Page 107 of Taming a Menace

“We’re almost at the finish line, Iyla. Don’t let him make you give up on me,” I pled.

“I’m not giving up. I’m just asking for some time.”

“What about Thursday?”

“I’ve already completed your form. I’ll send it in on Thursday evening, so you don’t have to worry about coming in.”

“I need to see you, Moon. I can’t just not see you anymore.”

“That’s not what I’m asking for. Just give me time to think, baby. I love you. That hasn’t changed. I promise I’m going to figure something out. It might just take a little time to get him out of my hair.”

“I don’t like how that sounds.”

“Neither do I, but what else can I do?” she asked. I could tell she was crying and that didn’t sit right with me.

“Let me talk to him,” I demanded.

“That’s only going to make matters worse, Keywan. Don’t give him any ammunition. Right now he’s just speculating. He doesn’t know for sure what he knows. He was just trying to scare me.”

“It seems like it worked.”

“Just please give me time to work it out. Goodbye, Keywan.”

Iyla ended the call, and I sat there at the light until someone blew their horn to let me know it was time to move. My head felt like it was about to explode. I had no idea what I was going to do. She asked for time. The least I could do was try to give her that.

It had been over a week since I’d seen or talked to my baby. It was one thing for Iyla not to answer my calls, but when I showed up at her office and found out that she had called out sick on my last day of therapy, I was devastated.

I knew she wasn’t sick. She’d missed work knowing that I would show up even though she asked me not to. That was made evident by Janet giving me the paperwork for my completed hours and saying that a copy had been emailed to my parole officer.

I couldn’t even celebrate that perceived victory because my heart hurt so bad. I needed Iyla to understand that I would do anything for her. I needed her to know that I loved her more than anything in the world. I needed her to know that she was the most important thing to me.

Fuck the paperwork. I was grateful to be done with my court mandated hours, but I refused to be done with her. I left the office livid, knowing that a man who couldn’t take no for an answer was trying to ruin my future.

I was spiraling, but I refused to give up on us. I’d done well not to lose my temper over the past few weeks. Now I was losing my grip. Someone threatening to make me lose my heart in human form trumped losing my temper. Iyla meant everything to me.

Things that I would usually find funny no longer made me laugh. Songs that I used to sing along to no longer made me sing.I didn’t even feel like cooking. I just wanted Iyla. Without her nothing felt as good or right.

It was close to midnight, and although I had drunk half a bottle of scotch, I was five minutes away from Iyla’s house. She was ghosting me. I hated that shit. I don’t know what she expected me to do while she was figuring things out, but I couldn’t take it anymore.

The least she could do was talk to me. I hopped out of my truck without bothering to turn it off as I stormed up to her door. I rang her doorbell over and over until she finally answered.

“Keywan, what are you doing here?”

Hearing her voice made my heart soar. The agitation laced in her words didn’t faze me.

“I need to see my therapist.”

“Do you know what time it is?”

“I don’t care what time it is. I’m having a crisis, and I need to see my therapist.”

“I’m not letting you in. Please leave.”

“I can’t do that. What about us?”

“Keywan, please.”

“Come to the door, Iyla. I’m not going anywhere.”