Page 26 of Breeze and Melodie

“So,what do you want to talk about?” I asked Melodie.

We’d already gotten our drinks and appetizers and enjoyed them while we had small talk. Once we’d placed our food order, I was ready to find out what she wanted to discuss.

“Do you want kids?”

“Definitely. I hope you got pregnant last night or this morning.”

She laughed, but I was serious. I was already in my forties, and although I worked out and considered myself in good shape, I didn’t have time to waste. I wanted to be able to run, jump, and play with my kids without getting winded too quickly or concerned about accidental injuries.

“You don’t think that’s too soon? I mean, I know you as Breeze, my best friend’s brother, not as my man. You know me as your little sister’s best friend, not as your woman. Don’t you think we need more time to get to know who we are as a couple before we add kids to the equation?”

“Even if you’re pregnant right now, we got nine months to get to know each other.”

“True, but what if you don’t like me?”

“Baby, why are you acting like we’re strangers? I’ve known you since you were in middle school. Even though I didn’t start checking for you until you were in your twenties, I know what kind of person you are. Plus, Rainey wouldn’t love you so much if you weren’t a good person with a good heart.”

“You’ve been checking for me since I was twenty?”

“Is that all you heard?”

“No, but answer me.”

I shook my head and chuckled. “The first time I really noticed you, and all that ass you’re carrying behind you, was when we went to that boat party. You were young but had your shit together, and I was still getting money the best way I knew how.”

“But you were checking for me?”

“Let me put it this way so we can move beyond it. If you were somebody else, and not Rainey’s best friend, I would’ve fucked the shit outta you, but back then, that would’ve been as far as it went.”

She nodded in understanding. I was in no position for a serious relationship at that time, and Melodie, being Raine’s best friend, saved her from heartbreak.

“I get it. I was probably too immature to be fucking with a man like you anyway.”

“I believe things happen when they should, and not a minute sooner. Is that all you wanted to discuss?”

“No. Umm, I think . . . You know what? Never mind.”

“Nah, baby. I’ve always known you to speak your mind. Don’t change on me now.”

She sighed. “In today’s society, being married before you have kids ain’t as important as it used to be. I couldn’t care less about most traditional values, but that one has always been very important to me.”

“Weren’t you just telling Rainey to slow down when she mentioned us getting married?”

“Yes, but?—”

“This isn’t a conversation you need to have with me. You need to go home, look in the mirror, and have it with yourself. I already told you what’s up.”

She tilted her head to the side and squinted her eyes. “You weren’t just talking shit?”

“I wouldn’t play about something as serious as marriage, Mel. I love Rainey and would do anything for her, but she’s not why I came to Onyx City. You are.”

She looked confused. “Wait. What did you say?”

“I came here to pursue you, baby, but you weren’t ready to let me do that. You were mad because I didn’t respond to your advances the way other niggas did. I needed you to understand I ain’t other niggas. When you backed off, I wanted you even more, and right around the time I thought you were ready for me, you start fuckin’ with that bitch-ass nigga.”

“Oh my God. You let me waste a year of my life with him.”

“Nah, I ain’t let you do nothing. You chose to be with him, which let me know you weren’t ready for me. Don’t get me wrong; I hated every second you were with his ass and lost count of the number of times I almost snatched you up right in front of him. That bullshit ass relationship had to happen to prepare you for a nigga like me.”

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