Choose Wisely (11 page)

             
“Change how?”

             
“Well for starters you can’t just come over here unannounced. I have a man now and I need you to respect that,”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

              “So he’s your man now?”

             
“Yes and what’s so funny?” She pouted.

I stood and made my way across the room to sit next to her. I tried to move closer but she pushed me away.

              “Stop playing boy! I don’t see nothing funny. What you think I can’t get a man?”

I reached for her hand and looked into her eyes so she could see I was serious.

              “I never said you couldn’t get a man. I just think you’re moving too fast. You don’t really even know this dude,”

             
“I know enough,”

             
“You know what? I didn’t come here to talk about him,”

             
“Well what did you come here for? I don’t want to rush you. But I have to get ready for work soon,”

She
wasn’t making this easy for me. I wasn’t good at expressing my feelings and now she wanted me to hurry up and just spit out what I had to say. I took a deep breath and the words I had been holding in just started rolling off my tongue like a car speeding on the highway. Once I started talking I just couldn’t stop.

             
“Wait a minute! You’re in love with me?” She asked.

             
“Yes I’m in love with you. I don’t know when it happened. But it did. Seeing you with dude is killing me. I know I just sprung this on you. But I’m praying you will think about giving a brother like me a chance. I love you and I’m not afraid to say it,”

I could tell I was making her uncomfortable. But I didn’t care. She needed to know before it was too late.

              “Are you going to say anything?” I asked.

I prayed she would say something. I just
put everything on the line and to be rejected would kill me.

             
“I don’t know what to say. I mean how you feel right now is how I use to feel. You never showed any interest in me before. Why now? Do you really want to be with me? Or is it because you think I won’t be there for you anymore? You don’t have to worry about that. I will always be there for you no matter what,”

‘
Damn she wasn’t getting it. What can I do to make her understand’?
I thought.

             
I moved in closer. I was so close I could feel her breath on my lips. I touched her hair gently and, kissed her beautiful glossed lips. Kissing her felt so right, she was my queen and, I wanted to be her king. I wanted to give her the world. She deserved a good man. A man who knew her inside and out and, that man was me.

             
Melissa backed away and jumped up.

“We can’t do this. I love you
. But this is happening to fast,” she picked up her cell phone.

             
“Oh God, I’m going to be late for work!”

             
“Do you want me to take you?”

             
“No I’m good. I just need some time to think. Okay?”

I knew this was her way of trying to get rid of me. I decided it would be best to give her some space
, and time to think. I picked up my jacket and, kissed her forehead.

             
“Go ahead to work I’ll call you later,”

She followed me out. I listened while she locked the door behind me. I just put all my cards on the table. It was now up to her
to decide if, she wanted to pick up the deck and play.

             
I loved Saturday mornings. This was the only day I could actually sleep in. I had to get up early during the week to go to school and, Sundays I helped my father with Sunday school. This Saturday however; there would be no sleeping in. I had my nephew, and sleep was the last thing on his mind.

             
“Auntie are you up yet?”

I pulled the covers over my head, hoping he would give me at least another hour.

              “Auntie I’m hungry!” He whined.

I knew there was
no winning with him. He wanted me up and that’s what was about to happen.

             
“Okay David let me put some clothes and I’ll be right out.

             
“Yeah!”

I watched him run into the living room. I said my morning prayer and slipped on my robe.

              “What do you want for breakfast little man?”

             
“Cereal, but not that nasty stuff you eat,”

I did a pose in front of the television he was watching.

              “Special K isn’t nasty. Plus it keeps your auntie looking good like this,” I smiled.

             
“Okay but I still don’t want that stuff yuck!”

             
“Whateva come in the kitchen and pick out the box you want me to open,”

I already knew he would be staying the weekend. I made sure I brought all his favorite foods. He was my only nephew. So it was my job to spoil him
. I made us both a bowl of cereal. We ate and I tried to figure out what do with him for the rest of the day.

             
I gave David a bath and got him dressed first. He watched television, and I searched my closet trying to find something comfortable to wear. As I was searching I ran across a sweater that I had meant to return to
Macy’s.
My sister had purchased it for me as a gift and it just wasn’t my style.  I loved her. But her taste in clothes was worse than Dontae’s new choice of women.

             
I explained to my nephew that once I returned the sweater in the store that we would go to the
Family Fun Center
inside the mall. It was basically an arcade that had enough games to keep him busy for a few hours. I spoke with the store clerk. She said leave the sweater up front and see if I could find something to exchange it with.

             
David and I made our way to the women’s department. I went to the first rack of sweaters that had a sale sign, I was about to start looking through the sweaters, when I noticed a women about to put a sweater in her purse.

             
“What are you doing?” I asked.

She quickly put the sweater back on the rack.

              “I’m not doing anything! Why don’t you mind your damn business?” She hissed.

I was about to give her a piece of mind until I realized who I was talking too.

              “Wow! Really Dontae ain’t hooking you up enough?”

             
“I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

I couldn’t help but laugh. I picked up the sweater Lexi had just placed on the rack.

              “So you’re going to stand here and act like I just didn’t see you?” She snatched the sweater back.

             
“Look you can say what you wanna say. But I haven’t done anything wrong. Why don’t you just admit you would say anything to try to get me caught up? I’m sorry your ex wants to be with me. If I was you I would just move on,”

             
I moved closer and put my finger in her face. I was about to speak when I felt someone pulling my jacket. I forgot David was with me.

             
“Auntie who’s that?” He pointed at her.

             
“Nobody that matters,”

I picked him up and assured him everything was fine. I turned and quickly made my way to the counter. I was pissed. I took my sweater and headed to the Family Fun Center. I couldn’t believe I just let her take me there
. I was a good Christian woman. But I was also human.

             
I glanced at my cell phone to check the time. It was two o’clock and we hadn’t had anything to too eat since breakfast. I instructed David to finish up his last game so we could eat lunch. We took the elevator to the food court, which was on the second floor. I didn’t bother to ask him where he wanted to eat.
McDonalds
was straight ahead and that was is favorite restaurant. I ordered our food and removed the tray from the counter. I turned and scanned for a table.

             
“Auntie isn’t that lady you were arguing with?” He pointed to the table where Lexi and her brother were sitting.

It looked like he had his hand on top of hers. I grabbed his hand so I could get a better look. They must’ve had noticed
us because her brother stood and made his way over to me and David.

             
“How you doing Sandy?” Lou asked.

             
“I’m fine and yourself?”

He took my tray and followed us to our table.

              “I’m good. Do you think we could get together sometime soon?” He asked.

I picked up my cell phone and looked through my contacts.

              “I still have your number. I’ll give you a call okay?” I glanced over at Lexi who was giving me the mean face.

             
“I think you need to get back to your sister. It seems like she has a problem with you talking to me,”

             
“She’s cool. I’m grown. Who I choose to spend time with is none if her concern,”

I was trying to hurry him along. I had no interest in him. It was time to find out what was going on with him and his sister. I opened David’s Happy Meal and pulled out his burger.

              “Well I’ll talk to you later. I have to get my nephew situated,”

He smiled and strolled back to his table. I watched as he sat down with Lexi. It was something off with those two. I just knew it. David and I finished our food and headed to bathroom. I had to force him to go. But I knew it was best he went before we left the mall.

              I opened the bathroom and he ran into one of the stalls.

             
“Do you need any help?”

             
“No I’m a big boy,”

             
“Okay I’ll be waiting right here until you’re done,”

I went over to the sink to wash my hands. I turned when I heard the stall door open. I thought it was David. But to my surprise it was Lexi. She tried to hurry and put her sunglasses back on. But it was too late I had already seen her swollen black eye. Suddenly I didn’t see her as this woman from hell. I saw a woman who looked like she needed help.

              “Are you all right? Who did that to you?” She walked over to the sink and washed her hands.

             
“I don’t know what you’re talking about I’m fine,”

             
“You’re not fine! I just saw your eye,”

             
“Listen I got into with some chic last night at the club. Let it go!” She snatched her purse and stomped out the bathroom.

Something in my gut told me she was lying. If she wasn’t trying to give me answers I knew who would.
I pulled into the Next Level’s parking lot. I parked my car right next to Dontae’s. I knew the club wasn’t open yet, so this would be the best time to talk to him. Once David realized where we were he immediately got excited. He loved Dontae and since our break he hadn’t seen him.

             
“Auntie are we going to see uncle Dontae?”

             
“Yes but only for a little while,”

He grabbed his McDonald toy and tried to get out of his car seat.

              “Don’t be so anxious. Let me help you. I turned off the car and reached in the backseat to help him. I smiled as I thought about all the times I would bring him here. Dontae was so good with him. I just knew he would make a good father one day. I sighed as I brought myself back to my real reality.

             
I pulled on the backdoor of the club. It was locked. I knocked on the medal door as hard as I could. I wanted to make sure he heard me. I could tell when Dontae opened the door he was surprised to see us. I was about to think I had made a mistake coming, until I saw the big smile on his face. He reached down and put David in his arms. It felt like old times.

             
I followed them into club. They headed straight to the small game room. I sat at a table close by and watched them play. It amazed me how advanced David was. Dontae handed him a stack of ones for the game he was playing. He knew how to play the game and knew how to put the money in the machine.

             
I watched them play for about ten minutes. Donate and I made eye contact. He mouthed the words; give me one minute. He walked over and sat across from me. I asked him to slide his chair so I could keep an eye on David.