Page 5 of Aquarius Awakening (BLP Signs of Love #20)

Time to Move On

I tossed and turned all night in my California king bed.

The bright sun fought through the windows as I opened my eyes.

As I felt around on the other side of the bed, it felt cold.

I looked and confirmed what I thought. Mason’s side of the bed was still made.

Another night of Mason not coming home. My conversation with Imani over dinner replayed in my head.

This wasn’t the way I wanted to start my morning, but here I was. I grabbed my phone off the nightstand. Then I checked for any messages or calls from Mason. A wave of annoyance ran through my body when I saw there were no new notifications.

Mason had officially pulled a disappearing act. This wasn’t the first time he hadn’t come home. However, not coming home for two consecutive nights was new. The disrespect was loud at this point.

I got out of bed and walked over to my vanity.

Just as I had done a few days ago, I took in my reflection.

Once again, the mirror showed me everything I didn’t want to see.

The reflection that stared back at me made me sad.

There were bags under my eyes. I just looked miserable.

Right then and there, I made the decision that today would be my last day looking this way.

I never wanted to be the woman who allowed a man to break her spirit.

The many arguments between Mason and me had broken me.

I tried so hard to save face all this time, and for what?

No matter what I did or how I tried to be good to Mason, I ended up alone.

It was time for me to move on. There was more to life than sitting around miserably waiting for Mason to come home.

He obviously forgot his address, so I would do the same.

Whenever Mason decided to return, I wouldn’t be here.

With this newfound revelation, I needed somewhere to stay.

My upcoming fashion show meant I couldn’t be too far from my office.

Mason and I had a weekend house in Long Island, but that was an hour away.

I also didn’t want to be anywhere he would assume I would go.

As the fashion show was being held in Dumbo, I rented a place in Brooklyn.

The only problem was that my reservation for the home was for next week.

I grabbed my phone to reach out to Milani.

Me:

Hey, boo!

Milani:

Hey girl, what’s going on?

Me:

I need a favor. Can you reach out to the owner of the house you rented for next week? I want to head over there today if I can.

Milani:

Sure, is everything okay?

Me:

Yeah. My husband can’t seem to find his way home, so I want to show him what it feels like to wake up alone.

Milani:

I know that’s right. Give me an hour to see what I can do for you.

Me:

Thank you!

With that out of the way, I went to my closet to pack.

My only problem was that I always overpacked.

The Aquarian in me liked to stand out, so I needed options when it came to my outfits and accessories.

Without Mason to carry my bags, I had to be mindful.

My hope was that Mason would see some of my things gone and realize he had me messed up.

The conversation with Imani last night really stirred up something in me.

For too long, I’d played along as the supportive wife.

Mason’s lack of support for me was truly hurtful.

As I filled up the second bag, my phone alerted me to a message. I picked up the phone and opened my thread with Milani.

Milani:

The owners are out of town, so the place is free. I’m headed to pick up the key from their property manager. Head over whenever you’re ready.

Me:

I can’t thank you enough.

Milani:

You know I got you, boo. See you soon.

A sigh of relief swept over me. Although I was only packing for several days, something about this felt final.

I didn’t know how to explain the feeling.

After double and triple-checking that I had everything, I headed into the bathroom to brush my teeth and shower.

Before I left the house, I left Mason a note on the nightstand.

Mason,

I’m following your lead and taking some time for myself. Whenever you are ready to talk, I’ll be ready.

Love,

Faith

The cab pulled in front of the beautiful, recently constructed building on June Street.

I lived in the city, so the tall buildings didn’t impress me.

However, this particular building did so as it took up the entire block.

As I grabbed my bags and exited the cab, I took in the well-maintained, tree-lined street.

It appeared to be a quiet neighborhood, which I would appreciate.

Even with the shops and restaurants that occupied the ground floor, it was quiet.

After I had situated the heavy duffel bags on each shoulder, I went through the revolving door to enter the building. Once inside the lobby, Milani was there to greet me.

“Hey, girl. So what do you think of the neighborhood?”

“It’s nice. I can’t wait to get upstairs to see the place,” I replied as we made our way to the elevator.

“The amenities here are very similar to your place. There’s a rooftop pool and barbecue pit.

In the back area, there’s a walking path.

On the second floor, there’s a communal sitting area and a game room.

There’s also a full luxury gym on the ground level.

I know how much you love a good run,” she teased.

“Oh, whatever. You need to come join me some time,” I replied.

Milani rolled her eyes at the suggestion.

When we reached the unit, she used a key fob to open the door.

The view of the Brooklyn Bridge took my breath away.

I could envision myself seated outside on the spacious, beautiful balcony.

The view of the water made me never want to go back to Park Avenue.

It would be hard for me to leave this place when the fashion show was over.

I continued my tour around the three-bedroom condo with three bathrooms, while Milani watched me take in the beauty of this home with a smile on her face.

“How did I do?” she asked.

“Perfect. This place is perfect. It has everything I need,” I commented.

Milani feigned relief by wiping imaginary sweat from her forehead. “Now that you have your perfect getaway, what’s next?” she asked.

“You know, I have no idea. I had dinner with Imani last night, and she got me thinking about my relationship with Mason. There were some things I brushed off, but I’ve decided I can no longer ignore the red flags.

Last night was the second night in a row he didn’t come home.

I didn’t get married to sleep alone. It seems we are on two different pages.

I need to clear my head and decide what I want to do,” I expressed.

“And whatever you decide, I’ll be here. It’s been hard watching my favorite free-spirited Aquarius walk around like a caged bird.

I know you’ve been passive about his behavior for a while.

Once you’ve had enough, you will know. Why don’t we hang out here in this beautiful place today?

Tomorrow, you can focus on the serious stuff,” she offered.

“Sounds good to me. Where can a girl get something good to eat around here?” I jokingly asked.

“Come on, silly. The handsome concierge gave me the scoop on some spots. I didn’t want to say anything. You’ve been looking extra thin, bookie, so I’m happy to hear you have an appetite,” she said.

“Girl, leave me alone. You know I’m always stressed around this time of year. Hurry and feed me since you are so concerned.” We laughed as we headed out to find some food.

Just as with Imani last night, Milani had said everything that had been on my heart.

My behavior with Mason had been passive for quite some time.

I blamed that trait on being an Aquarius.

Confrontation to me was like kryptonite.

It weakened my spirit. I preferred to allow people to argue with themselves.

That was another reason that the uncomfortable conversation that turned into a shouting match a few days ago bothered me.

I allowed Mason to take me out of character.

It wasn’t the first time, and I was almost sure there would be more challenging times ahead.