Page 60 of You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty

“We talk about other shit! You know … extended family, art, medical histories—”

“Oh, that sounds fascinating.”

“It’s part of getting to know someone if you’re serious. Last night he was telling me about when he got a vasectomy—”

“Wait, he’s had a vasectomy?” Joy narrowed her eyes at Feyi. “Y’all nasty.”

“I really want to know how you got there from a medical history.”

“Oh, you think I forgot about you and Milan in the bathroom? A vasectomy is like a go-all-the-way-to-raw-sex card. Do not pass go, do not collect two hundred.”

Feyi blushed at the thought of doing that with Alim, the look on his face when he’d slide into her. “It’s not even like that.”

Joy scoffed. “Whatever, girl. Let me know how the bare-backing goes. Nasty ass.”

“I’m done with you. What’s happening with your married woman? Justina, right?”

Joy’s face clouded over. “Ah. She came out to her husband. It … didn’t go well.”

“Aw, babe. I’m sorry.” Feyi could see Joy folding up the hurt, getting ready to tuck it away like she always did, in a box full of aching. “Are y’all still talking?”

“Nah, she blocked me.”

“What? Why?!”

Joy shrugged. “She didn’t say. Just left me a voice note crying about how badly the conversation went, and by the time I tried to reply when I woke up, she’d blocked me.”

“That fucking sucks, man.”

“It is what it is.” Joy forced a smile. “I’ll get over it.”

Feyi bit her tongue. She wanted to tell Joy that it didn’t have to keep being like this, that she didn’t have to keep choosing unavailable people, but it would sound too much like a lecture and Joy didn’t need that on top of her hurt. Also, it wasn’t like Feyi was in a position to scold anyone about their romantic choices, not with this mess she’d put herself in. There were a thousand things Joy could’ve said, things that Feyi told herself every day, but she hadn’t, she’d been supportive and the least Feyi could do was be supportive back.

“I’m here if you wanna talk, babe.”

“It’s cool. Yo, did I tell you I ran into Milan last week? At some karaoke bar in the Village.”

“Oh, shit. How is he?”

“He seemed cool. I was dying to ask him how he felt about you and Nasir ’cause he brought up that y’all had traveled together, but I figured that was crossing a line.”

Feyi heard the faint click of a door opening in the house and turned her head slightly. Alim had gone out for a run, but he usually took longer with them. Maybe he’d cut his route short. “Yeah, definitely a good call not to ask him that,” she said. There was another click as the door closed. “Hold on, I think Alim’s back from his run.”

“Already? Damn, old man.”

“I know, right? Lemme call you back.”

“Okay, cool. Love you.”

“Love you.” Feyi hung up and dropped the phone on the window seat, swinging her legs off it and heading for the corridor. “Alim?” she said, opening the library door. “You back already?” She stepped into the corridor just as Nasir came around the corner.

They both stopped, and Feyi felt a wave of panicked terror wash through her.

“Nasir … what are you doing here?”

Nasir’s face was calm, and his voice controlled. “I live here, Feyi,” he said, cool and unflustered. “Did you forget already?”

“No, of course, I meant—when did you get back? I didn’t see your car pull up.”