Page 10 of Breeze and Melodie

“So, what do you want to talk about?” I asked Melodie.

We’d already gotten our drinks and appetizers and enjoyed them while we had small talk. Once we’d placed our food order, I was ready to find out what she wanted to discuss.

“Do you want kids?”

“Definitely. I hope you got pregnant last night or this morning.”

She laughed, but I was serious. I was already in my forties, and although I worked out and considered myself in good shape, I didn’t have time to waste. I wanted to be able to run, jump, and play with my kids without getting winded too quickly or concerned about accidental injuries.

“You don’t think that’s too soon? I mean, I know you as Breeze, my best friend’s brother, not as my man. You know me as your little sister’s best friend, not as your woman. Don’t you think we need more time to get to know who we are as a couple before we add kids to the equation?”

“Even if you’re pregnant right now, we got nine months to get to know each other.”

“True, but what if you don’t like me?”

“Baby, why are you acting like we’re strangers? I’ve known you since you were in middle school. Even though I didn’t start checking for you until you were in your twenties, I know what kind of person you are. Plus, Rainey wouldn’t love you so much if you weren’t a good person with a good heart.”

“You’ve been checking for me since I was twenty?”

“Is that all you heard?”

“No, but answer me.”

I shook my head and chuckled. “The first time I really noticed you, and all that ass you’re carrying behind you, was when we went to that boat party. You were young but had your shit together, and I was still getting money the best way I knew how.”

“But you were checking for me?”

“Let me put it this way so we can move beyond it. If you were somebody else, and not Rainey’s best friend, I would’ve fucked the shit outta you, but back then, that would’ve been as far as it went.”

She nodded in understanding. I was in no position for a serious relationship at that time, and Melodie, being Raine’s best friend, saved her from heartbreak.

“I get it. I was probably too immature to be fucking with a man like you anyway.”

“I believe things happen when they should, and not a minute sooner. Is that all you wanted to discuss?”

“No. Umm, I think . . . You know what? Never mind.”

“Nah, baby. I’ve always known you to speak your mind. Don’t change on me now.”

She sighed. “In today’s society, being married before you have kids ain’t as important as it used to be. I couldn’t care less about most traditional values, but that one has always been very important to me.”

“Weren’t you just telling Rainey to slow down when she mentioned us getting married?”

“Yes, but?—”

“This isn’t a conversation you need to have with me. You need to go home, look in the mirror, and have it with yourself. I already told you what’s up.”

She tilted her head to the side and squinted her eyes. “You weren’t just talking shit?”

“I wouldn’t play about something as serious as marriage, Mel. I love Rainey and would do anything for her, but she’s not why I came to Onyx City. You are.”

She looked confused. “Wait. What did you say?”

“I came here to pursue you, baby, but you weren’t ready to let me do that.

You were mad because I didn’t respond to your advances the way other niggas did.

I needed you to understand I ain’t other niggas.

When you backed off, I wanted you even more, and right around the time I thought you were ready for me, you start fuckin’ with that bitch-ass nigga. ”

“Oh my God. You let me waste a year of my life with him.”

“Nah, I ain’t let you do nothing. You chose to be with him, which let me know you weren’t ready for me.

Don’t get me wrong; I hated every second you were with his ass and lost count of the number of times I almost snatched you up right in front of him.

That bullshit ass relationship had to happen to prepare you for a nigga like me. ”

The timing of the server with our food couldn’t have been better. I was ready to move on from the conversation and hoped Melodie was too.

“Is there anything else I can get for you right away?” the server asked.

“No, thank you. We’re good for now,” I responded before she left.

“A nigga like you, huh?” Melodie circled right back to where the server cut off our conversation.

“That’s what I said.”

She looked at me a while longer before using her fork to lift a piece of lasagna to her mouth. I kept my eyes on her as I swirled spaghetti around my fork before enjoying a forkful.

“I can’t wait to see exactly what kinda nigga you are.”

“I can’t wait to show you.”

“You niggas need to hurry up and start your season. I’m tired of getting my ass beat every other Sunday,” I said on my way to the bleachers.

Since the end of the last professional basketball season, Shyne, Adan, Zayn, and I had been playing pick-up basketball games with Dakari Bentley and Bronx Ravens , who are three- and two-time world champions with the Onyx City Blazers, respectively.

“Quit complaining,” Bronx said.

“I ain’t complaining, but y’all don’t have to play like it’s a championship game every time.”

“Nah, y’all need to step up your game,” Dakari teased.

“Just make sure y’all thank us for helping you keep your game tight during the off-season when you give your championship speech,” Shyne said.

“You were sluggish as hell today, Breeze. What’s up with you?” Adan asked.

I ignored Adan’s question as I guzzled the water from my bottle.

“It’s not what, it’s who,” Shyne said before laughing.

“Mel wearing your ass out?” Adan continued.

“Nah, I’m good. Just a little tired.”

I’d only had one other serious relationship that came close to what I had with Melodie, and I was a teenager.

Even then, I was smart enough not talk to other niggas about the goodness between my woman’s thighs.

All the women I’d dealt with between my first relationship and Melodie were just something to do, including Tia, if I were honest.

It had been a few weeks since Melodie and I made things official, and things couldn’t have been better. Our chemistry was off the charts, which made our lovemaking too good to express with mere words. Beyond the bedroom, I enjoyed her company and simply being in her presence.

I’d never dated a woman I’d considered a friend well before we dated.

Whether Melodie and I had sex or not, we had a great time talking, watching movies, sitting quietly while she was engrossed in her phone, while I played my video games, even though she teased me about being too old to still play them.

“Your silence speaks volumes about this new relationship,” Dakari said. “When are you planning to propose?”

Dakari was at least a decade younger than me but very mature for his age. Whenever I’d been around him and the topic of relationships came up, he gave sound advice.

“Is it that obvious?” I asked with a smile.

“Yeah. I noticed something different about you the moment you walked in. There’s a light around you, and your spirit doesn’t seem as heavy.”

“Shit, as slow as he was on the court, I was thinking the exact opposite,” Adan joked.

“Physical heaviness isn’t the same as your spirit being or feeling heavy,” Dakari told him.

“He’s right. Raine and I have noticed how different you and Mel have been since you finally hooked up,” Shyne added.

“See, y’all got lucky,” Zayn began. “The women you settled down with are good women. Granted, I don’t know Jahzara and Yazmeen personally, but I’ve met them a few times, and it's clear they’re different.

I can’t tell you the last time I hooked up with a woman who was worth taking out a second time. ”

“Maybe it’s you, not them,” Bronx said.

“Nah. I’m in the same boat as my brother. Whoever said a good woman was hard to find was speaking nothing but facts,” Adan agreed with his brother.

“Maybe it’s both of y’all,” Bronx reiterated.

I laughed at how matter-of-fact Bronx was, but he wasn’t wrong. If what they shared during shop talk was true, it was a miracle some woman hadn’t bashed the windows out of their cars.

“Based on some of our conversations, y’all got some shit to unpack. My therapist?—”

“Hell nah.” Zayn interrupted Dakari. “I ain’t had no therapist in all these years. Why start now?”

“Hopefully, you live a full and prosperous life and are willing to evolve as you get older. You’d be surprised the shit you’re holding onto, especially when it comes to relationships,” Dakari told them. “Ask Bronx.”

Bronx frowned at the stray he’d just caught. “Why you gotta drag me into this?”

“Because I need to remind your ass how you almost lost Yaz, and if you let it happen again, I’m on your ass.”

“Whatever, nigga. Why don’t we get back to the original question? When are you proposing?” Bronx swiftly changed the subject, taking the focus off him.

“I’m not sure, but soon. Y’all don’t say shit to Raine. Her and Mel can’t keep shit from each other.”

“Your secret is safe with us,” Shyne said while Adan and Zayn agreed.

I knew I wanted to marry Melodie before I left Chicago. Our connection was delayed, but it wouldn’t be denied.

We talked for a few more minutes before everyone went their separate ways.

On the way home, I sent Melodie a text to let her know I would be there soon, before calling my Aunt Pat.

I hadn’t talked to her in a while because she traveled more than anyone I knew.

She was the only mother figure Raine and I had growing up because our mother cared more about drugs than she did us for most of our lives.

Although we were grown, she still played that role.

“Hey, Nephew. How are you?” Aunt Pat answered.

“I’m good. How you been? It’s been a minute since we talked.”

“It has. Me and Newman just got back from a two-week vacation in Negril.”

“I figured you’d been out in the streets since you hadn’t stopped by the spa in a minute. How was your trip?”

“Amazing as always. I can’t wait until the next one. What’s going on, Nephew? I feel like you called to do more than check on me.”

“You know me well, Auntie. I want to marry Melodie.”

“You want to marry Mel ? What happened to the woman you were dating? What’s her name? Tonya?”

I chuckled because she never could get her name right. “Tia.”

I went on to tell her how Melodie and I finally got our shit together. She had a lot to say about us having only one life and wasting time with other people when we could’ve already been building with each other.

“I get it now, Auntie, and we won’t waste any more time.”

“That’s good to hear, because time waits for no one.”

“I’m well aware.”

“So, speaking of time, . . . have you talked to your father?”

I groaned inwardly because her brother was a sore subject for me. He’d been in Stateville Correctional Center, located right outside of Joliet, IL, for almost twenty years. Joliet was a far western suburb of Chicago, about fifty miles away.

I’d only visited him a handful of times when I lived in Chicago, and the odds of me making a special trip to see him now that I lived twelve hours away were slim to none. Raine and I rarely discussed him, so it was easy to forget he existed.

“Not in a while, . . . a long while. Why?”

He called me while I was in Negril. The connection wasn’t great, so we didn’t talk long. He asked about you and Raine.”

“Well, if he calls you again, tell him I said hello, and we’re doing fine.”

“You should write?—”

“Auntie, no disrespect, but I got nothing to say to him.”

“But Breeze?—”

“Nah, Auntie. Let’s not do this. I know he’s your brother, but he was a horrible father. The few times I’ve seen or talked to him since he’s been locked up, all he did was put me down and tell me I was a horrible son. I’d rather not submit myself to his verbal abuse.”

“Okay, Nephew. I get it. He’s my brother and didn’t do right by his family. He doesn’t get a pass from me, and I’ve told him numerous times. I’ll let him know you and Raine are doing well when he calls me again.”

“Cool. I’m home now, and Melody is waiting for me. I love you, and I’ll talk to you soon.”

“Love you too, Breeze.”