Page 35 of In the Safety's Zone
“I was sixteen and he was twenty. Nobody said much because my daddy gave it a public stamp of approval.”
“Not even in the same city again, Aphrodite. I ain’t like how that nigga was moving when y’all were doing the photos but ‘Twan told me to keep it cool so I did. But this is some bullshit. For you pops to set you up like that? That’s unforgivable.”
I opened my mouth like I was going to say something but then promptly shut it. I shifted around in the bed thinking about the stress that time had put me through. We’d dated and a lot of my success was put down and belittled. When I broke away from him, it was around the same time that I was moving away from dealing with my father as well and signed on with Billy.
“You good?”
“Yeah, I’m just suddenly disgusted.”
“Nah, we not doing that. We not wearing other people’s sins as our own. That’s his cross to bear not yours. And look how ol’ boy got paid back. A shattered elbow that’s gone have his ass teaching tennis instead of playing it.”
“I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.”
“I ain’t that saved yet so I’m glad it happened before we met so that you wouldn’t look at me differently. ‘Cause hearing this shit got me ready to Tonya Harding his shit. Have me ready to jig all on that man’s head for pulling that shit with you.”
His violence made me smile even though I knew it was a promise and not a performance. “I’m good, I swear.”
“It’s cool. It just gives me more drive to treat you the way you always should have been by all the men in your life. We gone make sure that they and their bullshit are in the rearview mirror. I gotchu, Phro. And I mean that.”
“Thank you for coming to eat with me.” I stood up from my seat and reached over to hug the beautiful woman who’d flown in to see me. She looked every inch a woman who had hopped states just to meet her friend for lunch. She had on a floor-length coat that looked to be fully cashmere with a fur collar. It was March but we wouldn’t get spring temperatures until closer to mid to late April. When she removed it and sat it down on one of the empty chairs along with her bag, it revealed a black turtleneck dress.
“Girl, you act like I don’t eat food. Besides, you’ve been running away from me all year I feel.”
I chuckled and tried to stop being nervous. So much of my time had been wrapped up in training and work that I didn’t have typical social skills of someone my age. Being around Anthony for that one night made me feel normal. Like a girl who had a crush on a guy and everything was good. But it wasn’t all good.
I didn’t know how to really go with the flow of how things were going to happen between me and Anthony. That first night was a fluke in my personality but now I was waiting for the next time that we were around one another to see if it was going to be like that first night. Every phone call had been special and we were making plans to see each other. Which was why I wanted to talk to Billy and I was grateful she’d flown in to see me.
“I know you’ve been busy. Work and then everything with the family. I’m still not sure how you handle it all. Hell, I’m wondering if I’ll be able to.”
Her brows perked up over the menu she’d been holding and I could see the wheels in her head turning. Billy was one of thesmartest women I knew so I wasn’t going to hide anything from her.
“Something on your mind?”
I nodded jumping right into the biggest thing on my brain. “Yeah, what do you know about men?”
The menu went down onto the table and she propped her hand beneath her chin. “They can be amazing and aggravating but when you get the right one you always want them around. Why do you ask?”
“I just remember that back then you hadn’t had a lot of experience with them and wondered how you got it?”
I was thankful we were in a private room so that we could have this conversation without anyone interrupting us.
Billy’s eyes widened, and a look of joyful surprise was on her face. “Hold on, we talking about fucking or we talking about dating?”
“They go hand in hand, Billy.” I felt like a kid talking to their parent about the birds and the bees but I knew she would answer my questions without judgement.
“Not necessarily. You can date and not sleep with someone. You’re coming at me with these questions for a reason, though.”
“I met somebody.”
That joy filled her face again and I was thankful to have her as a friend. One who was happy to celebrate some part of my life that didn’t pertain to training, tournaments or my appearance.
“Who is he? What does he do? How old is he? Lord, it’s not somebody that your daddy knows, right?”
I giggled because she was going after me exactly like a big sister would. She was overprotective and I appreciated that she was looking out for me. I crossed my legs beneath the bronze brushed suede maxi-length pencil skirt I’d worn. I had an oversized cream sweater and dark brown boots to complete my outfit.
“I would never do anything with someone that my father knew again. No, he seems like a good guy but I’m not sure.”
We paused to order our food but that didn’t stop her from getting right back to it when the server left the room.
