Page 92 of In the Safety's Zone
“Talk to me then, AP, cause you not gone change my mind.” I arranged the mound of pillows and propped up my legs, which were tired as fuck from all the routes I’d run today.
“Is this bullying? You trying to tell me what I can and cannot do?”
“That’s it or you got more?” Her passive-aggressive pleas weren’t going to change my mind so she needed to find something else.
“Why are you sitting here acting like this is no big deal? This is our first fight!”
“No, it’s not.”
She was silent for a moment before she spoke again. “It’s not?”
“Nah. An argument is when we’re on opposing sides and there’s never a time when I’m not on your side. So this is a discussion. A negotiation, if you will.”
“How are you being charming when I’m supposed to be mad at you?” Aphrodite’s voice softened and I just waited for her to understand how I was coming.
“Because there’s no reason for us to be beefing with each other that’s why. You want the best thing for us, right?”
“Of course I do.”
“Then we good. So what you needed to say?”
“I want to feel like I have a part of this. I know stuff has been moving fast—”
“It’s not fast; it’s how it’s supposed to be. We grown as hell, AP.”
“Okay, fine not fast, but still.”
“You are sounding like you’re afraid.”
“It’s hard when you’ve never had anyone in your corner. My parents…”
“We ain’t them.”
“But that fear is there. The way I feel about you scares me sometimes but not in a bad way. It’s like I’m in awe that I can even feel this depth of emotion for someone else. And yeah, the thought of that being betrayed is gutting. But the one thing I know is that I’m in this so I’m not walking away from it. But if we do things, we do them together.”
“Just so I’m not misunderstanding you, are you worried that I won’t be able to afford something that you’ll like?”
“What? No, we’ve been here in this condo for weeks and it’s been home. Why would a house be any different since I’m sure it’s going to be bigger than here?”
“It’s a pride thing. I know you got way more than I do but I would never want you to think you had to pay for anything for us that I can do.”
“So you can spoil me but I can’t spoil you?” She huffed and I could hear the annoyance I her voice.
“I never said that. Spoiling is one thing. But necessities? That’s a man’s job to provide for his family. And since my pops never did it for my mother, it’s a big deal for me to do that for you.” And I’d be damned if I was a fifty-fifty nigga when I could afford to take care of us both.”
“I guess I’m the opposite. All he ever did was give money until it ran out and then it was on me. But having a stake meant I had some measure of control over what went on.” Her voice was sad but I knew it was from her memories and not her thinking I was going to be that way.
“So that’s what’s got you worried?”
“I guess.” She sounded like she hated to admit that she was still cautious but I didn’t blame her.
“Your name is going on the deed, Aphrodite. Nothing I was going to do would keep you out of the way from having ownership to this with me. Okay?”
“Yeah, I hear you.”
“You feeling better about all this?”
“Maybe. I’ve never really looked at homes before. When I was thinking of moving out my mother guilt-tripped me and I ended up just converting the basement into a mini apartment for me. It sounds fun.”
