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“Trust, Sis. When I get tired of office dwelling, I’ll get a hotel room.”
“What about your insurance?”
“I’m still going through the paperwork. Once that is all completed, the insurance company will cover everything.”
“What about a rebuild?”
“No. I’m not doing that, but they will cover the expense of me moving into a new place. I have to set up an appointment with a realtor later today. I’m sure that I’ll be able to find something.”
“Do you have a realtor?”
“No.”
“I have a name for you. He’s a great guy, and he is in high demand. Do you want it?”
“Sure,” I replied softly.
“I’ll text you his number when we end the call. His name is Jude Rome, and he’s a friend of Alex’s. I know that he’ll drop everything and come assist you without a second thought.”
“I don’t want anyone doing that for me.”
“See, that’s your problem, Sis. You never allow anyone to help you. You’re always helping everyone else and being there for others. You listen to people’s problems all day and carry the burden of other people’s problems, but who do you allow to be there for you?”
I sighed but didn’t respond. My sister’s words reminded me of Casimir Perez’s words. I closed my eyes, trying to block out the way I felt when he said those things to me. The only thing I succeeded in doing was seeing his smooth dark skin, those penetrating, beautiful inky black eyes, and those thick, sexy lips. That led to me remembering our dance in the club.
I shook my head when my sister asked, “Did you hear me?”
“No.”
“I said that I’m going to send you his number, but I’m getting off the phone with you now so that I can call him. I’m not trusting you to handle this. And if you haven’t found a place when we return, you’ll be staying with us.”
“Fine,” I muttered.
“I knew that I should have made you take a copy of my key when we moved in here last year.”
“You two need your privacy. You don’t need your baby sister barging in on you.”
“And you wouldn’t have. But it would have sooo come in handy right now. You could be staying there while we’re out of town.”
“I’ll be fine, Genni.”
“I love you, sweetheart.”
“Love you too.”
I knew that I couldn’t call my parents, but I did wish they were here. I knew the moment that I heard their voices, I would break. My parents always made me feel like their little girl again. My daddy’s big, comforting arms and my mother’s soothing words were just what I needed but more than I could handle at the moment.
I had to be strong and figure out my next move. I knew that I would be okay as it related to housing. Yes, I could check into a hotel, and yes, my insurance would cover moving expenses when I found someplace new. That wasn’t what had me rocked, though.
I was devastated because I no longer had anything left to remind me of my one true love. It was as if he had never existed, as if we had never been. I felt like the universe was tired of me holding on to something that could not be and burnt it all down to the ground. Everything about him had been ripped from my hands.
It was as if the universe and God Himself were mocking me, saying, “If he didn’t love you enough to stay around, why are you still holding on to him? Let him go.”
I knew that was foolish thinking, yet, even with all my education and training, nothing rang truer at the moment than I was a victim, and everything that I had left was taken from me.
I grabbed an Afghan and pillow from my closet, walked to the couch, and dropped down on it. I turned my phone on vibrate and set it on the table at the other end of the couch, and then I lay down to rest.
Casimir