Love In The Outfield

by Kaylyn Kiara

“I’m going to head out. I’ll come back tomorrow and finish.” “Yeah, you do that,” Tai sassed, folding her arms across her chest. The chest that was likely the final straw that broke the camel’s back. She wanted her breast done, and somehow, my refusal to pay for it turned into not wanting her to be happy. “Keep playing, and I’ll make him marry me and show you how it’s done.” Noa’s tone was leveled but held a certain level of don’t fuck with me.

Life is kind of like a video game. God won’t let you move on to the next level if you can’t master the one you’re on. He’ll keep forcing you to relive it until you do.

“I want you, Noa, and you want me too. Now what?” For someone who always had something to say, she was stuck trying to figure out how the fuck I read her so well. “Nothing. You’re getting divorced. I’m j-j.” I smiled at how awkward Noa looked, trying to put together a response. Then she paused because now she understood my struggle with words. “Scared,” I replied, helping her out because that’s all I wanted. To make her life easier in every way. “My baby is scared, and shit, I am too, but not having you scares me more.”

“He’s stupid,” I replied because I wanted to say fuck him, but even at my adult age, I didn’t curse in front of my mother. Mom chuckled, “I have news for you, baby. They’re all stupid. It’s just a matter of deciding what type of stupidity you can tolerate.”

“You and her don’t have no business, but I do owe you a thank you for being a dumbass. If not, my baby would still think you’re the realest nigga she’s ever known.”