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MIKA LET OUT A GRUNT then a sigh, as she shifted the box she’d just finished taping to the side. It was late September, and Michigan weather had graced them with an Indian Summer. Thank god for air conditioning as they were packing the second floor of Andrea’s house. Swiping an errant curl off her forehead, along with a little sweat Mika asked, “So have you decided to sell or what?”
Andrea plopped down on the bed exhausted. She and Cam had come by Friday night to pack, and here she was again with Mika the next day. Since the movers were coming on Monday it was a sure bet she’d be here tomorrow as well.
“Andrea?”
“Sorry. Between the heat, packing and planning for the move I’m a scatterbrain. Thanks again for finding time to help.”
“You’re welcome, and you owe me some pizza and wine to replace all the calories I’m burning. I forgot how hard packing and moving could be. I haven’t done any of this since college.”
“Done! You're cheap labor. We’ve decided to keep the place and rent it out. I’m thinking a short rental. If we don’t get enough traffic that way we can do Airbnb. Particularly since it’s close to the airport. Extra income to invest.”
“That sounds like a great plan. You’ve always been money savvy.”
“Yeah, but Cam and Robert take it to another level.”
Mika’s head snapped around, but luckily Andrea had her eyes closed. “What does Robert have to do with it?”
“Well you know he’s a financial investor. He’s handled Cam’s investments since they met years ago.”
“Ahh, I get it. He’s responsible for Cam being able to buy all your wonderful jewelry.”
“Yep, a big part actually. Cam’s convinced me to take the extra from the rental and let Robert handle it.” Andrea got up, stretched and went back to removing items from the closet. How did one person accumulate all this crap? “You should let him invest for you as well.”
“Who Cam?”
“No, Robert. Now who’s slow? You should talk to him about setting up an account, get a better return on your money.”
“I do invest you know,” Mika told her.
“Barely. With as much as you make, you could be investing a lot more and getting better returns if you let a professional do it.”
“Ugh, he’s the last person I’d ask for help,” Mika mumbled.
“What? Why not?”
Mika turned to see Andrea looking at her with genuine curiosity. Shit, what should she say now? She hadn’t told her bestie that she and the best man had done the old tango in the sheets routine. Or that she had a keen dislike for the man.
“Am I missing something?” Andrea asked when Mika didn’t answer.
“No...I just don’t know him like that to trust him with my money.”
“I get it. But he’s solid. You should really think about it,” Andrea said, turning back around.
“Yeah okay. I will. But I have plenty of money.”
“I know...and you’ll go see Robert if you want to keep it,” Andrea scolded.
––––––––
TWO HOURS LATER FOUND both women downstairs devouring the delivered pizza and drinking.
“Thanks again girl. I’ll have to take you to dinner as a real payment. I hate it’s only our second time catching up since the wedding, and I have you doing manual labor.”
Mika waved the comment away as she chewed a string of cheese. “Honestly, its fine. I’m not married like you. Not like anyone is waiting for me at home. I had nothing else to do.”
Andrea furrowed her brow at the hint of wistfulness in her friend’s tone. “Well then, we need to get you hitched.”
“No thanks. Don’t be that happily married friend who tries to fix everyone else up.”
“I wouldn’t do that!”
Mika gave her a side eye. “Mmm-hmm. I know you can be a schemer when you want to be.”
“This is true,” Andrea said grinning. “Tell you what, we’ll work with your current roster before I go sticking my nose in.”
“My current roster is empty.”
“Come on...I know you usually keep a few on the bench. You telling me there isn’t anyone you’d like to revisit?”
Mika actually thought about that question between a few sips of wine. As the silence grew, she frowned. “No. Nobody comes to mind actually. Which is fine by me. I’m not ready to take the plunge yet. I would like my dating life to ramp back up though. I think I’m getting bored.”
Andrea didn’t say anything for a moment, just studied her bestie. Mika was fiddling with her earrings while stuffing her face with food. “Ahh, I get it you do seem to have a lot of pent up energy. But be serious, you can have sex whenever. What are you looking for in a guy for a long-term relationship?”
“That’s the point. I’m not looking...well not really.” And Mika wasn’t. Long-term relationships seemed like a lot of work.
“Whatever, neither was I. I know you eventually want to get married and for that to happen you need to start with a real relationship. Quick give me five things you want in your Mr. Right!”
“Okay, he needs to be...umm adventurous, outgoing, fun, manly and at least 6’2.”
“Three of those things mean basically the same thing. Think deeper than that. Does he need to be well off?” Andrea asked knowing Mika’s background.
Mika twisted her mouth and shook her head. “Not really. I mean he needs to be taking care of himself, but I don’t want a career obsessed man. Nor do I need one. I have money and money isn’t everything.”
“Well what do you want besides fun in a mate?”
“Look Andrea, I don’t know. Not everyone can nab a good looking, funny, caring and successful guy like you did,” Mika said standing up and brushing pizza crumbs off her jeans, before grabbing her purse. “Maybe in five to ten years I’ll run into my own unicorn. Thanks for the pizza, but it’s late and I’m beat. I’ll talk to you later!”
Mika yelled the last as she was walking out the door, Andrea’s mouth still hanging open from her outburst. Reaching the car, she blew out the breath she was holding and let her head fall onto the steering wheel. She had no clue why she’d just blown up at Andrea. She couldn’t be happier that her friend had in fact found a black unicorn, she deserved it. Yet here she was, lashing out like a bitter shrew. When her phone buzzed, she pulled it out to read the text.
Andrea: Not sure what happened. Sorry I upset you
Andrea: Still, let me know you get home safely
Great. That made her feel like even more of an ass. Why did she have a friend who took the high road more often than not? She could have at least called me a bad name or two.
Mika: I will
Mika: I’m sorry too. Wasn’t you, was me :(
Putting on her seatbelt she pulled out the driveway and started for home, deep in thought. Could she be jealous of her friend? Maybe. After all who wouldn't be a tad bit? Andrea had gotten that random meeting that turned into a whirlwind romance. The shit that people wrote books and poems about. At the same time Mika wasn’t sure she was ready for a heavy relationship. The thought of having to put someone else first made her cringe. All for a fifty/fifty chance they wouldn’t cheat on you, be secretly gay, or heaven forbid both.
Maybe it had been Andrea’s implication that my relationships weren’t “real”. Did she have a point? While Andrea had rarely dated when she did, it often morphed into a longer arrangement. While she on the other hand dated often and the potential mates morphed into thin air. The longest relationship she’d ever had was eight months long. Was that right? While sitting at a light she mentally went back to college and worked her way up. She didn’t like the answer she came up with. She’d only had about three relationships to reach six months. Not realizing it since she usually moved on to the next fairly quickly. Casual dating taking the place of forming lasting relationships.
“Well, damn...”
What kind of guy could make her want to settle down? She wasn’t sure, as she honestly didn't spend much time thinking about it. What she wanted was someone she was passionate about, and who felt the same about her. Someone who liked her for all her quirky habits and wouldn’t try to change her into a Stepford wife. All the successful black men seemed to be stiff and dull. As if they didn’t know how to relax outside the office. She wanted the perfect man for her. While she might be sketchy on exactly what that looked like, she felt certain she hadn’t met him yet.
