Page 21 of It's Love I'm After

“Yes, ma’am.” Caleb confirms before I interject to prevent this conversation from spiraling any further.

“It’s not Caleb’s job to spy on me, Nana. I’m sitting right here, so why not just ask me whatever you want to know?” I ask.

“Hm. You’re Vernise’s child, so I know you’re sneaky ass ain’t about to be forthcoming. My baby will tell me everything while cutting through the weeds of the roundabout information you’ll share.”

“Hey, Nana. Oh, hey, Niya. Hey, munchkin,” Gina says, entering the room and effectively ending the useless conversation Nana is attempting to have with me.

Since Gina is here to shift the focus from me, I open Facebook to do some mindless scrolling. I’m only a minute into my observations when I see that Germayne has been tagged in a post causing me to pause my scrolling to read it.

Sherita Malone-Albert

I can’t wait for next week so we can get back to us.

#weddingseason #foreverus #forevermine

Wrinkles stretch across my forehead, matching my frown and eyebrows that are hiking after reading this generic post about the man who’s seemingly supposed to be mine. Before I can catch myself or climb down from petty mountain, I type a post of my own, also tagging Germayne.

C. K. O’Neal

Since he wants to play Chess, let me move around some pieces. I got the first move…

#Iwarnedyou

Once I upload my post, I exit Facebook with new energy coursing through my veins because I told Germayne about his trial run before this thing started. Now, it's time to show him better than I can tell him.

“Can you keep Caleb for a couple of hours, Nana?”

“Mhm. I’ll feed him and get him ready for bed so you don’t have to worry about doing anything but taking him home and tucking him in.”

Single mother or not, my family has always held me down where Caleb is concerned, and for that, I’m forever grateful. I never have time to need a break because either Mom or Nana regularly steps in to keep Caleb.

“Thank you, Nana. Gina, you should come with me to Club Stew for a little bit. I want to get a couple drinks.”

“Let’s go.” Gina co-signs without hesitation.

*ding*

G. Malone tagged you in a post on Facebook

“Hold on,” I say to the man grinding against my ass on the dance floor at Club Stew.

My petty ass went live not too long ago with this man behind me, begging me to let him take me home. Opening the social media app, my heart rate elevates rapidly as I go to my page to see what Germayne tagged me in.

“Oh shit!” I shout, cupping my free hand over my mouth when I read Germayne’s post.

G. Malone

Why the hell would you get on Marvin Sapp’s internet talking like you ain’t got a man who ain’t afraid to set some shit off behind you? Oh wait, you don’t know that side of me yet. I keep telling your hard-headed ass that my profession won’t prevent me from crashing out. Tell that fake-ass Keith Sweat that the only way you’re gonna need a side nigga is if my body is stinking in a grave.

“Uh, cousin. I don’t think this one is like the other niggas you date. Playing with him might be hazardous for this man’s health. Aye, playboy, you’re barking up the wrong tree,” Gina walks up saying after looking at her phone.

I’m speechless and trying to quiet the pussy popping in my lower region at Germayne’s reckless mouth that is turning me on something fierce. Maybe I’m the one who needed to understand something by agreeing to a trial run with Germayne. It’s clear that while I’m playing chess, Germayne is clearly playing checkers, and I just lost. Here I was, throwing my age around with Germayne not long ago, and he just told me that age doesn’t make a person mature. My petty antics contradict the woman I am, and I shouldn’t have let some random woman get me out of character. Going to Germayne’s page, I no longer see the woman’s post telling me that although he’s seen it, it wasn’t worth his response.

Germayne: Agreeing to be mine means you activated the dormant crash out. Now, are we forging through this phase of our relationship the easy or hard way, Ms. Malone? I personally can move either way.

My panties are done for when I read Germayne’s text because my gullible and self-destructive ass can’t hide how much I love his aggression. Maybe I need my head examined or something because I should be ending this thing before it gets too deep and running in the opposite direction.

Germayne: *gif attached* Judge Judy tapping her watch.

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