CHAPTER 57
Monique
I was lucky to have such a patient man who was so understanding. Dele would not wait around forever. He was kind, intelligent, handsome, wealthy, and most of all he loved me. He intentionally tried to make me jealous and it worked. Seeing him with another woman brought everything into perspective. I could not keep our relationship a secret anymore. I even asked CeCe her opinion and we both agreed that I shouldn’t wait any longer. And right after I told Kadir I was going to call Carl. I didn’t think he would care, because Kadir said he’d been dating.
Kadir was coming home from a seven-game road trip and as soon as he got in the door, I was going to sit him down and talk to him like the grown man he always tells me he is. I called Dele to see how much time I had.
“Hey, babe, are y’all back?”
“We just landed. Are you on your way to my home?”
“I am, but first I’m going to talk to Kadir about us.”
“Finally.”
“Yes. Finally.”
“Well, let me know how everything goes. He will understand, Monique. He knows I am a good guy.”
“As soon as I’m done, I’m coming. I might have to live with you for a few days until he calms down.”
I smoked five cigarettes and thirty minutes later I heard Kadir’s keys at the front door. He walked in and placed his luggage by the door. He gave me a lackluster “Hey Mom. Have you been smoking? Is everything all right?”
“Yeah, I don’t know, I just felt like a cigarette today. It’s no big deal. How is everything with you? You seem sad.”
He wiped his eyes and said, “I’m fine. I’m a little tired from the road and Abby caught me talking to this other girl and said she didn’t want to talk to me anymore.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that was your girlfriend.”
“She kind of was, but I was talking to a few girls that she didn’t know about and now she wants nothing to do with me.”
“She’ll get over it. How about sending her some flowers?”
“I tried that and she sent me a picture with them in the trash.” He showed me his phone with the red roses in a trashcan. I couldn’t hold in my laughter.
“Mom, it’s not funny.”
“Yes, it is. That’s something I would do. She’s probably really hurt.”
“Yeah. I understand. She’s hurt. She said I was the only guy she introduced her son to and that she didn’t have time for games.”
I couldn’t believe I was about to give him advice to get this girl back—a girl I didn’t particularly care for. “Kadir, just tell her that you made a mistake and you want to talk to her in person. Buy her some more flowers, take her out for dinner, and get her a nice gift. And tell her how much she means to you and that y’all are young, but could work on being in a relationship.”
“You think that will work?”
“It should.”
“Thanks, Mom. I’m going to text her now. So how have you been? Anything going on with you?”
“No, nothing at all.” I couldn’t do it. He was already sad. I couldn’t make him feel worse. I would have to wait to tell him about Dele and me.