that Mike is fine as fuck and he looks like he does what he does well.
”

“
Something is wrong with you,
”
 
I say as we pull into a fast food drive through and scan the menu for chocolate cake.
 
 
“
By the way how did you get to the restaurant so quickly?
”

“
I called him,
”
 
she says apologetically.

“
I kind of figured that.
 
What are the chances of Tucker randomly showing up at the exact moment we sit down for dinner?
”

“
After I called him I knew he would rush over.
 
I was already on the freeway when I got your call. I headed over just in case you needed me.
 
Are you mad?
”

“
Nope I
’
m not mad, but the one thing I can
’
t figure out is why.
”

“
Why what,
”
 
Sarah asks as she peruses the menu.

“
Why are Tucker and Mike trying so hard to get my attention?
”

“
It
’
s so cute that you don
’
t realize how hot you are,
”
 
Sarah says.

I sneer,
 
“
You
’
re nuts,
”
 
I say smiling to myself.

Chapter 6

 
 
 
 
 
Nickie
 
is sitting perfectly still
 
on Damian
’
s bed with her knees pressed against her chest.
 
She
 
takes nervous glances in his direction and
 
recites her favorite poems in her head as he lectures her.

To Aziz:
 
 
Song of Mohammed
 
Ahram:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

You are not kind to me, but many are
And
 
all their kindness does not make them dear
It may be you deceive me when afar
Even as always, you torment me near.
 

Kashmiri Song

I would have rather felt you round my throat,
Crushing out life, than waving me farewell.

Nickie
 
watches Damian pace the floor ranting about seemingly nothing.
 
 
“
Why can
’
t I leave him?
”
 
she thinks dazed from the pain in her ribs.

“
Do you hear me
 
Nickie?
”
 
 
Damian shouts.
 
His face grotesque and contorted into a monster she doesn
’
t know.

“
Yes I hear you,
”
 
She whispers dryly trying to remember why she loves him.
 
He continues to lecture.
 
She drifts off again:

Maya Angelou- Some kind of Love Some Say

“
is
 
it true the ribs can tell

The kick of a beast from a

Lover
’
s
fist?
 
 
The bruised

Bones recorded well

The sudden shock, the

Hard impact.
 
 
Then swollen lids,

Nickie
 
looks at Damian with tear filled eyes.
 
His face is back to normal now.
 
“
Look at your arms,
”
 
he says sympathetically.
 
 
”
Why do you make me do this to you?
 
I won
’
t hit you again I promise, just try to be more respectful of me and of our relationship.
”
 
He hands her a bag of frozen peas for her bruises.
 
 
Nickie
 
isn
’
t sure how she disrespected their relationship so she doesn
’
t know how to prevent from doing it again. The first time he hit her she swore she
’
d never talk to him again.
 
Dana told her that if a man hits you there
’
s no telling what else he
’
d
 
do to you.
 
She knew that if her family found out they
’
d literally kill him.
 
And if she even mentions it to Keisha forget about it.
 
That girl could be more vindictive and mean than any man.
 
So she applied heavy cover-up to hide the marks he left from punching her and decided to never call him again.

Sorry eyes, spoke not

Of lost romance, but hurt.

Hate often is confused.
 
 
Its

Limits are in zones beyond
 
itself.
 
 

But he called her constantly after that first beating.
 
He said that he loved her so much that he went crazy over the thought of losing her.
 
He became attentive and passionate even fun loving in the weeks that followed.
 
The next time he hit her she thought she
must have done something to make him angry.
 
She told herself that if she did what he asked he wouldn
’
t have a reason to punch her arms, chest and legs.
 
He never hit her
 
face, never wanted to confront the pain he
’
d caused.
 
Their relationship wasn
’
t sexual.
 
In fact they rarely had sex.
 
He told her that he wanted to wait until they were married.
 
She believed him.
 
He told her that she was a slut for pressuring him to have sex.
 
She believed that to.
 
Her spirit was broken a little more with each embarrassing painful blow.

And

Sadists will not learn that

Love, by nature, exacts a pain

Unequalled on the rack.
”

“
I don
’
t want to lose you,
”
 
he says brushing her tears away.
 
 
“
Do you know how much I love you?
”
 
 
He asks gently stroking her smooth tan face.
 
 
Nickie
 
touches the hand that rests on her cheek without malice and nodes yes.
 
 
Later that night
 
Nickie
 
takes the train home in a fog.
 
She walks into her studio apartment and gingerly lowers herself onto the couch.
 
She can
’
t cry anymore.
 
Her whole body is numb and she feels as if her life is spinning out of control.
 
She sits on the couch for what feels like hours staring straight ahead blankly.
 
The phone rings and snaps her out of her haze.

“
Girl pack up we
’
re going to see our baby.
”

________

My phone rings at 5 AM on a Friday morning.
 
 
“
Leila!
”
 
Sarah says covering her ears with a pillow.
 
 
“
Answer your phone.
”
 
 
The phone continues to ring.
 
Sarah throws her pillow at me.
 

“
What,
”
 
I grown?
 

“
It
’
s your phone, wake up and answer your phone.
”
 
 
I look at the caller ID and sit straight up in bed.
 
I try to steady my breathing before answering.
 
 
“
Did something happen? Why are you calling so early?
”
 
I say when I answer.
 

“
Girl nothing
’
s wrong.
 
I
’
ve been calling you for days and you never respond.
”
 

“
So you decide to call me at the ass crack of dawn?
”
 
I say lying back in bed.
 
Sarah walks past me wearing a hello kitty eye mask pushed up to her forehead and a matching night shirt.
 
She scratches her butt and farts as she passes my bed.
 

“
Was that you?
”

I exhale loudly and fan the air in front of me.
 
 
“
No Nick that was my roommate Sarah.
 
I guess she
’
s punishing me for waking her.
 
I
’
m sorry I haven
’
t called much lately.
 
I
’
m starting to think that doubling up on classes wasn
’
t the best idea.
 
I have no life and I
’
m pooped.
”
 

“
Well since we can
’
t get you to come home we decided to surprise you and drive up.
 
Put all your work aside because there will be none of that this weekend.
”
 

“
Who is we,
”
 
I ask.
”
 

“
Pookie
 
and I are driving through the Grape Vine as we speak.
 
We should be there in three or four hours.
 
Keisha wanted to come but Doug can
’
t watch a
ll those kids without help and Momma
wouldn
’
t baby sit.
”